Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "One of the earlier Prophets who was out on an expedition proclaimed among his people that no man should follow him who had married a woman with whom he wished to cohabit but had not yet done so, or who had built houses on which he had not yet put the roofs, or who had bought sheep or pregnant she-camels and was expecting them to produce young. He, then, went on the expedition and approached the town at the time of the Asr prayer or little before it. He then told the sun that both it and he were under command and prayed Allah to hold it back for them, so it was held back till Allah gave him victory. He collected the spoils and it (meaning fire) came to devour these, but did not. He said that among the people there was a man who stole from the booty. He told them that a man from every tribe must swear allegiance to him, and when a mans hand stuck to his, he said: "There is thief among you and every individual of your tribe must swear allegiance to me". (In course of swearing of allegiance,) hands of two or three persons stuck to his hand. He said: "The thief is among you". They brought him a head of gold like a cows head and when he laid it down, the fire came and devoured the spoils. Spoils were not allowed to anyone before us, then Allah allowed spoils to us as He saw our weakness and incapacity and allowed them to us".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
1. In the opinion of Imam As-Suyuti, the Prophet (PBUH) referred to in this Hadith was Prophet Yusha` bin Nun (Joshua). His conduct shows that it is necessary to make suitable arrangements for the worldly needs of those who are engaged in the Cause of Allah so that they can concentrate on their struggle without any distraction. 2. The lawfulness of the booty of war fought in the way of Allah is a specialty of the Muslim Ummah. Before the advent of Islam (the Shar'iah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)), the booty of war which was free from dishonesty used to be consumed by fire. This Hadith also confirms the miracle of the Prophet Yusha' (Joshua) in which the movement of the sun was stopped until he had conquered the village.
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