64/54. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4318 — Returning the Captives of Hawazin
“…and on the day of Hunain when you rejoiced at your great number….”
Hadith About Returning the Captives of Hawazin
Sahih Bukhari : 4318
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4318
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي لَيْثٌ، حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ،. وَحَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ،، قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ شِهَابٍ وَزَعَمَ عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ أَنَّ مَرْوَانَ، وَالْمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَاهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ حِينَ جَاءَهُ وَفْدُ هَوَازِنَ مُسْلِمِينَ، فَسَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَرُدَّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَسَبْيَهُمْ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَعِي مَنْ تَرَوْنَ، وَأَحَبُّ الْحَدِيثِ إِلَىَّ أَصْدَقُهُ، فَاخْتَارُوا إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ إِمَّا السَّبْىَ، وَإِمَّا الْمَالَ، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ اسْتَأْنَيْتُ بِكُمْ ". وَكَانَ أَنْظَرَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِضْعَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً، حِينَ قَفَلَ مِنَ الطَّائِفِ، فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَيْرُ رَادٍّ إِلَيْهِمْ إِلاَّ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ قَالُوا فَإِنَّا نَخْتَارُ سَبْيَنَا. فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ إِخْوَانَكُمْ قَدْ جَاءُونَا تَائِبِينَ، وَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ أَرُدَّ إِلَيْهِمْ سَبْيَهُمْ، فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يُطَيِّبَ ذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْعَلْ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَلَى حَظِّهِ، حَتَّى نُعْطِيَهُ إِيَّاهُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ مَا يُفِيءُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا، فَلْيَفْعَلْ ". فَقَالَ النَّاسُ قَدْ طَيَّبْنَا ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّا لاَ نَدْرِي مَنْ أَذِنَ مِنْكُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ مِمَّنْ لَمْ يَأْذَنْ فَارْجِعُوا حَتَّى يَرْفَعَ إِلَيْنَا عُرَفَاؤُكُمْ أَمْرَكُمْ ". فَرَجَعَ النَّاسُ فَكَلَّمَهُمْ عُرَفَاؤُهُمْ ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ طَيَّبُوا وَأَذِنُوا. هَذَا الَّذِي بَلَغَنِي عَنْ سَبْىِ هَوَازِنَ.
Marwan and Al-Miswar bin Makhrama Narrated from:
When the delegate of Hawazin came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) declaring their conversion to Islam and asked him to return their properties and captives, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up and said to them, "There Is involved in this matter, the people whom you see with me, and the most beloved talk to me, is the true one. So choose one of two alternatives: Either the captives or the properties. I have been waiting for you (i.e. have not distributed the booty)."Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had delayed the distribution of their booty over ten nights after his return from Ta'if. So when they came to know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was not going to return to them but one of the two, they said, "We prefer to have our captives."So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up amongst the Muslims, and praising Allah as He deserved, said, "To proceed! Your brothers have come to you with repentance and I see (it logical) to return their captives. So, whoever of you likes to do that as a favor then he can do it. And whoever of you likes to stick to his share till we give him from the very first booty which Allah will give us, then he can do so."The people said, "We do that (i.e. return the captives) willingly as a favor, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "We do not know which of you have agreed to it and which have not; so go back and let your chiefs forward us your decision."They went back and their chief's spoke to them, and they (i.e. the chiefs) returned to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and informed him that all of them had agreed (to give up their captives) with pleasure, and had given their permission (i.e. that the captives be returned to their people). (The sub-narrator said, "That is what has reached me about the captives of Hawazin tribe.")
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4318, 4319In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 349USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 608
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4318
This Hadith is about repentance, truthfulness, and consent in the case of Hawazin’s captives. The delegation of Hawazin came as Muslims and asked for their properties and captives to be returned. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told them that others were involved in the matter and that the most beloved speech to him was the truthful one. He gave them a choice between captives and property, and they chose their captives. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then addressed the Muslims, saying that their brothers had come in repentance and that he saw it fit to return the captives. He allowed whoever wished to give up his share to do so, and whoever wished to keep his share until later compensation could do so. He also asked the chiefs to confirm everyone’s consent.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Hawazin delegation came declaring Islam and asking for return of captives and property.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked them to choose between two options.
- The Muslims were asked to give consent willingly.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sought confirmation through their chiefs.
