Jami` at-Tirmidhi #1615
The Book on Military Expeditions
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بَعْثٍ فَقَالَ " إِنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا لِرَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَأَحْرِقُوهُمَا بِالنَّارِ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ أَرَدْنَا الْخُرُوجَ " إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَمَرْتُكُمْ أَنْ تَحْرِقُوا فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا بِالنَّارِ وَإِنَّ النَّارَ لاَ يُعَذِّبُ بِهَا إِلاَّ اللَّهُ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمَا فَاقْتُلُوهُمَا " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَحَمْزَةَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الأَسْلَمِيِّ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ . وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ بَيْنَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ وَبَيْنَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَجُلاً فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ وَرَوَى غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِثْلَ رِوَايَةِ اللَّيْثِ وَحَدِيثُ اللَّيْثِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ أَشْبَهُ وَأَصَحُّ . قَالَ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ قَدْ سَمِعَ مِنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ . قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَحَدِيثُ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ صَحِيحٌ .
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent us with an army and said: 'If you see so-and-so, and so-and-so' referring to two men from the Quraish: 'then burn them with fire.' Then, upon our departure, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'I ordered you to burn so-and-so, and so-and-so with fire, and indeed, none punishes with fire except Allah. So if you see them, then kill them.'"
There are narrations on this topic from Ibn 'Abbas and Hamzah bin 'Amr Al-Aslami.
The Hadith of Abu Hurairah is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge. In this Hadith, Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned a man (narrating) between Sulaiman bin Yasar and Abu Hurairah. Others reported this Hadith the same as Al-Laith reported it(here, without a man between them). The narration of Al-Laith bin Sa'd is more appropriate and more correct.
Narrated by Narrated Abu Hurairah:
Context
Abu Hurairah narrates an incident where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ initially commanded his followers to burn two men from Quraish but later retracted that order, stating that only Allah punishes with fire. This highlights the importance of mercy and the limits of human authority in matters of punishment.
Modern Application
This principle can be applied today by encouraging individuals to exercise mercy and compassion in their judgments and actions. It serves as a reminder of the importance of justice tempered with mercy in all interactions.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Punishment and Military Might and Warfare because it discusses the limits of human authority in administering punishment.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الأَنبِيَاءِ
Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالُوا۟ حَرِّقُوهُ وَٱنصُرُوٓا۟ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَٰعِلِينَ
They said, "Burn him and support your gods - if you are to act."
سُورَةُ العَنكَبُوتِ
Al-Ankaboot (The Spider)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱقْتُلُوهُ أَوْ حَرِّقُوهُ فَأَنجَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ
And the answer of Abraham's people was not but that they said, "Kill him or burn him," but Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُۥ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَٰلِدًۭا فِيهَا وَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌۭ مُّهِينٌۭ
And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits - He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment.
سُورَةُ التَّحۡرِيمِ
At-Tahrim (The Prohibition)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًۭا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌۭ شِدَادٌۭ لَّا يَعْصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.
سُورَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ
Muhammad (Muhammad)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَضَرْبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا۟ ٱلْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّۢا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَآءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ ٱلْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَٱنتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَا۟ بَعْضَكُم بِبَعْضٍۢ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah - never will He waste their deeds.
Common Words
100 total87 unique10 repeated
ٱلله5x
قالوا2x
حرقوه2x
إن2x
فى2x
ذلك2x
نارا2x
ٱلذين2x
ما2x
حتى2x
وٱنصروا1x
ءالهتكم1x
كنتم1x
فعلين1x
فما1x
كان1x
جواب1x
قومه1x
إلا1x
أن1x
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About Jami` at-Tirmidhi
This hadith is #1615 from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, in the Book of The Book on Military Expeditions. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Abu Hurairah:.