أَخْبَرَنَا
يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَنْبَأَنَا
الْأَشْعَثُ، عَنْ
الْحَسَن": أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ"خَرَجَ إِلَى الْبَقِيعِ، فَرَأَى رَجُلًا يُبَاعُ، فَأَتَاهُ فَسَاوَمَ بِهِ، ثُمَّ تَرَكَهُ فَرَآهُ رَجُلٌ فَاشْتَرَاهُ فَأَعْتَقَهُ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي اشْتَرَيْتُ هَذَا فَأَعْتَقْتُهُ، فَمَا تَرَى فِيهِ ؟ فَقَالَ:
هُوَ أَخُوكَ وَمَوْلَاكَ، قَالَ: مَا تَرَى فِي صُحْبَتِهِ ؟ قَالَ: إِنْ شَكَرَكَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَشَرٌّ لَكَ، وَإِنْ كَفَرَكَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ وَشَرٌّ لَهُ، قَالَ: مَا تَرَى فِي مَالِهِ ؟ قَالَ: إِنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَصَبَةً فَأَنْتَ وَارِثُهُ".
It is narrated from Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went towards Jannat al-Baqi‘ and saw that a man was being sold. The Prophet (peace be upon him) approached him and bid a price for him, then left him (i.e., did not buy him). Another man saw him, bought him, and set him free. Then he brought him to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: I have bought him and I set him free; what is your opinion about this? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "He is your (Muslim) brother and your slave." He asked: What is your opinion about keeping him with me? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If he shows gratitude to you, then that is better for him, but not good for you; and if he is ungrateful to you, then that is better for you and bad for him." He asked: What is your opinion about his wealth? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If he dies and there are no heirs to collect his wealth, then you are his heir."