1725 — Abū al-Qāsim Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Baghawī also narrated to us: Bishr ibn al-Walīd narrated to us: Sālih al-Murrī narrated to us, from Sulaymān—meaning al-Taymī—from Abū Uthmān al-Nahdī, from Abū Hurayra, who reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stood over Hamza, may Allah be pleased with him, where he had been martyred. He looked upon a sight more painful to his heart than anything he had ever seen. Seeing that Hamza had been mutilated, he said, “May Allah have mercy upon you. As far as I knew, you were ever active ⦗2244⦘ in doing good and maintaining ties of kinship. Were it not for the grief of those you leave behind, I would be pleased to leave you to be resurrected from many different mouths. Yet, by Allah, even so, I shall mutilate seventy of them in retaliation for you.”

Gabriel, peace be upon him, then descended with the closing verses of Sūrat al-Nahl while the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was still standing there:

“If you retaliate, then retaliate only to the extent of the harm done to you. But if you are patient, that is surely better for those who are patient. Be patient, for your patience comes only through Allah.” [al-Nahl: 127]

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was patient, made expiation for his oath, and abandoned what he had intended.