Sahih Al-Bukhari

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent us in a mission (i.e., an army-unit) and said, "If you find so-and-so and so-and-so, burn both of them with fire." When we intended to depart, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so, and it is none but Allah Who punishes with fire, so, if you find them, kill them (i.e., don't burn them)."

Not to punish with Allah's punishment

`Ali رضی اللہ عنہ burnt some people and this news reached Ibn `Abbas رضی اللہ عنہ , who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.' "

A group of eight men from the tribe of 'Ukil came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and then they found the climate of Medina unsuitable for them. So, they said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Provide us with some milk." Allah's Apostle said, "I recommend that you should join the herd of camels." So they went and drank the urine and the milk of the camels (as a medicine) till they became healthy and fat. Then they killed the shepherd and drove away the camels, and they became unbelievers after whey were Muslims. When the Prophet (ﷺ) was informed by a shouter for help, he sent some men in their pursuit, and before the sun rose high, they were brought, and he had their hands and feet cut off. Then he ordered for nails which were heated and passed over their eyes, and whey were left in the Harra (i.e. rocky land in Medina). They asked for water, and nobody provided them with water till they died (Abu Qilaba, a sub-narrator said, "They committed murder and theft and fought against Allah and His Apostle, and spread evil in the land.")

If a Mushrik burns a Muslim, should he be burnt (in retaliation)?

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "An ant bit a Prophet amongst the Prophets, and he ordered that the place of the ants be burnt. So, Allah inspired to him, 'It is because one ant bit you that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Allah?"

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)s said to me, "Will you relieve me from Dhul-Khalasa? Dhul-Khalasa was a house (of an idol) belonging to the tribe of Khath'am called Al-Ka`ba Al-Yama-niya. So, I proceeded with one hundred and fifty cavalry men from the tribe of Ahmas, who were excellent knights. It happened that I could not sit firm on horses, so the Prophet (ﷺ) , stroke me over my chest till I saw his finger-marks over my chest, he said, 'O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and rightly guided man.' " Jarir رضی اللہ عنہ proceeded towards that house, and dismantled and burnt it. Then he sent a messenger to Allah's Apostle informing him of that. Jarir's messenger said, "By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, I did not come to you till I had left it like an emancipated or gabby camel (i.e. completely marred and spoilt)." Jarir رضی اللہ عنہ added, "The Prophet (ﷺ) asked for Allah's Blessings for the horses and the men of Ahmas five times."

The burning of houses and date-palms

The Prophet (ﷺ) burnt the date-palms of Bani An-Nadir.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent a group of Ansari men to kill Abu-Rafi`. One of them set out and entered their (i.e. the enemies) fort. That man said, "I hid myself in a stable for their animals. They closed the fort gate. Later they lost a donkey of theirs, so they went out in its search. I, too, went out along with them, pretending to look for it. They found the donkey and entered their fort. And I, too, entered along with them. They closed the gate of the fort at night, and kept its keys in a small window where I could see them. When those people slept, I took the keys and opened the gate of the fort and came upon Abu Rafi` and said, 'O Abu Rafi`. When he replied me, I proceeded towards the voice and hit him. He shouted and I came out to come back, pretending to be a helper. I said, 'O Abu Rafi`, changing the tone of my voice. He asked me, 'What do you want; woe to your mother?' I asked him, 'What has happened to you?' He said, 'I don't know who came to me and hit me.' Then I drove my sword into his belly and pushed it forcibly till it touched the bone. Then I came out, filled with puzzlement and went towards a ladder of theirs in order to get down but I fell down and sprained my foot. I came to my companions and said, 'I will not leave till I hear the wailing of the women.' So, I did not leave till I heard the women bewailing Abu Rafi`, the merchant pf Hijaz. Then I got up, feeling no ailment, (and we proceeded) till we came upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him."

Killing a sleeping Mushrik

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent a group of the Ansar to Abu Rafi`. `Abdullah bin Atik رضی اللہ عنہ entered his house at night and killed him while he was sleeping.

