36/3. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 3938 — Plunder Is Not Permissible
The prohibition of plunder
Hadith About Plunder Not Being Permissible
Sunan Ibn Majah : 3938
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 3938
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ، قَالَ أَصَبْنَا غَنَمًا لِلْعَدُوِّ فَانْتَهَبْنَاهَا فَنَصَبْنَا قُدُورَنَا فَمَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ بِالْقُدُورِ فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَأُكْفِئَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ النُّهْبَةَ لاَ تَحِلُّ " .
Tha’labah bin Hakam Narrated from:
We came across some of the enemy’s sheep and plundered them, and set up our cooking pots. The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by the pots and ordered that they be overturned, then he said: ‘Plunder is not permissible.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 3938In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 13English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 3938
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 3938
This hadith about plunder not being permissible gives a clear example. Tha’labah bin Hakam said they came across some of the enemy’s sheep, plundered them, and set up cooking pots. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) passed by the pots and ordered that they be overturned. Then he said, “Plunder is not permissible.” The action and the words go together. He did not only give a warning after the food was eaten; he stopped the use of what had been taken by plunder. The narration is useful for readers searching for “plunder is not halal hadith” or “plunder is not permissible hadith.” The lesson is plain from the text: taking goods through plunder is not allowed, and benefit from such taking was stopped in that scene.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stopped the cooking pots connected to the plundered sheep.
- The hadith states plainly that plunder is not permissible.
- The narration shows action was taken, not just words spoken.
- Property taken by plunder was not treated as a normal benefit in this event.
