Sunan Abu Dawud #2689
Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ ثَمَانِينَ، رَجُلاً مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ هَبَطُوا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَصْحَابِهِ مِنْ جِبَالِ التَّنْعِيمِ عِنْدَ صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ لِيَقْتُلُوهُمْ فَأَخَذَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَلَمًا فَأَعْتَقَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { وَهُوَ الَّذِي كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنْكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ } إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ .
Anas said “Eighty Meccans came down from the mountain of Al Tan’im against the Prophet(ﷺ) and his Companions at the (time of the) dawn prayer to kill them. The Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) took them captive without fighting and the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) set them free. Thereupon Allaah Most High sent down “He it is Who averted their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah,” till the end of the verse.
Context
This hadith recounts an incident where eighty Meccans attempted to ambush the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions at dawn. Instead of retaliating, the Prophet (ﷺ) captured them peacefully and chose to set them free, demonstrating mercy and the power of divine intervention. This act led to a revelation affirming Allah's protection over the Prophet and his followers.
Modern Application
In contemporary life, this hadith teaches the value of mercy and forgiveness, even in the face of aggression. It encourages individuals to seek peaceful resolutions and to trust in divine support during conflicts.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Intervention and Jihad because it highlights Allah's protection during a conflict and the Prophet's (ﷺ) approach to dealing with adversaries without violence.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
3 ayahs
لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِى سَاعَةِ ٱلْعُسْرَةِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
Allah has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhajireen and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined [to doubt], and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and Merciful.
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍۢ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًۭا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down soldiers angels whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers.
سُورَةُ الفَتۡحِ
Al-Fath (The Victory)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُم بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَنْ أَظْفَرَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا
And it is He who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them within [the area of] Makkah after He caused you to overcome them. And ever is Allah of what you do, Seeing.
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَٰقٌ أَوْ جَآءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَن يُقَٰتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَٰتِلُوا۟ قَوْمَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَٰتَلُوكُمْ ۚ فَإِنِ ٱعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلًۭا
Except for those who take refuge with a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty or those who come to you, their hearts strained at [the prospect of] fighting you or fighting their own people. And if Allah had willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a cause [for fighting] against them.
Common Words
143 total112 unique18 repeated
ٱلله9x
ٱلذين5x
عليهم3x
إذ3x
كفروا3x
تاب2x
على2x
فى2x
من2x
بعد2x
ثم2x
أن2x
إلا2x
سكينته2x
لم2x
تروها2x
أو2x
يقتلوكم2x
لقد1x
ٱلنبى1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #2689 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Jihad (Kitab Al-Jihad). It is graded Sahih.