Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “God is charmed with people who will enter paradise in chains.”* A version has, “who will be led to paradise in chains.”
*This is explained as meaning non-Muslims who are taken prisoner and accept Islam.
A spy of the polytheists who came to the Prophet when he was on a journey sat and talked with his companions and afterwards withdrew. The Prophet then said, “Look for him and kill him,” so I killed him and the Prophet gave me the spoil taken from him.
God’s Messenger sent us with a detachment and the people wheeled round in flight, so when we came to Medina we hid in it thinking that we had become corrupted.1 Then we went to God’s Messenger and told him we were those who had fled, but he replied, “No, you are the ones who return to fight after wheeling away, and I am your main body.”2
1. Literally “had perished.” They thought that they had committed a serious sin by turning in flight.
2. The word fi’a is here used. The suggestion is that to withdraw to join one’s unit stationed in the rear is not flying from the enemy. Cf. Al-Qur’an; 8:16.
Tirmidhi transmitted it. Abu Dawud’s version has something similar. He said, “No, you are the ones who return to fight after wheeling away.” We then approached and kissed his hand, and he said, “I am the main body of the Muslims.”
