14/75. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1316 — Best in Repaying Debt
What Has Been Related About Taking A Camel Or Other Animals On Loan
Best in Repaying Debt Hadith: Good Character in Loans
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1316
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1316
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ اسْتَقْرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سِنًّا فَأَعْطَاهُ سِنًّا خَيْرًا مِنْ سِنِّهِ وَقَالَ " خِيَارُكُمْ أَحَاسِنُكُمْ قَضَاءً " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ شُعْبَةُ وَسُفْيَانُ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ لَمْ يَرَوْا بِاسْتِقْرَاضِ السِّنِّ بَأْسًا مِنَ الإِبِلِ . وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ . وَكَرِهَ بَعْضُهُمْ ذَلِكَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Took A Camel Of A Particular Age On Loan. He Gave Back To Him A Camel Of A Better Age Than The One He Was Given. He Said: 'The Best Among You Is The Best In Repaying.'" He Said: There Is Something On This Topic From Abu Rafi'. [Abu 'Eisa Said:] The Hadith Of Abu Hurairah Is A Hasan Sahih Hadith. Shu'Bah And Sufyan Reported It From Salamah. This Is Acted Upon According To Some Of The People Of Knowledge, They Saw No Harm Is Taking A Camel Of A Particular Age As A Loan. This Is The View Of Ash-Shafi'I, Ahmad, And Ishaq. But Some Of Them Disliked That.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1316In-book reference : Book 14, Hadith 119English translation : Vol. 3, Book 12, Hadith 1316
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1316
This best in repaying debt hadith shows how the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) dealt with a loan. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) took a camel of a certain age on loan. When he repaid it, he gave a camel of a better age than the one he had received. He then said that the best among you are the best in repaying. The hadith does not present repayment as a cold transaction only. It connects fulfilling a debt with good character. When someone owes another person, paying back well, on fair terms, and with a good spirit is part of noble conduct.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) repaid with a better camel than he had borrowed.
- Good repayment is praised in the hadith.
- Debt should be treated as a serious right.
- Repaying well reflects good character.
