21/29. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1583 — Sparing Boys in Battle
What Has Been Related About Cessation For Arbitration
Hadith About Sparing Boys in Battle Conditions
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1583
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1583
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدَبٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " اقْتُلُوا شُيُوخَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَاسْتَحْيُوا شَرْخَهُمْ " . وَالشَّرْخُ الْغِلْمَانُ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُنْبِتُوا . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ . وَرَوَاهُ الْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ أَرْطَاةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ نَحْوَهُ .
Samura b. Jundub Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Kill The Elder Men Among The Idolaters And Spare The Sharkh Among Them." And The Sharkh Are The Boys Who Did Not Begin To Grow Pubic Hair. [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih. Hajjaj Bin Artah Narrated Similarly From Qatadah.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1583In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 45English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1583
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1583
This hadith mentions a specific instruction in a battle setting: kill the elder men among the idolaters and spare the Sharkh among them. The narration itself explains Sharkh as boys who had not begun to grow pubic hair. Because the wording is sensitive, it should not be read loosely or applied outside its stated setting. The hadith about sparing boys is tied to war limits, age signs, and the difference made in the report between elder men and boys. Abu 'Eisa grades it Hasan Sahih Gharib and notes a similar narration from Hajjaj bin Artah. The safe lesson from the text is that the narration makes a clear distinction between categories of people in that wartime context, and it names a physical sign for those who were to be spared.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith distinguishes between elder men and boys in the stated battle context.
- The word Sharkh is explained in the narration itself.
- The report indicates that boys without the mentioned sign were to be spared.
- The wording should not be expanded beyond the specific text.
