Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعْدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ هُرْمُزَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ سَأَلَ بَعْضَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنْ يُسَلِّفَهُ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ قَالَ ائْتِنِي بِشُهَدَاءَ أُشْهِدُهُمْ قَالَ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا قَالَ ائْتِنِي بِكَفِيلٍ قَالَ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ كَفِيلًا قَالَ صَدَقْتَ فَدَفَعَهَا إِلَيْهِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى فَخَرَجَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ الْتَمَسَ مَرْكَبًا يَقْدَمُ عَلَيْهِ لِلْأَجَلِ الَّذِي كَانَ أَجَّلَهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ مَرْكَبًا فَأَخَذَ خَشَبَةً فَنَقَرَهَا وَأَدْخَلَ فِيهَا أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ وَصَحِيفَةً مَعَهَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهَا ثُمَّ زَجَّجَ مَوْضِعَهَا ثُمَّ أَتَى بِهَا الْبَحْرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ أَنِّي اسْتَلَفْتُ مِنْ فُلَانٍ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ فَسَأَلَنِي كَفِيلًا فَقُلْتُ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ كَفِيلًا فَرَضِيَ بِكَ وَسَأَلَنِي شَهِيدًا فَقُلْتُ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا فَرَضِيَ بِكَ وَإِنِّي قَدْ جَهِدْتُ أَنْ أَجِدَ مَرْكَبًا أَبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِ بِالَّذِي لَهُ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ مَرْكَبًا وَإِنِّي اسْتَوْدَعْتُكَهَا فَرَمَى بِهَا فِي الْبَحْرِ حَتَّى وَلَجَتْ فِيهِ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ يَنْظُرُ وَهُوَ فِي ذَلِكَ يَطْلُبُ مَرْكَبًا يَخْرُجُ إِلَى بَلَدِهِ فَخَرَجَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي كَانَ أَسْلَفَهُ يَنْظُرُ لَعَلَّ مَرْكَبًا يَجِيءُ بِمَالِهِ فَإِذَا بِالْخَشَبَةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا الْمَالُ فَأَخَذَهَا لِأَهْلِهِ حَطَبًا فَلَمَّا كَسَرَهَا وَجَدَ الْمَالَ وَالصَّحِيفَةَ ثُمَّ قَدِمَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي كَانَ تَسَلَّفَ مِنْهُ فَأَتَاهُ بِأَلْفِ دِينَارٍ وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا زِلْتُ جَاهِدًا فِي طَلَبِ مَرْكَبٍ لِآتِيَكَ بِمَالِكَ فَمَا وَجَدْتُ مَرْكَبًا قَبْلَ الَّذِي أَتَيْتُ فِيهِ قَالَ هَلْ كُنْتَ بَعَثْتَ إِلَيَّ بِشَيْءٍ قَالَ أَلَمْ أُخْبِرْكَ أَنِّي لَمْ أَجِدْ مَرْكَبًا قَبْلَ هَذَا الَّذِي جِئْتُ فِيهِ قَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَدَّى عَنْكَ الَّذِي بَعَثْتَ بِهِ فِي الْخَشَبَةِ فَانْصَرِفْ بِأَلْفِكَ رَاشِدًا.
English Translation
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned that a man from the Children of Israel asked another to lend him a thousand dinars. He said: "Bring me witnesses." He said: "Allah is sufficient as a witness." He said: "Bring me a guarantor." He said: "Allah is sufficient as a guarantor." He said: "You have spoken the truth." So he gave it to him for a specified term. The man traveled by sea and completed his business, then sought a vessel to return by the appointed time but could not find one. So he took a piece of wood, hollowed it out, placed the thousand dinars and a letter inside it addressed to the lender, then sealed the opening. He brought it to the sea and said: "O Allah, You know that I borrowed a thousand dinars from so-and-so. He asked me for a guarantor and I said Allah is sufficient as a guarantor, and he was pleased with You. He asked me for a witness and I said Allah is sufficient as a witness, and he was pleased with You. I have tried to find a vessel to send him what is his but could not, so I entrust it to You." He threw it into the sea until it entered the water, then he went looking for a vessel to return to the lender's land. The lender went out looking for a vessel that might bring his money. He found the piece of wood containing the money and took it home for firewood. When he broke it open, he found the money and the letter. Then the borrower came with another thousand dinars and said: "By Allah, I kept trying to find a vessel to bring you your money but could not find one before this one I came on." The lender said: "Did you send me anything?" He said: "Did I not tell you I could not find a vessel before this one?" He said: "Allah has paid on your behalf what you sent in the piece of wood. So keep your thousand dinars and go in good guidance."