I heard ʿAli saying, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me, Az-Zubair and Al-Miqdad somewhere saying, 'Proceed till you reach Rawdat Khakh. There you will find a lady with a letter. Take the letter from her.' " So, we set out and our horses ran at full pace till we got at Ar-Rawda where we found the lady and said (to her). "Take out the letter." She replied, "I have no letter with me." We said, "Either you take out the letter or else we will take off your clothes." So, she took it out of her braid. We brought the letter to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and it contained a statement from Hatib bin Abi Balta a to some of the Meccan pagans informing them of some of the intentions of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "O Hatib! What is this?" Hatib replied, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Don't hasten to give your judgment about me. I was a man closely connected with the Quraish, but I did not belong to this tribe, while the other emigrants with you, had their relatives in Mecca who would protect their dependents and property . So, I wanted to recompense for my lacking blood relation to them by doing them a favor so that they might protect my dependents. I did this neither because of disbelief not apostasy nor out of preferring Kufr (disbelief) to Islam." Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, "Hatib has told you the truth." ʿUmar said, O Allah's Apostle! Allow me to chop off the head of this hypocrite." Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Hatib participated in the battle of Badr, and who knows, perhaps Allah has already looked at the Badr warriors and said, 'Do whatever you like, for I have forgiven you."  

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا ؓ يَقُولُ بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ بْنَ الأَسْوَدِ قَالَ انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً وَمَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا فَانْطَلَقْنَا تَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى الرَّوْضَةِ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ فَقُلْنَا أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ فَقَالَتْ مَا مَعِي مِنْ كِتَابٍ فَقُلْنَا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا فِيهِ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى أُنَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا حَاطِبُ مَا هَذَا قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَىَّ إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ بِمَكَّةَ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا أَهْلِيهِمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ النَّسَبِ فِيهِمْ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ عِنْدَهُمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَتِي وَمَا فَعَلْتُ كُفْرًا وَلاَ ارْتِدَادًا وَلاَ رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمْ قَالَ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ دَعْنِي أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ قَالَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَأَىُّ إِسْنَادٍ هَذَا  

I heard 'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) as saying: Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me and Zubair and Miqdad saying: Go to the garden of, Khakh [it is a place between Medina and Mecca at a distance of twelve miles from Medina] and there you will find a woman riding a camel. She would be in possession of a letter, which you must get from her. So we rushed on horses and when we met that woman, we asked her to deliver that letter to us. She said: There is no letter with me. We said: Either bring out that letter or we would take off your clothes. She brought out that letter from (the plaited hair of) her head. We delivered that letter to Messenger of Allah ﷺ in which Hatib b. Abu Balta'a had informed some people amongst the polytheists of Mecca about the affairs of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Hatib, what is this? He said: Messenger of Allah, do not be hasty in judging my intention. I was a person attached to the Quraish. Sufyan said: He was their ally but had no relationship with them. (Hatib further said): Those who are with you amongst the emigrants have blood-relationship with them (the Quraish) and thus they would protect their families. I wished that when I had no blood-relationship with them I should find some supporters from (amongst them) who would help my family. I have not done this because of any unbelief or apostasy and I have no liking for the unbelief after I have (accepted) Islam. Thereupon Allah's Apostle ﷺ said: You have told the truth. 'Umar said: Messenger of Allah, permit me to strike the neck of this hypocrite. But he (the Holy Prophet) said: He was a participant in Badr and you little know that Allah revealed about the people of Badr: Do what you like for there is forgiveness for you. And Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said:" O you who believe, do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends" (lx. 1). And there is no mention of this verse in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Abu Bakr and Zubair and Ishaq has in his narration made a mention of the recitation of this verse by Sufyan.  

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا ؓ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ فَقَالَ ائْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا فَانْطَلَقْنَا تَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالْمَرْأَةِ فَقُلْنَا أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ فَقَالَتْ مَا مَعِي كِتَابٌ فَقُلْنَا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَتُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا فِيهِ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا حَاطِبُ مَا هَذَا قَالَ لاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَىَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ كَانَ حَلِيفًا لَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ كَانَ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا أَهْلِيهِمْ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ النَّسَبِ فِيهِمْ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَتِي وَلَمْ أَفْعَلْهُ كُفْرًا وَلاَ ارْتِدَادًا عَنْ دِينِي وَلاَ رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ صَدَقَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ دَعْنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ} وَلَيْسَ فِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَزُهَيْرٍ ذِكْرُ الآيَةِ وَجَعَلَهَا إِسْحَاقُ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ مِنْ تِلاَوَةِ سُفْيَانَ  

