It would be difficult to come up with matching examples of the extent to which Rasool Allah ﷺ went to protect financial rights of even his enemies. Once Muslims under the leadership of Rasool Allah SAW had attacked Khyber fort and had surrounded it. There was a goat herder there who used to herd other people's goats for some small fee. He had a thought that he had heard a lot about Muhammad, now that he was there he wanted to go and meet him to find out what kind of a man he was. People told him which tent Rasool Allah SAW was in. He asked Rasool Allah SAW what his message was. Rasool Allah SAW told him about Tauheed (that Allah Ta'alah is One and Only, and no one shares His characteristics or powers). He asked what his status would be if he became a Muslim. Rasool Allah SAW said, "You will become our brother, and you will have the same rights as everyone else." To cut a long story short he was so touched that he embraced Islam then and there.
After converting to Islam he said, "Now I am ready to obey whatever orders you give me." The first order Rasool Allah gave him was not to pray Namaz (Salah), it was not to fast, or to pay Zakat. The first order Rasool Allah SAW gave him after converting to Islam was, "The goats you were herding belong to their rightful owners and you brought them here after doing a contract with their owners. They have ben entrusted (Amanat) to you. Now go and return the goats to their owners, and then come back and ask me what to do next." He asked in surprise, "O Rasool Allah SAW. These goats belong to your sworn enemies, who would make every effort to kill you. You want me to return these goats to them?" Rasool Allah SAW said, "If we had earned these goats as part of spoils pf war that would have been a different matter. But you have brought these goats here after making a promise to their owners. You are obligated under that promise to return them to their owners. So go and return it to them." The goat herder returned the goats to their owners, joined the Jihad and achieved martyrdom. Thus Rasool Allah showed by example that if one has entered into a contract even with an enemy, then that contract must be honoured.
Adapted from the talk "Islam and Human Rights" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB
After converting to Islam he said, "Now I am ready to obey whatever orders you give me." The first order Rasool Allah gave him was not to pray Namaz (Salah), it was not to fast, or to pay Zakat. The first order Rasool Allah SAW gave him after converting to Islam was, "The goats you were herding belong to their rightful owners and you brought them here after doing a contract with their owners. They have ben entrusted (Amanat) to you. Now go and return the goats to their owners, and then come back and ask me what to do next." He asked in surprise, "O Rasool Allah SAW. These goats belong to your sworn enemies, who would make every effort to kill you. You want me to return these goats to them?" Rasool Allah SAW said, "If we had earned these goats as part of spoils pf war that would have been a different matter. But you have brought these goats here after making a promise to their owners. You are obligated under that promise to return them to their owners. So go and return it to them." The goat herder returned the goats to their owners, joined the Jihad and achieved martyrdom. Thus Rasool Allah showed by example that if one has entered into a contract even with an enemy, then that contract must be honoured.
Adapted from the talk "Islam and Human Rights" by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB
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