47/60. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3305 — Hatib’s Letter and Loyalty
Regarding Surat Al-Muntahanah
Hadith About Hatib’s Letter to Makkah
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3305
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3305
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، هُوَ ابْنُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، يَقُولُ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ بْنَ الأَسْوَدِ فَقَالَ " انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا فَائْتُونِي بِهِ " . فَخَرَجْنَا تَتَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الرَّوْضَةَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ فَقُلْنَا أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ . فَقَالَتْ مَا مَعِي مِنْ كِتَابٍ . فَقُلْنَا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَتُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ . قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا . قَالَ فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِذَا هُوَ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِمَكَّةَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " مَا هَذَا يَا حَاطِبُ " . قَالَ لاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَىَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا أَهْلِيهِمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِمَكَّةَ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ نَسَبٍ فِيهِمْ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَتِي وَمَا فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ كُفْرًا وَلاَ ارْتِدَادًا عَنْ دِينِي وَلاَ رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الإِسْلاَمِ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " صَدَقَ " . فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رضى الله عنه دَعْنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا فَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ " . قَالَ وَفِيهِ أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ السُّورَةُ : (يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ) السُّورَةَ . قَالَ عَمْرُو وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي رَافِعٍ وَكَانَ كَاتِبًا لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَفِيهِ عَنْ عُمَرَ وَجَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ . وَرَوَى غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ نَحْوَ هَذَا وَذَكَرُوا هَذَا الْحَرْفَ فَقَالُوا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَتُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ أَيْضًا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ نَحْوُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ . وَذَكَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ فِيهِ فَقَالَ لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُجَرِّدَنَّكِ .
'Ubaidullah bin Abi Rafi' Narrated from:
I Heard Ali Bin Abi Talib Saying: “The Messenger Of Allah Dispatched Us – Myself, Az-Zubair, And Al-Miqad Bin Al- Aswad. He Said: “Proceed Until You Reach Rawdah Khakh, Where There Is A Lady Carrying A Letter. Take The Letter From Her And Bring It To Me.” So We Proceeded On Our Way With Our Horses Galloping Until We Reached The Rawdah.There We Found The Lady And Said To Her: “Give Me The Letter.” She Said: “I Have No Letter.” We Said: “Either You Take Out The Letter, Or We Shall Take Off Your Clothes.’” He Said: ‘So She Took It Out Of Her Braid.’ He Said: ‘We Brought It To The Messenger Of Allah, And It Was From Hatib Bin Abi Balta’Ah, Addressed To Some Of People Among The Idolaters Of Makkah, Informed Them Of Some Matter Regarding The Prophet. So He Said: “What Is This O Hatib?”He Said: “Do Not Be Hasty With Me O Messenger Of Allah! I Was A Person Who Is An Ally To The Quraish, Not Being Related To Them. The Muhajirun Who Are With You Have Relatives Who Can Protect Their Families And Their Wealth In Makkah. So Since I Have No Lineage Among Them, I Wanted To Do Them A Favor, So They Might Protect My Relatives. I Did Not Do This Out Of Disbelief, Nor To Renegade From My Religion, Nor Did I Do It To Chose Disbelief [After Islam].”The Prophet Said: “He Said The Truth.” Umar Bin Al-Khattab Said: “Allow Me To Chop Off The Head Of This Hypocrite!” The Prophet Said: “Indeed He Participated In (The Battle Of) Badr. You Do Not Know, Perhaps Allah Looked At Those Who Attended Badr And Said: ‘O People Of Badr! Do As You Like, For I Have Forgiven You.’” He Said: ‘It Was About Him, That This Surah Was Revealed: O You Who Believe! Do Not Take My Enemies And Your Enemies As Protecting Friends Showing Affection Towards Them.’”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3305In-book reference : Book 47, Hadith 357English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3305
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3305
This hadith tells the story of Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah and the letter sent to some idolaters of Makkah. The Prophet sent Ali, Az-Zubair, and Al-Miqdad to Rawdah Khakh to get the letter from a woman. When the letter was brought, Hatib explained that he did not do it out of disbelief or leaving Islam. He wanted protection for his relatives because he had no family ties in Makkah like some others did. The Prophet said that Hatib had spoken the truth. This hadith about Hatib’s letter teaches care before judging a person’s inner state, while also showing that loyalty to Allah and His Messenger matters.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet investigated the matter before giving judgment.
- Hatib’s action was serious, but his explanation was heard.
- The Prophet accepted the truth of what Hatib said.
- The verse warns believers not to take Allah’s enemies as protecting friends.
