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Did Prophet Muhammad Kill a Prisoner of War?

10 June, 2019
Q Selamu Alejkum respected scholar my question is about a story that many non muslims report.

He (Uqba) too harassed and mocked Muhammad in Mecca and wrote derogatory verses about him. He too was captured during the Battle of Badr, and Muhammad ordered him to be executed. "But who will look after my children, O Muhammad?" Uqba cried with anguish. "Hell," retorted the Prophet coldly. Then the sword of one of his followers cut through Uqba’s neck.

I know that Uqba was evil and that he deserved what he deserved. But did the Prophet really say that hell will take care of his children? I've read on the internet and saw some muslims say that this hadith does not exist, could you explain if it does please?

And also this is a similar one: Ibrahim said: Ad-Dahhak ibn Qays intended to appoint Masruq as governor. Thereupon Umarah ibn Uqbah said to him: Are you appointing a man from the remnants of the murderers of Uthman? Masruq said to him: Ibn Mas'ud narrated to us, and he was trustworthy in respect of traditions, that when the Prophet intended to kill your father, he said: Who will look after my children? He replied: Fire. I also like for you what the Messenger of Allah liked for you.

Answer

Short Answer: According to the authentic traditions, Uqbah ibn Muayt died in the battlefield of Badr. As for the narrations that Uqbah ibn Muayt was killed upon a command from the Prophet, some scholars of hadith and seerah held that these narrations do not meet the requirements of authenticity. They even have broken links or weak narrators.

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Salam dear questioner,

Thank you very much for your question.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) faced many challenges when he started calling people to Islam. He and his few followers were abused physically and psychologically.

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It is never reported that the Prophet or any of his Companions took revenge for themselves. They never reacted to any harm with the same harm.

Who Was Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt?

With regard to the case of Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt, he was one of the strongest rivals of Islam. He tried his best to stop the spread of the mission of the Prophet Muhammad.

Uqbah ibn Muaytused to mock and ridicule the Prophet. He also tried to murder the Prophet in many occasions. Uqbah ibn Muayt used to abuse the Prophet by all possible means.

We are going to narrate some incidents of Uqbah’s attempts to harm the Prophet.

Urwa bin Az-Zubair narrated that I asked Abdullah ibn Amr, “What was the worst thing the pagans did to Allah’s Messenger?” He said, “I saw Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt coming to the Prophet while he was praying.” Uqbah put his sheet round the Prophet’s neck and squeezed it very severely. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came and pulled Uqbah away from the Prophet and said, “Do you intend to kill a man just because he says: ‘My Lord is Allah, and he has brought forth to you the Evident Signs from your Lord?” (Al-Bukhari)

Imam Ibn Jarir At-Tabari narrates:

“The Messenger of God continued to live in Makkah with Quraish, calling them to God secretly and openly, enduring their molestation, their calling him a liar, and their derision of him. Things came to such a pitch that one of them, it is said, would throw a sheep’s womb upon him as he was praying or would throw it into his cooking pot when it was set up for him. Finally, I have been told, he took a large stone and sheltered behind it when he prayed.” (The History of Al-Tabari: Muhammad at Mecca, translated by W. Montgomery Watt – State University of New York Press, 1988, volume 6, page 114)

The man referred to in this story is Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt.

Ibn Sa`d reports:

“They (Quraish polytheists) were relentlessly engaged in hostility against the Prophet. Night and day, they were obsessed with this single mission of antagonism. Abu Jahal, Abu Lahab, and Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt were the three most bitter enemies of the lot.” (Kitab Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, volume 1, page 134)

A Special Revelation to Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt

It is reported that when Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a close friend of Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt, came to know that Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt had sat and listened to the Messenger, he told him, “Do I hear that you have sat with Muhammad and listened to him? I swear I will never see you or speak to you again if you do the same again, or if you do not go and spit in his face.” Uqbah indeed did this so that Allah sent down concerning them the following verses:

*{And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, “Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way. Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend. He led me away from the remembrance after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter.}* (Quran 25:27)

How Uqbah ibn Muayt Died?

According to the authentic traditions, Uqbah ibn Muayt died in the battlefield of Badr. As for the narrations that Uqbah was killed upon a command from the Prophet, some scholars of hadith and seerah held that these narrations do not meet the requirements of authenticity. They even have broken links or weak narrators.

The scholars who accept the story of killing Uqbah ibn Muayt as a prisoner of war maintain that there are two categories of prisoners of war. The first category is those prisoners who did not harm the Prophet and his followers and they were ransomed.

The second category is the harsh enemies of Islam and those who spared no efforts in stopping the message of Islam and harmed the Prophet and his Companions. Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt and Al-Nadr ibn Al-Harith belong to this category.

The Narration of Masruq

It is reported that Ad-Dahhak ibn Qays intended to appoint Masruq as governor. Thereupon, Umarah ibn Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt said to him: Are you appointing a man from the remnants of the murderers of Uthman? Masruq said to him: Ibn Masud narrated to us, and he was trustworthy in respect of traditions, that when the Prophet intended to kill your father, he said: Who will look after my children? He replied: Fire. I also like for you what the Messenger of Allah liked for you.

The scholars of hadith interpreted it to mean that Hellfire will be the abode of their father as he did not believe in Islam. And if the children grow up and do not accept Islam, the fire will be their abode like their father.

It is reported that two of Uqbah’s sons became Muslims. Umarah who is mentioned in the above narration is one of them.  

It is known that the children are not be held accountable for their deeds until they reach the age of puberty even non-Muslim children. So, it is not logical that the Prophet would punish the children for the actions of their father.

Some other scholars maintained that Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt asked the Prophet about who will take care of children after his death in order to escape the punishment and to be taken as a slave instead of being killed.

Proper Context

After presenting the whole story of Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt, it is very important to put it in its proper context. After the Battle of Badr, about 70 people were taken as prisoners of war. Only two out of the seventy were killed because of their persecution of the Prophet and his Companions.

As for the other prisoners, let us quote what the British orientalist Sir William Muir wrote in his book The Life of Mahomet:

“In pursuance of Mahomet’s commands, the citizens of Medina, and such of the refugees as possessed houses, received the prisoners, and treated them with much consideration. ‘Blessings be on the men of Medina!’ said one of these prisoners in later days; ‘they made us ride, while they themselves walked: they gave us wheaten bread to eat when there was little of it, contenting themselves with dates.”

And Allah knows best.

I hope this helps.

Salam and please keep in touch.

(From Ask About Islam archives)

Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:

Did Muhammad Spread Islam by the Sword?

Did Mohammad Lead Bloody Wars?

https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/in-focus/misconceptions-about-prophet-muhammad-special-folder/