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Another historic injustice and decision by the proclaimed first caliph of Muslims. It makes you wonder how was this man a just ruler let alone "chosen" to be a person of God governing the ummah. There is no doubt that “Khalid ibn Walid” committed big crimes while at war with “Malik ibn Nuwayrah”; even second caliph protested to him seriously and called him “Enemy of god” and pledged to stone him; but since first caliph “Abu-Bakr” needed him for his reign, he defended him and didn’t punish him. But as for Khalid ibn Walid’s war with “Bani Juzaymah” tribe and killing them, saying several points are necessary: Firstly: forgiving murderer or punishing him is in hand of victim’s guardian not anyone else; even messenger of Allah [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)], “Abu-Bakr” or any other ruler have no right to spare murderer’s life and if victim’s guardian wants to punish murderer, Islamic ruler has to implement Islamic sentence; but if victim’s guardian doesn’t want to kill murderer and spares his life in exchange of taking blood money, Islamic ruler should do so. In matter of “Bani Juzaymah”, after messenger of Allah [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] was notified of this incident, he sent commander of the faithful Ali [(عليه السلام)] and he paid their loss completely. “Tabari” writes: فلما انتهي الخبر إلي رسول الله رفع يديه إلي السماء ثم قال اللهم إني أبرأ إليك مما صنع خالد بن الوليد ثم دعا علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام فقال يا علي اخرج إلي هؤلاء القوم فانظر في أمرهم واجعل أمر الجاهلية تحت قدميك. فخرج حتي جاءهم ومعه مال قد بعثه رسول الله به فودي لهم الدماء وما أصيب من الأموال حتي إنه ليدي ميلغة الكلب حتي إذا لم يبق شيء من دم ولا مال إلا وداه بقيت معه بقية من المال فقال لهم علي عليه السلام حين فرغ منهم هل بقي لكم دم أو مال لم يود إليكم قالوا لا قال فإني أعطيكم هذه البقية من هذا المال احتياطا لرسول الله مما لا يعلم ولا تعلمون ففعل ثم رجع إلي رسول الله فأخبره الخبر فقال أصبت وأحسنت. ثم قام رسول الله فاستقبل القبلة قائما شاهرا يديه حتي إنه ليري بياض ما تحت منكبيه وهو يقول اللهم إني أبرأ إليك مما صنع خالد بن الوليد ثلاث مرات. When messenger of Allah [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] was notified of this incident, he raised his hands toward sky and said: O Allah! I hate what “Khalid ibn Walid” has done. Then he called upon “Ali ibn abi Talib” and told him: O “Ali”! Go to that tribe and see how they feel. “Ali ibn abi Talib” [(عليه السلام)] went to that tribe while he was carrying much money with him. He paid their blood money and damages and even paid the price of their dogs’ bowls; after doing so, hadrat “Ali” [(عليه السلام)] asked them: is there any blood money or damage left that I’ve not paid it? They all said: No, there isn’t. “Ali ibn abi Talib” [(عليه السلام)] said: I pay rest of this money to you; because there might be something that messenger of Allah and you were not notified of them. Then he returned and told messenger of Allah what he’s done. Messenger of Allah [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] said: good job. Then Prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] stood toward “Qiblah” and raised his hands and said three times: O Allah! I’m quit of what “Khalid” has done. “Al-Tabari” – Tarikh Tabari” – vol. 2, p 164 /// “Ibn Hisham” – Sirah al-Nabawiyah – vol. 5, p 96 Secondly: in addition to paying damages and satisfying people of tribe, messenger of Allah [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] announced his hatred of tyrannical acts of “Khalid ibn Walid” and comply with divine order: “فَإِنْ عَصَوْكَ فَقُلْ إِنيّ ِ بَرِي ءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُون” If they disobey you, say: 'I am quit of what you do. Surah Al-Shu’ara’ – verse 216 He raised his hands toward sky and said: “اللهم إني أَبْرَأُ إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا صَنَعَ خَالِدٌ” O Allah! I’m quit of what “Kahlid” has done. “Ismail Bukhari” – Sahih Bukhari – vol. 3, p 1157 Thirdly: in the matter of killing “”Malik ibn Nuwayrah”, not only “Khalid ibn Walid” killed him and his tribe, but he committed adultery and “Abu-Bakr” had to implement divine “Hadd” {Hudud, singular “had”, is an Islamic concept: punishments which under Islamic law (Shariah) are mandated and fixed by God. ... These punishments were specified by the Quran, and in some instances by the Sunnah}; because it’s ruler’s duty to enforce divine punishment set for adulterer, but rather than doing so, “Abu-Bakr” encouraged and defended him. After second caliph “Umar” was notified that “Khalid ibn Walid” has killed “Nuwayrah” and slept with his wife, he pledged to stone “Khalid”. “Tabari” and “Abu al-Faraj Isfahani” write in this regard: فلما بلغ قتلهم عمر بن الخطاب تكلم فيه عند أبي بكر فأكثر وقال عدو الله عدي علي امرئ مسلم فقتله ثم نزا علي امرأته وأقبل خالد بن الوليد قافلا حتي دخل المسجد وعليه قباء له عليه صدأ الحديد معتجرا بعمامة له قد غرز في عمامته أسهما فلما أن دخل المسجد قام إليه عمر فانتزع الأسهم من رأسه فحطمها ثم قال أرثاء قتلت امرأ مسلما ثم نزوت علي امرأته والله لأرجمنك بأحجارك. When “Umar ibn Khattab” was told that “Nuwayrah” has been killed by “Khalid”, he told “Abu-Bakr” about this incident and said: enemy of god has killed a Muslim and slept with his wife!!! “Khalid ibn Walid” came to mosque, “Umar ibn Khattab” told him: you killed a Muslim man and slept with his wife. Swear to god! I’ll stone you by the stone you made. “Al-Tabari” – Tarikh Tabari – vol. 2, p 274 /// “Abu Al-Farj Al-Isfahani” – vol. 15, p 294 /// “Al-Saybani” – The complete History – vol. 2, p 217 /// “Al-Nuwayru” – Nihayat al-Arb fi Funoun al-Adab – vol. 19, p 52 “Al-Dhahabi” says: فلما قدم خالد قال عمر : يا عدو الله قتلت امرأً مسلماً ثم نزوت علي امرأته. When “Khalid” arrived to “Medina”, “Umar” told him: O enemy of god! You killed a Muslim male and slept with his wife! “Al-Dhahabi” – The history of Islam – vol. 3, p 36 But as for this question that why “Abu-Bakr” didn’t enforce divine punishment and defended Khalid ibn Walid’s crimes, Sunni scholars say responding this question: because “Abu-Bakr” knew “Khalid” a “Mujtahid”, that’s why he didn’t punish him. “Ibn Khallikan” and other Sunni scholars have written: ولما بلغ الخبر أبا بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما قال عمر لأبي بكر رضي الله عنه إن خالدا قد زني فارجمه قال ما كنت لأرجمه فإنه تأول فأخطأ. When “Abu-Bakr” and “Umar” were notified, “Umar” told “Abu-Bakr”: “Khalid” ahs committed adultery, you should stone him! “Abu-Bakr” said: I won’t do so; because he’s done “Ijtihad” and made mistake in his “Ijtihad”!!! “Ibn Khallikan” – Wafiyat al-A’yan wa Anba’ al-Al-zman – vol. 6, p 15 /// “Abu al-Fada’” – al-Mukhtasar fi Akhbar al-Bashar – vol. 1, p 108 “Jalal al-Din Suyuti” and “Mutaqi Hindi” have quoted from “Ibn Sa’d”: ادَّعي أَنَّ مَالكَ بْنَ نُوَيرَةَ ارْتَدَّ بِكَلاَمٍ بَلَغَهُ عَنْهُ ، فَأَنْكَرَ مَالِكٌ ذالِكَ ، وَقَالَ : أَنَا عَلي الإِسْلاَمِ مَا غَيَّرْتُ وَلاَ بَدَّلْتُ وَشَهِدَ لَهُ بِذالِكَ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ وَعَبدُ اللَّهِ بنِ عمرَ فَقَدَّمَهُ خَالِدٌ وَأَمَرَ ضِرَارَ بنَ الأَزْوَرِ الأَسدي فَضَرَبَ عُنُقَهُ ، وَقَبَضَ خَالِدٌ امْرَأَتَهُ ، فَبَلَغَ ذالِكَ عُمَرَ ابن الْخَطَّابِ قَتْلَهُ ، فَقَالَ لأِبِي بَكْرٍ : ( إِنَّهُ قَدْ زَنَي فَارْجُمْهُ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ : مَا كُنْتُ لأِرْجُمَهُ تَأَوَّلَ فَأَخْطَأَ ، قَالَ : فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ قَتَلَ مُسْلِمَاً فَاقْتُلْهُ ، قَالَ : مَا كُنْتُ لأِقْتُلَهُ تَأَوَّلَ فَأَخْطَأَ ، قَالَ : فَاعْزِلْهُ ، قَالَ : مَا كُنْتُ لأِشِيمَ سْيْفَاً سَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبَدَاً ) }ابن سعد{ “Khalid ibn Walid” claimed that he’s heard a word from “Malik ibn Nuwayrah” that made him apostate; but “Malik” had denied and said: I’m Muslim, I’ve changed anything; “Abu Fatadah” and “Abdullah ibn Umar” have testified about this matter; but “Khalid” accused him and said to “Zirar ibn Azwar”: cut his head out; then “Khalid” slept with Malik ibn Numayrah’s wife. “Umar” said to “Abu-Bakr”: “Khalid” has committed adultery; stone him; “Abu-Bakr” said: I won’t stone him, he’s done “Ijtihad” but made mistake in his “Ijtihad”; “Umar” said: punish him; because he’s killed a Muslim, “Abu-Bakr” said: I don’t kill him because he’s done “Ijtihad” and made mistake!!! “Al-Suyuti” – Jami’ al-Ahadith – vol. 13, p 94 /// “Al-Hindi” – Kanz al-Ummal – vol. 5, p 247 “Abu-Bakr” must be asked that if “Khalid ibn Walid” is “Mujtahid” and can kill a tribe only because of lack of paying “Zakat” to “Abu-Bakr” {Not denying the origin of “Zakat”} and in that night sleeps with a Muslim female that he’s killed her husband, why can “Malik ibn Nuwayrah” not do “Ijtihad”? If sahaba are “Mujtahid”, so “Malik ibn Nuwayrah” must be “Mujtahid”; why someone is killed because of his “Ijtihad” and his wife is raped in that night; but another one not only isn’t reprimanded because of capital murder and adultery but he’s rewarded? And if we assume that “Khalid” had done “Ijtihad” in the time of messenger of Allah [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] and made mistake in his “Ijtihad” and “Abu-Bakr” knew about it, why did he not punish him when he committed that mistake again? Can one mistake be justified by “Ijtihad” for two times? This matter is clear that “Khalid ibn Walid” killed “Malik ibn Nuwayrah” just because his wife was beautiful, not because he didn’t pay “Zakat”. “Al-Dhahabi”, “Yafi’i”, “Ibn Khallikan” and “Abu al-Fada’” write: فكلمه أبو قتادة الأنصاري وابن عمر ، فكره كلامهما ، وقال لضرار بن الأزور : إضرب عنقه ، فالتفت مالك إلي زوجته وقال : هذه التي قتلتني ، وكانت في غاية الجمال ، قال خالد : بل الله قتلك برجوعك عن الإسلام ، فقال : أنا علي الإسلام ، فقال : إضرب عنقه ، فضرب عنقه وجعل رأسه أحد أثافي قدر طبخ فيها طعام ، ثم تزوج خالد بالمرأة. “Abdullah ibn Umar” and “Abu Fatadah” talked to “Khalid” about “Malik ibn Nuwayrah”; but “Malik” didn’t like his saying; “Khalid” ordered “Zerar ibn al-Azwar” to cut his head out. “Malik ibn Nuwayrah” pointed to his very beautiful wife and said: she killed me {I was killed because of her} “Khalid” said: but god killed you due to becoming apostate. “Malik” said: I’m Muslim. “Khalid” ordered his head to be cut out. Then “Kahalid” married his wife. “Al-Duhahabi” – Tarikh al-Islam – vol. 3, p 34 /// “Al-Yafi’i” – Mir’at al-Jenan – vol. 2, p 119 /// “Ibn Khallikan” – Wafiyat al-A’yan – vol. 6, p 14 /// “Abu al-Fada’” – al-Mukhtasar fi Akhbar al-Bashar – vol. 1, p 108