32/48. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1812b — Protection of Children
Women who take part in military expeditions are to be given a reward but not a regular share; And the prohibition of killing children of the enemy
Hadith About Not Killing Children in War: Protection and Limits
Sahih Muslim : 1812b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1812b
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ حَاتِمِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ هُرْمُزَ، أَنَّ نَجْدَةَ، كَتَبَ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ خِلاَلٍ، . بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ بِلاَلٍ غَيْرَ أَنَّ فِي، حَدِيثِ حَاتِمٍ وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمْ يَكُنْ يَقْتُلُ الصِّبْيَانَ فَلاَ تَقْتُلِ الصِّبْيَانَ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ تَعْلَمُ مَا عَلِمَ الْخَضِرُ مِنَ الصَّبِيِّ الَّذِي قَتَلَ . وَزَادَ إِسْحَاقُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ عَنْ حَاتِمٍ وَتُمَيِّزَ الْمُؤْمِنَ فَتَقْتُلَ الْكَافِرَ وَتَدَعَ الْمُؤْمِنَ .
Yazid b. Hurmus Narrated from:
This tradition has been narrated by the game authority (Yazid b. Hurmus) through a different chain of transmitters with the following difference in the elucidation of one of the points raised by Najda in his letter to Ibn Abas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used not to kill the children, so thou shouldst not kill them unless you could know what Khadir had known about the child he killed, or you could distinguish between a child who would grow up to he a believer (and a child who would grow up to be a non-believer), so that you killed the (prospective) non-believer and left the (prospective) believer aside.
[1] See: Sûrat Al-Kahf 18:74.Reference : Sahih Muslim 1812bIn-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 167USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 19, Hadith 4457
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1812b
This hadith about not killing children in war repeats the main point from Ibn Abbas with extra wording. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used not to kill children, so Ibn Abbas tells Najda not to kill them. The narration then mentions an exception tied to knowing what Khadir knew about the child he killed. It also mentions being able to distinguish between a child who would grow up as a believer and one who would grow up as a disbeliever. The wording shows that ordinary judgment or guesswork is not the basis here. The clear teaching in the text is restraint: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not kill children, and Ibn Abbas directly says, “Do not kill the children.”
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is described as not killing children in war.
- Ibn Abbas gives a direct command against killing children.
- The mentioned exception is tied to special knowledge, not normal guessing.
- The report keeps the focus on restraint and avoiding unjust harm.
