Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:27181Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > Mālik > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Rāfiʿ

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ borrowed a young she-camel from a man. Then, a group of camels from the charity camels came to him. He said, "Give it to him." They said, "We have nothing except a four-year-old healthy camel." He said, "Give it to him, for the best among the people is the one who fulfills his obligations."  

أحمد:٢٧١٨١حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ اسْتَسْلَفَ مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَكْرًا فَأَتَتْهُ إِبِلٌمِنْ إِبِلِ الصَّدَقَةِ فَقَالَ أَعْطُوهُ فَقَالُوا لَا نَجِدُ لَهُ إِلَّا رَبَاعِيًا خِيَارًا قَالَ أَعْطُوهُ فَإِنَّ خِيَارَ النَّاسِ أَحْسَنُهُمْ قَضَاءً  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, Bayhaqī
bukhari:2392Musaddad > Yaḥyá > Sufyān > Salamah b. Kuhayl > Abū Salamah > Abū Hurayrah

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and demanded a camel (the Prophet ﷺ owed him). Messenger of Allah ﷺ told his companions to give him (a camel). They said, "We do not find except an older camel (than what he demands). (The Prophet ﷺ ordered them to give him that camel). The man said, "You have paid me in full and may Allah also pay you in full." Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Give him, for the best amongst the people is he who repays his debts in the most handsome manner."  

البخاري:٢٣٩٢حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ عَنْ يَحْيَى عَنْ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَلَمَةُ بْنُ كُهَيْلٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَتَقَاضَاهُ بَعِيرًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَعْطُوهُ فَقَالُوا مَا نَجِدُ إِلاَّ سِنًّا أَفْضَلَ مِنْ سِنِّهِ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ أَوْفَيْتَنِي أَوْفَاكَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَعْطُوهُ فَإِنَّ مِنْ خِيَارِ النَّاسِ أَحْسَنَهُمْ قَضَاءً  

muslim:1600aAbū al-Ṭāhir Aḥmad b. ʿAmr b. Sarḥ > Ibn Wahb > Mālik b. Anas > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Rāfiʿ

I did not find among them but better camels above the age of six. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Give that to him for the best men are those who are best in paying off the debt.  

مسلم:١٦٠٠aحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَرْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ اسْتَسْلَفَ مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَكْرًا فَقَدِمَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِبِلٌ مِنْ إِبِلِ الصَّدَقَةِ فَأَمَرَ أَبَا رَافِعٍ أَنْ يَقْضِيَ الرَّجُلَ بَكْرَهُ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو رَافِعٍ فَقَالَ لَمْ أَجِدْ فِيهَا إِلاَّ خِيَارًا رَبَاعِيًا فَقَالَ أَعْطِهِ إِيَّاهُ إِنَّ خِيَارَ النَّاسِ أَحْسَنُهُمْ قَضَاءً  

abudawud:3346al-Qaʿnabī > Mālik > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Rāfiʿ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ borrowed a young camel, and when the camels of the sadaqah (alms) came to him, he ordered me to pay the man his young camel. I said: I find only an excellent camel in its seventh year. So the Prophet ﷺ said: Give it to him, for the best person is he who discharges his debt in the best manner.  

أبو داود:٣٣٤٦حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ

اسْتَسْلَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَكْرًا فَجَاءَتْهُ إِبِلٌ مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْضِيَ الرَّجُلَ بَكْرَهُ فَقُلْتُ لَمْ أَجِدْ فِي الإِبِلِ إِلاَّ جَمَلاً خِيَارًا رَبَاعِيًّا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَعْطِهِ إِيَّاهُ فَإِنَّ خِيَارَ النَّاسِ أَحْسَنُهُمْ قَضَاءً  

tirmidhi:1318ʿAbd b. Ḥumayd > Rawḥ b. ʿUbādah > Mālik b. Anas > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār

"The Messenger of Allah got a camel in advance. Some camels from the charity." Abu Rafi' said: "So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told me to pay the man back for his camel. I said: 'I did not find among the camels but a superior selection of Raba'. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Give it to him, for indeed the base of people is the best of them in repaying.'"  

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.
الترمذي:١٣١٨حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ

عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ اسْتَسْلَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَكْرًا فَجَاءَتْهُ إِبِلٌ مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ قَالَ أَبُو رَافِعٍ فَأَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ أَقْضِيَ الرَّجُلَ بَكْرَهُ فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَجِدُ فِي الإِبِلِ إِلاَّ جَمَلاً خِيَارًا رَبَاعِيًّا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَعْطِهِ إِيَّاهُ فَإِنَّ خِيَارَ النَّاسِ أَحْسَنُهُمْ قَضَاءً  

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
ibnmajah:2285Hishām b. ʿAmmār > Muslim b. Khālid > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Rāfiʿ

the Prophet ﷺ asked a man to give as a loan a young camel and said: “When the camels of the Sadaqah come, we will pay you back.” When the camels came, he said: " O Abu Rafi', pay this man back for his Young camel." But all I could find was a seven-year-old camel or that which is better. I told the Prophet ﷺ and he said: "Give it to him, for the best of People are those who are best in repaying."  

ابن ماجة:٢٢٨٥حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ اسْتَسْلَفَ مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَكْرًا وَقَالَ إِذَا جَاءَتْ إِبِلُ الصَّدَقَةِ قَضَيْنَاكَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَتْ قَالَ يَا أَبَا رَافِعٍ اقْضِ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ بَكْرَهُ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ إِلاَّ رَبَاعِيًا فَصَاعِدًا فَأَخْبَرْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَعْطِهِ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ النَّاسِ أَحْسَنُهُمْ قَضَاءً  

bayhaqi:11097[Chain 1] Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ Fī Ākharīn > Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > al-Rabīʿ b. Sulaymān Nbʾ al-Shāfiʿī Nbʾ Mālik [Chain 2] Abū al-Ḥusayn b. Bishrān Nbʾ Abū Bakr Aḥmad b. Salmān b. al-Ḥasan al-Faqīh > Sulaymān b. al-Ashʿath al-Sijistānī Bi-al-Baṣrah > ʿAbdullāh b. Maslamah al-Qaʿnabī > Mālik b. Anas > Zayd b. Aslam > ʿAṭāʾ b. Yasār > Abū Rāfiʿ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ borrowed a young camel, and when the camels of the sadaqah (alms) came to him, he ordered me to pay the man his young camel. I said: I find only an excellent camel in its seventh year. So the Prophet ﷺ said: Give it to him, for the best person is he who discharges his debt in the best manner. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 3346)   

البيهقي:١١٠٩٧أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ فِي آخَرِينَ قَالُوا ثنا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ أنبأ الشَّافِعِيُّ أنبأ مَالِكٌ ح وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ بْنُ بِشْرَانَ أنبأ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سَلْمَانَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الْفَقِيهُ ثنا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الْأَشْعَثِ السِّجِسْتَانِيُّ بِالْبَصْرَةِ ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ الْقَعْنَبِيُّ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ

اسْتَسْلَفَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَكْرًا فَجَاءَتْهُ إِبِلٌ مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْضِيَ الرَّجُلَ بَكْرَهُ فَقُلْتُ لَمْ أَجِدْ فِي الْإِبِلِ إِلَّا جَمَلًا خِيَارًا رَبَاعِيًّا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَعْطِهِ إِيَّاهُ؛ فَإِنَّ خِيَارَ النَّاسِ أَحْسَنُهُمْ قَضَاءً  

أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي طَاهِرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