32.

The Book of Jihad and Expeditions

٣٢-

كتاب الجهاد والسير

Yazid bin Hurmuz narrated that Najda wrote to Ibn Abbas (رضي الله تعالى عنه) inquiring of him five things. Ibn Abbas said, ‘if I did not the fear of committing (sin) for concealing the knowledge I would not have written to him. Najda wrote to him saying (after praising the Almighty and invoking blessings on the Prophet ﷺ), ‘tell me (i) whether the Apostle of Allah ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) took women to participate with him in Jihad; (ii) (If he did), whether he allotted them a regular share from the booty, (iii) whether he killed the children of (the enemy in the war), (iv) how long an orphan would be entitled to consideration as such, and (v) for whom the Khums (fifth part of the booty) was booty. Ibn Abbas (رضي الله تعالى عنه) wrote to him: You have written asking me whether the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) took women with him to participate in Jihad. He did take them to the battle and sometimes he fought along with them. They would treat the wounded and were given a reward from the booty, but he did not assign any regular share for them. And the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) did not kill the children of the enemy, so you should not kill the children. Also, you have written to me asking me when the orphan-hood of an orphan comes to an end. By my life, if a man has become bearded but is still incapable of getting his due from others or fulfilling his obligation towards them, (he is yet an orphan to be treated as such), but when he can look after his interests like grown-up people, he is no longer an orphan. And you have written to me inquiring about Khums as to whom it is meant for. (In this connection) we used to say, it is for us (the Prophet’s ﷺ family), but those people (Banu Umayya) have denied it to us.