Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent us on military expedition telling us, "If you find such and such persons (he named two men from Quraish), burn them fire." Then we came to bid him farewell, when we wanted to set out, he said: "Previously I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so with fire, but as punishment with fire is done by none except Allah, if you capture them, kill them, (instead)."  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي بَعْثٍ وَقَالَ لَنَا إِنْ لَقِيتُمْ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا لِرَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ سَمَّاهُمَا فَحَرِّقُوهُمَا بِالنَّارِ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَتَيْنَاهُ نُوَدِّعُهُ حِينَ أَرَدْنَا الْخُرُوجَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَمَرْتُكُمْ أَنْ تُحَرِّقُوا فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا بِالنَّارِ وَإِنَّ النَّارَ لاَ يُعَذِّبُ بِهَا إِلاَّ اللَّهُ فَإِنْ أَخَذْتُمُوهُمَا فَاقْتُلُوهُمَا  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent us in a mission (i.e., an army-unit) and said, "If you find so-and-so and so-and-so, burn both of them with fire." When we intended to depart, Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "I have ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so, and it is none but Allah Who punishes with fire, so, if you find them, kill them (i.e., don't burn them)."  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي بَعْثٍ فَقَالَ إِنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا فَأَحْرِقُوهُمَا بِالنَّارِ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ أَرَدْنَا الْخُرُوجَ إِنِّي أَمَرْتُكُمْ أَنْ تُحْرِقُوا فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا وَإِنَّ النَّارَ لاَ يُعَذِّبُ بِهَا إِلاَّ اللَّهُ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمَا فَاقْتُلُوهُمَا  

We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during a journey. He went to ease himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and said: Who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it. He also saw an ant village that we had burnt. He asked: Who has burnt this? We replied: We. He said: It is not proper to punish with fire except the Lord of fire.  

كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي سَفَرٍ فَانْطَلَقَ لِحَاجَتِهِ فَرَأَيْنَا حُمَّرَةً مَعَهَا فَرْخَانِ فَأَخَذْنَا فَرْخَيْهَا فَجَاءَتِ الْحُمَّرَةُ فَجَعَلَتْ تَفْرُشُ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَنْ فَجَعَ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا رُدُّوا وَلَدَهَا إِلَيْهَا وَرَأَى قَرْيَةَ نَمْلٍ قَدْ حَرَّقْنَاهَا فَقَالَ مَنْ حَرَّقَ هَذِهِ قُلْنَا نَحْنُ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُعَذِّبَ بِالنَّارِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ النَّارِ  

When we were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he had gone to releive himself, we saw a Hummarah with two young ones. We took the young ones. The Hummarah came and began to spread out its wings. Then the prophet (May peace be upon him) came and said : who has pained this young by the loss of her young? Give her young ones back to her. We also saw an ant-hill which we had burned. He asked? Who has burned this? We replied : we have. He said: it is not fitting that anyone but the lord of the fire should punish with fire.  

كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي سَفَرٍ فَانْطَلَقَ لِحَاجَتِهِ فَرَأَيْنَا حُمَّرَةً مَعَهَا فَرْخَانِ فَأَخَذْنَا فَرْخَيْهَا فَجَاءَتِ الْحُمَّرَةُ فَجَعَلَتْ تُعَرِّشُ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَنْ فَجَعَ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا رُدُّوا وَلَدَهَا إِلَيْهَا وَرَأَى قَرْيَةَ نَمْلٍ قَدْ حَرَّقْنَاهَا فَقَالَ مَنْ حَرَّقَ هَذِهِ قُلْنَا نَحْنُ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُعَذِّبَ بِالنَّارِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ النَّارِ