Sahih al-Bukhari

Sahih al-Bukhari 4321

Arabic hadith text

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ كَثِيرِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ، مَوْلَى أَبِي قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَامَ حُنَيْنٍ، فَلَمَّا الْتَقَيْنَا كَانَتْ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ جَوْلَةٌ، فَرَأَيْتُ رَجُلاً مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، قَدْ عَلاَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَضَرَبْتُهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ عَلَى حَبْلِ عَاتِقِهِ بِالسَّيْفِ، فَقَطَعْتُ الدِّرْعَ، وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَىَّ فَضَمَّنِي ضَمَّةً وَجَدْتُ مِنْهَا رِيحَ الْمَوْتِ، ثُمَّ أَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ فَأَرْسَلَنِي، فَلَحِقْتُ عُمَرَ فَقُلْتُ مَا بَالُ النَّاسِ قَالَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ‏.‏ ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا وَجَلَسَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ قَتَلَ قَتِيلاً لَهُ عَلَيْهِ بَيِّنَةٌ فَلَهُ سَلَبُهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ يَشْهَدُ لِي ثُمَّ جَلَسْتُ ـ قَالَ ـ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ فَقُمْتُ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ يَشْهَدُ لِي ثُمَّ جَلَسْتُ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ، فَقُمْتُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَالَكَ يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ صَدَقَ وَسَلَبُهُ عِنْدِي، فَأَرْضِهِ مِنِّي‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لاَهَا اللَّهِ، إِذًا لاَ يَعْمِدُ إِلَى أَسَدٍ مِنْ أُسْدِ اللَّهِ يُقَاتِلُ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيُعْطِيَكَ سَلَبَهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ صَدَقَ فَأَعْطِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَعْطَانِيهِ فَابْتَعْتُ بِهِ مَخْرَفًا فِي بَنِي سَلِمَةَ، فَإِنَّهُ لأَوَّلُ مَالٍ تَأَثَّلْتُهُ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ‏.‏

Translation

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Qatada reported: “We set out with the Prophet in the year of Hunayn. When we met the enemy, the Muslims suffered a setback. I saw a polytheist above a Muslim, so I struck him from behind with my sword at the shoulder seam and cut through his armor. He turned on me and squeezed me so hard that I felt death upon me. Then death overtook him and he released me. I caught up with Umar and asked, ‘What is happening to the people?’ He replied, ‘It is Allah’s decree.’ “The Muslims returned, and the Prophet sat and said, ‘Whoever killed an enemy combatant and has proof of it may have his personal effects.’ I said, ‘Who will testify for me?’ and sat down. The Prophet repeated the statement. I stood and again asked, ‘Who will testify for me?’ then sat down. The Prophet said it a third time. I stood, and he asked, ‘What is the matter, Abu Qatada?’ I told him what had happened. A man said, ‘He is telling the truth, and the man’s effects are with me. Let me compensate him for them.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘No, by Allah! The Prophet will not leave one of Allah’s lions, fighting for Allah and His Messenger, and give his spoils to you.’ The Prophet said, ‘He has spoken the truth. Give them to him.’ The man gave them to me. With them I bought an orchard in Banu Salima; it was the first property I acquired in Islam.”

Notes and open questions — unreviewed
  • The Arabic term salab refers to the personal effects taken from a combatant killed in battle. The report says the Muslims initially suffered a setback before returning.