Book Eighty Four – The Book on Dealing with Apostates

Hadith Number 053.

Narrated by 'Abdullah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): When the Verse: 'It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with wrong (i.e., worshipping others besides Allah): (Surah Al-An’am 6: 82) was revealed, it became very hard on the companions of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and they said, "Who among us has not confused his belief with wrong (oppression)?" On that, Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "This is not meant (by the Verse). Don't you listen to Luqman's statement: 'Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great wrong indeed.' (Surah Luqman 31: 13)


Hadith Number 054.

Narrated by Abu Bakra (Radhi Allahu Anhu): The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "The biggest of the great sins are: To join others in worship with Allah, to be undutiful to one's parents, and to give a false witness." He repeated it thrice, or said, "...a false statement," and kept on repeating that warning till we wished he would stop saying it. (See Hadith No.7, Book 73)


Hadith Number 055.

Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Amr (Radhi Allahu Anhu): A Bedouin came to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and said, "O Allah's Messenger! What are the biggest sins? The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "To join others in worship with Allah." The Bedouin said, "What is next?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "To be undutiful to one's parents." The Bedouin said "What is next?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said "To take an oath 'Al-Ghamus." The Bedouin said, "What is an oath 'Al-Ghamus'?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "The false oath through which one deprives a Muslim of his property (unjustly)."


Hadith Number 056.

Narrated by Ibn Mas'ud (Radhi Allahu Anhu): A man said, "O Allah's Messenger! Shall we be punished for what we did in the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Whoever does good in Islam will not be punished for what he did in the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance and whoever does evil in Islam will be punished for his former and later (bad deeds)."


Hadith Number 057.

Narrated by 'Ikrima: Some Zanadiqa (atheists) were brought to 'Ali (Radhi Allahu Anhu) and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn 'Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) forbade it, saying, 'Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire).' I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam), 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'"


Hadith Number 058.

Narrated by Abu Burda: Abu Musa (Radhi Allahu Anhu)said, "I came to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) along with two men (from the tribe) of Ash'ariyin, one on my right and the other on my left, while Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was brushing his teeth (with a Siwak), and both men asked him for some employment. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, 'O Abu Musa (O 'Abdullah bin Qais!).' I said, 'By Him Who sent you with the Truth, these two men did not tell me what was in their hearts and I did not feel (realize) that they were seeking employment.' As if I were looking now at his Siwak being drawn to a corner under his lips, and he said, 'We never (or, we do not) appoint for our affairs anyone who seeks to be employed. But O Abu Musa! (or 'Abdullah bin Qais!) Go to Yemen.'" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) then sent Mu'adh bin Jabal after him and when Mu'adh reached him, he spread out a cushion for him and requested him to get down (and sit on the cushion). Behold: There was a fettered man beside Abu Muisa. Mu'adh asked, "Who is this (man)?" Abu Muisa said, "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism." Then Abu Muisa requested Mu'adh to sit down but Mu'adh said, "I will not sit down till he has been killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) (for such cases) and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, "Then we discussed the night prayers and one of us said, 'I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as well as for my prayers.'"


Hadith Number 059.

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): When the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) died and Abu Bakr (Radhi Allahu Anhu) became his successor and some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief, 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said, "O Abu Bakr! How can you fight these people although Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, 'I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, 'and whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', Allah will save his property and his life from me, unless (he does something for which he receives legal punishment) justly, and his account will be with Allah?' "Abu Bakr said, "By Allah! I will fight whoever differentiates between prayers and Zakat as Zakat is the right to be taken from property (according to Allah's Orders). By Allah! If they refused to pay me even a kid they used to pay to Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam), I would fight with them for withholding it." 'Umar said, "By Allah: It was nothing, but I noticed that Allah opened Abu Bakr's chest towards the decision to fight, therefore I realized that his decision was right."


Hadith Number 060.

Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhi Allahu Anhu): A Jew passed by Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and said, "As-Samu 'Alaika." Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said in reply, "We 'Alaika." Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) then said to his companions, "Do you know what he (the Jew) has said? He said, 'As-Samu 'Alaika.'" They said, "O Allah's Messenger! Shall we kill him?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam), said, "No. When the people of the Book greet you, say: 'Wa 'Alaikum.'"(*)

* 'As-Samu 'Alaika' means death be upon you. Notice its similarity to the greeting, 'As-Salamu 'Alaika' (Peace be upon you). 'Wa 'Alaika' or 'Wa 'Alaikum' means 'And upon you'.



Hadith Number 061.

Narrated by 'Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): A group of Jews asked permission to visit the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) (and when they were admitted) they said, "As-Samu 'Alaika (Death be upon you)." I said (to them), "But death and the curse of Allah be upon you!" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "O 'Aishah! Allah is kind and lenient and likes that one should be kind and lenient in all matters." I said, "Haven't you heard what they said?" He said, "I said (to them), 'Wa 'Alaikum (and upon you).


Hadith Number 062.

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma): Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "When the Jews greet anyone of you they say: 'Sam'Alaika (death be upon you); so you should say; 'Wa 'Alaika (and upon you).'"

Hadith Number 063.

Narrated by 'Abdullah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): As if I am looking at the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) while he was speaking about one of the Prophets whose people have beaten and wounded him, and he was wiping the blood off his face and saying, "O Lord! Forgive my people as they do not know."


Hadith Number 064.

Narrated by 'Ali (Radhi Allahu Anhu): Whenever I tell you a narration from Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam), by Allah, I would rather fall down from the sky than ascribe a false statement to him, but if I tell you something between me and you (not a Hadith) then it was indeed a trick (i.e. I may say things just to cheat my enemy). No doubt I heard Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) saying, "During the last days there will appear some young foolish people who will say the best words but their faith will not go beyond their throats (i.e. they will have no faith) and will go out from (leave) their religion as an arrow goes out of the game. So, where-ever you find them, kill them, for whoever kills them shall have reward on the Day of Resurrection."


Hadith Number 065.

Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Yasar : That they visited Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (Radhi Allahu Anhu) and asked him about Al-Harauriyya, a special unorthodox religious sect, "Did you hear the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) saying anything about them?" Abu Sa'id said, "I do not know what Al-Harauriyya is, but I heard the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) saying, "There will appear in this nation... he did not say: From this nation... a group of people so pious apparently that you will consider your prayers inferior to their prayers, but they will recite the Quran, the teachings of which will not go beyond their throats (*) and will go out of their religion as an arrow darts through the game, whereupon the archer may look at his arrow, its Nasl at its Risaf and its Fuqa (**) to see whether it is blood-stained or not (i.e. they will have not even a trace of Islam in them)."

* They will not behave according to the Qur’anic teachings.
** Nasl, Risaf and Fuqa are different parts of an arrow.


Hadith Number 066.

Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma): Regarding Al-Harauriyya: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "They will go out of Islam as an arrow darts out of the game's body."


Hadith Number 067.

Narrated by Abu Sa'id (Radhi Allahu Anhu): While the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was distributing (something, (*) 'Abdullah bin Dhil Khawaisira At-Tamimi came and said, "Be just, O Allah's Messenger!" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Woe to you ! Who would be just if I were not?" 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said, "Allow me to cut off his neck ! " The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Leave him, for he has companions, and if you compare your prayers with their prayers and your fasting with theirs, you will look down upon your prayers and fasting, in comparison to theirs. Yet they will go out of the religion as an arrow darts through the game's body in which case, if the Qudhadh of the arrow is examined, nothing will be found on it, and when its Nasl is examined, nothing will be found on it; and then its Nadiyi (**) is examined, nothing will be found on it. The arrow has been too fast to be smeared by dung and blood. The sign by which these people will be recognized will be a man whose one hand (or breast) will be like the breast of a woman (or like a moving piece of flesh). These people will appear when there will be differences among the people (Muslims)." Abu Sa'id added: I testify that I heard this from the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and also testify that 'Ali killed those people while I was with him. The man with the description given by the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was brought to 'Ali. The following Verses were revealed in connection with that very person (i.e., 'Abdullah bin Dhil-Khawaisira At-Tarnimi): 'And among them are men who accuse you (O Muhammad) in the matter of (the distribution of) the alms.' (Surah At-Taubah 9: 58)

* That was gold sent by 'Ali bin Abu Talib from Yemen.
** Qudhadh, Nasl, Risaf, and Nadiyi are different parts of arrow.


