Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

570 Governors at the time of 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib
spoke to him, he felt ashamed and he turned back and felt
regret. He covered his face and tried to defend him, hut his
efforts did not
d. The reports about Mu'iwiyah ibn Abi Snfyin (&)
threatening Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr with mutilation, and
what was mentioned about putting the body of
Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr in the carcass of a donkey
and burning it, are all contrary to Islamic rulings
concerning the handling of the dead. It is narrated that it is
forbidden to mutilate the bodies of disbelievers, so how
about the bodies of Muslims? Muslim narrated in his
Saheeh that when the Messenger of Allah (g) appointed
commanders for an army or expedition, he would advise
them personally to fear Allah (&) and to be good to those
Muslims who were under their command. Then he would
say: "Fight in the name of Allah (s) for the sake of Allah.
Fight those who disbelieve in AUah (B). Fight, but do not
steal from the war booty, do not break your promises, do
not mutilate (the enemy dead) and do not kill children."126
Ash-Shifa'i said: "When the Muslims captured some
polytheists and wanted to kill them, they killed them by beheading,
but they did not go beyond that. They did not mutilate them by
cutting off hands or feet or any part of the body, or stabbing them in
the stomach or burning or drowning or anything beyond what was
described, because the Messenger of Allah (@) forbade
mutilation." lz7
Can it be thought that the noble Companions would go against
this ruling when they were, as Ibn Mas'ood described them, "the best
of this Ummah, the most righteous in heart, the deepest in
knowledge, the most straightforward, people whom AUah chose to
accompany His Prophet (g) and convey His religion, so follow their