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KILLER AND THE KILLED

395

“The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, sent a Muslim army against an unbelieving community, and they fought against each other. There was one unbeliever in particular who was very skillful. One of the Muslims – it was said that it was most likely Osama, the son of Zaid – was looking for an opportunity to kill this unbeliever. When he raised his sword over him, the unbeliever cried out: 'There is no god except Allah.' Yet the Muslim killed him. When the news of the victory reached the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, he was also informed of this incident. He sent for the Muslim and inquired: ‘Why did you kill him?’ He replied: ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, he created havoc among the Muslims, killing several of them, so and so, so and so, etc. When I advanced against him and he saw my sword he exclaimed: ‘There is no god except Allah.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked: ‘Did you kill him?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: ‘On the Day of Judgement, what will you do to his witnessing: There is no god except Allah?' He asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, supplicate for forgiveness for me.’ But the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, kept repeating without changing: ‘What will you do to his witnessing: There is no god except Allah on the Day of Judgement?’"

Muslim with a chain up to Jundab, the son of Abdullah who related this.