Hadith Number 068.

Narrated by Yusair bin 'Amr: I asked Sahl bin Hunaif (Radhi Allahu Anhu), "Did you hear the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) saying anything about Al-Khawarij?" He said, "I heard him saying while pointing his hand towards Iraq. "There will appear in it (i.e, Iraq) some people who will recite the Quran but it will not go beyond their throats, and they will go out from (leave) Islam as an arrow darts through the game's body.'"


Hadith Number 069.

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "The Hour will not be established till two (huge) groups fight against each other, their claim being one and the same."


Hadith Number 070.

Narrated by 'Abdullah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): When the Verse: 'Those who believe and did not confuse their belief with wrong (worshipping others besides Allah).' (Surah Al-An’am 6: 82) was revealed, it was hard on the companions of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and they said, "Who among us has not wronged (oppressed) himself?" Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "The meaning of the Verse is not as you think, but it is as Luqman said to his son, 'O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah, Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great wrong indeed.'" (Surah Luqman 31: 13)


Hadith Number 071.

Narrated by 'Itban bin Malik (Radhi Allahu Anhu): Once Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) came to me in the morning, and a man among us said, "Where is Malik bin Ad-Dukhshun?" Another man from us replied, "He is a hypocrite who does not love Allah and His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam)." The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Don't you think that he says: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, only for Allah's sake?" They replied, "Yes" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Nobody will meet Allah with that saying on the Day of Resurrection, but Allah will save him from the Fire."


Hadith Number 072.

Abu 'Abdur-Rahman and Hibban bin 'Atiyya had a dispute. Abu 'Abdur-Rahman said to Hibban, "You know what made your companions (i.e. Ali) dare to shed blood." Hibban said, "Come on! What is that?" 'Abdur-Rahman said, "Something I heard him saying." The other said, "What was it?" 'AbdurRahman said, "'Ali said, Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) sent for me, Az-Zubair and Abu Marthad, and all of us were cavalry men, and said, 'Proceed to Raudat-Hajj (Abu Salama said that Abu 'Awana called it like this, i.e., Hajj (*) where there is a woman carrying a letter from Hatib bin Abi Balta'a to the pagans (of Makkah). So bring that letter to me.' So we proceeded riding on our horses till we overtook her at the same place of which Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) had told us. She was traveling on her camel. In that letter Hatib had written to the Makkans about the proposed attached of Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) against them. We asked her, "Where is the letter which is with you?' She replied, 'I haven't got any letter.' So we made her camel kneel down and searched her luggage, but we did not find anything. My two companions said, 'We do not think that she has got a letter.' I said, 'We know that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) has not told a lie.'"

Then 'Ali (Radhi Allahu Anhu) took an oath saying, "By Him by Whom one should swear! You shall either bring out the letter or we shall strip off your clothes." She then stretched out her hand for her girdle (round her waist) and brought out the paper (letter). They took the letter to Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said, "O Allah's Messenger! (Hatib) has betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers; let me chop off his neck!" Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "O Hatib! What obliged you to do what you have done?" Hatib replied, "O Allah's Messenger! Why (for what reason) should I not believe in Allah and His Messenger? But I intended to do the (Makkan) people a favor by virtue of which my family and property may be protected as there is none of your companions but has some of his people (relatives) whom Allah urges to protect his family and property." The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "He has said the truth; therefore, do not say anything to him except good." 'Umar again said, "O Allah's Messenger! He has betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers; let me chop his neck off!" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Isn't he from those who fought the battle of Badr? And what do you know, Allah might have looked at them (Badr warriors) and said (to them), 'Do what you like, for I have granted you Paradise?' "On that, 'Umar's (Radhi Allahu Anhu) eyes became flooded with tears and he said, "Allah and His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) know best."

* In another narration it is called Raudat-khakh.