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Sahih al-Bukhari 3983 (Book 64, Hadith 34) #3809
Mercy Prevails Over Punishment

SUMMARY: The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a group of people to find a pagan woman carrying a letter from Hatib bin Abi Balta'a to the pagans of Mecca. When they found her, she denied having the letter but eventually gave it up when they threatened her. The Prophet (ﷺ) forgave Hatib for his actions and 'Umar was moved by this mercy.

Narrated 'Ali: Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent me, Abu Marthad and Az-Zubair, and all of us were riding horses, and said, "Go till you reach Raudat-Khakh where there is a pagan woman carrying a letter from Hatib bin Abi Balta' a to the pagans of Mecca". So we found her riding her camel at the place which Allah's Messenger ﷺ had mentioned. We said (to her),"(Give us) the letter". She said, "I have no letter". Then we made her camel kneel down and we searched her, but we found no letter. Then we said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ had not told us a lie, certainly. Take out the letter, otherwise we will strip you naked". When she saw that we were determined, she put her hand below her waist belt, for she had tied her cloak round her waist, and she took out the letter, and we brought her to Allah's Messenger ﷺ Then 'Umar said, "O Allah's Apostle! (This Hatib) has betrayed Allah, His Apostle and the believers! Let me cut off his neck!" The Prophet asked Hatib, "What made you do this?" Hatib said, "By Allah, I did not intend to give up my belief in Allah and His Apostle but I wanted to have some influence among the (Mecca) people so that through it, Allah might protect my family and property. There is none of your companions but has some of his relatives there through whom Allah protects his family and property". The Prophet ﷺ said, "He has spoken the truth; do no say to him but good"'.Umar said, "He as betrayed Allah, His Apostle and the faithful believers. Let me cut off his neck!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Is he not one of the Badr warriors? May be Allah looked at the Badr warriors and said, 'Do whatever you like, as I have granted Paradise to you, or said, 'I have forgiven you"'. On this, tears came out of 'Umar's eyes, and he said, "Allah and His Apostle know better".
حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ حُصَيْنَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبَا مَرْثَدٍ وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَكُلُّنَا فَارِسٌ قَالَ ‏"‏ انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ، فَإِنَّ بِهَا امْرَأَةً مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَدْرَكْنَاهَا تَسِيرُ عَلَى بَعِيرٍ لَهَا حَيْثُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْنَا الْكِتَابُ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ مَا مَعَنَا كِتَابٌ‏.‏ فَأَنَخْنَاهَا فَالْتَمَسْنَا فَلَمْ نَرَ كِتَابًا، فَقُلْنَا مَا كَذَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ، لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُجَرِّدَنَّكِ‏.‏ فَلَمَّا رَأَتِ الْجِدَّ أَهْوَتْ إِلَى حُجْزَتِهَا وَهْىَ مُحْتَجِزَةٌ بِكِسَاءٍ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ، فَانْطَلَقْنَا بِهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، قَدْ خَانَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَدَعْنِي فَلأَضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ‏"‏ مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ حَاطِبٌ وَاللَّهِ مَا بِي أَنْ لاَ أَكُونَ مُؤْمِنًا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ﷺ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي عِنْدَ الْقَوْمِ يَدٌ يَدْفَعُ اللَّهُ بِهَا عَنْ أَهْلِي وَمَالِي، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ إِلاَّ لَهُ هُنَاكَ مِنْ عَشِيرَتِهِ مَنْ يَدْفَعُ اللَّهُ بِهِ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ‏"‏ صَدَقَ، وَلاَ تَقُولُوا لَهُ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنَّهُ قَدْ خَانَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَدَعْنِي فَلأَضْرِبَ عُنُقَهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَلَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ إِلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ وَجَبَتْ لَكُمُ الْجَنَّةُ، أَوْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَدَمَعَتْ عَيْنَا عُمَرَ وَقَالَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ‏.‏
TOPICS
mercy  *  punishment  *  forgiveness  *  warriors

QUICK LESSONS:
Show mercy towards others even if you think they have betrayed you or your beliefs

EXPLANATIONS:
This hadith is about the mercy and forgiveness that Allah's Messenger showed towards Hatib bin Abi Balta'a, one of the warriors in the Battle of Badr. When Ali, Abu Marthad and Az-Zubair were sent by Allah's Messenger to find a pagan woman carrying a letter from Hatib bin Abi Balta'a to the pagans of Mecca, they found her riding her camel at Raudat-Khakh as predicted by Allah's Messenger. She initially denied having any letter but eventually gave it up when they threatened her with stripping off her clothes. Upon reading it, 'Umar was outraged as he thought that Hatib had betrayed Allah, His Apostle and all believers; however, upon hearing his explanation that he wanted some influence among people so that through it his family and property would be protected, Allah's Messenger forgave him for his actions which moved 'Umar deeply. This hadith teaches us an important lesson about mercy prevailing over punishment even in cases where betrayal is involved; we should always strive to forgive others just like our beloved Prophet did instead of punishing them harshly without understanding their intentions or circumstances first.

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