He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, depended on some of them for his personal affairs

The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, depended on Bilaalibn Rabaah, one of the earliest Muslims, to manage his expenses.

‘Abdullaah Al-Hawzaani (a scholar) said: “I met Bilaal who was in charge of calling the call for prayer for the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in Aleppo. I said: ‘O Bilaal, tell me about the spending of the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.’ He said: ‘There was nothing except that I used to take care of it for him, from the time he was sent as a prophet until he died. If a person came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu  ‘alayhi wa sallam, as a Muslim and he was not clothed, he would send me to borrow some money, so I would buy a garment for that person and feed him.

I once met a man from the polytheists who told me, ‘O Bilaal, I have extra money, so do not borrow from anyone but me,’ so I did so. One day I performed ablution and went to call the call for prayer, when I was met by that polytheist, and he was with a group of mer - chants. When he saw me, he said: ‘O Ethiopian!’ I said: “At your service.” He had a terrible look on his face, and said harsh words to me. He then said: ‘Do you know how much is left of the month?’ I said it is close, to which he replied, ‘You only have four days left, and then I will take you to account for the debt, for I did not lend you what I did out of your honor, or the honor of your companion (i.e. the Prophet). Rather I only did that so you would become my slave (when you did not repay me), and I would return you to shepherding sheep as you did before.’

So I became worried, until I prayed the evening prayer and the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, returned to his home. I asked permission to enter upon him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and he gave me permission. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah,

may my mother and father be sacrificed for you! The polytheist that I used to borrow from said such and such to me, and you and I do not have the money to repay him, and he will expose me. Give me permission to go to some of the tribes that have become Muslim, until Allah and His Messenger will provide what will repay the debt. I then went to my home, and slept with my sword, water pouch and
shoes by my head.

I faced the horizon and I would fall asleep and wake up, and when I saw it was still nighttime I would return to sleep. When the first
signs of morning showed (just before dawn) and I wanted to go out, I heard a person hurrying and calling out, ‘O Bilaal, answer the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.’ I went out to him, and found four riding animals kneeling with all their loads on them. I asked permission to enter, and the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to me: ‘Glad tidings, Allah has brought to you the repayment!’ so I praised Allah. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Did you see the four riding animals?” to which I said: ‘Yes.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “They are yours, along with what is on them. For they have on them clothes and food that was given to me by the leader of Fadak, so take them and pay the debt.” I did so, and I took their loads off and tied them up. I went to make the call for the Dawn prayer, and when the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, prayed I went to Al-Baqee’, and placed my fingers in my ears and called out, ‘Whoever has a debt upon the Messenger of Allah, come here.’

I continued to sell and repay until the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had no debt upon him anywhere.  Thereremained with me a certain amount, so I went to the mosque when most of the day had passed. I found the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sitting in the mosque by himself, so I greeted him. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to me: “What happened to what you had [i.e. was it sufficient to repay the debts]?” I said: ‘Allah has repaid by it everything that was upon the Messenger of the Allah and nothing else is due upon him.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Did some [money] remain?” I said: ‘Yes’, so he,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I will wait until you relieve me from it [by spending it in charity], for I will not enter upon my family until you relieve me from it.” No one came until nighttime, and when the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, finished the prayer he asked: “What happened to what you had?” I said: ‘It is still with me, for no one came to us.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, slept in the mosque that night and he remained there the second day. At the end of the day, two people came riding, so I went to them and gave them the cloth and food. Then when the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, prayed the Night prayer, he called me and said: “What happened to what was with you?” I said: ‘Allah has relieved you from it, O Messenger of Allah.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, glorified Allah and praised Him.”