We set out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the year of Hunayn. When we met the enemy, the Muslims were thrown into disarray. I saw one of the polytheists overpowering a Muslim, so I circled around until I came at him from behind and struck him with my sword on the vein of his shoulder. He turned on me and seized me in such a grip that I smelled the scent of death from it. Then death overtook him and he released me.I caught up with Umar bin Khattab and said to him, "What is the matter with the people?"He replied, "It is the command of Allah."Then the people returned, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat down and said, "Whoever has killed an enemy and can prove it shall have his spoils."I stood up and said, "Who will testify for me?" Then I sat down.He said it a second time, "Whoever has killed an enemy and can prove it shall have his spoils."I stood up and said, "Who will testify for me?" Then I sat down.He said it a third time, so I stood up.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "What is the matter with you, Abu Qatada?"I recounted the story to him.A man from the people said, "He speaks the truth, Messenger of Allah, and the spoils of that slain man are with me. Satisfy him on my behalf."Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said, "No, by Allah! He would not turn to one of the lions of Allah, who fights for Allah and His Messenger, and then hand you his spoils."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "He has spoken the truth. Give them to him."Abu Qatada said, "So he gave them to me. I sold the coat of mail and bought with it a garden among Banu Salama. It was the first property I acquired in Islam."
حدثنا عبد الله بن مسلمة القعنبي عن مالك عن يحيى بن سعيد عن عمر بن كثير بن أفلح عن أبي محمد مولى أبي قتادة
خرجنا مع رسول الله ﷺ في عام حنين فلما التقينا كانت للمسلمين جولة قال فرأيت رجلا من المشركين قد علا رجلا من المسلمين قال فاستدرت له حتى أتيته من ورائه فضربته بالسيف على حبل عاتقه فأقبل علي فضمني ضمة وجدت منها ريح الموت ثم أدركه الموت فأرسلني فلحقت عمر بن الخطاب فقلت له ما بال الناس قال أمر الله ثم إن الناس رجعوا وجلس رسول الله ﷺ وقال من قتل قتيلا له عليه بينة فله سلبه قال فقمت ثم قلت من يشهد لي ثم جلست ثم قال ذلك الثانية من قتل قتيلا له عليه بينة فله سلبه قال فقمت ثم قلت من يشهد لي ثم جلست ثم قال ذلك الثالثة فقمت فقال رسول الله ﷺ ما لك يا أبا قتادة قال فاقتصصت عليه القصة فقال رجل من القوم صدق يا رسول الله وسلب ذلك القتيل عندي فأرضه منه فقال أبو بكر الصديق لاها الله إذا يعمد إلى أسد من أسد الله يقاتل عن الله وعن رسوله فيعطيك سلبه فقال رسول الله ﷺ صدق فأعطه إياه فقال أبو قتادة فأعطانيه فبعت الدرع فابتعت به مخرفا في بني سلمة فإنه لأول مال تأثلته في الإسلام
Bukhari narrated it in the Book of Business Transactions, chapter on selling weapons during civil strife and similar situations, hadith no. 2100, from Qanabi. Muslim narrated it in the Book of Jihad and Expeditions, chapter on the killer's entitlement to the slain enemy's belongings, hadith no. 1751, from the hadith of Malik through the same chain. It is also found in Muwatta (Yahya's recension) 2/454, 455.