The Prophetic Policy in Improving the Image of Islam in Peace and War

The point of evidence: The Abyssinians were playing with shields and spears in the mosque outside the times of congregational prayer.

The Prophet ﷺ was not harsh with them nor did he prevent them, even though some people might wonder at them playing in the mosque, which was not a prevalent or permanent practice in the mosque during the Prophetic era.

However, it sent a message to others that this religion brought a creed without complications; a religion of tolerance and latitude.

It was a dawah (missionary) method for the Jews who might find within themselves a desire to do such things but refrained due to the shackles and burdens they legislated upon themselves.

2. The Noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not kill the hypocrites so that people would not say he kills his companions. When the saying of the head of hypocrisy, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, regarding the Muslims reached our Prophet ﷺ: {They say: "

If we return to Medina, the more honored [for power] will surely expel therefrom the more humble." And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know} (2),

Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to kill him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, let me strike the neck of this hypocrite." The Prophet ﷺ replied:

"Leave him, lest people talk that Muhammad kills his companions." (3)

In another narration: "

He mentioned it to the Prophet ﷺ, so he ordered the people to depart immediately to keep them occupied with one another." (4)

Al-Nawawi said:

"His saying ﷺ (Leave him, lest people talk that Muhammad kills his companions) shows the forbearance he possessed.

It also shows the wisdom of abandoning certain preferred actions and enduring some harms for fear of a greater harm resulting from them.

The Prophet ﷺ used to soften people’s hearts and endure the harshness of the Bedouins, the hypocrites, and others, so that the strength of the Muslims would grow, the dawah of Islam would be completed, faith would settle in the hearts of those whose hearts were to be reconciled, and others would desire Islam.

He would give them significant wealth for that purpose.

He did not kill the hypocrites for this reason and because they outwardly manifested Islam, and he was commanded to judge by what is apparent while Allah handles the secrets.

Also, they were counted among his companions ﷺ and fought with him either out of zeal, seeking worldly gain, or tribalism for their clans who were with him.

Al-Qadi said: Scholars differed whether the ruling of overlooking them and refraining from fighting them remained or was abrogated when Islam became dominant and the verse was revealed:

{O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites} (5)

and that it abrogated what came before it.

A third view said: Forgiveness was for them as long as they did not manifest their hypocrisy; if they manifested it, they were killed." (6)

The disbelievers who opposed the Prophet ﷺ knew there was a hypocritical faction hostile to the Prophet ﷺ on the internal front.

Although they deserved to be killed—and the Sahaba suggested this on numerous occasions, as their true nature was well-known—and they were a stab in the side and an obstacle to the spread of Islam, the Prophet ﷺ prioritized the greater interest.

He did not kill them due to an external consideration:

so it would not be thought that Muhammad kills his companions, since they were integrated into the society.

Had this happened, it would have resulted in trials, fabricated wars, and internal unrest.

Muhammad ﷺ prioritized preserving the existence of these individuals, especially at a time when the enemy was lurking, waiting for internal distractions and disputes to seize the opportunity to destroy the building of the nascent Islamic state.

From this Prophetic legal policy, we learn: to block the path of those who wish to block our path.

This can be called in modern political terms:

(A game within a game).

That is, if you wish to trap us because of the presence of those we dislike in our midst to ignite internal fires, we will be a fortified wall, even protecting those we dislike, lest a greater evil occurs and we fall into the trap of deceptive plots.

From this, we realize the meaning of what came in the previous narration of Umar bin Shabba:

"He ordered the people to depart immediately to keep them occupied with one another." This is a title for closing all doors leading to fitna (strife) and hearsay; it is an honorable Prophetic method in the art of conflict resolution and settling disputes by the fastest means possible.

One reason for not killing Abdullah [bin Ubayy] was to avoid causing people to flee from the religion.

Not everyone knows the internal reality that necessitates his killing or understands the timing.

Many people need a lengthy explanation of the reasons for the killing; and because this is costly in time and effort, and people usually do not tolerate long explanations or understand the intricacies—as most take things at face value—it was better to stop it.

