JIHAD SECTION · 143 – THE SIN OF STEALING WAR BOOTY
It is narrated by Zayd ibn Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
A companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) died on the day of the battle of Khaybar. This was reported to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Perform the prayer over your companion [I will not].”
The faces of the people changed at the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) response. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Your companion stole from the spoils of war.” They then searched his possessions and found among them a Jewish bead worth no more than two dirhams.
Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
We set out with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the year of Khaybar. We did not obtain gold or silver as spoils, but we obtained clothing, goods, and possessions. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, directed himself towards the valley of al-Qura, where the Jews resided. A black slave named Midam had been presented as a gift to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. When they arrived at al-Qura, Midam was unloading the belongings of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, from his camel when an arrow struck him and killed him. The people said to him, “May paradise be for you.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "No, I swear by Him in whose hand is my soul, that he did not receive a share of the spoils on the day of Khaybar, but the woolen cloth taken from the spoils has ignited his fire." At that moment, a man brought a halter. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A halter of fire or two halters of fire.”