The Book of Jihad and Expeditions

كتاب الجهاد والسير

Chapter 5: Permissibility of deceit in war

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

War is a stratagem.

This hadith has also been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira.

Chapter 6: It is disliked to wish to meet the enemy, and the command to be steadfast when meeting the enemy

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

Do not desire an encounter with the enemy; but when you encounter them, be firm.

It is narrated by Abu Nadr that he learnt from a letter sent by a man from the Aslam tribe, who was a Companion of the Prophet (ﷺ) and whose name was 'Abdullah b. Abu Aufa, to 'Umar b. 'Ubaidullah when the latter marched upon Haruriyya (Khawarij) informing him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in one of those days when lie was confronting the enemy waited until the sun had declined. Then he stood up (to address the people) and said

O ye men, do not wish for an encounter with the enemy. Pray to Allah to grant you security; (but) when you (have to) encounter them exercise patience, and you should know that Paradise is under the shadows of the swords. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up (again) and said: O Allah. Revealer of the Book, Disperser of the clouds, Defeater of the hordes, put our enemy to rout and help us against them.

Chapter 7: It is recommended to pray for victory when meeting the enemy

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abu Aufa that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed the tribes (who had marched upon Medina with a combined force in 5 H) and said

O Allah, Revealer of the Book, swift in (taking) account, put the tribes to rout. O Lord, defeat them and shake them.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Abu Aufa with a slight variation of words.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Uyaina through another chain of transmitters (who added the words)" the Disperser of clouds" in his narration.

It is narrated on the authority of Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on the day of the Battle of Uhud

O Allah, if Thou wilt (defeat Muslims), there will be none on the earth to worship Thee.

Chapter 8: The prohibition of killing women and children in war

It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah that a woman was found killed in one of the battles fought by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He disapproved of the killing of women and children.

It is narrated by Ibn 'Umar that a woman was found killed in one of these battles; so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade the killing of women and children.

Chapter 9: Permissibility of killing women and children in night raids, so long as it is not done deliberately

It is reported on the authority of Sa'b b. Jaththama that the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ), when asked about the women and children of the polytheists being killed during the night raid, said

They are from them.

It is narrated by Sa'b b. Jaththama that he said (to the Holy Prophet)

Messenger of Allah, we kill the children of the polytheists during the night raids. He said: They are from them.

Sa'b b. Jaththama has narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) asked

What about the children of polytheists killed by the cavalry during the night raid? He said: They are from them.

Chapter 10: Permissibility of cutting down the trees of the Kuffar and burning them

It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered the date-palms of Banu Nadir to be burnt and cut. These palms were at Buwaira. Qutaibah and Ibn Rumh in their versions of the tradition have added

So Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, revealed the verse:" Whatever trees you have cut down or left standing on their trunks, it was with the permission of Allah so that He may disgrace the evil-doers" (lix. 5).

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) caused the date-palms of Banu Nadir to be cut down and burnt. It is in this connection that Hassan (the poet) said

It was easy for the nobles of Quraish to burn Buwaira whose sparks were flying in all directions, in the same connection was revealed the Qur'anic verse:" Whatever trees you have cut down or left standing on their trunks."

'Abdullah b. Umar reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) burnt the date-palms of Banu Nadir.

Chapter 11: War booty has been made permissible for this Ummah only

It has been narrated by Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

One of the Prophets made a holy war. He said to his followers: One who has married a woman and wants to consummate to his marriage but has not yet done so; another who has built a house but has not yet erected its roof; and another who has bought goats and pregnantshe-camels and is waiting for their offspring-will not accommpany me. So he marched on and approached a village at or about the time of the Asr prayers. He said to the sun: Thou art subserviant (to Allah) and so am I. O Allah, stop it for me a little. It was stopped for him until Allah granted him victory. The people gathered the spoils of war (at one place). A fire approached the spoils to devour them, but it did not devour them. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Some of you have been guilty of misappropriation. So one man from each tribe should swear fealty to me. The did so (putting their hands into his). The hand of one man stuck to his hand and the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Your tribe is guilty of misappropriation. Let all the members of your tribe swear fealty to me one by one. They did so, when the hands of two or three persons got stuck with his hand. He said: You have misappropriated. So they took out gold equal in volume to the head of a cow. They-placed it among the spoils on the earth. Then the fire approached the spoils and devoured them. The spoils of war were not made lawful for any people before us, This is because Allah saw our weakness and humility and made them lawful for us.

Chapter 12: Spoils of War

A hadith has been narrated by Mus'ab b. Sa'd who heard it from his father as saying

My father took a sword from Khums and brought it to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: Grant it to me. He refused. At this Allah revealed (the Qur'anic verse):" They ask thee concerning the spoils of war. Say: The spoils of war are for Allah and the Apostle" (viii. 1).

A hadith has been narrated by Mus'ab b. Sa'd who heard it from his father as saying

" Four verses of the Qur'an have been revealed about me. I found a sword (among the spoils of war). It was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ). He (my father) said: Messenger of Allah, bestow it upon me. The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said: Place it there. Then he (my father) stood up and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: Place it from where you got it. (At this) he (my father) said again: Messenger of Allah, bestow it upon me Shall I be treated like one who has no share in (the booty)? The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him said: Place it from where you got it. At this was revealed the verse:" They ask thee about the spoils of war.... Say: The spoils of war are for Allah and the Messenger"

It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Umar that the Prophet (ﷺ) sent an expedition to Najd and I was among the troops. They got a large number of camels as a booty. Eleven or twelve camels fell to the lot of every fighter and each of them also got one extra camel.