Killing Women and Children in War
Total Hadiths 4
Prophet Muhammad's Rulings on Killing Women and Children in War
The provided Hadiths outline the clear rules of engagement regarding non-combatants during military conflicts in Islam. In the first two narrations, Ibn 'Umar reports that a woman was discovered dead on the battlefield during an expedition. Upon learning of this, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) openly rebuked the act and strictly forbade the killing of women and children. The third Hadith, narrated by Ibn 'Abbas, provides nuance regarding unintended casualties; when companions noted that horses trampled over the families of idolaters during nighttime operations, the Prophet responded, 'They are from their fathers.' According to Islamic scholars, this statement addresses the complex reality of collateral exposure in night attacks rather than permitting intentional harm. Collectively, these texts establish a foundational Islamic principle prohibiting the deliberate targeting of women and children during war.
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الصَّعْبُ بْنُ جَثَّامَةَ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ خَيْلَنَا أَوْطَأَتْ مِنْ نِسَاءِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَأَوْلاَدِهِمْ . قَالَ " هُمْ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
I Was Informed By As-Sa'B Bin Jaththamah Who Said: I Said: "O Messenger Of Allah Our Horses Trampled Over Women And Children Of The Idolaters." He Said: "They Are From Their Fathers.'" [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1570In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 31English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1570
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، وَأَبُو أُسَامَةَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ، اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ وُجِدَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مَقْتُولَةً فِي بَعْضِ تِلْكَ الْمَغَازِي فَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ قَتْلِ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
A woman was found killed in one of these battles; so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade the killing of women and children.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1744bIn-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 29USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 19, Hadith 4320
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ امْرَأَةً وُجِدَتْ فِي بَعْضِ مَغَازِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَقْتُولَةً فَأَنْكَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَلِكَ وَنَهَى عَنْ قَتْلِ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ وَرَبَاحٍ وَيُقَالُ رِيَاحُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ وَالأَسْوَدِ بْنِ سَرِيعٍ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَالصَّعْبِ بْنِ جَثَّامَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَغَيْرِهِمْ كَرِهُوا قَتْلَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ . وَرَخَّصَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ فِي الْبَيَاتِ وَقَتْلِ النِّسَاءِ فِيهِمْ وَالْوِلْدَانِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَرَخَّصَا فِي الْبَيَاتِ .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
A Woman Was Found Killed In One Of The Expeditions Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ), So The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Rebuked That, And He Prohibited Killing Women And Children. There Are Narrations On This Topic From Buraidah And Rabah - And They Say He Was Riyah - Bin Ar-Rabi', Al-Aswad Bin Sari', Ibn 'Abbas, And As-Sa'B Bin Jaththamah.[Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih. This Is Acted Upon According To Some Of The People Of Knowledge Among The Companions Of The Prophet (ﷺ) And Others. They Disliked Killing Women And Children. This Is The View Of Sufyan Ath-Thawri And Ash-Shafi'I. Some Of The People Of Knowledge Made An Exception For Killing The Women Who Had Children With Them During Night Attacks, This Is The View Of Ahmad And Ishaq, They Permitted It In Night Attacks.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1569In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 30English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1569
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ، سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ امْرَأَةً، وُجِدَتْ، فِي بَعْضِ مَغَازِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَقْتُولَةً فَأَنْكَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَتْلَ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ.
`Abdullah Narrated from:
A woman was found killed in one of the battles fought by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He disapproved of the killing of women and children.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1744aIn-book reference : Book 32, Hadith 28USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 19, Hadith 4319
