Hadith+
    Beta 2
Help
 
X
GO
Browse All Books    Browse All Topics
LiteView
 
Quick Search 
Sahih al-Bukhari 4383 (Book 64, Hadith 406) #4179
The Lesson of Generosity

SUMMARY: The Prophet (ﷺ) promised Jabir bin 'Abdullah a certain amount of money if the revenue of Al-Bahrain came, but when it did come during Abu Bakr's rule, he refused to give him what was promised. Abu Bakr then gave him more than what was promised and taught him a lesson about being miserly.

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: Allah's Messenger said to me, "If the revenue of Al-Bahrain should come, I will give you so much and so much," repeating "so much" thrice. But the revenue of Al-Bahrain did not come till Allah's Messenger had died. When the revenue came during the rule of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr ordered an announcer to announce, "Whoever had any debt or promise due upon the Prophet, should present himself to me (ie Abu Bakr). I came to Abu Bakr and informed him that the Prophet had said (to me), "If the revenue of Al-Bahrain should come, I will give you so-much and so much," repeating "so much" thrice. So Abu Bakr gave me (in another narration Jaibir said,). I met Abu Bakr after that and asked him (to give me what the Prophet had promised me) but he did not give me. I again went to him but he did not give me. I again went to him (for the third time) but he did not give me; On that I said to him, "I came to you but you did not give me, then I came to you and you did not give me, and then again I came to you, but you did not give me; so you should either give me or else you are like a miserly to me, on that, Abu Bakr said, "Do you say, 'You are like a miserly to me?' There is no worse disease than miserliness". Abu Bakr said it thrice and added, "Whenever I refused to give you, I had the intention of giving you". (In another narration) Jabir bin 'Abdullah said, "I went to Abu Bakr (and he gave me a handful of money) and told me to count it, I counted and found it five-hundred, and then Abu Bakr said (to me), "Take the same amount twice".
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، سَمِعَ ابْنُ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ لَوْ قَدْ جَاءَ مَالُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ لَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتُكَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا ثَلاَثًا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَلَمْ يَقْدَمْ مَالُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ حَتَّى قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَمَرَ مُنَادِيًا فَنَادَى مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ دَيْنٌ أَوْ عِدَةٌ فَلْيَأْتِنِي‏.‏ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَجِئْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ لَوْ جَاءَ مَالُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَعْطَيْتُكَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا ثَلاَثًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَأَعْطَانِي‏.‏ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَلَقِيتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ، فَلَمْ يُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَلَمْ يُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَلَمْ يُعْطِنِي، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ قَدْ أَتَيْتُكَ فَلَمْ تُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُكَ فَلَمْ تُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُكَ فَلَمْ تُعْطِنِي، فَإِمَّا أَنْ تُعْطِيَنِي، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَبْخَلَ عَنِّي‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَقُلْتَ تَبْخَلُ عَنِّي وَأَىُّ دَاءٍ أَدْوَأُ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ ـ قَالَهَا ثَلاَثًا ـ مَا مَنَعْتُكَ مِنْ مَرَّةٍ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُعْطِيَكَ‏.‏ وَعَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ جِئْتُهُ، فَقَالَ لِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ عُدَّهَا‏.‏ فَعَدَدْتُهَا فَوَجَدْتُهَا خَمْسَمِائَةٍ، فَقَالَ خُذْ مِثْلَهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ‏.‏

TOPICS
generosity  *  promise  *  miserliness  *  revenue  *  istihqaq  *  bahrain

QUICK LESSONS:
Keep your promises; Be generous with others; Do not be miserly with your wealth/possessions; Have faith in Allah's rewards for good deeds done in this life or the next one .

EXPLANATIONS:
This hadith is about the importance of generosity and keeping promises. It tells us that we should not be miserly with our wealth or possessions, as this is considered a bad trait in Islam. The Prophet (ﷺ) made a promise to Jabir bin 'Abdullah that if the revenue from Al-Bahrain came, he would give him so much and so much money three times over. When it did come during Abu Bakr's rule, he refused to give Jabir what was promised at first but eventually gave him more than what was originally agreed upon. This teaches us that we should always keep our promises and be generous with others even if they don't deserve it because Allah will reward us for our good deeds in this life or the next one. Furthermore, it also teaches us not to be miserly with our wealth as this is considered an evil trait in Islam which can lead to many other sins such as envy and greediness.

Please use the feedback below to report any discrepancies or concerns.

Feedback           Discuss      Disclaimer     

haluk
  
Prev    Next