“O Allah, I declare myself innocent before You of what Khālid did (1).” (2) For he feared that Allah might hold him accountable for the aggression committed against them.

Allah Most High said:

“If they disobey you, then say, ‘I am innocent of what you do.’”
Surah al-Shu'arā'

He then sent Ali with a sum of money. Ali paid them half the blood monies and made good all their property losses, down to a dog’s drinking bowl. He also handed them whatever money remained, as a precaution lest there be some loss of which he was unaware (3).

Despite this, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not dismiss Khālid from command (4). Rather, he continued to appoint him as commander and give him precedence. This was because when a commander commits an error or sin, he is ordered to turn back from it but is retained in office. Khālid was not defiant toward the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—but was obedient to him. However, his understanding of jurisprudence and religion was not on par with that of others, so the ruling governing this incident was unclear to him (5).

It is also said that there had been hostility between him and them during the pre-Islamic period, and that this was one of the factors that impelled him to kill them. Ali acted as an envoy in this matter.