Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 6696

Abd al-Rahman bin al-Baylamani narrates: I was in Egypt, and a man said to me: "Shall I not direct you to one of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" I said: "Yes!" He pointed out a man to me. I went to him and asked: "Who are you?" He told me: "I am Surraq (thief)." I said: "Subhan Allah! You have taken this name, although you are a companion of the Messenger of Allah?" He said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me this name, and I will never give it up." I asked: "Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) name you Surraq?" He said: A man from the desert came with two camels, and I bought both camels from him. I said: "Come along, and I will pay you." I entered my house, went out from the back and went away. I sold both camels and met my own need with them. I stayed in hiding until I thought that the Bedouin must have left by now. One day I came out, and that Bedouin was still staying there. He seized me, brought me before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and told him the whole situation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Why did you do what you did?" I said: "I used their price for my own need, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pay him." I said: "O Messenger of Allah! I have nothing." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You are Surraq. O Bedouin! Take him away and sell him, until you get your right in full." People began to bargain with that man. He asked: "What do you want?" They said: "We want either to buy him from you or to ransom him from you." He said: "By Allah, none of you is in greater need of him than I am. Go! I have set you free."
At-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains a narrator, Muslim bin Khalid al-Zanji, whom Yahya bin Ma'in and Ibn Hibban declared thiqah (trustworthy), while a group called him da'if (weak).