Hadith Text
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ:
«غَزَا نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ: لَا يَتْبَعَنِّي رَجُلٌ مَلَكَ بُضْعَ امْرَأَةٍ وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَبْنِيَ بِهَا وَلَمَّا يَبْنِ بِهَا، وَلَا أَحَدٌ بَنَى بُيُوتًا لَمْ يَرْفَعْ سُقُوفَهَا، وَلَا أَحَدٌ اشْتَرَى غَنَمًا أَوْ خَلِفَاتٍ وَهُوَ يَنْتَظِرُ أَوْلَادَهَا. فَغَزَا، فَدَنَا مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ صَلَاةَ الْعَصْرِ أَوْ قَرِيبًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ لِلشَّمْسِ: إِنَّكِ مَأْمُورَةٌ وَأَنَا مَأْمُورٌ، اللَّهُمَّ احْبِسْهَا عَلَيْنَا، فَحُبِسَتْ حَتَّى فَتَحَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَجَمَعَ الْغَنَائِمَ، فَجَاءَتْ ــ يَعْنِي النَّارَ ــ لِتَأْكُلَهَا فَلَمْ تَطْعَمْهَا، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ فِيكُمْ غُلُولًا، فَلْيُبَايِعْنِي مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ رَجُلٌ، فَلَزِقَتْ يَدُ رَجُلٍ بِيَدِهِ، فَقَالَ: فِيكُمُ الْغُلُولُ، فَلْتُبَايِعْنِي قَبِيلَتُكَ، فَلَزِقَتْ يَدُ رَجُلَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةٍ بِيَدِهِ، فَقَالَ: فِيكُمُ الْغُلُولُ. فَجَاءُوا بِرَأْسٍ مِثْلَ رَأْسِ بَقَرَةٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ، فَوَضَعَهَا، فَجَاءَتِ النَّارُ فَأَكَلَتْهَا، فَلَمْ تَحِلَّ الْغَنَائِمُ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلَنَا، ثُمَّ أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَنَا الْغَنَائِمَ لَمَّا رَأَى ضَعْفَنَا وَعَجْزَنَا فَأَحَلَّهَا لَنَا».
متفقٌ عليه.
Full Translation
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
A prophet from among the prophets — may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon them — went out in battle. He said to his people: “Let no man follow me who has married a woman and wants to consummate with her but has not yet done so; nor anyone who has built houses but has not yet raised their roofs; nor anyone who has bought sheep or pregnant she‑camels while he is waiting for their offspring.”
So he went out in battle. When he neared the town at the time of ʿAsr prayer or close to it, he said to the sun: “You are commanded, and I am commanded. O Allah, hold it back for us.” So it was held back until Allah granted him victory.
He then gathered the spoils. Fire came — meaning to consume them — but did not taste them. He said: “Surely there is stolen property among you. Let a man from every tribe pledge allegiance to me.” Then the hand of one man stuck to his hand. He said: “Stolen property is among you; let your tribe pledge allegiance to me.” Then the hands of two or three men stuck to his hand. He said: “Stolen property is among you.” So they brought a head like the head of a cow made of gold. He placed it down, and the fire came and consumed it.
Spoils were not lawful for anyone before us. Then Allah made the spoils lawful for us when He saw our weakness and inability, so He permitted them for us.
Hadith Lessons
This hadith is rich in lessons about preparation, sincerity, honesty, and Allah’s mercy toward this Ummah.
1) Emptying the Heart and Body for Obedience
The prophet in the story excludes three kinds of people from joining him: the newly‑married man who has not yet consummated his marriage, the one with half‑finished houses whose roofs are still unraised, and the one who has just acquired livestock and is eagerly waiting for their offspring. None of these situations are sinful in themselves, but they represent strong, fresh attachments that will pull the heart back from full presence in the battle.
This matches the first point under هداية الحديث: when a person intends an act of obedience, he should free his heart and body for it, so he comes to it while longing for it, and performs it with calm, deliberation, and an open chest. In ordinary life, this principle applies widely: if you are entering Hajj, or a period of serious study, or a major duty, it is wise to clear as many distracting obligations as you can, so your heart is not constantly tugged elsewhere. The more your heart is divided, the weaker your patience in hardship.
2) Divine Help That Responds to Commanded Effort
The line “You are commanded, and I am commanded” is profound. The sun is not moving freely; it moves under Allah’s command. The prophet is not acting freely; he acts under Allah’s command. When the mission needs more time, he asks Allah to hold the sun back — and Allah does. Time itself is bent for the sake of completing a commanded duty.
This does not mean we expect miracles on demand. It means we remember that when we are sincerely within Allah’s command — doing what He has asked with a freed heart — then the timing of the world is also in His hand. Many believers experience smaller versions of this: an unexpected delay that lets them catch a prayer, a canceled meeting that gives them time to make tawbah, a small extension that allows them to complete a responsibility. This hadith helps us see those moments as mercy, not accident.
3) The Seriousness of Ghulul and the Consequences of Lying
When the fire refuses to consume the spoils, the prophet understands that there is ghulul — hidden theft from the spoils — among the people. He does not ignore it. He calls for pledge from each tribe, and the hands that stick reveal the guilty. Only when the stolen golden head is brought forth and placed does the fire consume the rest of the spoils.
This scene becomes a powerful image of the third hidayah point: it shows the terrible consequence of lying and betrayal, and the beautiful outcome of truthfulness. Hidden dishonesty blocks acceptance. It stands between the army and the full enjoyment of what Allah has given them. When truth appears — the stolen piece is confessed and returned — acceptance returns, and the fire consumes the spoils.
In everyday life, a similar pattern plays out. In a family or business, one person’s hidden dishonesty with shared resources can remove barakah from the whole effort. The numbers may look fine, but peace, trust, and spiritual sweetness are missing. This hadith teaches that truthfulness in wealth and trust is not a small detail; it is a condition for barakah.
4) Allah’s Mercy in Allowing Spoils for This Ummah
The Prophet ﷺ ends by saying: spoils were not lawful for anyone before us, then Allah allowed them for this Ummah when He saw our weakness and inability. This is exactly the second point under هداية الحديث: Allah favored this Ummah by permitting spoils, while earlier nations had to have their won spoils consumed by fire as a sign of acceptance, not personally enjoyed.
That permission is rahmah, mercy. Allah did not burden this Ummah with what it could not carry. He saw our weakness and adjusted the law to our capacity. This should increase our gratitude. At the same time, it deepens our responsibility: permission does not remove the obligation of honesty. We are allowed to benefit from spoils and from lawful earnings, but we are absolutely forbidden to stain them with ghulul.
Life-Related Reflections
- When entering serious acts of worship or duty, it is wise to finish what can be finished, close open loops, and reduce fresh emotional attachments. A heart that is half‑if present in obedience is more likely to break in difficulty.
- Hidden theft or lying in any shared trust — whether it is family money, project funds, or community donation — is a form of ghulul. It may hide from people for a while, but it does not hide from Allah and it usually poisons the atmosphere around it.
- The mercy in our law (like permissibility of spoils, trade, and many comforts) is not a license for greed; it is a gift we must handle with truthfulness and gratitude.
Three Questions to Close With
- When I step into major acts of obedience, do I make a real effort to free my heart and body for them, or do I bring all my unresolved attachments along with me?
- In my dealings with shared wealth or trust, is there anything I have taken, concealed, or claimed that does not truly belong to me?
- When I enjoy the ease and mercy Allah has given this Ummah, do I treat that ease with honesty and gratitude, or do I use it as an excuse to push my limits?