64/46. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4274 — Hatib's Letter and the People of Badr
Ghazwa of Al-Fath
وَمَا بَعَثَ حَاطِبُ بْنُ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِغَزْوِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
Hatib bin Abi Balta'a Hadith: Loyalty, Truthfulness, and Badr
Sahih Bukhari : 4274
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4274
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ فَقَالَ " انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ، فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ، فَخُذُوا مِنْهَا ". قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا تَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الرَّوْضَةَ، فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ قُلْنَا لَهَا أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ. قَالَتْ مَا مَعِي كِتَابٌ. فَقُلْنَا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ، قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا، فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِذَا فِيهِ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ بِمَكَّةَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا حَاطِبُ مَا هَذَا ". قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَىَّ، إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ ـ يَقُولُ كُنْتُ حَلِيفًا وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا ـ وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ مَنْ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ، يَحْمُونَ أَهْلِيهِمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ، فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ النَّسَبِ فِيهِمْ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ عِنْدَهُمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ قَرَابَتِي، وَلَمْ أَفْعَلْهُ ارْتِدَادًا عَنْ دِينِي، وَلاَ رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الإِسْلاَمِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَمَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ صَدَقَكُمْ ". فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ دَعْنِي أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ. فَقَالَ " إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى مَنْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا قَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ ". فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ السُّورَةَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْمَوَدَّةِ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ }.
'Ali Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent me, Az-Zubair and Al-Miqdad saying, "Proceed till you reach Rawdat Khakh where there is a lady carrying a letter, and take that (letter) from her." So we proceeded on our way with our horses galloping till we reached the Rawda, and there we found the lady and said to her, "Take out the letter." She said, "I have no letter." We said, "Take out the letter, or else we will take off your clothes." So she took it out of her braid, and we brought the letter to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). The letter was addressed from Hatib, bin Abi Balta'a to some pagans of Mecca, telling them about what Allah's Apostle intended to do.Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O Hatib! What is this?" Hatib replied, "O Allah's Apostle! Do not make a hasty decision about me. I was a person not belonging to Quraish but I was an ally to them from outside and had no blood relation with them, and all the Emigrants who were with you, have got their kinsmen (in Mecca) who can protect their families and properties. So I liked to do them a favor so that they might protect my relatives as I have no blood relation with them. I did not do this to renegade from my religion (i.e. Islam) nor did I do it to choose Heathenism after Islam."Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to his companions." As regards him, he (i.e. Hatib) has told you the truth." `Umar said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allow me to chop off the head of this hypocrite!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He (i.e. Hatib) has witnessed the Badr battle (i.e. fought in it) and what could tell you, perhaps Allah looked at those who witnessed Badr and said, "O the people of Badr (i.e. Badr Muslim warriors), do what you like, for I have forgiven you. "Then Allah revealed the Sura:-- "O you who believe! Take not my enemies And your enemies as friends offering them (Your) love even though they have disbelieved in that Truth (i.e. Allah, Prophet Muhammad and this Qur'an) which has come to you ....(to the end of Verse)....(And whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far) astray (away) from the Straight Path." (60.1
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4274In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 308USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 572
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4274
This hadith about Hatib bin Abi Balta'a is about a hidden letter, a serious mistake, and the Prophet's careful judgment. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sent Ali, Az-Zubair, and Al-Miqdad to Rawdat Khakh to take a letter from a woman. The letter was from Hatib to people in Mecca, telling them some matter of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. When asked, Hatib said he did not do it to leave Islam or to prefer disbelief. He said he wanted protection for his relatives because he lacked the family ties others had in Mecca. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said Hatib had told the truth. When Umar wanted to punish him, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned that Hatib had witnessed Badr. The hadith teaches caution before judging a person, while still showing that the action was serious.
What we learn from this hadith
- A serious action should be judged after hearing the person's explanation.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accepted Hatib's truthful statement in the report.
- Past service at Badr is mentioned as an important matter in Hatib's case.
