There are certain narrations about the pranks of Sayyiduna Nu’ayman ibn Amr (radiyallahu ‘anhu), like the narration where he sold Suwaybit ibn Harmalah as a slave to a group of Arabs or where he slaughtered a camel that did not belong to him. What did the classical scholars say about this Sahabi , Nuayman (radiyallahu ‘anhu)? I am just confused, because what he has done seems very strange/forbidden from a juristic perspective.
Answer
The biographers of Sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum) have recorded numerous ‘pranks’ of Sayyiduna Nu’ayman ibn ‘Amr (radiyallahu ‘anhu). He was a jovial Sahabi by nature. Perhaps he was of the opinion that perpetrating these pranks in jest is permissible.
One should bear in mind that he was a Sahabi that had participated in the battle of Badr. Those Sahabah that participated in Badr definitely hold a lofty position. In fact in one narration, after he had played a prank which involved Sayyiduna Uthman (radiyallahu ‘anhu), Sayyiduna Uthman (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said:
“Leave Nu’ayman, for he had participated in Badr”
However this does not imply that he got away scot-free. The narrations clearly explain that he was ordered to reimburse the Bedouin for slaughtering his camel and that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radiyallahu ‘anhu) returned the camels he had taken in exchange of Suwaybit (radiyallahu ‘anhu) and cancelled the sale.
(See; Musnad Ahmad, vol. 6 pg. 316, Usdul Ghabah, vol. 5 pg. 330, Al Isabah, vol. 6 pg. 366)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar