Aahfil.

Leniency, generosity and the rights of others

The closing disposition of the whole corpus, and its hardest warning. Jabir's report asks mercy on whoever is easy in all three positions. Set against it: oppression is darkness on the Day of Resurrection, and whoever takes a handspan of land wrongfully will have it hung around his neck.

13 narrations

What this asks in practice

Leniency here is not softness — it appears in the same body of rulings that let a buyer cancel and hold a late payer to account. It is what you do with a right once you are certain you hold it.

This framing is ours. It is not part of the narration.

This is a reference compilation, not a religious ruling. Narrations are reproduced from published translations with their references and their gradings, each attributed to the scholar who gave it — graders disagree, and we show the disagreement rather than resolve it. For how any of this applies to a specific transaction, ask a qualified scholar.

The narrations

Sahih al-Bukhari 2076

Book 34, 29

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو غَسَّانَ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُطَرِّفٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ رَجُلاً سَمْحًا إِذَا بَاعَ، وَإِذَا اشْتَرَى، وَإِذَا اقْتَضَى ‏"‏‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "May Allah's mercy be on him who is lenient in his buying, selling, and in demanding back his money

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih al-Bukhari 2447

Book 46, 8

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ الْمَاجِشُونُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الظُّلْمُ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Ibn `Umar: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih al-Bukhari 2449

Book 46, 10

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ مَظْلَمَةٌ لأَحَدٍ مِنْ عِرْضِهِ أَوْ شَىْءٍ فَلْيَتَحَلَّلْهُ مِنْهُ الْيَوْمَ، قَبْلَ أَنْ لاَ يَكُونَ دِينَارٌ وَلاَ دِرْهَمٌ، إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ أُخِذَ مِنْهُ بِقَدْرِ مَظْلَمَتِهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٌ أُخِذَ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ صَاحِبِهِ فَحُمِلَ عَلَيْهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الْمَقْبُرِيَّ لأَنَّهُ كَانَ نَزَلَ نَاحِيَةَ الْمَقَابِرِ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَسَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ هُوَ مَوْلَى بَنِي لَيْثٍ، وَهُوَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، وَاسْمُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ كَيْسَانُ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih al-Bukhari 2452

Book 46, 13

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَهْلٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ مَنْ ظَلَمَ مِنَ الأَرْضِ شَيْئًا طُوِّقَهُ مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Sa`id bin Zaid: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever usurps the land of somebody unjustly, his neck will be encircled with it down the seven earths (on the Day of Resurrection)

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih al-Bukhari 2453

Book 46, 14

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَنَّ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ، كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ أُنَاسٍ خُصُومَةٌ، فَذَكَرَ لِعَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ فَقَالَتْ يَا أَبَا سَلَمَةَ اجْتَنِبِ الأَرْضَ، فَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ ظَلَمَ قِيدَ شِبْرٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ طُوِّقَهُ مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Abu Salama: That there was a dispute between him and some people (about a piece of land). When he told `Aisha about it, she said, "O Abu Salama! Avoid taking the land unjustly, for the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever usurps even one span of the land of somebody, his neck will be encircled with it down the seven earths

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih Muslim 4132

Book 22, 171

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَبَّاسِ بْنِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنِ اقْتَطَعَ شِبْرًا مِنَ الأَرْضِ ظُلْمًا طَوَّقَهُ اللَّهُ إِيَّاهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Sa'id b. Zaid b. 'Amr b. Nufail (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:He who wrongly took a span of land, Allah shall make him carry around his neck seven earths

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih Muslim 4136

Book 22, 175

وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يَأْخُذُ أَحَدٌ شِبْرًا مِنَ الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ حَقِّهِ إِلاَّ طَوَّقَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) as saying:One should not take a span of land without having legitimate right to it, otherwise Allah would make him wear (around his neck) seven earths on the Day of Resurrection

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih Muslim 4137

Book 22, 176

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ - حَدَّثَنَا حَرْبٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ شَدَّادٍ - حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ - عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ، إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَنَّ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَهُ وَكَانَ، بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِهِ خُصُومَةٌ فِي أَرْضٍ وَأَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهَا فَقَالَتْ يَا أَبَا سَلَمَةَ اجْتَنِبِ الأَرْضَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ ظَلَمَ قِيدَ شِبْرٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ طُوِّقَهُ مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Muhammad b. Ibrahim said that Abu Salama reported to him that there was between him and his people dispute over a piece of land, and he came to 'A'isha and mentioned that to her, whereupon she said:Abu Salama, abstain from getting this land, for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: He who usurps even a span of land would be made to wear around his neck seven earths

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sunan Ibn Majah 2202

Book 12, 66

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبَانَ الْبَلْخِيُّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ فَرُّوخَ، قَالَ قَالَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ "‏ أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ رَجُلاً الْجَنَّةَ كَانَ سَهْلاً بَائِعًا وَمُشْتَرِيًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Uthman bin 'Affan narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“Allah will admit to Paradise a man who was lenient when he sold and when he bought

Grading

  • Al-Albani·Hasan
  • Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi·Hasan
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut·Hasan Lighairihi
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih

Sunan Ibn Majah 2203

Book 12, 67

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو غَسَّانَ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُطَرِّفٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ "‏ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا سَمْحًا إِذَا بَاعَ سَمْحًا إِذَا اشْتَرَى سَمْحًا إِذَا اقْتَضَى ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:"May Allah have mercy on a person who is lenient when he sells, lenient when he buys, and lenient when he asks for payment

