What is Faith?

Blessed are those who tolerate the severity of the righteous Abu Saeed relates how an Arab desert-dweller came to the Prophet to demand the repayment of a debt. “I will make life difficult for you if you do not repay what you owe,”· he said. The Companions reprimanded him. “Shame on you,” they said to him, “do you not realize to whom you are speaking?” He replied that he was only demanding what was rightfully his. Then the Prophet spoke up. “Why do you not take the side of the lender?” He then sent a man to Khaulah bint Qays, to ask her to lend him some dates if she had any. “We shall repay you when we receive some,” he told her. Khaulah bint Qays then sent some dates to the Prophet, who not only handed them over to the Arab, but also gave him a meal. “You have been faithful and true,” said the Arab to the Prophet. “May God be faithful and true to you.” “The best people are those who carefully pay others their rightful due,” said the Prophet. “God does not bless a community in which the weak cannot take from the strong what is rightfully theirs without fear or repraisal.” (IBN MAJAH, SUNAN)