Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
quran:4:94

O you who have believed, when you go forth ˹to fight˺ in the cause of Allah, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you ˹a greeting of˺ peace "You are not a believer," aspiring for the goods of worldly life; for with Allah are many acquisitions. You ˹yourselves˺ were like that before; then Allah conferred His favor upon you, so investigate. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.  

The following was revealed when a group from among the Companions passed by a man from the Banū Sulaym driving his flock of sheep, and he offered them a greeting of peace. But they said, ‘He only greeted us dissimulating, out of fear’. So they killed him and took away his flock: O you who believe, when you are going forth, travelling in order to struggle, in the way of God, be discriminating (fa-tabayyanū; a variant reading has fa-tathabbatū, ‘ascertain’, here and further below); and do not say to him who offers you peace (read al-salām or al-salam), that is, the greeting, or ˹offers you˺ submission, declaring the profession of faith (shahāda), which is an indication of being a Muslim: ‘You are not a believer: you are only saying this to dissimulate for fear of your life and property’, so that you then end up killing him, desiring, seeking by this, the transient goods of the life of this world, that is, its enjoyment, in the way of spoils. With God are plenteous spoils, rendering you free of the need to kill such a person for his property. So you were formerly, when your lives and property were protected simply upon your professing the faith; but God has been gracious to you, making you known for your faith and uprightness. So be discriminating, lest you kill a believer and treat those entering the religion as you were treated ˹formerly˺. Surely God is ever Aware of what you do, and will requite you for it.
القرآن:٤:٩٤

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَىٰ إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كُنْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا  

ونزل لما مر نفر من الصحابة برجل من بني سليم وهو يسوق غنما فسلم عليهم فقالوا ما سلم علينا إلا تقية فقتلوه واستاقوا غنمه {يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا ضربتم} سافرتم للجهاد {في سبيل الله فتبينوا} وفي قراءة فتثبتوا في الموضعين {ولا تقولوا لمن ألقى إليكم السلام} بألف أو دونها أي التحية أو الانقياد بكلمة الشهادة التي هي أمارة على الإسلام {لست مؤمنا} وإنما قلت هذا تقيه لنفسك ومالك فقتلوه {تبتغون} تطلبون لذلك {عرَضَ الحياة الدنيا} متاعها من الغنيمة {فعند الله مغانم كثيرة} تغنيكم عن قتل مثله لماله {كذلك كنتم من قبل} تعصم دماؤكم وأموالكم بمجرد قولكم الشهادة {فمنَّ الله عليكم} بالاشتهار وبالإيمان والاستقامة {فتبينوا} أن تقتلوا مؤمناً وافعلوا بالداخل في الإسلام كما فُعل بكم {إن الله كان بما تعملون خبيرا} فيجازيكم به.

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Ḥākim, Bayhaqī
hakim:2920Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Ṣaffār > Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. Mihrān > ʿUbaydullāh b. Mūsá > Isrāʾīl > Simāk > ʿIkrimah > Ibn ʿAbbās > Mar

"A man from Banu Sulaim who had some sheep with him, passed by some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He gave Salam to them and they said: 'He did not give Salam except to protect himself.' So they attacked him, killed him, and took his sheep. They went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with them, and Allah, Most High, revealed: O you who believe! When you go in the cause of Allah, verify and say not to anyone who greets you: "You are not a believer (4:94)." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3030)   

الحاكم:٢٩٢٠أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الصَّفَّارُ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ ثنا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى أَنْبَأَ إِسْرَائِيلُ عَنْ سِمَاكٍ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ عَلَى نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ غَنَمٌ لَهُ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالُوا مَا سَلَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا لِيَتَعَوَّذَ مِنْكُمْ فَعَمَدُوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ وَأَخَذُوا غَنَمَهُ فَأَتَوْا بِهَا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا} [النساء 94] إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {كَذَلِكَ كُنْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوا} [النساء 94]  

«هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحُ الْإِسْنَادِ وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ» صحيح
bayhaqi:18267Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Ṣaffār > Aḥmad b. Mihrān > ʿUbaydullāh b. Mūsá > Isrāʾīl > Simāk > ʿIkrimah > Ibn ʿAbbās

"A man from Banu Sulaim who had some sheep with him, passed by some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He gave Salam to them and they said: 'He did not give Salam except to protect himself.' So they attacked him, killed him, and took his sheep. They went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with them, and Allah, Most High, revealed: O you who believe! When you go in the cause of Allah, verify and say not to anyone who greets you: "You are not a believer (4:94)." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3030)   

البيهقي:١٨٢٦٧أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الصَّفَّارُ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ ثنا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُوسَى أنبأ إِسْرَائِيلُ عَنْ سِمَاكٍ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ قَالَ

مَرَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ عَلَى نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ غَنَمٌ لَهُ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالُوا مَا سَلَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا لِيَتَعَوَّذَ مِنْكُمْ فَعَمَدُوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ وَأَخَذُوا غَنَمَهُ فَأَتَوْا بِهَا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا} [النساء 94] إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {كَذَلِكَ كُنْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوا} [النساء 94]