Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari 3051
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعُمَيْسِ، عَنْ إِيَاسِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الأَكْوَعِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَيْنٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَهْوَ فِي سَفَرٍ، فَجَلَسَ عِنْدَ أَصْحَابِهِ يَتَحَدَّثُ ثُمَّ انْفَتَلَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اطْلُبُوهُ وَاقْتُلُوهُ ". فَقَتَلَهُ فَنَفَّلَهُ سَلَبَهُ.
Abu Nuʿaym narrated to us: Abu al-ʿUmais narrated to us, from Iyas ibn Salama ibn al-Akwaʿ, from his father, who said: A spy from among the polytheists came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was on a journey. He sat with the Prophet’s Companions, talking, then slipped away. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Pursue him and kill him.” They killed him, and he awarded his belongings as a bonus.
Translation notes
The Arabic does not name the person who killed the spy; it says “they killed him.” The English witness identifies the narrator Salama as the killer and expands the award as the spy’s belongings in addition to his share of the spoils.
فَقَتَلَهُ فَنَفَّلَهُ سَلَبَهُ
The Arabic uses a singular verb with an unexpressed subject; the English witness identifies Salama and explains the spoils terminology.
Should the actor be left implicit in the translation, as in the Arabic?