It is reliably recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim that Hatib’s young servant came to the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and said, “O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, Hatib will certainly enter the Fire,” for Hatib used to treat his slaves harshly. The Prophet replied, “You have lied; he was present at Badr and al-Hudaybiyah.” He also said, “No one who pledged allegiance beneath the tree will enter the Fire.” 1

So Hatib spied on the Messenger of Allah during the expedition for the Conquest of Mecca—an operation the Prophet was keeping secret from the enemy and even from his own Companions—and that is an extremely grave sin; in addition, he mistreated his slaves. Yet the authenticated prophetic report states, “Whoever abuses those under his authority shall not enter Paradise.” 2

Even so, because he had taken part in Badr and al-Hudaybiyah, Allah forgave him and was pleased with him; for good deeds erase bad ones. How, then, about those who were superior to Hatib—stronger in faith, knowledge, migration, and open support—none of whom committed anything close to his offenses?

Moreover, the Commander of the Believers ʿAlī—may Allah ennoble his countenance—narrated this report during his caliphate, and his scribe ʿUbayd Allah ibn Abī Rāfiʿ transmitted it from him. In it ʿAlī related that he and al-Zubayr had gone to seize the letter from the woman traveler, and that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—bore witness on behalf of the people of Badr as he did. Aware of everything that had transpired, the Commander of the Believers recounted the incident to restrain hearts and tongues from speaking of them except in the best manner; for none of those Companions did anything worse than what Hatib had done, and in most of what they did they were exercising earnest judgment.

The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, “If a judge exerts himself in ijtihād and is correct, he has two rewards, and if he exerts himself…"