Grading

  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi·Sahih
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih Bukhari

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4696

Book 44, 248

أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ابْنِ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ فَرُّوخَ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رَجُلاً كَانَ سَهْلاً مُشْتَرِيًا وَبَائِعًا وَقَاضِيًا وَمُقْتَضِيًا الْجَنَّةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated that 'Uthman bin 'Affan said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, admitted to paradise a man who was easygoing in buying and selling, in paying off debts and asking for repayment."' (Sahaih)

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Hasan
  • Al-Albani·Hasan
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1307

Book 14, 110

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ حُوسِبَ رَجُلٌ مِمَّنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ شَيْءٌ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ رَجُلاً مُوسِرًا وَكَانَ يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ غِلْمَانَهُ أَنْ يَتَجَاوَزُوا عَنِ الْمُعْسِرِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ نَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُ تَجَاوَزُوا عَنْهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَأَبُو الْيَسَرِ كَعْبُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Abu Mas'ud: That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "A man among those before you was called to reckon and nothing good was found with him. Except that he was a wealthy man so he used to mix with the pople and he would tell his servant to be lenient with the insolvent. So Allah, Mighty and Sublime is He, said: 'We are more worthy of that than him, so be lenient with him.'" [Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. Abu Al-Yasar is Ka'b bin 'Amr

Grading

  • Ahmad Muhammad Shakir·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih Hadith
  • Bashar Awad Maarouf·Hasan Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih Muslim
Imam at-TirmidhiCheck on sunnah.com

Muwatta Malik 1384

Book 31, 46

وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، يَقُولُ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا سَمْحًا إِنْ بَاعَ سَمْحًا إِنِ ابْتَاعَ سَمْحًا إِنْ قَضَى سَمْحًا إِنِ اقْتَضَى ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي الإِبِلَ أَوِ الْغَنَمَ أَوِ الْبَزَّ أَوِ الرَّقِيقَ أَوْ شَيْئًا مِنَ الْعُرُوضِ جِزَافًا إِنَّهُ لاَ يَكُونُ الْجِزَافُ فِي شَىْءٍ مِمَّا يُعَدُّ عَدًّا ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي الرَّجُلِ يُعْطِي الرَّجُلَ السِّلْعَةَ يَبِيعُهَا لَهُ وَقَدْ قَوَّمَهَا صَاحِبُهَا قِيمَةً فَقَالَ إِنْ بِعْتَهَا بِهَذَا الثَّمَنِ الَّذِي أَمَرْتُكَ بِهِ فَلَكَ دِينَارٌ - أَوْ شَىْءٌ يُسَمِّيهِ لَهُ يَتَرَاضَيَانِ عَلَيْهِ - وَإِنْ لَمْ تَبِعْهَا فَلَيْسَ لَكَ شَىْءٌ إِنَّهُ لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِذَا سَمَّى ثَمَنًا يَبِيعُهَا بِهِ وَسَمَّى أَجْرًا مَعْلُومًا إِذَا بَاعَ أَخَذَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَبِعْ فَلاَ شَىْءَ لَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَمِثْلُ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ لِلرَّجُلِ إِنْ قَدَرْتَ عَلَى غُلاَمِي الآبِقِ أَوْ جِئْتَ بِجَمَلِي الشَّارِدِ فَلَكَ كَذَا ‏.‏ فَهَذَا مِنْ بَابِ الْجُعْلِ وَلَيْسَ مِنْ بَابِ الإِجَارَةِ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ بَابِ الإِجَارَةِ لَمْ يَصْلُحْ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ فَأَمَّا الرَّجُلُ يُعْطَى السِّلْعَةَ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ بِعْهَا وَلَكَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فِي كُلِّ دِينَارٍ ‏.‏ لِشَىْءٍ يُسَمِّيهِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ لاَ يَصْلُحُ لأَنَّهُ كُلَّمَا نَقَصَ دِينَارٌ مِنْ ثَمَنِ السِّلْعَةِ نَقَصَ مِنْ حَقِّهِ الَّذِي سَمَّى لَهُ فَهَذَا غَرَرٌ لاَ يَدْرِي كَمْ جَعَلَ لَهُ ‏.‏

Translation

Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said that he heard Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir say, "Allah loves his slave who is generous when he sells, and generous when he buys, generous when he repays, and generous when he is repaid." Malik said about a man who bought camels or sheep or dry goods or slaves or any goods without measuring precisely, "There is no buying without measuring precisely in anything which can be counted . " Malik said about a man who gave a man goods to sell for him and set their price saying, "If you sell them for this price as I have ordered you to do, you will have a dinar (or something which he has specified, which they are both satisfied with), if you do not sell them, you will have nothing," "There is no harm in that when he names a price to sell them at and names a known fee. If he sells the goods, he takes the fee, and if he does not sell them, he has nothing." Malik said, "This is like saying to another man, 'If you capture my runaway slave or bring my stray camel, you will have such-and-such.' This is from the category of reward, and not from the category of giving a wage. Had it been from the category of giving a wage, it would not be good." Malik said, "As for a man who is given goods and told that if he sells them he will have a named percentage for every dinar, that is not good because whenever he is a dinar less than the price of the goods, he decreases the due which was named for him. This is an uncertain transaction. He does not know how much he will be given

Grading

  • Salim al-Hilali·Maqtu Sahih

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