The Book on Military Expeditions

كتاب السير عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

Chapter 1: What Has Been Related About Calling (To Islam) Before Fighting

Narrated Abu Al-Bakhtari

"An Army from the armies of the Muslims, whose commander was Salman Al-Farisi, besieged one of the Persian castles. They said: 'O Abu 'Abdullah! Should we charge them?' He said: 'Leave me to call them (to Islam) as I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) call them.' So Salman went to them and said: 'I am only a man from among you, a Persian, and you see that the Arabs obey me. If you become Muslims then you will have the likes of what we have, and from you will be required that which is required from us. If you refuse, and keep your religion, then we will leave you to it, and you will give us the Jizyah from your hands while you are submissive.' He said to them in Persian: 'And you are other than praiseworthy and if you refuse then we will equally resist you.' They said: 'We will not give you the Jizyah, we will fight you instead.' So they said: 'O Abu 'Abdullah! Should we charge them?' He said: 'No.'" He said: "So for three days he called them to the same (things), and then he said: 'Charge them.'" He said: "So we charged them, and we conquered the castle."

Chapter 2: The Prohibition Of Attacking If A Masjid Is Seen Or The Adhan Is Heard

Narrated Ibn 'Asim Al-Muzani

From his father and he was a Companion who said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) dispatched any army or battalion, he would say to them: 'If you see a Masjid, or hear someone calling the Adhan, then do not kill anyone.'"

Chapter 3: Regarding Nighttime And Surprise Attacks

Narrated Anas

"When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set out for Khaibar, he approached it at night and when he came to a people during the night, he would not attack them until morning. So when the morning came, the Jews came out with their shovels and baskets, then when they saw him, they said: 'Muhammad! By Allah Muhammad has come with the Khamis (an army).' So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Allahu Akbar! Khaibar is destroyed, for whenever we approach the land of people - then what an evil morning for those who have been warned.'"

Narrated Abu Talhah

"When the Prophet (ﷺ) overtook a people he would stay at the outskirts of their city for three nights."

Chapter 4: Regarding Burning And Destroying

Narrated Ibn 'Umar

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) burnt the palm trees of Bani Nadir and cut them down at Al-Buwairah. So Allah revealed: Whatever you cut down of their palm trees, or you left them standing on their trunks, then it was by the permission of Allah, and in the order to disgrace the rebellious.(59:5)"

Chapter 5: What Has Been Related About The Spoils Of War

Another chain from Abu Hurairah who narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said

"I have been honored over the Prophets with six (things): I have been given Jawami' Al-Kalam, I have been aided by (the ability to cause in the enemy) fright, the spoils of war have been made lawful for me, the Earth has been made as a Masjid and purifier for me, and I have been sent to all creatures, and with me Prophethood is sealed."

Chapter 6: The Shares Given For The Horse

Narrated Ibn 'Umar

Another chain with similar meaning.

There are narrations on this topic from Mujammi' bin Jariyah, Ibn 'Abbas, and Ibn Abi 'Amrah from his father. This Hadith of Ibn 'Umar is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) and others.

This is the view of Sufyan At-Thawri, Al-Awzai', Malik bin Anas, Ibn Al-Mubarak, Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad and Ishaq. They said that the horsemen gets three shares, one share is for him and two shares for his horse. The foot soldiers get one share.

Chapter 7: What Has Been Related About The Saraya (Military Unit)

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The best companions are four, the best Saraya (military unit) is four hundred, the best army is four thousand, and twelve thousand will not be beaten due to being too few."

This Hadith is Hasan Gharib, it was not narrated with a chain by anyone important besides Jarir bin Hazim, and this Hadith was only reported from Az-Zuhri, from the Prophet (ﷺ) in Mursal form. Hibban bin 'Ali Al-'Anazi reported it from 'Uqail, from Az-Zuhri, from 'Ubaidullah, from 'Ibn Abbas, from the Prophet (ﷺ), and Al-Laith bin Sa'd reported it from Sa'd, from 'Uqail, from Az-Zuhri, from the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Mursal form.

Chapter 8: About Who Is Given Spoils Of War (Al-Fay')

Narrated Yazid bin Hurmuz

That Najdah Al-Haruri wrote to Ibn 'Abbas asking if the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would fight along with women, and if he would fix a share of the spoils of war for them. Ibn 'Abbas wrote to him: "You wrote to me asking me if the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would fight along with women. He did fight along with them, as they would treat the wounded. They received something from the spoils of war, but as for their share, then he did not fix a share for them."

There is something on this topic from Anas and Umm 'Atiyyah.

This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. This is acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge. It is the view of Sufyan Ath-Thawri and Ash-Shafi'i. Some of them said that a share is given to the woman and the boy, and this is the view of Al-Awza'i.

Al-Awza'i said: The Prophet (ﷺ) gave a portion to the boys at Khaibar, and the Aimmah of the Muslims gave a portion to every child born in the land of war." Al-Awza'i said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) gave a portion to the women at Khaibar, and that was followed by the Muslims after him." This was narrated to us by 'Ali bin Khashram (who said): "'Eisa bin Yunus narrated this to us from Al-Awza'i."

