Najda wrote to Ibn Abbas. I was sitting in the company of Ibn 'Abbas when he read his letter and wrote its reply. Ibn Abbas said: Were it not for preventing him from falling into wickedness. I would not have replied to his letter, may he never be joyful. He wrote in reply to him referring to the share of the close relatives (of the Holy Prophet) (from the booty) whom God has mentioned. (I have to tell you that) we thought we were the close relatives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but our people have refused to recognise us as such. You have asked about the orphan as to when his orphanhood comes to an end. (I have to say that) when he reaches the age of marriage, attains maturity of mind, and his property is returned to him, then he is no longer an orphan. You have inquired whether the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upo him) used to kill anyone from the children of the polytheists in the war. (You should know that) the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used not to kill any one of their children, and you (too) should not kill any one of them, except when you knew about them what Khadir had known about the boy whom he killed. And you have inquired whether there is a fixed share of the booty for women and slaves when they participate in a battle. (I have to tell you that) there is no fixed share for them except that they will be given some reward from the spoils of war.  

عَنْ نَتْنٍ يَقَعُ فِيهِ مَا كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَلاَ نُعْمَةَ عَيْنٍ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّكَ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ سَهْمِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ مَنْ هُمْ وَإِنَّا كُنَّا نَرَى أَنَّ قَرَابَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ هُمْ نَحْنُ فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا قَوْمُنَا وَسَأَلْتَ عَنِ الْيَتِيمِ مَتَى يَنْقَضِي يُتْمُهُ وَإِنَّهُ إِذَا بَلَغَ النِّكَاحَ وَأُونِسَ مِنْهُ رُشْدٌ وَدُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَالُهُ فَقَدِ انْقَضَى يُتْمُهُ وَسَأَلْتَ هَلْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقْتُلُ مِنْ صِبْيَانِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَحَدًا فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَقْتُلُ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا وَأَنْتَ فَلاَ تَقْتُلْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ تَعْلَمُ مِنْهُمْ مَا عَلِمَ الْخَضِرُ مِنَ الْغُلاَمِ حِينَ قَتَلَهُ وَسَأَلْتَ عَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَالْعَبْدِ هَلْ كَانَ لَهُمَا سَهْمٌ مَعْلُومٌ إِذَا حَضَرُوا الْبَأْسَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ سَهْمٌ مَعْلُومٌ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُحْذَيَا مِنْ غَنَائِمِ الْقَوْمِ  

Najda wrote to Ibn Abbas. I was sitting in the company of Ibn 'Abbas when he read his letter and wrote its reply. Ibn Abbas said: Were it not for preventing him from falling into wickedness. I would not have replied to his letter, may he never be joyful. He wrote in reply to him referring to the share of the close relatives (of the Holy Prophet) (from the booty) whom God has mentioned. (I have to tell you that) we thought we were the close relatives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but our people have refused to recognise us as such. You have asked about the orphan as to when his orphanhood comes to an end. (I have to say that) when he reaches the age of marriage, attains maturity of mind, and his property is returned to him, then he is no longer an orphan. You have inquired whether the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upo him) used to kill anyone from the children of the polytheists in the war. (You should know that) the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used not to kill any one of their children, and you (too) should not kill any one of them, except when you knew about them what Khadir had known about the boy whom he killed. And you have inquired whether there is a fixed share of the booty for women and slaves when they participate in a battle. (I have to tell you that) there is no fixed share for them except that they will be given some reward from the spoils of war. (Using translation from Muslim 1812e)   

