Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 5128 — Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam related

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) related that when Allah intended to guide Zayd bin Sa'nah, Zayd bin Sa'nah said: There was not a single sign of prophethood that I did not recognise in the face of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) when I looked at him (peace and blessings be upon him), except two which I had not tested in him (peace and blessings be upon him): that his forbearance outstrips his anger, and that intense ignorance only increases him (peace and blessings be upon him) in forbearance. So I kept treating him (peace and blessings be upon him) gently so that I might mix with him (peace and blessings be upon him) and come to know his forbearance and his anger. Zayd bin Sa'nah said: One day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came out of the apartments, and with him (peace and blessings be upon him) was Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). A man like a Bedouin came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) on his mount and said: "O Messenger of Allah! (The people of) Busra, the village of Banu so-and-so, have accepted Islam and entered into Islam. I had told them that if they accepted Islam, abundant provision would come to them, but drought, hardship and lack of rain have afflicted them. So, O Messenger of Allah, I fear that they will leave Islam out of greed just as they entered it out of greed. If you see fit to send them something with which to help them, then please send it." So he (peace and blessings be upon him) looked at a man at his side - I think it was Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) - and he said: "O Messenger of Allah! Nothing of it is left." Zayd bin Sa'nah said: So I drew near to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Muhammad! Will you sell me a specified quantity of dates from the orchard of Banu so-and-so, on credit until such and such a time?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No, O Jew. But I will sell you specified dates until such and such a time, without your naming the orchard of Banu so-and-so." I said: "Very well." So he (peace and blessings be upon him) made the deal with me, and I opened my money-belt and gave him (peace and blessings be upon him) eighty mithqals of gold for specified dates until that time. He (peace and blessings be upon him) gave it to a man and said: "Go to them and help them with it." Zayd bin Sa'nah said: When two or three days remained before the appointed time, I came to him (peace and blessings be upon him), seized his shirt and cloak firmly, looked at him (peace and blessings be upon him) with a harsh face, and said: "O Muhammad! Will you not pay me my due? By Allah, I have known you, the Banu Abd al-Muttalib, to be nothing but procrastinators; I have experience of dealing with you." I looked at Umar, and his eyes were spinning in his face like a revolving wheel. Then he cast his gaze at me and said: "O enemy of Allah! Do you say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) what I hear, and do to him what I see? By the One who sent him with the truth, were it not for my fear of losing what I fear to lose, I would have struck off your head with my sword." And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was looking at Umar calmly and composedly. Then he said: "O Umar! He and I were more in need of something other than this: that you should command me to pay in a good way and command him to demand in a good way. Take him, O Umar, and give him his due, and give him twenty sa' of dates extra in return for the fright you gave him." Zayd said: So Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took me, gave me my due and gave me twenty sa' of dates extra. I asked: "What is this extra, O Umar?" He said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered me to give you extra in return for the fright you were given." I said: "O Umar! Do you know me?" He said: "No; who are you?" I said: "I am Zayd bin Sa'nah." He said: "The (Jewish) scholar?" I said: "Yes, the scholar." He said: "Then what drove you to do to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) what you did and say to him what you said?" I said: "O Umar! There was no sign of prophethood that I did not recognise as soon as I looked at the face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), except two which I had not tested: that his forbearance prevails over his harshness, and that ignorance only makes him more forbearing. Now I have tested both of them as well. So, O Umar, I call you to witness that I am content with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion and with Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as Prophet. And I call you to witness that half of my wealth - and I am the wealthiest of them - is charity for the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)." Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Or for some of them, for you cannot cover them all." I said: "Or for some of them." So Umar and Zayd returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Zayd said: "I bear witness that there is no true god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and Messenger." And he believed in him (peace and blessings be upon him), affirmed him (peace and blessings be upon him), pledged allegiance to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and took part with him (peace and blessings be upon him) in many battles. Then Zayd died during the campaign of Tabuk, advancing and not turning his back. May Allah have mercy on Zayd.