This was to win the hearts of those who want to enter Islam and to reconcile them by achieving dawah goals whose benefit is more general than just killing a hypocrite who could have been killed if not for a greater interest of the religion. He was overlooked to support Allah's religion.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Prophet ﷺ used to refrain from killing hypocrites, despite it being a benefit, so that it would not be a pretext for people to flee from him and say:

Muhammad kills his companions. This saying would cause alienation from Islam for those who entered it and those who did not. The harm of alienation is greater than the harm of leaving them alive, and the interest of softening hearts is greater than the interest of killing." (7)

Among the reasons for the Prophet’s ﷺ refusal to kill Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was that his killing would lead to trials more widespread than the trials he caused among Muslims.

It would lead to a crack in the internal front; some of his relatives might take offense and defend him, as he belonged to a tribe with its own supporters.

It was better for the punishment or reprimand to come from his own people for his evil deeds than from the Messenger of Allah, even though he was the leader of the Islamic state in Medina.

Thus, it was mentioned in the Seerah of Ibn Hisham: "After that, whenever he committed an offense, it was his own people who would reprimand him, seize him, and rebuke him.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Umar bin al-Khattab when news of that reached him:

'How do you see it, O Umar? By Allah, had I killed him on the day you told me to, many noses would have twitched [in anger]. Had I ordered them to kill him today, they would have killed him.' Umar said: 'By Allah, I have come to know that the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has more blessing than my command.'" (8)

Here we feel that the dawah to Islam is not based on personal pragmatism or individual benefit; rather, it is based on searching for what brings people together in light of the interest of Islam through a juristic, objective vision that looks at goals from the beginning and consequences at the end.

In this Hadith, Al-Kirmani quotes Al-Khattabi as saying: "In it is a great chapter on the policy of religious affairs and looking into consequences.

People enter the religion outwardly and there is no way to know what is in their souls. If a hypocrite were punished for his internal disbelief, the enemies of the religion would find a way to repel people from entering it by saying to their brethren:

What secures you, if you enter his religion, that he might claim you have internal disbelief and thus justify taking your blood and wealth? Do not surrender yourselves to destruction. This would be a reason for people to flee from the religion." (9)

3. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not kill the Khawarij at the start of their emergence to win hearts and prevent people from fleeing from him. He ﷺ did not kill some of the Khawarij who rebelled against him lest people flee.

Imam Al-Bukhari even titled a chapter in his Sahih on this: (Chapter on whoever left fighting the Khawarij for reconciliation, and so that people do not flee from him).

Then he mentioned the Hadith of Abu Sa'id, who said: While the Prophet ﷺ was distributing [spoils], Abdullah bin Dhu al-Khuwaysira al-Tamimi came and said: "Be just, O Messenger of Allah." He replied: "Woe to you! Who will be just if I am not just?

"Let me strike his neck." He said: "Leave him, for he has companions; one of you would belittle his prayer compared to their prayer, and his fasting compared to their fasting. They pass through the religion as an arrow passes through its target." (10)

Ibn Hajar said, commenting on this Hadith: "The Hadith is about refraining from killing an individual or a group. If they manifest their views and take up arms against the people, then fighting them becomes obligatory.

The Prophet ﷺ only left the killing of the mentioned person because he had not manifested that which could be used as evidence against what lay beyond it. If he had killed one whose outward appearance was righteous in the eyes of the people before Islam was firmly established in hearts, it would have repelled them from entering Islam.

As for after him ﷺ, it is not permissible to leave fighting them if they manifest their views, leave the community, and oppose the leaders, while having the ability to fight them.

I say: There is nothing in the chapter title that contradicts this, except that he pointed out that if a situation similar to the one mentioned occurred—where a group believed in the doctrine of the Khawarij, for example, but did not wage war—it is permissible for the leader to overlook them if he sees an interest in that, such as fearing that if he confronted that group, those who hide similar beliefs would reveal themselves and defend them, leading to their rebellion and waging war against Muslims, given the known intensity of the Khawarij in fighting and their steadfastness and daring in the face of death.

4. Urging the maintenance of family ties despite the hostility of many of his people toward him. He ﷺ used to command the maintenance of family ties even with the intense hostility of his people.

He discussed the claims of the polytheists; for long, the disbelievers of Quraysh said that the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came to entrench division in society. They accused him of being a sorcerer who separates a man from his wife.

From here, we find the moral and social dimension in refuting these falsehoods; clarifying the reality of the Islamic mission as being purely free from social division and fragmentation. In fact, when he was being harmed by his people and was asked about what Allah sent him with, he would mention that he was sent to maintain family ties.

