Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 47, Hadith 357

“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 .” 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.’”

Previous Hadith

That a man from the Ansar had a guest spend the night with him, but he did not have anything to eat but his meal and the meal for his children, so he said to his wife: ‘Put the children to sleep, extinguish the torches, and give me whatever you have with you for the guest.’ So this Ayah was revealed: And they give preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.”

Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 47, Hadith 356


Next Hadith

“The Messenger of Allah would not have examined (the women) except for the Ayah in which Allah said: When believing come to you pledging to you.” Ma’mar said: “Ibn Tawus informed me from his father who said: ‘The hand of the Messenger of Allah did not touch the hand of a women he had not acquired.’”

Jami` at-Tirmidhi Book 47, Hadith 358