- “If you are able to capture him, then kill him, but do not burn him with fire, for only the Lord of the Fire punishes with fire.”
It was recorded by Abu Dawud (1/417) and Ahmad (3/494), through al-Mughirah ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Hizami, from Abu al-Zinad, who said: Muhammad ibn Hamzah al-Aslami told me, from his father, attributing it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), with similar wording.
I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. All its narrators are trustworthy and are among Muslim’s narrators. There is some criticism concerning Muhammad ibn Hamzah al-Aslami, but it is not detrimental; moreover, he was corroborated. Ahmad also recorded it through Ziyad ibn Saʿd, who said that Abu al-Zinad informed him: Hanzalah ibn ʿAli informed me, from Hamzah ibn ʿAmr al-Aslami, a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who related to him that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him, together with a group of men, against a man from ʿUdhrah. He said: “If you are able to capture so-and-so, burn him with fire.” They set out, and when they had gone out of his sight, he called out to them—or sent someone after them—and brought them back. He then repeated the foregoing.
I say: This is a sound chain of transmission, meeting Muslim’s conditions. The hadith also has a supporting narration from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent us on an expedition and said: “If you find so-and-so and so-and-so, burn them with fire.” Then, when we were about to depart, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I had commanded you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so, but none punishes with fire except Allah. Therefore, if you find them, kill them.” It was recorded by al-Bukhari (6/112–113, Fath), Abu Dawud, and al-Tirmidhi (2/387–