‘Ali said “The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ sent me Al Zubair and Al Miqdad and said “Go till you come to the meadow of Khakh for there Is a woman there travelling on a Camel who has a letter which you must take from her. We went off racing one another on our horses till we came to the meadow and when we found the woman, we aid “Bring out the letter. She said “I have no letter”. I said “You must bring out the letter else we strip off your clothes”. She then brought it out from the tresses and we took it to the Prophet ﷺ. It was addressed from Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah to some of the polytheists(in Makkah) giving them some information about the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ. He asked “What is this, Hatib? He replied, Apostle of Allaah ﷺ do not be hasty with me. I have been a man attached as an ally to the Quraish and am not one of them while those of the Quraish (i.e. the emigrants) have relationship with them by which they guarded their family in Makkah. As I did not have that advantage I wanted to give them some help for which they might guard my relations. I swear by Allaah I am not guilty of unbelief or apostasy (from my religion). The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ said “he has told you the truth. ‘Umar said “Let me cut off this hypocrite’s head. The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ said “He was present at Badr and what do you know, perhaps Allaah might look with pity on those who were present at Badr? And said “Do what you wish, I have forgiven you.”  

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ فَقَالَ انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا فَانْطَلَقْنَا تَتَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الرَّوْضَةَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ فَقُلْنَا هَلُمِّي الْكِتَابَ فَقَالَتْ مَا عِنْدِي مِنْ كِتَابٍ فَقُلْتُ لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَإِذَا هُوَ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا يَا حَاطِبُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَىَّ فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا وَإِنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَهُمْ بِهَا قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا أَهْلِيهِمْ بِمَكَّةَ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ قَرَابَتِي بِهَا وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا كَانَ بِي مِنْ كُفْرٍ وَلاَ ارْتِدَادٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَدَقَكُمْ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ دَعْنِي أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ  

“I heard Ali bin Abi Talib saying: “the Messenger of Allah dispatched us – myself, Az-Zubair, and Al-Miqad bin Al- Aswad. He said: “Proceed until you reach Rawdah Khakh, where there is a lady carrying a letter. Take the letter from her and bring it to me.” So we proceeded on our way with our horses galloping until we reached the Rawdah. There we found the lady and said to her: “Give me the letter.” She said: “I have no letter.” We said: “Either you take out the letter, or we shall take off your clothes.’” He said: ‘So she took it out of her braid.’ He said: ‘We brought it to the Messenger of Allah, and it was from Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah, addressed to some of people among the idolaters of Makkah, infrmed them of some matter regarding the Prophet. So he said: “What is this O Hatib?” He said: “Do not be hasty with me O Messenger of Allah! I was a person who is an ally to the Quraish, not being related to them. The Muhajirun who are with you have relatives who can protect their families and their wealth in Makkah. So since I have no lineage among them, I wanted to do them a favor, so they might protect my relatives. I did not do this out of disbelief, nor to renegade from my religion, nor did I do it to chose disbelief [after Islam].” The Prophet said: “He said the truth.” Umar bin Al-Khattab said: “Allow me to chop off the head of this hypocrite!” The Prophet said: “Indeed he participated in (the battle of) Badr. You do not know, perhaps Allah looked at those who attended Badr and said: ‘O people of Badr! Do as you like, for I have forgiven you.’” He said: ‘It was about him, that this Surah was revealed: O you who believe! Do not take My enemies and your enemies as protecting friends showing affection towards them.’”  

بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ بْنَ الأَسْوَدِ فَقَالَ انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا فَائْتُونِي بِهِ فَخَرَجْنَا تَتَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الرَّوْضَةَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ فَقُلْنَا أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ فَقَالَتْ مَا مَعِي مِنْ كِتَابٍ فَقُلْنَا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَتُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا قَالَ فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا هُوَ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِمَكَّةَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا يَا حَاطِبُ قَالَ لاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَىَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا أَهْلِيهِمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِمَكَّةَ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ نَسَبٍ فِيهِمْ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَتِي وَمَا فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ كُفْرًا وَلاَ ارْتِدَادًا عَنْ دِينِي وَلاَ رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ صَدَقَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ دَعْنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا فَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ قَالَ وَفِيهِ أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ السُّورَةُ (يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ) السُّورَةَ قَالَ عَمْرُو وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي رَافِعٍ وَكَانَ كَاتِبًا لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ  

