32/13. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1751c — Evidence and Battle Spoils
The killer is entitled to the belongings of the one who is killed
Hadith About Evidence for Battle Spoils in Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim : 1751c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1751c
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَحَرْمَلَةُ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مَالِكَ بْنَ أَنَسٍ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ كَثِيرِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ، مَوْلَى أَبِي قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَامَ حُنَيْنٍ فَلَمَّا الْتَقَيْنَا كَانَتْ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ جَوْلَةٌ . قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُ رَجُلاً مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ قَدْ عَلاَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَاسْتَدَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ فَضَرَبْتُهُ عَلَى حَبْلِ عَاتِقِهِ وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَىَّ فَضَمَّنِي ضَمَّةً وَجَدْتُ مِنْهَا رِيحَ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ أَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ فَأَرْسَلَنِي فَلَحِقْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ مَا لِلنَّاسِ فَقُلْتُ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ . ثُمَّ إِنَّ النَّاسَ رَجَعُوا وَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَقَالَ " مَنْ قَتَلَ قَتِيلاً لَهُ عَلَيْهِ بَيِّنَةٌ فَلَهُ سَلَبُهُ " . قَالَ فَقُمْتُ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ يَشْهَدُ لِي ثُمَّ جَلَسْتُ ثُمَّ قَالَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ فَقُمْتُ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ يَشْهَدُ لِي ثُمَّ جَلَسْتُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ذَلِكَ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقُمْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا لَكَ يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ " . فَقَصَصْتُ عَلَيْهِ الْقِصَّةَ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ صَدَقَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ سَلَبُ ذَلِكَ الْقَتِيلِ عِنْدِي فَأَرْضِهِ مِنْ حَقِّهِ . وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ لاَهَا اللَّهِ إِذًا لاَ يَعْمِدُ إِلَى أَسَدٍ مِنْ أُسُدِ اللَّهِ يُقَاتِلُ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَعَنْ رَسُولِهِ فَيُعْطِيكَ سَلَبَهُ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " صَدَقَ فَأَعْطِهِ إِيَّاهُ " . فَأَعْطَانِي قَالَ فَبِعْتُ الدِّرْعَ فَابْتَعْتُ بِهِ مَخْرَفًا فِي بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لأَوَّلُ مَالٍ تَأَثَّلْتُهُ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ . وَفِي حَدِيثِ اللَّيْثِ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ كَلاَّ لاَ يُعْطِيهِ أُضَيْبِعَ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ وَيَدَعُ أَسَدًا مِنْ أُسُدِ اللَّهِ . وَفِي حَدِيثِ اللَّيْثِ لأَوَّلُ مَالٍ تَأَثَّلْتُهُ .
Abu Qatadah Narrated from:
We accompanied the Messenger of Allah (my peace be upon him) on an expedition in the year of the Battle of Hunain. When we encountered the enemy, (some of the Muslims turned back (in fear). I saw that a man from the polytheists overpowered one of the Muslims. I turned round and attacked him from behind giving a blow between his neck and shoulder. He turned towards me and grappled with me in such a way that I began to see death staring me in the face. Then death overtook him and left me alone. I joined 'Umar b. al-Khattab who was saying: What has happened to the people (that they are retreating)? I said: It is the Decree of Allah. Then the people returned. (The battle ended in a victory for the Muslims) and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat down (to distribute the spoils of war). He said: One who has killed an enemy and can bring evidence to prove it will get his belongings. So I stood up and said: Who will give evidence for me? Then I sat down. Then he (the Holy Prophet) said like this. I stood up (again) and said: Who will bear witness for me? He (the Holy Prophet) made the same observation the third time, and I stood up (once again). Now the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: What has happened to you, O Abu Qatada? Then I related the (whole) story, to him. At this, one of the people said: He has told the truth. Messenger of Allah 1 The belongings of the enemy killed by him are with me. Persuade him to forgo his right (in my favour). (Objecting to this proposal) Abu Bakr said: BY Allah, this will not happen. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) will not like to deprive one of the lions from among the lions of Allah who fight in the cause of Allah and His Messenger and give thee his share of the booty. So the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) said: He (Abu Bakr) has told the truth, and so give the belongings to him (Abu Qatada). So he gave them to me. I sold the armour (which was a part of my share of the booty) and bought with the sale proceeds a garden in the street of Banu Salama. This was the first property I acquired after embracing Islam. In a version of the hadith narrated by Laith, the words uttered by Abu Bakr are:" No, never! He will not give it to a fox from the Quraish leaving aside a lion from the lions of Allah among...." And the hadith is closed with the words:" The first property I acquired."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1751cIn-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 49USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 19, Hadith 4340
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1751c
This Hadith about battle spoils centers on Abu Qatada’s experience at Hunain. He killed an enemy fighter during the battle, but when the spoils were being distributed, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that whoever killed an enemy and had evidence would receive that enemy’s belongings. Abu Qatada stood several times asking for a witness. When someone confirmed his claim, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accepted the witness and ordered that the belongings be given to him. The Hadith shows that even in a tense war setting, claims were not treated casually. Evidence mattered. Abu Bakr also objected when someone tried to keep what belonged to Abu Qatada. The final decision protected the right that had been proven.
What we learn from this hadith
- A claim to the belongings of a killed enemy needed evidence.
- Abu Qatada did not receive the belongings until his account was witnessed.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accepted the truthful witness and ordered the right to be given.
- The Hadith shows care in distributing spoils after battle.
