Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad)

'Ali ibn 'Abdullah narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us; al-Zuhri narrated to us from 'Ubayd Allah, from Ibn 'Abbas, from al-Sa'b ibn Jaththama (may Allah be pleased with them all), who said: The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by me at al-Abwa'—or Waddan—and was asked about the people in a settlement among the polytheists who were attacked by night, when some of their women and children might be struck as well. He said, ‘They are of them.’ I also heard him say, ‘There is no hima except for Allah and His Messenger.’

From al-Zuhri, who heard 'Ubayd Allah from Ibn 'Abbas: al-Sa'b narrated to us. Regarding the children, 'Amr used to narrate to us from Ibn Shihab, from the Prophet (ﷺ), and we heard it from al-Zuhri, who said: 'Ubayd Allah informed me from Ibn 'Abbas, from al-Sa'b, who said: ‘They are of them.’ He did not say, as 'Amr did, ‘They are of their fathers.’

Ahmad ibn Yunus informed us; al-Layth informed us from Nafi', that 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) told him: A woman was found killed during one of the Prophet's expeditions. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) condemned the killing of women and children.

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, who said: I asked Abu Usama, ‘Did 'Ubayd Allah narrate to you from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said that a woman was found killed during one of the Messenger of Allah's expeditions, and that the Messenger of Allah forbade killing women and children?’

Qutayba ibn Sa'id narrated to us; al-Layth narrated to us from Bukayr, from Sulayman ibn Yasar, from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah sent us on an expedition and said, ‘If you find so-and-so and so-and-so, burn them with fire.’ Then, when we were about to set out, the Messenger of Allah said, ‘I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so, but no one punishes with fire except Allah. If you find them, then kill them.’

'Ali ibn 'Abdullah narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us from Ayyub, from 'Ikrima: 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) burned a group of people. When this reached Ibn 'Abbas, he said: ‘Had I been in his place, I would not have burned them, because the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Do not punish with Allah's punishment.’ I would have killed them, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Whoever changes his religion, kill him.’’

Mu'alla ibn Asad narrated to us; Wuhaib narrated to us from Ayyub, from Abu Qilaba, from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): Eight men from 'Ukl came to the Prophet (ﷺ). They found Medina disagreeable and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, provide us with milk.’ He said, ‘I can only direct you to the camels.’ They went and drank from their urine and milk until they recovered and grew stout. Then they killed the herdsman, drove off the camels, and renounced Islam after having embraced it. A cry for help reached the Prophet (ﷺ), and he sent men in pursuit. Before the day had grown bright, they were brought to him. He cut off their hands and feet, then ordered iron nails to be heated and used them to cauterize their eyes. He cast them into the rocky lava plain, where they called for water but were given none until they died. Abu Qilaba said: They killed and stole, waged war against Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), and spread corruption in the land.

Yahya ibn Bukayr narrated to us; al-Layth narrated to us from Yunus, from Ibn Shihab, from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab and Abu Salama, from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘An ant bit one of the prophets, and he ordered the ant colony to be burned. Allah then revealed to him: Because one ant bit you, you burned a community among the communities that glorify Allah?’

Musaddad narrated to us; Yahya narrated to us from Isma'il, who said: Qays ibn Abi Hazim narrated to me, saying: Jarir told me that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him, ‘Will you relieve me of Dhu al-Khalasa?’ It was a house in Khath'am called the Yemeni Ka'ba. Jarir said: I set out with one hundred and fifty horsemen from Ahmas, a people skilled in horsemanship. I could not stay firm on horseback, so he struck me on the chest until I saw the marks of his fingers there, and said, ‘O Allah, make him steadfast and make him a guide, rightly guided.’ Jarir went to it, smashed it, and burned it. Then he sent someone to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to tell him. Jarir said: I swear by Him who sent you with the truth, I did not come to you until I had left it like a hollow camel—or a camel with mange. He blessed the horses and men of Ahmas five times.

Muhammad ibn Kathir informed us; Sufyan informed us from Musa ibn 'Uqba, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: The Prophet (ﷺ) burned the date palms of Banu al-Nadir.