I heard ‘Ali ؓ say: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me, az-Zubair and al-Miqdad, and he said: “Go to the garden of Khakh, where you will find a woman riding a camel with whom there is a letter, and take it from her.” We set out with our horses galloping, until we reached that garden, and there we found the woman. We said: Give us the letter. She said: I do not have any letter. We said: Either you give us the letter or we will remove your clothes. So she brought it out from her braided hair, and we took it and brought it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and in it (was written): From Hatib bin Abi Baltaʿah to some of the mushrikeen of Makkah, telling them about some of the plans of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿO Hatib, what is this?ʿ He said: Do not be hasty in judging me, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I am a man who was attached to Quraish but I was one of them. The Muhajireen who are with you have relatives who will protect their families in Makkah, and I wanted, as i have no blood ties among them, to do them a favour so that they would protect my family. I did not do it out of kufr or because I apostatized from my religion, or because I approved of Kufr after becoming Muslim. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ʿHe has told you the truth.ʿ ʿUmar ؓ said: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, let me strike the neck of this hypocrite. He said: “He was present at Badr, and you do not know, perhaps Allah looked upon the people of Badr and said: ʿDo what you wish, for I have forgiven you.ʿ  

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ فَقَالَ انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا فَانْطَلَقْنَا تَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الرَّوْضَةَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ قُلْنَا أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ قَالَتْ مَا مَعِي مِنْ كِتَابٍ قُلْنَا لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنَقْلِبَنَّ الثِّيَابَ قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتِ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا فَأَخَذْنَا الْكِتَابَ فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا فِيهِ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِمَكَّةَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَا حَاطِبُ مَا هَذَا؟ قَالَ لَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيَّ إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا وَكَانَ مَنْ كَانَ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ أَهْلِيهِمْ بِمَكَّةَ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ النَّسَبِ فِيهِمْ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَتِي وَمَا فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ كُفْرًا وَلا ارْتِدَادًا عَنْ دِينِي وَلا رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الْإِسْلامِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّهُ قَدْ صَدَقَكُمْ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ دَعْنِيأَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللهَ قَدِ اطَّلَعَ إِلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ  

[Machine] Umar ibn Al-Khattab wrote a letter to Hattib ibn Abi Balta'ah to deliver it to the people of Makkah. Allah, the Most High, revealed to His Prophet ﷺ what had happened. So the Prophet sent Ali and Zubayr to chase after them. They caught up with a woman riding a camel and they took the letter she had concealed in one of the humps. They brought it to the Prophet ﷺ who read it and then sent for Hattib. The Prophet asked him, "O Hattib, did you write this letter?" Hattib replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." The Prophet asked him, "What prompted you to do this?" Hattib replied, "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I am loyal to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, but I was a stranger among the people of Makkah and my family was still there. So I feared for their safety and wrote a letter that would not harm Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Perhaps it will be of benefit to my family." Umar said, "I drew my sword and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, allow me to strike his neck, for he has committed disbelief.' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'O Ibn Al-Khattab, what makes you think that Allah has not seen the people of this group from the Battle of Badr? Do as you please, for I have forgiven you all.'"  

عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ كَتَبَ حَاطِبُ بْنُ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ فَأَطْلَعَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ نَبِيَّهُ ﷺ فَبَعَثَ عَلِيًّا وَالزُّبَيْرَ فِي أَثَرِ الْكِتَابِ فَأَدْرَكَا امْرَأَةً عَلَى بَعِيرٍ فَاسْتَخْرَجَاهُ مِنْ قَرْنٍ مِنْ قُرُونِهَا فَأَتَيَا بِهِ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُرِئَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى حَاطِبٍ فَقَالَ «يَا حَاطِبُ إِنَّكَ كَتَبْتُ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ؟» قَالَ نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَمَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَنَاصِحٌ لِلَّهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ ﷺ وَلَكِنِّي كُنْتُ غَرِيبًا فِي أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ وَكَانَ أَهْلِي بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ فَخَشِيتُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَكَتَبْتُ كِتَابًا لَا يَضُرُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ شَيْئًا وَعَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ مَنْفَعَةٌ لِأَهْلِي قَالَ عُمَرُ فَاخْتَرَطْتُ سَيْفِي وَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمْكِنِّي مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ كَفَرَ فَأَضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ قَدِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْعِصَابَةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَإِنِّي قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ  

