Muhammad (saw) – The Perfect Man — Page 916
CHAPTER 41 The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ' s Humour and Informality 916 accompanied by Nu‘aim a n ra and Suwaiba t ra. Both of these gentlemen had the honour of participating in the Battle of Badr. Nu‘aim a n ra had the duty of preparing food. Suwaiba t ra was very intelligent and a humorous person. During the journey he asked Nu‘aim an ra for food. Nu’aima n ra said that he would get food when Hadrat Ab u Bakr ra returns. After a little while a caravan passed near by. Suwaiba t ra asked the people of the caravan if they were interested in buying a slave? They replied that they would buy him. Suwaiba t ra told them that there is only one defect in this slave, "He keeps on saying that he is not a slave, he is a free man. If you return him back to me upon hearing this statement I am not going to sell him to you. " The people of the caravan showed their willingness to buy the slave. So he sold Nu‘aim a n in exchange for ten camels. When these people came to collect their newly bought slave and tried to put a collar round his neck, he started saying that Suwaiba t ra was joking and he was not a slave but a free man. The people of the caravan said that they knew that he would say that. So they took him away and Suwaiba t ra ate the meal without interruption. When Hadrat Ab u Bakr ra returned and came to know the story, he went after the caravan, gave back their ten camels and brought Nu‘aim a n ra back. On his return from journey, Hadrat Ab u