I gave it to you only so that you would hand over to me a slave, and I will send you back to herding sheep exactly as you did before.”

His words stung me, as such words would sting anyone. I left and proclaimed the call to prayer, and when I had led the night prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned home. I asked permission to enter, and when he admitted me I said, “Messenger of Allah—may my father and mother be ransomed for you—the idolater has said such-and-such to me. You have nothing with which to repay him, and neither do I; he means to disgrace me. Grant me leave to go to some of the tribes that have embraced Islam until Allah provides His Messenger with what will settle my debt.”

I left, went to my house, and placed my sword, bag, spear, and sandals at my head. I faced the horizon, and whenever I dozed off I would rouse myself; if I found that part of the night remained I lay down again, until the first streak of dawn appeared. I was about to set out when someone came hurrying, calling, “Bilāl, answer the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!” I went straight to him and found four mounts, each one laden with its cargo.

I sought permission to enter. The Prophet ﷺ said to me, “Rejoice! Allah has brought you the wherewithal to pay what you owe.” I praised Allah. He then asked, “Did you not pass by the four kneeling mounts?” “Indeed I did,” I replied. He said, “They, together with everything on them, are yours.” They were loaded with clothing and food sent as a gift to him by the chief of Fadak. I unloaded them, hobbled the animals, and then gave the call to the dawn prayer.

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had prayed, I went out to al-Baqīʿ, put my fingers in my ears, and called out, “Whoever is owed a debt by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, let him come forward!” I went on selling the goods and settling debts until not a single obligation remained against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ anywhere on earth. In fact, I still had two uqiyyahs left—perhaps an uqiyyah and a half.

Later I returned to the mosque, most of the day having passed, and found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sitting there alone. I greeted him, and he asked, “What became of the matter you were handling?” I replied, “Allah has cleared every debt that was upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; nothing remains.” He said, “Is there anything left over?” “Yes,” I answered, “two dinars.” He said, “See that you relieve me of them as well, for I shall not enter upon any of my family until you have done so.”

No one came to us, and the night fell