Rulings on Prisoners of War: Execution, Ransom, or Pardon
✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
Prisoners are also part of war booty, and it is permissible either to execute them, to release them in exchange for ransom, or to free them out of favor.
Qur’anic Evidence
❶ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ [التوبة: 5]
“Capture them and besiege them.”
❷ فَشُدُّوا الْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَاءً [محمد: 4]
“When you have subdued them, bind them firmly; then (afterward) either set them free as a favor or (release them) for ransom.”
❸ مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ [الأنفال: 67]
“It is not for a Prophet to take captives until he has thoroughly subdued (the enemy) in the land.”
Evidence for Execution of Prisoners
❶ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ [التوبة: 5]
“When the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them.”
❷ Decision of Hazrat Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh (رضي الله عنه):
About six hundred to seven hundred men of Banu Qurayzah were executed, and their women and children were taken as captives.
[Bukhari: 4122, Kitab al-Maghazi: Bab Marji‘ al-Nabi min al-Ahzab]
❸ On the day of Badr, Nadr bin Harith and ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt were executed.
[Ibn Abi Shaybah: Kitab al-Maghazi: Bab Ghazwat Badr al-Kubra, Al-Bayhaqi: Kitab al-Siyar: Bab ma yuf‘al bil-rijal al-balighin minhum, Abu Dawud: Kitab al-Jihad: Bab fi qatl al-asir sabran, ‘Abd al-Razzaq: 205/51]
Evidence for Ransom
❶ At the Battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) accepted ransom from the captives and released them.
[Muslim: 1763, Kitab al-Jihad wa al-Siyar: Bab al-Imdad bil-Mala’ikah fi Ghazwat Badr, Musnad Ahmad: 30/1]
The verse حَتَّى يُثخِنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ was revealed to mean: when disbelief is dominant in a region, severe fighting should take place. Later, when the dominance of disbelief in Arabia ended, the option was given: either release them out of favor or release them for ransom.
[Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan: p. 501, Tafsir al-Tabari: 286/6, Talkhis al-Habir: 204/4, Al-Durr al-Manthur by Al-Suyuti: 367/3, Nayl al-Awtar: 67/5]
❷ Hazrat ‘Imran bin Husayn (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) exchanged two Muslim captives with two polytheist captives from Banu ‘Uqayl.
[Muslim: 1641, Kitab al-Nadhr: Bab la wafa’ li-nadhr fi ma‘siyatillah, Musnad Ahmad: 426/4, Tirmidhi: 1568, Abu Dawud: 3316, Ibn Hibban: 4859]
❸ Hazrat Zaynab bint Muhammad (رضي الله عنها) sent the necklace (given to her by Hazrat Khadijah رضي الله عنها) as ransom for her husband Abu al-‘As.
[Sahih: Sunan Abu Dawud: 2341, Kitab al-Jihad: Bab fi fidā’ al-asir bil-mal, Abu Dawud: 2692, Al-Hakim: 226/3, Ibn al-Jarud: 1090, Al-Bayhaqi: 322/6, Musnad Ahmad: 276/6]
Evidence for Pardon
❶ Hazrat Jubayr bin Mut‘im (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said regarding the captives of Badr:
لو كان المطعم بن عدى حيـا ثـم كـلـمـنـي فى هؤلاء النتني لتركتهم له
“If Mut‘im bin ‘Adi were alive and interceded with me regarding these foul people, I would have released them for him.”
[Bukhari: 3139, Kitab Fard al-Khums: Bab ma manna al-nabi ‘ala al-asra min ghayr an yukhammis, Abu Dawud: 2689, Musnad Ahmad: 80/4]
❷ Hazrat Anas (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
Eighty men from Makkah came down from Tan‘im mountains intending to attack the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions at Fajr. They were captured, but the Prophet (ﷺ) set them free out of favor. Then the verse was revealed:
وَهُوَ الَّذِى كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ
“He is the One Who restrained their hands from you.”
[Muslim: 1808, Kitab al-Jihad wa al-Siyar: Bab qawl Allah ta‘ala wahuwa alladhi kaff, Abu Dawud: 2688, Musnad Ahmad: 124/3, Tirmidhi: 3264]
❸ At the Conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to the people of Makkah:
اذهبوا فأنتـم الـطـلقـاء
“Go, you are all free.”
[Ibn Ishaq: 412/2]
Opinions of Scholars
◈ Majority (Jumhur):
The matter of male non-Muslim prisoners is left to the ruler’s discretion. He may choose whichever of the three options best serves the interests of Islam and the Muslims: execution, ransom, or release out of favor.
◈ Al-Zuhri, Mujahid (رحمهما الله):
Taking ransom from non-Muslim captives is not permissible.
◈ Hasan al-Basri, ‘Ata (رحمهما الله):
Execution is not permissible; only pardon or ransom may be chosen.
◈ Imam Malik (رحمه الله):
Releasing without ransom is not permissible; only ransom or execution may be chosen.
◈ Hanafis:
Neither pardon nor ransom is permissible.
[Al-Umm: 144/4, Al-Mabsut: 24/10, Al-Insaf: 130/4, Al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu: 5912/8, Nayl al-Awtar: 67/5, Fiqh al-Sunnah: 173/3]
✔ Preferred View (Rajih):
The opinion of the majority is strongest.
Summary:- Prisoners of war are considered part of war booty.
- Three options exist: execution, ransom, or release out of favor.
- The choice rests with the Muslim ruler, depending on what is most beneficial for Islam and the Muslims.
- Scholarly differences exist, but the majority view is considered most correct.