Amr bin Abasah al-Sulami said: "In the pre-Islamic period (Jahiliyyah), I used to think people were in error and were on nothing [of truth] while they worshipped idols. I heard of a man in Mecca who was reporting news, so I sat on my mount and came to him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was hiding as his people were bold against him.

I acted subtly until I entered upon him in Mecca. I said to him: 'What are you?' He said: 'I am a Prophet.' I said: 'What is a Prophet?' He said: 'Allah sent me.' I said: 'With what did He send you?' He said: 'He sent me to maintain family ties, break idols, and that Allah be unified and nothing be associated with Him.

The interesting point in this speech is that the Prophet ﷺ, at the very beginning of his mission, urged the maintenance of family ties in a tribal society where the tribe defends its honor and burns with anger at anything touching its unity. He explained in concise, easy language that his dawah came to connect families.

This is what non-Muslims understood from him and said about him despite their enmity. In the Hadith of Abu Sufyan with Heraclius, when Heraclius asked: "What does he command you?

" (meaning the Prophet ﷺ), Abu Sufyan said: "I said: He says: Worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him, and leave what your fathers say; and he commands us with prayer, truthfulness, chastity, and maintaining family ties.

In the Quran, there is a deep indication of the danger of cutting family ties, as Allah says in Surah Muhammad: {So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruption on earth and sever your ties of kinship? (22) Those [who do so] are the ones whom Allah has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision (23)} (14).

This indicates that the one who turns away from understanding the Sharia of Islam is the one who will cut family ties. In this Quranic method, there is a logical reversal of the argument they claimed was for them, making it against them. The religion of Islam essentially calls for family ties.

If it is said: "It separates a man from his family," this is incorrect because it does not call for that. The situation we see among you is that you are the ones shedding blood among yourselves—this was the case before your Islam—and if you turn away from this religion, you will remain as you are, corrupting the earth with sins.

From what I have mentioned, it is clear that Islam was concerned with clarifying the correct image regarding the issue of family ties and did not leave room for them to speak as they wished.

There is talk that is ignored and paid no mind, and there are accusations and falsehoods that must be exposed and clarified so that no deceived person is misled or a slanderer continues to repeat them!

This state remained with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from Mecca until his entry into Medina. His call to maintain family ties was among his first instructions. Abdullah bin Salam said: "When the Prophet ﷺ arrived [in Medina], the people rushed to him, and I was among those who rushed.

When I examined his face, I knew that his face was not the face of a liar. The first thing I heard him say was: 'O people, spread peace (Salam), feed the hungry, maintain family ties, and pray at night while people are asleep, you will enter Paradise in peace.

Allah—the Blessed and Exalted—commanded inflicting heavy blows on the ranks of the warring enemy and fighting them intensely to restore the prestige of Muslims.

However, when the war lays down its burdens and power and enablement belong to the Muslims, there is no harm thereafter in being kind to the general public, especially those who are peaceful: women, children, the elderly, the youth who abstain from war, and others.

It is not among the objectives of Islam in Jihad to kill disbelievers, but rather to fight combatants. There is a huge difference, which the agitators among the pretenders of Jihad do not understand, between killing disbelievers and fighting combatants.

Killing disbelievers: Targeting disbelievers for death and genocide, and fighting them solely because of their religion! Fighting combatants: A state of interaction between two parties; the disbelievers fight, prevent, and block the way of Islam and the religion, and they engage in combat operations.

The people of faith confront them with iron resolve and are harsh with them until they return to their senses or are defeated and flee.

In this case, if some of them are taken as captives, it is obligatory to be kind to them by feeding them, despite all the harm suffered from them. Allah says: {And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, (8) [Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.

This is one reason for the improvement of the Islamic reputation: that the combatants, despite everything they suffered from their enemy, find that once the war stops, the treatment changes to kindness toward captives.

How many captives embraced Islam, and how many slaves and bondwomen entered Islam because of the Muslims’ noble treatment of them, until they became mujahideen in the cause of Allah alongside the Muslim soldiers!

If the enemies incline toward peace, the Muslim must also incline toward it, for his religion is the religion of peace—on the condition that it is a peace of strength, not of laziness and disgrace. Therefore, Allah said: {And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Islam considered among the causes of blocking the way of Allah: taking oaths, covenants, and treaties that the Muslim makes with the disbeliever, and then betraying him. This is because the disbeliever will no longer trust the Muslim's religion.