'Ali ibn Muslim narrated to us; Yahya ibn Zakariyya ibn Abi Za'ida narrated to us and said: My father narrated to me from Abu Ishaq, from al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a group of men from the Ansar to Abu Rafi' to kill him. One of them set out and entered their fortress. He said: I went into their animal enclosure. They closed the fortress gate. Then they noticed that one of their donkeys was missing and went out to search for it. I went out with those who went, pretending to search for it with them. They found the donkey and went back inside, and I went in with them. They closed the fortress gate at night and placed the keys in a window where I could see them. When they slept, I took the keys, opened the gate, and entered where Abu Rafi' was. I said, ‘Abu Rafi'.’ He answered me. I deliberately followed the sound and struck him. He cried out, so I went out. Then I returned, as if I were coming to help, and said, ‘Abu Rafi',’ changing my voice. He said, ‘What is the matter with you? May your mother lose you!’ I said, ‘What has happened?’ He said, ‘I do not know who entered and struck me.’ I placed my sword in his belly and pressed on it until it struck bone. Then I went out, bewildered. I came to their ladder to descend, fell, and injured my leg. I went out to my companions and said, ‘I will not leave until I hear the death wail.’ I stayed until I heard the death wailing for Abu Rafi', the merchant of the people of Hijaz. Then I got up with no ailment, until we came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him.

'Abdullah ibn Muhammad narrated to me; Yahya ibn Adam narrated to us; Yahya ibn Abi Za'ida narrated to us from his father, from Abu Ishaq, from al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a group of men from the Ansar to Abu Rafi'. 'Abdullah ibn 'Atik entered his house at night and killed him while he was asleep.

Yusuf ibn Musa narrated to us; 'Asim ibn Yusuf al-Yarbu'i narrated to us; Abu Ishaq al-Fazari narrated to us from Musa ibn 'Uqba, who said: Salim Abu al-Nadr, the freedman of 'Umar ibn 'Ubayd Allah, informed me—he was 'Umar's clerk—and said: 'Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa wrote to him when he went out against al-Haruriyya. I read it, and it said that on one of the days when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) met the enemy, he waited until the sun had begun to decline. Then he stood among the people and said, ‘O people, do not wish to meet the enemy. Ask Allah for well-being. When you meet them, be steadfast, and know that Paradise is beneath the shadows of swords.’ Then he said, ‘O Allah, Revealer of the Book, Mover of the clouds, Defeater of the confederates, defeat them and grant us victory over them.’ Musa ibn 'Uqba also said: Salim Abu al-Nadr informed me, while I was 'Umar ibn 'Ubayd Allah's clerk, that 'Umar received a letter from 'Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with them both) saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Do not wish to meet the enemy.’

Abu 'Amir also said: Mughirah ibn 'Abd al-Rahman narrated to us from Abu al-Zinad, from al-A'raj, from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: ‘Do not wish to meet the enemy; but when you meet them, be steadfast.’

'Abdullah ibn Muhammad narrated to us; 'Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us; Ma'mar informed us from Hammam, from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: ‘Kisra has perished, and there will be no Kisra after him. Caesar will surely perish, and there will be no Caesar after him. Their treasures will surely be divided in the way of Allah.’ He also called war a stratagem.

Abu Bakr ibn Asram narrated to us; 'Abdullah informed us; Ma'mar informed us from Hammam ibn Munabbih, from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (ﷺ) called war a stratagem.

Sadaqa ibn al-Fadl informed us; Ibn 'Uyayna informed us from 'Amr, who heard Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) say that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘War is a stratagem.’

Qutayba ibn Sa'id narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us from 'Amr ibn Dinar, from Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Who will deal with Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf? He has harmed Allah and His Messenger.’ Muhammad ibn Maslama said, ‘Would you like me to kill him, Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He went to Ka'b and said, ‘This man—that is, the Prophet (ﷺ)—has burdened us and asked us for charity.’ Ka'b said, ‘Indeed, by Allah.’ He said, ‘We have followed him, and we dislike leaving him before we see what becomes of his affair.’ He continued speaking with him until he gained the opportunity, then killed him.

'Abdullah ibn Muhammad narrated to me; Sufyan narrated to us from 'Amr, from Jabir, from the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: ‘Who will deal with Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf?’ Muhammad ibn Maslama said, ‘Would you like me to kill him?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Then allow me to say what I wish.’ He replied, ‘I have allowed you.’

Al-Layth said: 'Uqayl narrated to me from Ibn Shihab, from Salim ibn 'Abdullah, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set out with Ubayy ibn Ka'b toward Ibn Sayyad. Word had reached him about Ibn Sayyad while he was among the date palms. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the grove, he began taking cover behind the trunks of the palms. Ibn Sayyad was under a covering garment, with a murmuring sound beneath it. Ibn Sayyad's mother saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, ‘O Safi, this is Muhammad.’ Ibn Sayyad sprang up, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘If she had left him, the matter would have become clear.’