The Reciter: Isma'il ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, Wahb ibn Jarir ibn Hazim narrated to us, my father narrated to me, saying: I heard Qays narrating from Yazid ibn Hurmuz. And Muhammad ibn Hatim narrated to me, and the wording is his, saying: Bahz narrated to us, Jarir ibn Hazim narrated to us, Qays ibn Sa'd narrated to me from Yazid ibn Hurmuz, saying:
It has been narrated on the anthority of Yazid b. Hurmuz who said: Najda wrote to Ibn Abbas. I was sitting in the company of Ibn 'Abbas when he read his letter and wrote its reply. Ibn Abbas said: Were it not for preventing him from falling into wickedness. I would not have replied to his letter, may he never be joyful. He wrote in reply to him referring to the share of the close relatives (of the Holy Prophet) (from the booty) whom God has mentioned. (I have to tell you that) we thought we were the close relatives of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but our people have refused to recognise us as such. You have asked about the orphan as to when his orphanhood comes to an end. (I have to say that) when he reaches the age of marriage, attains maturity of mind, and his property is returned to him, then he is no longer an orphan. You have inquired whether the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upo him) used to kill anyone from the children of the polytheists in the war. (You should know that) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used not to kill any one of their children, and you (too) should not kill any one of them, except when you knew about them what Khadir had known about the boy whom he killed. And you have inquired whether there is a fixed share of the booty for women and slaves when they participate in a battle. (I have to tell you that) there is no fixed share for them except that they will be given some reward from the spoils of war.
كَتَبَ نَجْدَةُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ : فَشَهِدْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ حِينَ قَرَأَ كِتَابَهُ، وَحِينَ كَتَبَ جَوَابَهُ، وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ : وَاللهِ لَوْلَا أَنْ أَرُدَّهُ عَنْ نَتْنٍ يَقَعُ فِيهِ مَا كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ، وَلَا نُعْمَةَ عَيْنٍ، قَالَ : فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّكَ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ سَهْمِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ مَنْ هُمْ؟ وَإِنَّا كُنَّا نَرَى أَنَّ قَرَابَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هُمْ نَحْنُ، فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا قَوْمُنَا، وَسَأَلْتَ عَنِ الْيَتِيمِ مَتَى يَنْقَضِي يُتْمُهُ؟ وَإِنَّهُ إِذَا بَلَغَ النِّكَاحَ، وَأُونِسَ مِنْهُ رُشْدٌ، وَدُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَالُهُ، فَقَدِ انْقَضَى يُتْمُهُ، وَسَأَلْتَ هَلْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْتُلُ مِنْ صِبْيَانِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَحَدًا؟ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَقْتُلُ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا، وَأَنْتَ فَلَا تَقْتُلْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا، إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تَعْلَمُ مِنْهُمْ مَا عَلِمَ الْخَضِرُ مِنَ الْغُلَامِ حِينَ قَتَلَهُ، وَسَأَلْتَ عَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَالْعَبْدِ هَلْ كَانَ لَهُمَا سَهْمٌ مَعْلُومٌ إِذَا حَضَرُوا الْبَأْسَ؟ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ سَهْمٌ مَعْلُومٌ، إِلَّا أَنْ يُحْذَيَا مِنْ غَنَائِمِ الْقَوْمِ .