Here, a moral crisis occurs for the Muslim who claims he will lead people to guidance but betrayed others. Therefore, Allah says: {And do not take your oaths as [means of] deceit between you, lest a foot slip after it was [once] firm and you taste evil because you averted [people] from the way of Allah, and you will have a great punishment.

Ibn Kathir said: "Allah warned His servants against taking oaths as 'dakhal'—meaning deception and trickery—lest a foot slip after it was firm: a parable for one who was on the straight path and then deviated from it and slipped from the path of guidance due to false oaths that involve blocking the way of Allah.

This is because the disbeliever, if he sees that the believer made a covenant with him and then betrayed him, will no longer have trust in the religion, and thus be averted from entering Islam because of him. Therefore, Allah said: {and you taste evil because you averted [people] from the way of Allah, and you will have a great punishment.

They are categorized into messengers, ambassadors, merchants, those seeking refuge to hear the word of Allah and know Islam, and those seeking a private need such as visiting a relative or a hospital. Allah said: {And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah.

Then deliver him to his place of safety.} Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "This is a fixed Sunnah until the Day of Resurrection," and Mujahid said the same. Therefore, Al-Qurtubi commented saying: "This is the correct view." The verse is fixed (Muhkama).

He mentioned the saying of Sa'id bin Jubayr: "A man from the polytheists came to Ali bin Abi Talib and said: 'If a man among us wants to come to Muhammad after the end of the four months to hear the word of Allah or for some need, will he be killed?

' Ali bin Abi Talib replied: 'No, because Allah the Blessed and Exalted says: {And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah.

Islam prohibited treachery. The Messenger ﷺ did not handle or side with anyone who betrayed, nor did he endorse their position. The Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Basir: "O Abu Basir, these people have made peace with us on the terms you know, and we do not betray. So, return to your people.

" He said: "Will you return me to the polytheists to tempt me from my religion and torture me?" The Prophet replied: "Be patient and seek Allah's reward, for Allah will make for you a relief and a way out.

It is established in Sahih al-Bukhari that al-Mughira bin Shu'ba (may Allah be pleased with him) accompanied some people in the pre-Islamic period, killed them, and took their wealth. Then he came and embraced Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: "As for the Islam, I accept it; as for the wealth, I have nothing to do with it." (22)

This indicates that the Prophet ﷺ did not accept their wealth from him, even though he had done that before his Islam; and he rebuked him for his deed at that time, until al-Mughira bin Shu'ba felt the gravity of the act. Therefore, in another narration, he said: "I was overcome by what was near and far [of guilt].

" (23) When the Prophet ﷺ knew the sincerity of his Islam, he clarified that Islam wipes out what came before it.

Ibn Hajar said: "It is benefited from this—meaning the Hadith—that it is not permissible to take the wealth of disbelievers in a state of security through treachery. This is because companions on a journey rely on trust, and trust must be fulfilled to its people, whether Muslim or disbeliever.

The wealth of disbelievers only becomes permissible through war and dominance.

The pure Sharia commanded the fulfillment of covenants and warned against breaking them. It deemed anyone who does not fulfill a covenant as not being on the path, Sunnah, and guidance of the Prophet.

The Prophet ﷺ dissociated himself from such actions, saying: "Whoever rebels against my Ummah, striking its righteous and its wicked, not sparing its believer and not fulfilling the covenant of the one under a treaty, he is not from me and I am not from him.

Al-Qarafi said in this regard: "Whoever aggresses against them, even with a bad word, or backbiting regarding the honor of one of them, or any kind of harm, or assists in that, has squandered the protection (Dhimma) of Allah, the protection of His Messenger ﷺ, and the protection of the religion of Islam." (26)

Al-Bukhari said: "The contract of Dhimma (protection) has two apparent benefits: One is enabling them in the Abode of Islam to see the beauties of Islam and thus desire it. The second is that the people of Islam see the ugliness of disbelief and thus be grateful for the blessing of Islam and be patient." (27)

What we mention here is not out of psychological defeatism in dealing with non-Muslims, nor a feeling of weakness and inferiority, nor to please others or flatter and compromise with them, nor because of the weakness of Muslims in this time. Rather, these are legal principles stated in times of strength and times of weakness.

Islam does not fight others for their creed because there is no compulsion in religion. Rather, it fights them because they used violence in dawah for their creed, or fought those who wanted to invite them to Islam, intending to block people from the dawah.