Once Abdullah bin Abi Aufa رضی اللہ عنہما wrote a letter to 'Umar when he proceeded to Al-Haruriya. I read in it that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in one of his military expeditions against the enemy, waited till the sun declined. and then he got up amongst the people saying, "O people! Do not wish to meet the enemy, and ask Allah for safety, but when you face the enemy, be patient, and remember that Paradise is under the shades of swords." Then he said, "O Allah, the Revealer of the Holy Book, and the Mover of the clouds and the Defeater of the clans, defeat them, and grant us victory over them." Saalim bin Abu Nadr was the scribe of Umer bin Obaidullah. He received the letter of Hadrat Abdullah binAbi Aufa رضی اللہ عنہما which read that the prophet (ﷺ)has said Do not aspireto confront the enemy.

Do not wish to meet the enemy

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Do not wish to meet the enemy, but when you meet face) the enemy, be patient."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Khosrau will be ruined, and there will be no Khosrau after him, and Caesar will surely be ruined and there will be no Caesar after him, and you will spend their treasures in Allah's Cause." He called, "War is deceit'.

War is deceit

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called,: "War is deceit".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "War is deceit."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Who is ready to kill Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf who has really hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Muhammad bin Maslama رضی اللہ عنہ said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you like me to kill him?" He replied in the affirmative. So, Muhammad bin Maslama رضی اللہ عنہ went to him (i.e. Ka`b) and said, "This person (i.e. the Prophet) has put us to task and asked us for charity." Ka`b replied, "By Allah, you will get tired of him." Muhammad said to him, "We have followed him, so we dislike to leave him till we see the end of his affair." Muhammad bin Maslama رضی اللہ عنہ went on talking to him in this way till he got the chance to kill him.

Telling lies in war

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Who is ready to kill Ka`b bin Ashraf (i.e. a Jew)." Muhammad bin Maslama رضی اللہ عنہ replied, "Do you like me to kill him?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied in the affirmative. Muhammad bin Maslama رضی اللہ عنہ said, "Then allow me to say what I like." The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "I do (i.e. allow you).

Killing non-Muslim warriors secretly

Once, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) accompanied by Ubai bin Ka'b رضی اللہ عنہ set out to Ibn Saiyyad. He was informed that Ibn Saiyyad was in a garden of date palms. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered the garden of date-palms, he started hiding himself behind the trunks of the palms while Ibn Saiyyad was covered with a velvet sheet with murmurs emanating from under it. Ibn Saiyyah's mother saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Saf! This is Muhammad." So Ibn Saiyyad got up. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If she had left him (in his state), the truth would have been clear."

What tricks and means of security may be adopted

I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the day (of the battle) of the Trench carrying earth till the hair of his chest were covered with dust and he was a hairy man. He was reciting the following verses of `Abdullah (bin Rawaha): "O Allah, were it not for You, We would not have been guided, Nor would we have given in charity, nor prayed. So, bestow on us calmness, and when we meet the enemy. Then make our feet firm, for indeed, Yet if they want to put us in affliction, (i.e. want to fight against us) we would not (flee but withstand them)." The Prophet (ﷺ) used to raise his voice while reciting these verses. (See Hadith No. 432, Vol. 5).

The recitation of poetic verses in the war

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not screen himself from me since my embracing Islam, and whenever he saw me he would receive me with a smile. Once I told him that I could not sit firm on horses. He stroke me on the chest with his hand and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man."

Whosoever is unable to sit firm on a horse

The people asked Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa' idi رضی اللہ عنہ "With what thing (medicine) was the wound of Allah's Apostle treated?" He replied, "There is none left (living) amongst the people who knows it better than. `Ali رضی اللہ عنہ used to bring water in his shield and Fatima رضی اللہ عنہا (i.e. the Prophet's daughter) used to wash the blood off his face. Then a mat (of palm leaves) was burnt and its ash was inserted in the wound of Allah's Apostle."

The treatment of a wound with the ashes of a mat

"The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Mu`adh رضی اللہ عنہ and Abu Musa to Yemen telling them. 'Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion; and love each other, and don't differ."

What quarrels and differences are hated in the war