He then cited the two narrations with their other chains of transmission, but did not comment on either of them!

Al-daqal: a wooden pole on which a ship’s sail is spread; sailors call it a mast.

Al-muhafallah: a ewe, cow, or she-camel which its owner leaves unmilked for several days, until its milk accumulates in its udder; when the buyer milks it, he thinks it abundantly milk-producing and therefore pays more for it.

2845 — “A man from among the Children of Israel asked another man to lend him one thousand dinars. The latter said, ‘Bring me witnesses whom I may have testify against you.’ He replied, ‘Allah is sufficient as a witness.’ He said, ‘Then bring me a guarantor.’ He replied, ‘Allah is sufficient as a guarantor.’ He said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’ So he gave him one thousand dinars, to be repaid at a specified time.

“The man then travelled by sea and fulfilled his need. When the appointed time came, he sought a vessel but found none. So he took a piece of wood, hollowed it out, placed one thousand dinars inside it, and wrote a note to its owner. He then sealed its opening, brought it to the sea, and said: ‘O Allah, You know that I borrowed one thousand dinars from so-and-so. He asked me for witnesses and for a guarantor, so I said: “Allah is sufficient as a guarantor,” and he accepted You as guarantor. I have exerted every effort to find a vessel by which I could send him his due, but I found none. So I entrust it to You.’ Then he cast it into the sea.

“The man who had lent him the money went out, hoping that a vessel might arrive with his money. There he found the piece of wood containing the money. He took it for firewood, but when he broke it open, he found the money and the note, and took them. When the other man arrived, he said to him, ‘I could not find a vessel that was departing.’ He replied, ‘Allah has paid on your behalf the sum you sent in the piece of wood. So take the thousand dinars and go, rightly guided.’”

Ahmad narrated it (2/348), and through him al-Isfahani in al-Targhib (p.