Samurah bin Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Kill the men among the polytheists and leave those of their boys who have not reached the age of puberty." «شرخ» Those boys are the ones who have not grown pubic hair. © Imam Tirmidhi says:
1- This hadith is Hasan Sahih Gharib,
2- Hajjaj bin Arta’ah has narrated a similar hadith from Qatadah.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Commentary:
Note:
(In the chain of narration, both Qatadah and Hasan al-Basri are mudallis narrators, and the narration is with ‘an‘anah.)
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 1583
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
By "elders" (shuyukh) are meant such old men
whose youth has passed,
but who are still capable of fighting,
or who incite the young men to fight.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 2670
Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Takhrij:
«أخرجه أبوداود، الجهاد، باب في قتل النساء، حديث:2670، والترمذي، السير، حديث:1583.* قتادة مدلس وعنعن.»©Explanation:
This hadith establishes that it is permissible to kill those elderly among the enemies of Islam who possess military expertise, experience, and physical and mental strength, whereas one should refrain from killing young adolescents.
Moreover, there is generally greater hope from the younger generation that they will soon enter the fold of Islam and become helpful and supportive in spreading Islam, while such hope is rarely held for the elderly and aged people.
Source: Bulugh al-Maram: Commentary by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Page: 1095