32/9. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1745b — Children of Polytheists During Night Raids
Permissibility of killing women and children in night raids, so long as it is not done deliberately
Children of Polytheists Hadith: Understanding the Night Raid Report
Sahih Muslim : 1745b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1745b
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ، اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ الصَّعْبِ بْنِ جَثَّامَةَ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نُصِيبُ فِي الْبَيَاتِ مِنْ ذَرَارِيِّ الْمُشْرِكِينَ قَالَ " هُمْ مِنْهُمْ " .
Sa'b b. Jaththama Narrated from:
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.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1745bIn-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 31USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 19, Hadith 4322
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1745b
This children of polytheists hadith is narrated by Sa‘b b. Jaththama. He said to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم that they kill the children of the polytheists during night raids. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered, “They are from them.” The report is very short, so the explanation should not add more than the text gives. It speaks about a night raid and children being affected in that setting. It does not give a long rule, a story after the answer, or a list of conditions. For readers searching for the “They are from them” hadith, the main point is to note the exact question and the exact answer recorded in this narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report begins with a question about night raids.
- The wording records the Prophet’s answer as, “They are from them.”
- The text is brief, so it should be explained with care.
