Bayhaqi 17739 — The beginning of permission to fight

Urwah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rode a donkey with a saddle fastened on it, and beneath it was spread a velvet cloth made in Fadak, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) had seated Sayyiduna Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) behind him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) was on his way to visit Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was ill, among Banu al-Harith bin al-Khazraj. This incident took place before the Battle of Badr. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went on until he passed by a gathering in which Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was also present, and this was before he accepted Islam. In that gathering Muslims, polytheists, idol-worshippers and Jews were all present, and among the Muslims was Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him). When the dust of the mount fell over the gathering, Abdullah bin Ubayy covered his nose with his cloak and then said: Do not raise dust over us. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the greeting of peace, stopped there, dismounted, invited them to Allah and also recited the Qur'an to them. Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul said: Man, I am unable to understand these things; and if what you say is true, then do not come to our gatherings and trouble us; go to your home and tell it to whoever of us comes to you. At this Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Do come to our gatherings, for we love that. Then the Muslims, the polytheists and the Jews began quarrelling, and they were about to attack one another. But he (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them, and when they became quiet, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mounted his ride and went to Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him). Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "O Sa'd! Did you not hear what Abu Hubab said today?" He was referring to Abdullah bin Ubayy, that he had said such and such. Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah! Forgive him and overlook it. By the One who sent down the Book! Allah Almighty has given you the truth that He was to give. The people of this town (Madinah) had agreed (before your arrival) to crown him and to tie the royal turban on his head, but when Allah Almighty ended that plan through the truth He has given you, he became envious of the truth, and that is why he behaved in the way you saw. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forgave him. His Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also used to forgive the polytheists and the People of the Book, as Allah Almighty had commanded them, and they would bear their harm patiently, (because) Allah Almighty says: "You will surely be tested in your wealth and your lives, and you will surely hear much that is hurtful from those who were given the Book before you and from those who associate partners (with Allah); and if you are patient and fear (Allah), then that is indeed of the matters of firm resolve" [Surah Al Imran: 186]. Likewise Allah Almighty says: "Many of the People of the Book wish they could turn you back into disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from their own selves, after the truth has become clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allah brings His command. Indeed Allah has power over all things" [Surah al-Baqarah: 109]. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) continued to act with pardon and forbearance until Allah Almighty gave him permission concerning them. And when he (peace and blessings be upon him) fought the Battle of Badr, in which Allah Almighty had the great chiefs of the disbelievers of Quraysh killed, Abdullah bin Ubayy and his companions said: Now this (religion) will prevail. So they pledged allegiance to Islam at his (peace and blessings be upon him) hand.