The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATHfR 313
Ibn Ishaq stated, "'Abd al-Rahmm b. al-Harith and others related to me from
Sulayman b. Mas, from Makhiil, from Aba UmWa al-Bahili, who said, 'I
asked 'Ubada b. al-S~it about the sarat al-Anfdl, (The Sporls). He replied, "It
was revealed about those of us who took part in the battle at Badr after we had
begun quarreling about the spoils and were behaving badly. God therefore took
them away from us and gave them over to the Messenger of God (SAAS) who
divided them 'an bawB, equally, that is, among the Muslims."'"
Ahmad related this similarly from Muhammad b. Salama, from Muhammad
b. Ishaq.
By the word given above for "equally" it is meant that the spoils were split
between those who had gathered them, those who had chased the enemy, and
those who had remained near the banners. No one group was given the preferential
treatment they claimed.
This does not contradict the concept of spoils being divided into five
parts, each fifth being allotted to a specific recipient, as some scholars might
maintain, including Abii 'Ubayda and others. But God knows best. In fact, the
Messenger of God (SAAS) received his sword Dha al-Fiq~r from the booty
taken at Badr.
Ibn Jarir stated, "He similarly chose a camel tbat had belonged to Abii Jahl
tbat had a silver ring through its nose. This was also before the issuance of the
edict about the fifth."
Im%n Ahmad stated, "Mu5wiya b. 'Amr related to us, quoting Ibn Ishnq, from
'Abd al-Rahman b. al-H&th b 'Abd All& b. 'Abbas b. Aba Rabi'a, from
Sulaymm b. Masa, from Abii Sall-, from Abti Um%na, from Wads b.
al-Samit, who said, 'We went forth with the Prophet (SAAS) and I witnessed
Badr with him. When the forces met and God defeated the enemy, one group
went off after them, putting them to flight and killing them, another group
sought and gathered up the booty, while a third group kept watch over the
Messenger of God (SAAS), so that the enemy would not do him harm. When
night came and the forces gathered back together, those who had assembled the
booty said, "We gathered it and no one else has any right to it." Those who had
pursued the enemy said, "You have no greater right to it than us; we drove the
enemy away from the booty and we defeated them." Those who had guarded the
Messenger of God (SAAS) said, "We feared some harm might come to him from
the enemy, and so we devoted ourselves to him." And so it was that God sent
down, "They ask you about the spoils. Say, 'The spoils belong to God and to His
Messenger. So fear God, reconcile and obey God and His Messenger, if you are
indeed believers'"' (sarat al-Anfdl; VIII, v.1).
"And so the Messenger of God (SAAS) divided the booty among the
Muslims. Whenever he raided enemy territory he would divide the spoils into
fourths. But if he pursued a retreating (army) he would divide it into thirds. He
had a dislike for booty."