Islam originally considers Jihad in the cause of Allah a means to achieve the goal, which is the worship of Allah on earth, or for the Islamic religion to be dominant over all religions and for Him to make it manifest over all religions. Whoever does not believe in Islam, that is his affair.

Rather, it is transgression to compel others toward a creed they chose while not wanting to enter Islam. This is one of the meanings of Allah's saying: {There is no compulsion in religion; the right direction has become distinct from error}. Some commentators said: The right direction in Islam has become distinct from the error in disbelief.

Others said: The right direction in not compelling others into Islam has become distinct from the error of trying to force them to enter Islam. Both meanings are correct if we contemplate each one; the difference between them is a difference of variety, not a difference of contradiction.

What is good to mention in this context is the citation of the authentic Hadith from Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "I will surely give the banner tomorrow to a man at whose hands Allah will grant victory." He said: The people spent the night wondering which of them would be given it.

When morning came, they went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, each of them hoping to be given it. He said: "Where is Ali bin Abi Talib?" They said: "He is complaining of his eyes, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "Send for him and bring him to me." When he came, the Prophet spat in his eyes and prayed for him, and he was healed as if he had no pain.

He gave him the banner. Ali said: "O Messenger of Allah, shall I fight them until they are like us?" He replied: "Go forth steadily until you enter their courtyard, then invite them to Islam and inform them of what is obligatory upon them of Allah's right therein.

By Allah, that Allah guides one man through you is better for you than having red camels.

In this Hadith, the nature of the spirit of guidance in the heart of the mujahid toward non-Muslims is manifested; that it takes precedence over killing them.

Even though this speech was addressed to the Jews in Khaybar when they betrayed—and addressing those who were most hostile to the religion—none of this prevented the Prophet ﷺ from trying to attract them to the Islamic dawah and clarifying the reward of one who invites them to guidance; that it is better for the caller than red camels.

Therefore, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said: "It is taken from this that softening the heart of the disbeliever until he embraces Islam is better than hastening to kill him.

Therefore, one of the Shafi'i scholars, al-Khatib al-Shirbini, says: "The obligation of Jihad is an obligation of means, not ends. For the purpose of fighting is only guidance, and what follows it of martyrdom. As for killing disbelievers, it is not an objective.

Even if guidance were possible by establishing proof without Jihad, it would be better than Jihad.

When the scholar Mulla Ali Qari spoke about the division of some scholars of the chapters of Fiqh, he said: "Rescuing a believer from death, for example, is better than killing a disbeliever because of Allah's saying: {And whoever saves one—it is as if he had saved mankind entirely}.

Therefore, the Book of Marriage was placed before the chapter of Expeditions and Jihad; because the creation of a believer is better than the destruction of a thousand disbelievers; since the primary objective of Jihad is the existence of faith and its people. Allah says: {And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me} (31).

This principle was established among scholars: that rejoicing in the guidance of a person and saving them from Allah's punishment is better than fighting them. This is from several sources and reports in the Seerah.

Most explicit, other than the Hadith of Ali bin Abi Talib mentioned earlier, is what came in the Prophetic biography that Wahshi bin Harb killed Hamza bin Abd al-Muttalib through assassination and betrayal on the day of Uhud after Hamza had dealt heavily with the polytheists.

The Prophet ﷺ stood over Hamza’s body and said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, I have never stood in a position more infuriating to me than this." Then Wahshi bin Harb embraced Islam and hid among the delegation of Ta'if when they came to the Messenger ﷺ.

The Sahaba said: "This is Wahshi, O Messenger of Allah, who killed Hamza, shall we not kill him?" He asked them: "Did he come as a Muslim?" They said: "Yes." He said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, the Islam of one man is dearer to me than the killing of a thousand disbelievers." So he accepted his Islam and forgave him.

The intended word here does not contain a ruling within the prescriptive or declaratory rulings to be acted upon; rather, it has what supports it from the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, such as his saying ﷺ: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, that Allah guides one man through you is better for you than red camels.

" The objective of Jihad was their guidance; if guidance was achieved, it was certainly better than killing them.

What strengthens the principle of improving Islam’s image is the existence of a true peace in which security occurs between the two parties. They meet, and each speaks to the other. In this, Muslims gain time in clarifying the image of Islam and inviting others to it. A "Manifest Victory" occurs without shedding blood or destroying souls.

