It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah that when it was the day of Badr, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: What is your opinion regarding the captives of Badr? Hazrat Abu Bakr said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! (These people) are your own people and tribe. You should seek their survival and their repentance. Perhaps Allah Almighty will turn towards them (i.e., grant them guidance). And Hazrat Umar said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! These people denied you and expelled you (from the city). Bring them forward so that we may strike their necks. And Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! You are in a valley where there is plenty of wood. So kindle a fire in this valley upon them, then throw them into that blazing fire. (Upon this) Abbas said: May Allah sever your ties of kinship. The narrator says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent and did not give any answer to the companions, then he stood up and went inside. People began to say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will accept the opinion of Abu Bakr, and (some) people said: He will accept the opinion of Umar, and (some) people said: He will accept the opinion of Abdullah bin Rawaha. Then the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out and said:“Indeed, Allah Almighty has softened the hearts of some men regarding these (captives), so much so that they have become softer than milk. And He has hardened the hearts of some people regarding them, so much so that they have become harder than stone. And O Abu Bakr! Your example is like that of Ibrahim, he said: { فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِی فَإِنَّہُ مِنِّی، وَمَنْ عَصَانِی فَإِنَّکَ غَفُورٌ رَحِیمٌ}. And your example, O Abu Bakr! is like that of Isa, he said: {إِنْ تُعَذِّبْہُمْ فَإِنَّہُمْ عِبَادُکَ، وَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ لَہُمْ فَإِنَّکَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِیزُ الْحَکِیمُ }. And your example, O Umar! is like that of Musa, he said: { رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَی أَمْوَالِہِمْ، وَاشْدُدْ عَلَی قُلُوبِہِمْ، فَلاَ یُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّی یَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الأَلِیمَ }. And O Umar! your example is like that of Nuh, he said: { رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَی الأَرْضِ مِنَ الْکَافِرِینَ دَیَّارًا }. You people are poor at this time, so none of them will be released except with ransom or by execution.”Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Exempt Suhail bin Bayda, for I have heard him mention Islam. Ibn Mas’ud says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent.“So I have never feared on any day as much as I feared that day that (perhaps) stones might fall upon me from the sky.”Until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Suhail bin Bayda is exempted. (Upon this) Allah Almighty revealed this verse: { مَا کَانَ لِنَبِیٍّ أَنْ یَکُونَ لَہُ أَسْرَی حَتَّی یُثْخِنَ فِی الأَرْضِ } to the end of the verse.