Hadith 13341

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Amr ibnKathir ibn Aflah from Abu Muhammad, the mawla of Abu Qatada that AbuQatada ibn Ribi said, "We went out with the Messenger of Allah, mayAllah bless him and grant him peace, in the year of Hunayn. When thearmies met, the Muslims were put in disarray. I saw a man from theidol worshippers who had got the better of one of the Muslims, so Icircled round and came up behind him, and struck him with a sword onhis shoulder-blade. He turned to me and grabbed me so hard that I feltthe smell of death in it. Then death overcame him, and he let go ofme."He continued, "I met Umar ibn al-Khattab and said tohim, 'What's going on with the people?' He replied, 'The Command ofAllah.' Then the people took hold of the battle and the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Whoever haskilled one of the dead and can prove it, can strip him of his personaleffects.' I stood up and said, 'Who will testify for me?' and then Isat down. The Messenger of Allah repeated, 'Whoever has killed one ofthe dead and can prove it, can strip him of his personal effects.' Istood up and said, 'Who will testify for me?' then I sat down. Then herepeated his statement a third time, so I stood up, and the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'What's thematter with you, Abu Qatada?' So I related my story to him. A mansaid, 'He has spoken the truth, Messenger of Allah. I have the effectsof that slain person with me, so give him compensation for it,Messenger of Allah.'Abu Bakr said, 'No, by Allah! He did notintend that one of the lions of Allah should fight for Allah and HisMessenger and then give you his spoils.' The Messenger of Allah, mayAllah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'He has spoken the truth,hand it over to him.' He gave it to me, and I sold the breast-plateand I bought a garden in the area of the Banu Salima with the money.It was my first property, and I acquired it in Islam."