was revealed concerning “the group from ‘Uraynah or ‘Ukl who came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we are people of the countryside, and we have found Medina unhealthy.’ He lodged them with a small herd of camels and a herdsman, and instructed them to go out with the camels and drink their milk and urine. They did so, but when they recovered, they killed the herdsman, drove off the camels, and disbelieved after having embraced Islam. They were brought to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who cut off their hands and feet, gouged out their eyes, and left them in the lava field. They asked for food but were given none, and asked for water but were given none, until they died.” This was reported from Anas ibn Mālik. Another report from him states that he burned them after putting them to death.

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The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not known to have mutilated anyone other than these men, either before or afterward. It is established that he forbade mutilation. There is disagreement concerning the Prophet’s judgment regarding this group. One view is that it was abrogated by his prohibition of mutilation. Another is that it was abrogated by this verse, which was revealed as a rebuke for what he had done to them. Another view is that his judgment remains permanently applicable to others like them and has not been abrogated, because they apostatized, murdered, committed brigandage, and stole. Their ruling therefore differs from that of Muslims and non-Muslims under Muslim protection who commit brigandage and spread corruption in the land, whose ruling is established by the verse.

It has also been said that they gouged out the herdsmen’s eyes, and that this was why the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gouged out theirs. Another view is that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not gouge out their eyes, but intended to do so. Allah then revealed the verse, informing him of the ruling concerning them and forbidding him to gouge out their eyes.

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As for the view that the verse was revealed concerning polytheists at war with the Muslims, this is highly unlikely, because Allah Most High says in it:

“Except for those who repent before you apprehend them” [al-Mā’idah: 34].

There is no disagreement that the repentance of an unbeliever at war with the Muslims absolves him of the legal liabilities he incurred while an unbeliever, whether he embraces Islam before being apprehended or