JIHAD SECTION · 156 – Giving More Than the Booty Share to Veterans
According to a narration from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:
On the day of Badr, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever does such and such will have such and such in increased spoils.” The young men went forward. The elderly held the banner and did not abandon it. When Allah made victory easy for them, the elderly said, “(O young men), we assisted you. If you were defeated, you would return to us.”
“Do not always take the spoils. We are left with nothing.” The young men avoided giving them (the spoils), and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) directed it towards them. Consequently, the first verse of Surah al-Anfal, “They ask you about the spoils of war. Say: ‘The spoils belong to Allah and His Messenger,’" down to the verse, "Indeed, when those who were believers were driven from their homes unjustly, without right…” was revealed.
When Ibn Abbas narrated this account, he said: It was more beneficial for them that they go out to war and the spoils are distributed equally. Thus it passed, and he said, “Obey me, and I know its end better than you.”
According to a narration from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever kills a disbeliever, there is such and such [reward] for him. Whoever takes a captive, there is such and such [reward] for him.” Then he continued the hadith as in the preceding one. The hadith of Khalid is more complete than this one.
Yahya ibn Zakariyya ibn Abu Zayd said: I was informed of this hadith through the same chain of narration by Dawud, and he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, distributed the spoils equally; Khalid’s version is more complete.
COMMENTARY
Yahya ibn Zakariyya ibn Abu Zayd: He is among the learned scholars of Kufa. Yahya al-Kaddām says: The one who most opposed me in Kufa was Yahya ibn Zakariyya.
Yahya ibn Maim said about him that he is trustworthy (siqah). He died in 182 CE while serving as a judge in Madain. Yahya ibn Zakariyya was the first person to compile books in Kufa. (Tahdhib, vol. 11, p. 210)
Musab bin Sa'd reported from his father, saying:
On the day of Badr, I brought a sword to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, "O Messenger of Allah, indeed, victory over the enemies has healed my heart today (taken revenge on them). Therefore, grant me this sword as a gift."
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “This sword is neither mine nor yours.”
I was departing saying that. This day this sword will be given to someone upon whom befalls what has befallen me, someone who did not experience it before. As I continued, an envoy from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to me and commanded me to respond and come. I thought a verse had descended concerning my words. So I came.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me: “You asked me for this sword at a time when it was neither mine nor yours. Almighty Allah has given it to me (and now I give it to you), it is yours.” He then recited the verse: "They will ask you about the spoils of war. Say, 'The spoils of war belong to Allah and His Messenger.'"
Abu Dawud said: Ibn Mas'ud’s recitation is “*yes’alûneka ani’n-nefli*.” [495]
COMMENTARY:
Regarding the dispute that arose concerning the spoils of Badr, Surah al-Anfal and its 41st verse were revealed. One fifth of the war booty was allocated to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the remainder was distributed among the young and the elderly.
*Lem Yübli Bela-i*: This means "one who cannot endure a trial."