Therefore, Allah called the Treaty of Hudaibiyah a "Manifest Victory." Regarding this victory, al-Zuhri says: "No victory in Islam before it was greater than the victory of Hudaibiyah. Fighting only occurred where people met.

When there was a truce, and the war laid down its burdens, and all people were safe with one another, they met and negotiated in speech and debate. No one who understood anything was spoken to about Islam during that period except that he entered it. In those two years, as many people entered Islam as had entered before that, or more.

Imam Ibn Hisham agreed with al-Zuhri on this, saying: "It is evidenced by the fact that he ﷺ went out to Hudaibiyah with one thousand and four hundred men, then he went out two years later for the Conquest of Mecca with ten thousand." (34)

Imam Ibn Hajar comments on al-Zuhri’s words, agreeing with him: "Because of the security that occurred between them, people mixed with one another without objection. The Muslims let the polytheists hear the Quran and debated them regarding Islam. Before that, they did not speak about it in their presence except secretly." (35)

In this victory, many of the polytheists knew the religion of Islam up close, and the image became clear to them. They were certain of the truth of this religion, its suitability, and its reform for humanity. They became the best helpers in spreading the Islamic dawah.

In fact, they were the basis for the conquest of Mecca when Islam settled in their hearts. When the disbelievers broke the covenant with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, they [the new Muslims] were clear about their religion.

Due to the fulfillment of the covenant by the Sahaba soldiers, and as faith settled in their hearts and their steadfastness in obeying the Messenger ﷺ, the causes for the conquest of Mecca were prepared for them. They struck at those who were the heads of fitna and crime, who blocked the way, pursued them, and dealt heavily with them.

Then, when the matter was settled and things were controlled, the Prophet ﷺ stood and said to the disbelievers of Quraysh: "What do you think I will do with you?" They said: "Good. A noble brother and the son of a noble brother." He said: "Go, for you are free." The Prophet ﷺ had spared their lives and opened the doors of the country for them.

When they touched his justice, they entered the religion of Allah in crowds, as Allah said: {When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest, And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes, Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.

Musnad al-Imam Ahmad (41/349), Hadith No. (24855). Sheikh Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut and the researchers of the book said it is a strong Hadith. This is a good (Hasan) chain; Abd al-Rahman bin Abi al-Zinad is Hasan in Hadith. The rest of the men are trustworthy (Thiqat), men of the Sahih.

Al-Albani graded the chain as Hasan in Al-Silsila al-Sahiha (6/2/1023-1024, No. 2924).

Surah Al-Munafiqun, Verse: (8).

Sahih al-Bukhari, (6/154), Hadith No. (4905).

Sahih Muslim, (4/1998), Hadith No. (2584).

Ibn Shabba, Tarikh al-Madina, (1/374).

Surah Al-Tawbah, Verse: (73).

Al-Nawawi, Al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim bin al-Hajjaj, (16/139).

Ibn al-Qayyim, I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in, (5/7).

Ibn Hisham, Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, p. 293.

Al-Kawakib al-Darari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, (14/127).

Sahih al-Bukhari, (9/17), Hadith No. (6933).

Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, (12/291).

Sahih Muslim, (1/569), Hadith No. (832).

Sahih al-Bukhari, (6/35), Hadith No. (4553).

Surah Muhammad, Verses: (22-23).

Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, (39/201), Hadith No. (23784).

Surah Al-Insan, Verses: (8-9).

Surah Al-Anfal, Verse: (61).

Surah Al-Nahl, Verse: (94).

Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim, (4/600).

Al-Qurtubi, Al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an, (8/16).

Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, (5/349).

Sahih al-Bukhari, (3/193), Hadith No. (2731).

Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, (3/25).

Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, (5/341).

Sahih Muslim, (3/1476), Hadith No. (1848).

Al-Qarafi, Al-Furuq, (3/15).

Al-Bukhari, Mahasin al-Islam, p. 6.

Sahih al-Bukhari, (5/18), Hadith No. (3701).

Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, (9/316).

Al-Sherbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj, (4/277).

Surah Al-Dhariyat, Verse: (56).

Mirqat al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih, Ali al-Qari, (6/241).

Narrated by Yunus bin Bukayr, also cited by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari (7/370).

Sira Ibn Hisham, (2/322).

Fath al-Bari, Ibn Hajar, (6/649).