The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 111
III - Concept of the Acceptance of Prayer in Islām 111 when the entire land was ablaze with a fire of enmity towards Islām. Then, this decision was also in accordance to the Mosaic Law but even then, Islām did not uphold this law, and prohibited such a course of action in the future. In such circumstances, no reasonable individual can raise an objection. On this occasion, it should also be remembered that these men had come to Madīnah with evil intentions in the first place. Furthermore, they were most probably trained by their tribe to live among the Muslims and injure them. Additionally, it is very plausible that they harboured an evil intention against the Holy Prophet sa himself, but when they could find no opportunity in Madīnah, they proposed an undertaking outside the city. Their evil intention can also be gauged by the fact that the manner in which they dealt with the Muslim shepherds was not merely one of thieves and bandits, rather, it was an act of utter revenge. If they had initially become Muslims pure-heartedly and later on, after seeing the camels, their intentions had changed for the worse, then in such a case, what should have happened is that they should have taken these camels and ran off. If a shepherd had happened to become a hindrance, then at most, they should have killed him and left. However, the manner in which they killed the Muslim shepherd, and putting their own selves in danger by prolonging this act of butchery and torturing the Muslims, evidently shows that this action was not the outcome of coincidental greed. Quite the contrary, it clearly possessed the character of animosity and was the result of heart-felt malice and long standing rancour. In return for this ruthless action, whatever the Holy Prophet sa did was merely in retribution and equitable retaliation, according to the Mosaic Law which existed prior to the revelation of Islāmic teachings. However, shortly thereafter, Islāmic injunctions were revealed and such punishment was declared unlawful, even as act of retribution. As such, the words of Bukhārī are as follows: ِ اَن َّ النَّبِی َّ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ بَعْد َ ذٰلِك َ كَان َ یَحُث ُّ عَلَی الصَّدَقَة ِ وَیَنْھی ٰ عَن ِ الْمُثْلَة “After this instance, the Holy Prophet sa emphasised magnanimity and generosity, and prohibited mutilating the body of enemies in all circumstances. ” 1 1 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Qiṣṣati ‘Uklin Wa ‘Urainah, Ḥadīth No. 4192