عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَقَاضَاهُ، فَأَغْلَظَ لَهُ، فَهَمَّ بِهِ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «دَعُوهُ، فَإِنَّ لِصَاحِبِ الْحَقِّ مَقَالًا» ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَعْطُوهُ سِنًّا مِثْلَ سِنِّهِ» قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللّهِ، لا نَجِدُ إِلّا أَمْثَلَ مِنْ سِنِّهِ، قَالَ: «أَعْطُوهُ، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَكُمْ أَحْسَنُكُمْ قَضَاءً» مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) demanding repayment of a debt, and he was harsh with him. His Companions made to deal with him, but the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Leave him, for the holder of a right is entitled to speak." Then he said: "Give him a camel of an age like the age of his camel." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, we find only one better than his." He said: "Give it to him, for the best of you is the best in repaying." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
رجلًا: قيل هو زيد بن شعبة الكناني وأسلم فيما بعد. يتقاضاه: يطلب منه أداء ما له عليه. فأغلظ: قسا بمطالبته. فهمّ أصحابه به: أي أراد أصحاب النّبيّ صَلَّى اللّهُ عليه وَسَلَّمَ أن ينالوا منه جزاء غلظته. مقالًا: سلطانًا في القول. أعطوه: المخاطب بذلك أبو رافع مولى النّبيّ صَلَّى اللّهُ عليه وَسَلَّمَ. سنًّا مثل سنّه: جملًا عمره مثل عمر جمله. أمثل: أكبر في السن وأفضل. قضاء: وفاء للحق الذي عليه.
"A man": it is said he was Zayd ibn Sha'ba al-Kinani, who embraced Islam afterward. "Demanding repayment from him": seeking that he pay what was owed to him. "He was harsh": he was rough in his demand. "His Companions made to deal with him": that is, the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to take him to task for his harshness. "Entitled to speak": a warrant in speech. "Give it to him": the one addressed by this was Abu Rafi', the freed servant of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). "A camel of an age like his camel's age": a camel whose age is like the age of his camel. "Better": older in age and superior. "In repaying": fulfilling the right that is owed.
الدروس · lessons
أنّ اللّه قَدْ جعل لِصاحِبِ الحقِّ، سواءٌ كانَ دائنًا أو مُؤَجِّرًا أو أجيرًا، الحَقَّ في المطالبة بحقّه، شريطة عدم التعدي على غَيْره. الصّبر عَلى خُشونة قول الغريم. أنَّ من عليه دين من قرض أو غيره له أن يردّه بأجود مِن الذي عليه، فذلك من مكارم الأَخلاق المحمودة عرفًا وشرعًا، على أن تكون منه تبرعاً ولا يشترطه الدائن.
Allah has granted the holder of a right—whether a creditor, a lessor, or a hired worker—the right to demand his due, on condition that he does not transgress against others. Patience with the roughness of the claimant's speech. Whoever owes a debt, whether from a loan or otherwise, may repay it with something better than what he owes; that is among the noble manners praised by custom and by the Sharia, provided that it is a voluntary gift on his part and not stipulated by the creditor.