The meaning of his saying: "They received something from the spoils of war" it is said that he conferred something on them (the women) from the spoils of war.

Chapter 9: Does The Slave Recieve A Share ?

Narrated 'Umair, the freed slave of Abil-Lahm

"I participated at Khaibar with my masters. They spoke about me to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and told him that I was a slave." He said: "So he ordered me to take up the sword, and I found myself dragging it, so he ordered that I be given something from the goods. I presented a Ruqyah that I used to treat the possessed with, so he ordered me leave some of it and keep some of it."

There is something on this topic from Ibn 'Abbas.

This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. This is acted upon according to the some of the people of knowledge. A complete portion is not given to slave, but something is conferred upon him. This is the view of Ath-Thawri, Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and Ishaq.

Chapter 10: What Has Been Related About Ahl Adh-Dhimmah Fighting With The Muslims, Are They To Recieve A Share Of The Spoils Of War ?

It has been related by Az-Zuhri, that the Prophet (ﷺ) gave a portion to some people among the Jews who fought along with him. This was narrated to us by Qutaibah (who said)

This Hadith is Hasan Gharib.

Narrated Abu Musa

"I arrived upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Khaibar along with a group of the Ash'ari tribe. He gave us shared along with those that conquered it."

This Hadith is Hasan Sahih Gharib. This is acted upon according to some of the people of knowledge. Al-Awza'i said: "Whoever meets up with the Muslims before the horses, share is distributed, then he is given a share." And Buraid's (a narrator) Kunyah is Abu Buraidah and he is trustworthy. Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Ibn 'Uyainah and others report from him.

Chapter 11: What Has Been Related About Using The Containers Of The Idolaters

Another Chain fro Abu Idris Al-Khawlani 'Ai'dhullah bin 'Ubaidullah who said

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.

Chapter 12: Regarding The Nafl (An additional gift from the spoils of war that is given to particular fighters)

Another chain from Ibn 'Abbas that the Prophet (ﷺ) took his sword Dhul-Fiqar on the Day of Badr, and it is the one that he saw in the dream on the Day of Uhud.This Hadith is Hasan Gharib. We only know it from this route through the report of Ibn Abi Az-Zinad.The people of knowledge differ over giving the Nafl from the Khumus. Malik bin Anas said

Ibn Mansur said: "I said to Ahmad: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) gave the Nafl when he divided the fourth, after the Khumus, and when he was returning (he gave) the third from the Khumus.' So he said: 'The Khumus is taken, and then the Nafl is given from what remains, nothing beyond this.''"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is (understood) as Ibn Musayyab said: "The Nafl is from te Khumus." Ishaq said as he said.

Chapter 13: What Has Been Related About: Whoever Kills Someone In Battle, Then His Goods Are His

Another Chain with similar meaningThere are narrations on this topic from 'Awf bin Malik, Khalid bin Al-Walid, Anas, and Samurah.This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. Abu Muhammad is Nafi' the freed slave of Abu Qatadah.This is acted upon according to some of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) and others. It is the view of Al-Awza'i, Ash-Shafi'i and Ahmad.Some of the people of knowledge said that the Imam takes Khumus from those goods. Ath-Thawri said

"The Nafl is when the Imam says: 'Whoever got something, then it is his. And whoever killed a fighter, then his goods are his.' So it is allowed, and there is no Khumus taken from it." Ishaq said: "The goods are for the one who did the killing, unless it is something that is a large amount." So he saw that the Imam could take the Khumus from that, just as 'Umar bin Al-Khattab did.

Chapter 14: About It being Disliked To Sell The Spoils Of War Until It Has Been Distributed

Narrated Abu Sa’id Al Khudri

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited selling the spoils of war until it has been distributed."

There is something on this topic from Abu Hurairah.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Gharib.

Chapter 15: What Has Been Related About It Being Disliked To Have Intercourse With Pregnant Female Prisoners

Narrated Umm Habibah bint 'Irbad bin Sariyah

From her father who told her that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited intercourse with female prisoners, until they deliver what is in their wombs."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] There is something on this topic from Ruwaifi' bin Thabit, and the Hadith of 'Irbad is a Gharib Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge.

Al-Awza'i said: "When a man purchases a slave girl from the captives and she is pregnant, then it has been related from 'Umar bin Al-Khattab that he said: 'Do not have intercourse with the pregnant women until she gives birth.'" Al-Awza'i said: "As for the free women, then the Sunnah about them has passed, in that the 'Iddah is observed." All of this was narrated to me by 'Ali bin Khushram who said: " 'Eisa bin Yunus narrated to us from Al-Awza'i."

Chapter 16: What Has Been Related About The Food Of The Idolaters

Narrated Qabisah bin Hulb

Another chain with similar narration.

This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge regarding the permission for the food of the People of the Book.

Chapter 17: About It Being Disliked To Separate (Related) Captives

Narrated Abu Ayyub

That he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "Whoever separates between a mother and her child, then Allah will separate between him and his beloved on the Day of Judgement."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] There is something on this topic from 'Ali. This Hadith is Hasan Gharib.

This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) and others. They dislike separating the captives, the mother and her child, the son and the father, and brothers.