صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الجهاد والسيرThe Book of Jihad and Expeditions
باب اسْتِحْقَاقِ الْقَاتِلِ سَلَبَ الْقَتِيلِ:Chapter: The killer is entitled to the belongings of the one who is killed
Hadith 1753
وحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَرْحٍ ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ ، أَخْبَرَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ، قَالَ : " قَتَلَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ حِمْيَرَ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْعَدُوِّ ، فَأَرَادَ سَلَبَهُ ، فَمَنَعَهُ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَكَانَ وَالِيًا عَلَيْهِمْ ، فَأَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، عَوْفُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فَأَخْبَرَهُ ، فَقَالَ لِخَالِدٍ : مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تُعْطِيَهُ سَلَبَهُ ؟ ، قَالَ : اسْتَكْثَرْتُهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : ادْفَعْهُ إِلَيْهِ ، فَمَرَّ خَالِدٌ ، بِعَوْفٍ فَجَرَّ بِرِدَائِهِ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : هَلْ أَنْجَزْتُ لَكَ مَا ذَكَرْتُ لَكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ؟ ، فَسَمِعَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاسْتُغْضِبَ ، فَقَالَ : لَا تُعْطِهِ يَا خَالِدُ لَا تُعْطِهِ يَا خَالِدُ ، هَلْ أَنْتُمْ تَارِكُونَ لِي أُمَرَائِي ؟ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُكُمْ وَمَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتُرْعِيَ إِبِلًا أَوْ غَنَمًا ، فَرَعَاهَا ثُمَّ تَحَيَّنَ سَقْيَهَا فَأَوْرَدَهَا حَوْضًا ، فَشَرَعَتْ فِيهِ ، فَشَرِبَتْ صَفْوَهُ وَتَرَكَتْ كَدْرَهُ فَصَفْوُهُ لَكُمْ وَكَدْرُهُ عَلَيْهِمْ " ،
Auf bin Malik (RA) has narrated that a man from the Himyar tribe killed an enemy and wanted to take the booty. Khalid bin Walid, who was the commander over them, forbade, him. 'Auf b Malik (the narrator) came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him (to this effect). The latter asked Khalid: What prevented you from giving the booty to him? Khalid said: I thought it was too much. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Hand it over to him. Now when Khalid by Auf, the latter pulled him by his cloak and said (by way of chafing him): Hasn't the same thing happened what I reported to you from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (may peace he upon him)? When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard it, he was angry (and said): Khalid, don't give him, Khalid, don't give him. Are you going to desert the commanders appointed by me? Your similitude and theirs is like a person who took camels and sheep for grazing. He grazed them and when it was time for them to have a drink, he brought them to a pool. So they drank from it, drinking away its clear water and leaving the turbid water below. So the clear water (i. e. the best reward) is for you and the turbid water (i e. blame) is for them.
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وحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْأَشْجَعِيِّ ، قَالَ : خَرَجْتُ مَعَ مَنْ خَرَجَ مَعَ زَيْدِ بْنِ حَارِثَةَ فِي غَزْوَةِ مُؤْتَةَ ، وَرَافَقَنِي مَدَدِيٌّ مِنْ الْيَمَنِ وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِنَحْوِهِ غَيْرَ ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ : فِي الْحَدِيثِ ، قَالَ عَوْفٌ : فَقُلْتُ يَا خَالِدُ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَضَى بِالسَّلَبِ لِلْقَاتِلِ ، قَالَ : بَلَى وَلَكِنِّي اسْتَكْثَرْتُهُ .
It has been narrated on the authority of Auf bin Malik al-Ashja (RA) 'i who said: I joined the expedition that marched under Zaid bin Haritha to Muta, and I received reinformcement from the Yemen. (After this introduction), the narrator narrated the tradition that had gone before except that in his version Auf was reported to have said (to Khalid): Khalid, didn't you know that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (way peace be upon him) had decided In favour of giving the booty (sized from an enemy) to one who killed him? He (Khalid) said: Yes. but I thought it was too much.
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Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: This incident pertains to the Battle of Mu'tah, where a Himyari man killed a Roman horseman and took his spoils (salb). Hazrat Khalid bin Walid radi Allahu anhu, considering the spoils to be significant, took them back. Hazrat Awf bin Malik radi Allahu anhu said to Hazrat Khalid that the decision of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is that the spoils belong to the killer, so you should return them; otherwise, I will present this matter before the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
However, Hazrat Khalid radi Allahu anhu, considering the spoils to be significant, refused to return them. Upon returning, Hazrat Awf radi Allahu anhu presented this matter before the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered Hazrat Khalid to give the spoils. Then Hazrat Awf taunted Khalid, saying, “Did I not fulfill what I said I would?” At this, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam became displeased, because taunting and criticizing the commanders is contrary to their obedience, respect, and honor. This leads to their disrespect and loss of dignity.
Therefore, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered Khalid to withhold the spoils, even though he had already decided to give them, so that the dignity of the commander would be restored and the door to taunting and criticism would be closed. That is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Will you not refrain from criticizing my commanders?” Then, by means of an analogy, he explained that you have a pure share in the spoils, for which you do not have to bear any hardship. But gathering all the spoils, protecting the army, defending them, resolving their disputes, and distributing the spoils among the army—all these responsibilities are upon the commander. For this, he has to endure toil and hardship. So can you not refrain from criticizing and taunting them for any slip? And if, due to some expediency, the spoils are not given to the killer, it does not mean that the spoils are not the right of the killer. If this matter depended on the will of the Imam, then why did the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam first order Khalid to give the spoils?
However, Hazrat Khalid radi Allahu anhu, considering the spoils to be significant, refused to return them. Upon returning, Hazrat Awf radi Allahu anhu presented this matter before the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered Hazrat Khalid to give the spoils. Then Hazrat Awf taunted Khalid, saying, “Did I not fulfill what I said I would?” At this, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam became displeased, because taunting and criticizing the commanders is contrary to their obedience, respect, and honor. This leads to their disrespect and loss of dignity.
Therefore, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered Khalid to withhold the spoils, even though he had already decided to give them, so that the dignity of the commander would be restored and the door to taunting and criticism would be closed. That is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Will you not refrain from criticizing my commanders?” Then, by means of an analogy, he explained that you have a pure share in the spoils, for which you do not have to bear any hardship. But gathering all the spoils, protecting the army, defending them, resolving their disputes, and distributing the spoils among the army—all these responsibilities are upon the commander. For this, he has to endure toil and hardship. So can you not refrain from criticizing and taunting them for any slip? And if, due to some expediency, the spoils are not given to the killer, it does not mean that the spoils are not the right of the killer. If this matter depended on the will of the Imam, then why did the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam first order Khalid to give the spoils?
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 4570
