The Hadith of the Poisoned Sheep

From the noble collection "Al-Adab Al-Mufrad" by Imam al-Bukhari, Hadith reference: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 243.

Narration & Context

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a Jewish woman brought the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) a poisoned sheep. The Messenger of Allah ate from it, and later the woman was brought before him. The companions asked, "Should we not kill her?" The Prophet replied, "No."

Scholarly Commentary

This incident occurred in Khaybar after its conquest, where a Jewish woman sought to assassinate the Prophet through poisoning. Scholars note that the Prophet's refusal to kill her demonstrates profound Islamic legal principles. The Prophet's life was protected by divine intervention - the poison was rendered ineffective as a miracle.

The ruling shows that retaliation (qisas) for attempted murder is not obligatory when no actual death occurs. Furthermore, the Prophet's mercy exemplifies the Islamic ethic of forgiveness even when one has the power to retaliate. This incident also teaches that we should not act precipitously in anger but rather with the calm deliberation shown by Allah's Messenger.

Legal & Ethical Dimensions

Islamic jurisprudence derived from this hadith establishes that attempted murder does not warrant capital punishment if the victim survives. The Prophet's forbearance also illustrates the superior moral character (makārim al-akhlāq) that Muslims should aspire to - overcoming personal harm with magnanimity.

Later narrations indicate the woman embraced Islam after witnessing the Prophet's extraordinary character, demonstrating how mercy can transform enemies into believers. This embodies the Quranic principle: "Repel evil with what is better, and then the one who is your enemy will become as though he was a devoted friend." (41:34)