The affair of the Badr prisoners

What followed Badr — the question of some seventy Quraysh captives: counsel of ransom against death, then ransom; whoever had no ransom taught ten of Medina's boys to write.

What followed Badr — the question of some seventy Quraysh captives: the Prophet ﷺ divided them among his Companions charging good treatment, the book saying they served captives bread and kept to dates. He consulted Abu Bakr and Umar: Abu Bakr counseled ransom to strengthen the Muslims, Umar striking necks; the Prophet preferred Abu Bakr's view and took ransom — a thousand to four thousand dirhams, and whoever had none taught ten of Medina's boys writing. Favor without ransom went to al-Muttalib ibn Hantab, Sayfi ibn Abi Rifa'a and Abu Uzza al-Jumahi; Abu al-As was freed for a ransom Zaynab sent — a necklace of Khadija's — on condition he release her, and she migrated; Amr ibn Abi Sufyan was exchanged for Sa'd ibn al-Nu'man held in Mecca. A rebuke came down in al-Anfal 67–68, then the verse of Muhammad ruled for favor or ransom.

What followed Badr — the question of some seventy Quraysh captives: counsel of ransom against death, then ransom, the execution of two captives, and the Qur'anic comment on the decision. The Prophet divided them among his Companions charging them with good treatment; the book says they served captives bread and kept to dates. He consulted Abu Bakr and Umar: Abu Bakr counseled ransom to strengthen the Muslims, hoping God might guide them; Umar counseled striking necks. The Prophet preferred Abu Bakr's view and took ransom — between a thousand and four thousand dirhams; whoever had none was freed to teach ten of Medina's boys writing. Favor without ransom went to al-Muttalib ibn Hantab, Sayfi ibn Abi Rifa'a and Abu Uzza al-Jumahi; Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi' was freed for a ransom Zaynab sent — a necklace of Khadija's — on condition he release her, and she migrated. The Prophet refused a suggestion to pull Suhayl ibn Amr's front teeth, guarding against mutilation; Amr ibn Abi Sufyan was exchanged for Sa'd ibn al-Nu'man held in Mecca. Al-Nadr ibn al-Harith, bearer of the polytheists' banner that day, was executed at al-Safra' by Ali's hand, and Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt at Ira al-Zabya by Asim ibn Thabit (may God be pleased with him) — or Ali, it is said. Over the counsel a rebuke came down in al-Anfal 67–68, then the verse of Muhammad 4 ruled for favor or ransom; the book reports Ibn al-Jawzi's Umar saying the verse agreed with him. Ali relates that of Banu Abd al-Muttalib they took al-Abbas, Aqil and Nawfal ibn al-Harith captive.