Mishkat al-Masabih #3821
Jihad
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: جَاءَ ابْنُ النَّوَّاحَةِ وَابْنُ أُثَالٍ رَسُولَا مُسَيْلِمَةَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا: «أَتَشْهَدَانِ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ؟» فَقَالَا: نَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُسَيْلِمَةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «آمَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ قَاتِلًا رَسُولًا لَقَتَلْتُكُمَا» . قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: فَمَضَتِ السُّنَّةُ أَنَّ الرَّسول لَا يُقتَلُ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد
Ibn Mas'ud told that when Ibn an-Nawwaha and Ibn Uthal, Musailima’s messengers, came to the Prophet he asked them whether they testified that he was God’s Messenger. On their replying, "We testify that Musailima is God’s messenger,” he said, "I believe in God and His Messenger. If it was my custom to kill a messenger I would kill you.” ‘Abdallah (i.e. Ibn Mas'ud) said that the sunna that a messenger should not be killed then came into force.
Ahmad transmitted it.
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #3821 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of Jihad.