Carrying heads

Abu Nadrah said: One day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came face to face with the enemy, and he said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): Whoever among you cuts off an enemy's head and brings it, Allah will give him what he wishes for.

Sayyiduna al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent soldiers to a man who had married his father's wife, and ordered: Cut off his head and bring it.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Badr, I, Sayyiduna Sa'd and Sayyiduna Ammar were partners, and Sayyiduna Sa'd brought back the severed heads of two enemies.

Sayyiduna Hunaydah bin Khalid al-Khuza'i (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The first head in Islam to be cut off and sent somewhere was the head of Ibn al-Hamiq, which was sent to Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him).

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) or Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) (al-Awza'i was in doubt) sent Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir and Sayyiduna Maslamah bin Mukhallad (may Allah be pleased with them both) to Egypt for jihad. They conquered Egypt and sent him the head of Yannaq the patrician. When he saw the head he disapproved of it. They said: These people do the same to us. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr or Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Is this following the way of Persia and Rome? Let no severed heads be sent to us. It is enough for us that a letter or news of the victory be sent.