He also borrowed a camel. Its owner came to demand repayment and spoke harshly to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. His Companions were about to lay hands on the man, but he said: “Leave him alone, for someone owed a debt has the right to speak” (1).
Once, he bought something without having the money to pay for it. He was then offered a profit on it, so he sold it and gave (2) the profit in charity to the widows of Banū Abd al-Muttalib. He said: “After this, I shall not buy anything unless I have the money to pay for it.” This was related by Abū Dāwūd (3). This does not contradict his purchasing on credit for payment at an agreed date: these are two different matters.
A creditor demanded repayment of a debt and spoke harshly (4) to him. Umar ibn al-Khattāb was about to lay hands on the man, but he said: “Hold back, Umar! What I needed more was for you to urge me to repay, and what he needed more was for you to urge him to be patient” (5).
(1) Related by al-Bukhārī (2306, 2390, 2401, 2606) from Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him).
(2) Sād, Jīm: “fa-tasaddaqa” (“then he gave in charity”).
(3) Abū Dāwūd, no. 3344. Also related by Ibn Abī Shayba (22629), Ahmad (2093, 2970, 2971), al-Tabarānī (11:282), and al-Bayhaqī (5:356), from Ibn ‘Abbās, through Sharīk, from Simāk, from ‘Ikrima, from him. Sharīk is Ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Nakha‘ī, whose reliability has some weakness; Simāk’s transmissions from ‘Ikrima in particular are inconsistent. Nevertheless, al-Hākim (2:24) graded it authentic, and al-Diyā’ included it in his selection (12:40). The hadith was graded weak by Ibn Hazm in al-Muhallā (9:64), Ibn al-Qattān in Bayān al-wahm (3:301–302), and al-Albānī in al-Da‘īfa (10:309).
(4) Kāf, ‘Ayn: “fa-aghlaza” (“then he spoke harshly”).
(5) This is part of a lengthy hadith concerning the signs of prophethood, in the account of Zayd ibn Sa‘na’s conversion to Islam. It is related by Ibn Abī ‘Āsim in al-Āhād wa-l-mathānī (2082)—and through him by Abū al-Shaykh in Akhlāq al-Nabī (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) (1:475)—as well as by al-Tabarānī (5:222; 13:150), Abū Nu‘aym in Dalā’il al-nubuwwa (1:52), and al-Bayhaqī in al-Kubrā (6:52) and Dalā’il al-nubuwwa (6:278), through Muhammad ibn Hamza ibn Yūsuf ibn ‘Abd Allāh ibn Salām, from his father, from his grandfather. Its chain includes Hamza ibn Yūsuf, upon whom the transmission hinges. No one other than Ibn Hibbān declared him trustworthy; perhaps because he was unknown, neither al-Bukhārī nor Ibn Abī Hātim mentioned him. Nevertheless, Ibn Hibbān (288) and al-Hākim (3:605) graded it authentic, and al-Diyā’ included it in his selection (9:446–448). Al-Mizzī said in Tahdhīb al-kamāl (7:347): “This is a good hadith, well known among the reports concerning the signs of prophethood.” Al-Dhahabī said in Talkhīs al-Mustadrak: “How objectionable and feeble it is!” He then explained its defect. On this basis, al-Albānī graded it weak and discussed it in detail; see al-Da‘īfa (1341).