Ransom: those who approved of it and practised it

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set one idolater of Banu Uqayl as the ransom for two Muslims.

Sayyiduna Salamah bin al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased with him) said: During the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we went for jihad with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) in the territory of Hawazin. A slave girl of Banu Fazarah came to my share, a most beautiful Arab woman, and she wore a coarse extra garment. I did not uncover her garment until I reached Madinah. In the marketplace the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) met us, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The excellence of your father is for Allah alone. Give her to me as a gift." Sayyiduna Salamah said: I gave her to him as a gift. The narrator (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent that slave girl as ransom for the Muslims who were in Makkah.

Al-Hasan and Ata said: The captives of the idolaters should either be released as a favour, or else ransom should be taken for them.

It is narrated from Abu al-Juwayriyah and Asim bin Kulayb that Umar bin Abd al-Aziz ransomed a Muslim man of the tribe of Jarm from the people of war for 100,000.

Hammad said: If a slave girl or slave boy is taken captive from the enemy, there is no harm in exchanging them for ransom.

Al-Sha'bi said concerning captives: They should be released either as a favour or for a ransom.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the day of Badr the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What is your opinion about these captives?" Then he said: "None of them shall be released except for a ransom, or else he shall be killed."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote to the Muhajirun and the Ansar that they should pay blood money in their cases of killing, that they should pay the ransom of their captives in a fair manner, and that (matters) among the Muslims should be set right.

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: To free one Muslim captive from the hands of the disbelievers is dearer to me than the jizyah of all the Arabs, or the Arabian Peninsula.