‘Ali said “The Messenger of Allaah(ﷺ) sent me Al Zubair and Al Miqdad and said “Go till you come to the meadow of Khakh for there Is a woman there travelling on a Camel who has a letter which you must take from her. We went off racing one another on our horses till we came to the meadow and when we found the woman, we aid “Bring out the letter. She said “I have no letter”. I said “You must bring out the letter else we strip off your clothes”. She then brought it out from the tresses and we took it to the Prophet(ﷺ). It was addressed from Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah to some of the polytheists(in Makkah) giving them some information about the Messenger of Allaah(ﷺ). He asked “What is this, Hatib? He replied, Messenger of Allaah(ﷺ) do not be hasty with me. I have been a man attached as an ally to the Quraish and am not one of them while those of the Quraish (i.e. the emigrants) have relationship with them by which they guarded their family in Makkah. As I did not have that advantage I wanted to give them some help for which they might guard my relations. I swear by Allaah I am not guilty of unbelief or apostasy (from my religion). The Messenger of Allaah(ﷺ) said “he has told you the truth. ‘Umar said “Let me cut off this hypocrite’s head. The Messenger of Allaah(ﷺ) said “He was present at Badr and what do you know, perhaps Allaah might look with pity on those who were present at Badr? And said “Do what you wish, I have forgiven you.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَهُ حَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، - وَكَانَ كَاتِبًا لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا، عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ فَقَالَ " انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ فَخُذُوهُ مِنْهَا فَانْطَلَقْنَا تَتَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الرَّوْضَةَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِالظَّعِينَةِ فَقُلْنَا هَلُمِّي الْكِتَابَ . فَقَالَتْ مَا عِنْدِي مِنْ كِتَابٍ . فَقُلْتُ لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ . فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِذَا هُوَ مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ يُخْبِرُهُمْ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " مَا هَذَا يَا حَاطِبُ " . فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَىَّ فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا وَإِنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَهُمْ بِهَا قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا أَهْلِيهِمْ بِمَكَّةَ فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ يَدًا يَحْمُونَ قَرَابَتِي بِهَا وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا كَانَ بِي مِنْ كُفْرٍ وَلاَ ارْتِدَادٍ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " صَدَقَكُمْ " . فَقَالَ عُمَرُ دَعْنِي أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ " .