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FORBIDDING OF KILLING ANYONE WHO BEARS WITNESS TO THE ONENESS OF ALLAH

394

“The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, sent us out on an expedition to Huraqah, a valley of the Juhainah. We reached its water springs in the morning. An Ansari and I (Osama) caught one of their men and overcame him and he cried out: ‘There is no god except Allah.’ When the Ansari heard this he restrained himself, but I (Osama) killed him with my spear.’ When they returned to Medina, the incident was brought to the attention of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, who asked me: ‘Osama, did you kill him after he had said: 'There is no god except Allah?' I replied: ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, he only bore witness to save his life.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked again: ‘Did you kill him after he had said: There is no god except Allah?' and repeated the question over and over again until I wished that I had not embraced Islam before that day.”

We are also informed:

The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked: Did he bear witness that there is no god except Allah and yet you killed him?" I (Osama) replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, he said it fearing our arms.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked him: ‘Then why didn't you cut out his heart to discover whether or not he had said it from his heart?’ He repeated it so many times that I wished I had only just embraced Islam on that day."

Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Osama the son of Zaid who related this.