Compiled by Imam Muhammad al-Bukhari
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ وَزَعَمَ عُرْوَةُ أَنَّ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ، وَمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَاهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ حِينَ جَاءَهُ وَفْدُ هَوَازِنَ مُسْلِمِينَ، فَسَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَرُدَّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَسَبْيَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَحَبُّ الْحَدِيثِ إِلَىَّ أَصْدَقُهُ، فَاخْتَارُوا إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ إِمَّا السَّبْىَ وَإِمَّا الْمَالَ، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ اسْتَأْنَيْتُ بِهِمْ ". وَقَدْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم انْتَظَرَ آخِرَهُمْ بِضْعَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً، حِينَ قَفَلَ مِنَ الطَّائِفِ، فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَيْرُ رَادٍّ إِلَيْهِمْ إِلاَّ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ. قَالُوا فَإِنَّا نَخْتَارُ سَبْيَنَا، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ إِخْوَانَكُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ قَدْ جَاءُونَا تَائِبِينَ، وَإِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ أَرُدَّ إِلَيْهِمْ سَبْيَهُمْ، مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُطَيِّبَ فَلْيَفْعَلْ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَلَى حَظِّهِ حَتَّى نُعْطِيَهُ إِيَّاهُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ مَا يُفِيءُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا فَلْيَفْعَلْ ". فَقَالَ النَّاسُ قَدْ طَيَّبْنَا ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّا لاَ نَدْرِي مَنْ أَذِنَ مِنْكُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ مِمَّنْ لَمْ يَأْذَنْ، فَارْجِعُوا حَتَّى يَرْفَعَ إِلَيْنَا عُرَفَاؤُكُمْ أَمْرَكُمْ " فَرَجَعَ النَّاسُ، فَكَلَّمَهُمْ عُرَفَاؤُهُمْ، ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ طَيَّبُوا فَأَذِنُوا. فَهَذَا الَّذِي بَلَغَنَا عَنْ سَبْىِ هَوَازِنَ.
When the Hawazin delegation came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) after they had embraced Islam and requested him to return their properties and war prisoners to them, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "To me the best talk is the truest, so you may choose either of two things; the war prisoners or the wealth, for I have delayed their distribution." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had waited for them for over ten days when he returned from Ta'if. So, when those people came to know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was not going to return to them except one of the two things the said, "We choose our war Prisoners 'Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stood up amongst the Muslims, and after glorifying Allah as He deserved, he said, "Now then, these brothers of yours have come to us with repentance, and I see it logical that I should return their captives to them, so whoever of you likes to do that as a favor then he can do it, and whoever amongst you likes to stick to his share, let him give up his prisoners and we will compensate him from the very first Fai' (i.e. war booty received without fight) which Allah will give us." On that, all the people said. 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)s We have agreed willingly to do so (return the captives)" Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to them "I do not know who amongst you has agreed to this and who has not. You should return and let your leaders inform me of your agreement." The people returned and their leaders spoke to them, and then came to Allah's Apostle and said, "All the people have agreed willingly to do so and have given the permission to return the war prisoners (without Compensation)" (Az-Zuhri, the sub-narrator states) This is what has been related to us about the captives of Hawazin.