[Machine] His father wrote a letter to the disbelievers of Quraysh while he was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . He had witnessed the Battle of Badr, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called Ali and Zubayr and said, "Go until you catch up with a woman who has a book with her, and bring it to me." So they went until they met her and said, "Give us the book that you have, and inform her that we will not leave until we remove every garment from her." She said, "Are you two Muslims?" They said, "Yes, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed us that you have a book." When she was convinced that they were not deceiving her, she untied the book from her head and handed it to them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called a scribe, and he read the book to him. Then he asked, "Do you recognize this book?" He said, "Yes." He asked, "What compelled you to do that?" He said, "I have a son and I have relatives, and I was a stranger among the Quraysh." Umar asked for permission to kill the scribe, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ refused, saying, "No, because he witnessed the Battle of Badr. And you do not know, perhaps Allah has looked favorably upon the people of Badr." Then he said, "Do as you please, for I have forgiven you."  

أَنَّ أَبَاهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى كُفَّارِ قُرَيْشٍ كِتَابًا وَهُوَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلِيًّا وَالزُّبَيْرَ فَقَالَ «انْطَلِقَا حَتَّى تُدْرِكَا امْرَأَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَائْتِيَانِي بِهِ» فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى لَقِيَاهَا فَقَالَا أَعْطِينَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِي مَعَكِ وَأَخْبَرَاهَا أَنَّهُمَا غَيْرُ مُنْصَرِفَيْنِ حَتَّى يَنْزِعَا كُلَّ ثَوْبٍ عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتُمَا رَجُلَيْنِ مُسْلِمَيْنِ؟ قَالَا بَلَى وَلَكِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ مَعَكِ كِتَابًا فَلَمَّا أَيْقَنَتْ أَنَّهَا غَيْرُ مُنْفَلِتَةٍ مِنْهُمَا حَلَّتِ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ رَأْسِهَا فَدَفَعَتْهُ إِلَيْهِمَا فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ حَاطِبًا حَتَّى قَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابَ فَقَالَ «أَتَعْرِفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ؟» قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ «فَمَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ؟» قَالَ هُنَاكَ وَلَدِي وَذُو قَرَابَتِي وَكُنْتُ امْرَأً غَرِيبًا فِيكُمْ مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ائْذَنْ لِي فِي قَتْلِ حَاطِبٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا؛ لَإِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَإِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللهَ قَدِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ إِنِّي غَافِرٌ لَكُمْ  

" عن على قال: بعثنى رسول الله ﷺ أنا والزبير والمقداد فقال: انطلقوا حتى تأتوا روضة خاخ فإن بها ظعينة معها كتاب فخذوه منها، فانطلقنا تَعَادَى بنا خيلنا حتى أتينا الروضة، فإذا نحن بالظعينة، قلنا: أخرجى الكتاب، قالت: ما معى كتاب، قلنا: لتخرجن الكتاب أو لتلقين الثياب، فأخرجت الكتاب من عقاصها، فأخذنا الكتاب فأتينا به رسول الله ﷺ فإذا فيه: من حاطب بن أبى بلتعة إلى ناس من المشركين بمكة يخبرهم ببعض أمر رسول الله ﷺ فقال رسول الله ﷺ : ما هذا يا حاطب؟ قال: لا تعجل عليَّ إنى كنت امرًا ملصقًا في قريش ولم أكن من أنفَسهم وكان من معك من المهاجرين لهم قرابات يحمون أهلهم بمكة، فأحببت إذا فاتنى ذلك من النسب فيهم أن أتخذ فيهم يدًا يحمون بها قرابتى، وما فعلت ذلك كفرا ولا ارتدادًا عن دينى، ولا أرضى بالكفر بعد الإسلام، فقال رسول الله ﷺ : إنه قد صدقكم، فقال عمر: يا رسول الله! دعنى أضرب عنق هذا المناقق، فقال: إنه شهد بدرا، وما يدريك لعل الله اطَّلع على أهل بدر فقال: اعملوا ما شئتم فقد غفرت لكم، ونزلت فيه: {يأيها الذين آمنو لا تتخذوا عدوى وعدوكم أولياء} الآية (*) ".