Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Abu Al-Bakhtari (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that when Hazrat Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) set out to fight the polytheists of Persia, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You all wait until I invite them as I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) invite." He (may Allah be pleased with him) went to them and said: "Indeed, I am a man from among you, and you have seen my status among this nation. Surely, we invite you to Islam. If you accept Islam, you will have the same rights as we have, and the same obligations will be upon you as are upon us. And if you refuse to accept Islam, then you must pay Jizya in a state of humiliation and subjugation. And if you refuse to pay Jizya as well, then we will fight you." They replied: "In any case, we will not accept Islam, nor will we pay Jizya. As for fighting, we will certainly fight and battle with you." The narrator says: He (may Allah be pleased with him) invited them in this way for three days, and they refused to accept. So he (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the people: "Attack them."

Hazrat Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) appointed someone as the leader of a group or an army, he would especially advise that person to fear Allah. And he would also advise him to treat the Muslims who were with him well. And he would say: Fight in the way of Allah, in the name of Allah. Fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Fight in jihad, but do not be treacherous, do not act deceitfully, do not mutilate by cutting off hands and feet, and do not kill children. And when you meet your enemy from among the polytheists, invite them to one of three things, or he said: invite them to three things. Whichever of these they accept, accept it from them and refrain from fighting them. Then invite them to accept Islam. If they accept your invitation, accept it from them and refrain from fighting them. Then invite them to leave their land and migrate to the land of the Muhajireen, and inform them that if they do so, they will have the same rights as the Muhajireen and the same obligations will be upon them as are upon the Muhajireen. But if they refuse and choose to remain in their own city, then inform them that they will be like Muslim villagers. The same rulings of Allah will apply to them as apply to the believers, but they will have no share in the spoils of war or booty, unless they fight alongside the Muslims. If they refuse to accept this, then invite them to pay the jizyah. If they agree to this, accept it from them and refrain from fighting them. And if they refuse even this, then seek help from Allah, the Lord of Majesty, and then fight them.

Hazrat Farwah bin Musayk Al-Muradi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When you go to a people, invite them to accept Islam. Whoever accepts your call, accept it from them. And whoever refuses to accept, do not be hasty. Until you inform me about them.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him with an army, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to a man who was present with him: Go and meet him, and do not call out to him from behind. And say this: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has ordered you to wait. He (may Allah be pleased with him) waited until that man arrived and said: Do not fight this people until you invite them.

A man from the tribe of Banu Numayr narrates from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed him: Do not fight any people until you have invited them.

Hazrat Qatadah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: When you meet the enemy, invite them to accept Islam.

Hazrat Qatadah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) liked to invite the polytheists to Islam.

Hazrat Abu Sakhr (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote a letter to the people of Daylam, inviting them to Islam.

Hazrat Ash'ath (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hasan Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: When you begin to fight the polytheists, first invite them to Islam.

Hazrat Abu Tufail (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) sent Hazrat Ma'qil Taimi (may Allah have mercy on him) with an army towards the tribe of Banu Najiyah and said: When you reach this people, invite them to Islam three times.

Hazrat Abu Al-Jahm (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) sent Hazrat Bara bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) with an army towards the Khawarij, so he (may Allah be pleased with him) invited them three times.

Sulaiman Taimi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Abu Uthman Nahdi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated regarding inviting the polytheists before fighting: We used to invite them and we used to leave them.

Sulaiman Taimi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Hazrat Abu Usman (may Allah have mercy on him) stated: We used to invite and then leave it.

Hazrat Saeed (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Qatadah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In my view, it is preferable that I invite them towards Islam.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) never fought against any people until he had invited them to Islam.