Relations with non-Muslims - Teachings of the Prophet of Mercy(Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 Fair treatment of non-Muslim prisoners of war

Muslims have made history by fairly treating even prisoners of war, although prisoners are considered criminals.  They are treated in a very abominable manner.  The past few decades have provided us various examples of this.  But Islam has set an example about treating them kindly.

The prisoners of the Battle of Badr who had held nothing back in troubling and torturing Muslims, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) distributed them among the Companions and gave instructions that they should be treated with kindness.

قال أبو عزيز… فكانوا إذا قدموا غذاءهم وعشاءهم خصوني بالخبز وأكلوا التمر، لوصية رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إياهم بنا، ما تقع في يد رجل منهم كسرة خبز إلا نفحني بها، قال: فأستحيي

Translation: Abu ‘Aziz bin ‘Umair who was the standard-bearer of the Makkan army relates:  I was given to an Ansari (i.e. Madinite) Companion.  He was so meticulous in this that he gave me bread to eat while he himself subsisted on dates.  If his family managed to lay their hands even on one piece of bread, they would not eat it but hand it over to me.  This kindness embarrassed me.[1]