عَنْ شَرٍّ يَقَعُ فِيهِ مَا كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَا نَعْمَةَ عَيْنٍ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّكَ سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْ سَهْمِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ ﷻ مَنْ هُمْ؟ وَإِنَّا كُنَّا نُرَى أَنَّ قَرَابَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ هُمْ فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا قَوْمُنَا وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْيَتِيمِ مَتَى يَنْقَضِي يُتْمُهُ؟ وَإِنَّهُ إِذَا بَلَغَ النِّكَاحَ وَأُونِسَ مِنْهُ رُشْدٌ دُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَالُهُ وَقَدِ انْقَضَى يُتْمُهُ وَسَأَلَهُ هَلْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَقْتُلُ مِنْ صِبْيَانِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَحَدًا؟ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لَمْ يَقْتُلْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا وَأَنْتَ فَلَا تَقْتُلْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تَعْلَمُ مَا عَلِمَ الْخَضِرُ مِنَ الغُلَامِ الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَالْعَبْدِ هَلْ كَانَ لَهُمَا سَهْمٌ مَعْلُومٌ إِذَا حَضَرُواالْبَأْسَ؟ وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ سَهْمٌ مَعْلُومٌ إِلَّا أَنْ يُحْذَيَا مِنْ غَنَائِمِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ  

[Machine] About the close relatives who are mentioned in the Qur'an, and about the killing of the children of the polytheists, was the Prophet ﷺ killing them? And about the completion of the orphan's term of guardianship, and about the witness of the servant and the woman in a case of harm, he said: "If it were not for me diverting them from evil, I fear that they might fall into it which I have written to him." So he wrote about the close relatives: "We used to consider the relatives of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as being our relatives, but our people refuse to acknowledge it." As for the orphan, when he reaches the age of marriage and gains some understanding, his wealth is given to him, so his term of guardianship is complete. As for the boys, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not kill the children of the polytheists, and you should not kill them unless you know the same as Al-Khidr knew from the boy when he killed him. And regarding the servant and the woman, do they have a share when they witness harm? So he wrote to him that they do not have a known share unless they participate from the spoils of war.  

عَنْ ذِي الْقُرْبَى الَّذِينَ ذَكَرَ اللهُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَعَنْ قَتْلِ أَوْلَادِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَهَلْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقْتُلُهُمْ؟ وَعَنِ انْقِضَاءِ يُتْمِ الْيَتِيمِ وَعَنِ الْعَبْدِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ يَشْهَدَانِ الْبَأْسَ فَقَالَ لَوْلَا أَنْ أَرُدَّهُ عَنْ شَرٍّ أَخَافُ أَنْ يَقَعَ فِيهِ مَا كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَكَتَبَ فِي ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى إِنَّا كُنَّا نَرَى قَرَابَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ هُمْ فَأَبَى عَلَيْنَا قَوْمُنَا ذَلِكَ وَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمُ فَإِذَا بَلَغَ النِّكَاحَ وَأُونِسَ مِنْهُمْ رَشَدٌ دُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَالُهُ فَقَدِ انْقَضَى يُتْمُهُ وَأَمَّا الصِّبْيَانُ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَقْتُلُ أَوْلَادَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَأَنْتَ فَلَا تَقْتُلْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تَعْلَمُ مِثْلَ مَا عَلِمَ الْخَضِرُ مِنِ الْغُلَامِ حِينَ قَتَلَهُ وَفِي الْعَبْدِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ هَلْ لَهُمَا سَهْمٌ إِذَا شَهِدَا الْبَأْسَ؟ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُمَا سَهْمٌ مَعْلُومٌ إِلَّا أَنْ يُحْذَيَا مِنْ غَنَائِمِ الْقَوْمِ  

