Thakeef were allies of the tribe of Banu Aqeel. Thakeef captured two of the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ captured a man from Banu Aqeel, taking with him the camel known as al-Adba.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came upon him while he was bound in ropes, and the man called out, "Muhammad!" So he came to him and asked, "What is your situation?"The man said, "Why have you seized me, and why have you seized the camel that leads the pilgrims?"He replied, magnifying the matter, "I have seized you for the offense of your allies, Thakeef." Then he turned away from him.The man called out to him, "Muhammad! Muhammad!" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was merciful and tender-hearted, so he returned to him and asked, "What is your situation?"The man said, "I am a Muslim."He replied, "Had you said this while you still had control over your own affair, you would have attained complete success." Then he turned away.The man called out again, "Muhammad! Muhammad!" He came to him and asked, "What is your situation?"The man said, "I am hungry, so feed me, and thirsty, so give me drink."He said, "This is your need." He was then ransomed in exchange for the two men. The hadith continues.
كانت ثقيف حلفاء لبني عقيل، فأسرت ثقيف رجلين من أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ، وأسر أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ رجلا من بني عقيل، وأصأبوا معه العضباء، فأتى عليه رسول الله ﷺ وهو في الوثاق، قال: يا محمد فأتاه، فقال: ما شأنك؟ فقال: بم أخذتني؟ وبم أخذت سابقة الحاج؟ فقال: إعظاما لذلك، أخذتك بجريرة حلفائك ثقيف، ثم انصرف عنه، فناداه، فقال: يا محمد! يا محمد! وكان رسول الله ﷺ رحيما رقيقا فرجع إليه، فقال: ما شأنك؟ قال: إني مسلم. قال: لو قلتها، وأنت تملك أمرك، أفلحت كل الفلاح، ثم انصرف، فناداه فقال: يا محمد! يا محمد! فأتاه، فقال: ما شأنك؟ قال: إني جائع فأطعمني، وظمآن فاسقني، قال: هذه حاجتك، ففدي بالرجلين الحديث.
Muslim narrated it in the Book of Vows (1641) through two routes from Ismail bin Ibrahim, who said, Ayub narrated to us, from Abu Qilaba, from Abu Muhallab, from Imran bin Husayn, and he mentioned it.Tirmidhi narrated it (1568) through this route in abridged form, and said, "This is the practice according to most of the scholars among the companions of the Prophet ﷺ and others, that the leader may show mercy to whichever captives he wishes, execute whichever of them he wishes, and ransom whichever he wishes."Some scholars said, "The leader has a choice only between showing mercy to the captive and ransoming him, and he is not permitted to execute him, based on the words of the Most High, "So either release them graciously or ransom them" [Muhammad 47:4]." The matter is treated in detail in the books of Islamic law.