Sahih al-Bukhari 3983

It is related that 'Ali said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent me, Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi, and az-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam on horseback. saying, 'Go until you reach the meadow Khakh. There will be a woman of the idolaters bearing a the letter of Hatib ibn Abi Balta'a to the idolaters ' We reached her on her camel where the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had said. We said, 'The letter!' She replied, 'We have no letter.' So we made her camel kneel and searched without seeing any letter. We said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, does not lie. You will bring out the letter or we will strip you." When she saw we were serious, she put her hand below her waist-belt and produced it. We took it to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'Umar said, 'O Messenger of Allah, he has betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers. Let me strike off his head!' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'What moved you to do this?' Hatim said, 'By Allah, I only believe in Allah and His Messenger! But I wanted to have some favour with them with which Allah might protect my relatives and property. There are none of your Companions who do not have relatives by whom Allah will protect their family and property.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'He has told the truth. Do not say anything but good about him.' 'Umar said, 'O Messenger of Allah, he has betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers. Let me strike off his head!' He said, 'Was he not one of the people of Badr? Perhaps Allah looked down on the people of Badr and said, "Do what you like. The Garden is mandatory for you " or "I have forgiven you."' 'Umar wept and said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.'"

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim related to me: ‘Abd Allah ibn Idris informed us, saying: I heard Husayn ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman say, on the authority of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaydah, on the authority of Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman as-Sulami, on the authority of ‘Ali, who said: The Apostle of God sent out myself, Abu Marthad and az-Zubayr—all of us on horseback—saying: Go ye to Rawdat Khakh; there ye will find a woman of the idolaters bearing a letter from Hatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah to the idolaters of Mecca. We found her riding a camel at the place the Apostle of God had mentioned and said: Out with the letter! She answered that there was no letter with her. We made her camel kneel and searched her belongings, but found no letter. Then we said: The Apostle of God could not have been mistaken! Either thou producest the letter or we shall strip thee naked! When she saw that we were determined, she reached below her waistband—she had tied her cloak round her waist—and took out the letter; and we took her with us to the Apostle of God. ‘Umar said: O Apostle of God! This Hatib hath betrayed God, His Apostle and the Faithful! Let me strike off his head! Thereupon the Prophet asked Hatib: What made thee do this? Hatib answered: By God! It is not as if I had no faith in God and His Apostle. I but wanted to have some influence among the people of Mecca, so that, God willing, I might protect my family and my possessions there. There is none of thy companions who hath not some kinsfolk there to protect, God willing, his family and his possessions. Thereupon the Prophet said: He is right! Speak kindly unto him! But ‘Umar exclaimed: He hath betrayed God, His Apostle and the Faithful! Let me strike off his head! The Prophet said: Is he not one of those who have fought at Badr? And he added: Maybe God will look upon those who fought at Badr and will say: Do whatever ye like, for now Paradise is yours! Or: For now I have forgiven you your sins! Tears gushed out of ‘Umar’s eyes, and he said: God and His Apostle know it best.