Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2606
sahih

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) owed a man some debt (and that man demanded it very harshly). The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) wanted to harm him, but the Prophet (ﷺ) said to them, "Leave him, as the creditor has the right to speak harshly." He then added, "Buy (a camel) of the same age and give it to him." They said, "We cannot get except a camel of an older age than that of his." He said, "Buy it and give it to him, as the best amongst you is he who pays back his debt in the most handsome way.'

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ جَبَلَةَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ لِرَجُلٍ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَيْنٌ فَهَمَّ بِهِ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ دَعُوهُ فَإِنَّ لِصَاحِبِ الْحَقِّ مَقَالاً‏.‏ وَقَالَ اشْتَرُوا لَهُ سِنًّا فَأَعْطُوهَا إِيَّاهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا لاَ نَجِدُ سِنًّا إِلاَّ سِنًّا هِيَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ سِنِّهِ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَاشْتَرُوهَا فَأَعْطُوهَا إِيَّاهُ، فَإِنَّ مِنْ خَيْرِكُمْ أَحْسَنَكُمْ قَضَاءً ‏"‏‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 51, Hadith 40
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 47, Hadith 777 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Prophet ﷺ was a merciful teacher, a gentle educator, and a kind mentor. Whenever he ﷺ witnessed someone’s mistake, he ﷺ would not harshly reprimand, rebuke, or alienate the doer, and whenever he ﷺ witnessed something right, he ﷺ would praise and laud it, and reward the doer handsomely. In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messengerﷺ owed a man some debt (and that man demanded it very harshly). The creditor was discourteous and impolite in demanding the repayment of the debt, as reported in the version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wanted to harm him verbally or physically, but they refrained from doing so out of politeness towards the Prophet ﷺ, and he said to them, "Leave him (unharmed);” and this mirrored the Prophet’s ﷺgood moral character, kindness, and endurance of people’s harshness despite his ability to retaliate against him, “the one who has a right is entitled to speak (i.e., claim his right)." This means that Allah, Exalted is He, deems it allowable for a person to claim his rights, be he a creditor, landlord, or worker, provided that he does not infringe upon people’s rights. The unpaid debt was a camel. The Prophet ﷺ then added, "Buy (a camel) of the same age and give it to him." The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) could not get except an older, better, and more valuable camel than that of the man. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to give it to him to repay the debt handsomely. He ﷺ explained the reason for giving him an older, better, and more valuable camel by saying, "the best amongst you is he who pays back his debt in the most handsome way.” This means that the best of people is the one who is the kindest to others, and fulfills people’s rights, by the repayment of debts or other rights. It is deduced from the hadeeth that one may delegate another person to repay his debts. It is also inferred therefrom that one may loan an animal to someone. It also deduced that whoever owes a debt or is liable to any other financial rights, should repay the debts or fulfill them handsomely. It is also inferred that a debtor should endure the harshness of a creditor when claiming his rights..
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