The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 226
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 226 Meaning, “ Ḥ asan relates that on one occasion a prisoner was presented before Ḥajjāj, and Ḥaḍrat ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar ra was also present. Ḥajjāj addressed Ibni ‘Umar ra saying, ‘Stand up and take off his head. ’ Ibni ‘Umar ra responded, ‘We have not been ordered to do so. Allāh the Exalted states, ‘When prisoners are taken in war, they should either be released as an act of benevolence or released on ransom. There is no commandment to kill them. ’” 1 Similarly, it is related by Ḥasan Baṣrī and ‘Aṭā’ bin Abī Rabāḥ: ِ لَا تُقْتَل ُ الْاُسٰرٰی بَل ْ یُتَخَیَّر ُ بَیْن َ الْمَن ِّ وَالْفِدَاء Meaning, “A prisoner is not to be killed, rather, the commandment is that either he should be released as an act of benevolence or on ransom. ” 2 The clear verse of the Holy Qur’ān which has been quoted above coupled with this clear elaboration leaves no room for doubt or uncertainty that the issue of the legalization of killing prisoners is absolutely incorrect and without foundation. Islām does not at all permit that a prisoner of war be killed. At this instance, if the question arises as to why certain Muslim scholars have fallen into error as regards to this matter, then the answer is that this misunderstanding has arisen due to the fact that allegedly, certain examples can be found in history where the Holy Prophet sa killed various prisoners of war. However, the people who have drawn conclusions from these examples have not paused to contemplate that those prisoners of war who were ordered to death by the Holy Prophet sa were not killed in their capacity as prisoners of war. Rather, the reason for their execution was because they were liable to be put to death on account of various other crimes. It is obvious that if a prisoner is guilty of a crime for which the punishment is death, his being taken captive cannot save him from this punishment. If a free individual may be executed in punishment of a crime, then why not a prisoner? Hence, as shall be proven at its appropriate place, every such prisoner who was ordered to death by the Holy Prophet sa , was not put to death on the basis that he was a warrior belonging to an enemy tribe or because he was an individual from a 1 Kitābul-Kharāj, By Qāḍī Abū Yūsuf Ya‘qūb bin Ibrāhīm, p. 212, Published by Baulāq (1302 A. H. ) 2 Fatḥul-Bārī Sharḥu Ṣaḥīḥil-Bukhārī, By Al-Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 6, p 187, Kitābul-Jihād Was-Siyar, Bābu Fa-Immā Mannan Ba‘du Wa Immā Fidā’an. . . . . , Qadīmī Kutub Khānah, Ārām Bāgh, Karachi