I heard the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—say about them. I heard the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—say, ‘They are the fiercest of my community against men.’ Their zakat contributions arrived, and the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘These are the zakat contributions of our people.’ He said: A captive woman from among them was with ʿĀʾisha, and the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Free her, for she is a descendant of Ishmael.’”

In another wording recorded by Muslim:

“There are three qualities I heard the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—mention concerning Banū Tamīm, and I have loved them ever since. ʿĀʾisha was under an obligation to free a slave, so the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Free someone from among these people.’ Their zakat contributions arrived, and he said, ‘These are the zakat contributions of my people.’ He also said, ‘They are the deadliest of people in great battles.’”

In the two Sahīh collections, with the wording given here being Muslim’s, Abū Ayyūb al-Ansārī narrated that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Whoever says ten times, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion, and His is all praise, and He has power over all things,’ is like someone who has freed four persons from the descendants of Ishmael.”

This hadith states that descendants of Ishmael may be freed, thus establishing that they may be held in slavery. Likewise, he “instructed ʿĀʾisha to free someone from the descendants of Ishmael in fulfillment of her obligation to free a slave.” The report says, “from Banū Tamīm,” because they are descendants of Ishmael.

In Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Marwān ibn al-Hakam and al-Miswar ibn Makhrama narrated:

“The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—stood when the delegation of Hawāzin came to him as Muslims and asked him to return their property and captives. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said to them, ‘Those whom you see are here with me