Mukhtasar Muslim

Sayyiduna Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) appointed someone as commander over an army or a detachment (a detachment is called a small group, and some have said that a detachment consists of four horsemen who go secretly at night), he would especially instruct him to fear Allah Almighty and to treat the Muslims who were with him well. Then he would say: Fight in the name of Allah and in His path. Fight those who do not believe in Allah, and do not commit theft from the spoils (i.e., do not steal from the war booty), do not break treaties, do not mutilate (i.e., do not cut off hands, feet, nose, or ears), and do not kill children (who are minors and not fit for fighting). And when you meet your enemy from among the polytheists, invite them to three things. If they accept any of these three, accept it from them and refrain from fighting and looting them. First, invite them to Islam (this is one of the three things). If they accept, accept it from them and refrain from fighting them. Then invite them to leave their land and come to the land of the emigrant Muslims, and tell them that if they do so, they will have what the emigrants have and will be subject to what the emigrants are subject to (i.e., they will be like the emigrants in both benefit and loss). If they do not wish to leave their land, then tell them that they will be like the Bedouin Muslims, and the command of Allah that applies to Muslims will also apply to them, but they will not have any share in the spoils of war or the wealth obtained through peace, except if they fight alongside the Muslims (against the disbelievers). If they refuse to accept Islam, then ask them for jizyah (tribute tax). If they agree to pay jizyah, accept it from them and refrain from fighting them. If they do not agree to pay jizyah, then seek help from Allah and fight them. And when you besiege the people of a fortress and they ask you for the protection of Allah or His Messenger, do not grant them the protection of Allah or His Messenger, but grant them your own and your companions’ protection. For if your own or your companions’ protection is violated, it is better than the protection of Allah and His Messenger being violated. And when you besiege the people of a fortress and they want you to bring them out according to the command of Allah Almighty, do not bring them out according to the command of Allah, but bring them out according to your own command. For you do not know whether you will be able to carry out the command of Allah or not. Abdur Rahman bin Mahdi (the narrator of the hadith) said: He said this, or something similar in meaning.