Equality in the Spoils of War

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When the battle of Hunain concluded and the spoils of war were about to be distributed, some of the Bedouins, who had participated in the war approached the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and said: “O’ Prophet of Allah! Grant us a share too.”

They created such a commotion that he (s.a.w) had to retreat towards a tree and in the tumult, his cloak was pulled off his shoulders. He (s.a.w) said: “Hand me back my cloak. By the Allah, in whose power lies my soul! Had there been camels, cows and sheep equivalent to the number of trees on the face of the earth, I would have surely distributed them amongst you.”

As he said this, he (s.a.w) plucked out a hair from the hump of a camel and said: “By Allah! From the spoils of war, I shall not take anything more than the khums, even in the measure of this hair, and that too, I shall gift to you. You too, with respect to the spoils of war, should not be unfaithful – not even in the measure of a needle or a yarn, for theft with regards to it only merits ignominy and the fire of Hell.”

A person from amongst the Ansar (The Helpers) stood up, brought out a woven yarn and said: “I had taken this to weave a saddle for my camel!”

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said: “I gift to you my share that exists in this yarn.” Hearing this, the man said: “If the accounting and distribution has to be so accurate and severe, then I do not need this yarn.” Saying this, he dropped the yarn onto the ground.( Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 2, pg. 40; Nasikh al-Tawarikh (Hadhrat Rasool), vol. 3, pg. 150 ) 

Reference:Anecdotes of Reflection Part 3