[Machine] Was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ raiding women? And did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ shoot arrows for them? And did he kill young boys? And when does the orphan reach maturity? And who does the fifth belong to? So Ibn Abbas wrote to him, "Indeed, you wrote asking me if the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was raiding women, while he would raid them to cure the sick and benefit from the spoils. As for the arrow, he never shot an arrow for them. And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not kill children, so do not kill them except if you know from them, what Al-Khidr knew from the boy he killed, which differentiated between the believer and the unbeliever, so you may kill the unbeliever and spare the believer. And you wrote when does the orphan reach maturity, and by my life, a man's beard grows (indicating maturity) and he is weak in taking and giving. So when he takes for himself from the good that people take, then the orphanage has departed from him. And you wrote asking me about the fifth, and indeed, we used to say it is for us, but our people did not agree on that, so we accepted it."  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَغْزُو بِالنِّسَاءِ؟ وَهَلْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَضْرِبُ لَهُنَّ بِسَهْمٍ؟ وَهَلْ كَانَ يَقْتُلُ الصِّبْيَانَ؟ وَمَتَى يَنْقَضِي يُتْمُ الْيَتِيمِ؟ وَعَنِ الْخُمُسِ لِمَنْ هُوَ؟ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّكَ كَتَبْتَ تَسْأَلُنِي هَلْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَغْزُو بِالنِّسَاءِ وَقَدْ كَانَ يَغْزُو بِهِنَّ يُدَاوِينَ الْمَرْضَى وَيُحْذَيْنَ مِنَ الْغَنِيمَةِ وَأَمَّا السَّهْمُ فَلَمْ يَضْرِبْ لَهُنَّ بِسَهْمٍ وَأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لَمْ يَقْتُلِ الْوِلْدَانَ فَلَا تَقْتُلْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تَعْلَمُ مِنْهُمْ مَا عَلِمَ الْخِضْرُ مِنَ الصَّبِيِّ الَّذِي قَتَلَ فَتُمَيِّزَ بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَالْكَافِرِ فَتَقْتُلَ الْكَافِرَ وَتَدَعَ الْمُؤْمِنَ وَكَتَبْتَ مَتَى يَنْقَضِي يُتْمُ الْيَتِيمِ وَلَعَمْرِي إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَتَنْبُتُ لِحْيَتُهُ وَإِنَّهُ لَضَعِيفُ الْأَخْذِ ضَعِيفُ الْإِعْطَاءِ فَإِذَا أَخَذَ لِنَفْسِهِ مِنْ صَالِحِ مَا يَأْخُذُ النَّاسُ فَقَدْ ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ الْيُتْمُ وَكَتَبْتَ تَسْأَلُنِي عَنِ الْخُمُسِ وَإِنَّا كُنَّا نَقُولُ هُوَ لَنَا فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا قَوْمُنَا فَصَبَرْنَا عَلَيْهِ  

[Machine] About the slave and the woman who are present at the spoils, do they have any share of the spoils? He wrote asking him about the killing of children, so he said: "Write, O Yazid, if it were not for the ignorance that I do not want to act. I asked him about the relatives, who are they? So we claimed that we were them, but our people refused that upon us. And you wrote asking about the slave and the woman who are present at the spoils, they have nothing except that they should be given provisions. And you wrote asking about the children, indeed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not kill them, and you should not kill them unless you know from them what the companion of Musa knew about the boy. And you asked about the orphan when is his maturity fulfilled? His maturity is fulfilled when he reaches the age of discernment."  

عَنِ الْعَبْدِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ يَحْضُرَانِ الْمَغْنَمَ هَلْ لَهُمَا مِنَ الْمَغْنَمِ شَيْءٌ؟ وَكَتَبَ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ قَتْلِ الْوِلْدَانِ فَقَالَ اكْتُبْ يَا يَزِيدُ لَوْلَا أَنْ يَقَعَ فِي أُحْمُوقَةٍ مَا كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ ذِي الْقُرْبَى مَنْ هُمْ؟ فَزَعَمْنَا أَنَّا نَحْنُ هُمْ فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا قَوْمُنَا وَكَتَبْتَ تَسْأَلُ عَنِ الْعَبْدِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ يَحْضُرَانِ الْمَغْنَمَ لَيْسَ لَهُمَا شَيْءٌ إِلَّا أَنْ يُحْذَيَا وَكَتَبْتَ تَسْأَلُ عَنِ الْوِلْدَانِ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لَمْ يَقْتُلْهُمْ وَأَنْتَ لَا تَقْتُلْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَعْلَمَ مِنْهُمْ مَا عَلِمَ صَاحِبُ مُوسَى مِنَ الْغُلَامِ وَسَأَلْتَ عَنِ الْيَتِيمِ مَتَى يَنْقَضِي يُتْمُهُ وَيَنْقَضِي يُتْمُهُ إِذَا أُونِسَ مِنْهُ الرُّشْدُ