The Book of Oaths, Muharibin, Qasas (Retaliation), and Diyat (Blood Money) — Hadith 4213

Arabic Text

وَحَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْقَوَارِيرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ بُشَيْرِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ، وَرَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، أَنَّ مُحَيِّصَةَ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ، وَعَبْدَ، اللَّهِ بْنَ سَهْلٍ انْطَلَقَا قِبَلَ خَيْبَرَ فَتَفَرَّقَا فِي النَّخْلِ فَقُتِلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَهْلٍ فَاتَّهَمُوا الْيَهُودَ فَجَاءَ أَخُوهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَابْنَا عَمِّهِ حُوَيِّصَةُ وَمُحَيِّصَةُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَكَلَّمَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ فِي أَمْرِ أَخِيهِ وَهُوَ أَصْغَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ كَبِّرِ الْكُبْرَ - أَوْ قَالَ - لِيَبْدَإِ الأَكْبَرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَتَكَلَّمَا فِي أَمْرِ صَاحِبِهِمَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يُقْسِمُ خَمْسُونَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ فَيُدْفَعُ بِرُمَّتِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا أَمْرٌ لَمْ نَشْهَدْهُ كَيْفَ نَحْلِفُ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَتُبْرِئُكُمْ يَهُودُ بِأَيْمَانِ خَمْسِينَ مِنْهُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَوْمٌ كُفَّارٌ قَالَ فَوَدَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ قِبَلِهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ سَهْلٌ فَدَخَلْتُ مِرْبَدًا لَهُمْ يَوْمًا فَرَكَضَتْنِي نَاقَةٌ مِنْ تِلْكَ الإِبِلِ رَكْضَةً بِرِجْلِهَا ‏.‏ قَالَ حَمَّادٌ هَذَا أَوْ نَحْوَهُ ‏.‏

English Translation

Sahl. b. Abu Hathma and Rafi' b. Khadij reported that Muhayyisa b. Mas'ud and 'Abdullah b. Sahl went towards Khaibar and they separated near the palm-trees. 'Abdullah b. Sahl was killed. They accused the Jews (for this act). And there came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) his brother (the brother of the slain person) 'Abd al-Rahman and his cousins Huwayyisa and Muhayyisa; and 'Abd al-Rahman talked to him about the matter pertaining to (the murder of) his brother, and he was the youngest among them. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Show regard for the greatness of the old, or he said: Let the eldest begin speaking. Then they (Huwayyisa and Muhayyisa) spoke about the matter of their companion (murder of their cousin, 'Abdullah b. Sahl). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Let fifty (persons) among you take oath for levelling the charge (of murder) against a person amongst them, and he would be surrendered to you. They said: We have not witnessed this matter ourselves. How can we then take oath? He (the Holy Prophet) said: The Jews will exonerate themselves by the oaths of fifty of them. They said: Messenger of Allah, they are non-believing people. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) paid the blood wit for him. Sahl said: As one day I entered the fold a she-camel amongst those camels hit me with its leg.