and struck him with my sword at the base of his neck. He lunged at me and clasped me so tightly that I caught the very scent of death, but death overtook him and he released me. I then reached ʿUmar and asked, “What is happening to the people?” He answered, “It is the will of Allah.”

Before long the Muslims rallied, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat down and proclaimed, “Whoever kills an enemy combatant and can produce proof of it shall have his spoils.” I stood and said, “Who will testify for me?” then sat down. He repeated, “Whoever kills an enemy combatant and can produce proof of it shall have his spoils.” I rose again and asked, “Who will testify for me?” A third time he made the same announcement; I stood once more, whereupon he said, “What is the matter with you, Abū Qatādah?” So I told him the whole story.

One of the men said, “He has spoken the truth, Messenger of Allah; the possessions of that slain man are with me. Please satisfy him from them.” Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq objected: “By Allah, never! Would you deprive a lion of Allah—who fought for Allah and His Messenger—of his spoils and hand them over to yourself?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “He has spoken the truth; give them to him.” So the man handed them to me. I sold the coat of mail and with the proceeds bought a date-orchard among the Banū Salimah; it was the first property I ever owned in Islam. Recorded by al-Bukhārī, Muslim, and Abū Dāwūd through al-Qaʿnabi.

Hammād ibn Salamah narrated from Isḥāq ibn ʿAbd Allāh, from Anas: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said on the day of Hunayn, “Whoever kills a man may have his spoils.” On that day Abū Ṭalḥah killed twenty men and took their gear; the report is sound.

And with the same chain, Anas related: Abū Ṭalḥah met Umm Sulaym on the day of Hunayn while she was carrying a dagger. He asked, “Umm Sulaym, what is this?” She replied, “I intended that if any of them came near me I would…"