"I swear to you by Allah! You know that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'The blood of a Muslim man is not lawful, except for one of three (cases):Illegitimate sexual relations after Ihsan (having been married), or apostasy after Islam, or taking a life without right, for which he is killed.' By Allah! I have never committed illegitimate sexual relations, not during Jahiliyyah nor during Islam, and I have not committed apostasy since I gave my pledge to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), and I have not taken a life that Allah had made unlawful. So for what do you fight me?"'

I (Hudhaifah) asked : Will any be spared after the use of the sword ? He replied: There will be remnant with specks in its eye and an illusory truce. He then transmitted the rest of the tradition. Qatadah applied this to the apostasy during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr.

The word aqdha' (sing. qadhan) means specks, hudnah means truce and dakhan means malice.

I asked him about how they came to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr and he said - when telling him about what the Ansar said and what Abu Bakr said to them and what `Umar bin al-Khattab said to the Ansar when he reminded them that he had led them in prayer on the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he was sick. They swore allegiance to me because of that and I Accepted it from them, but I was concerned that there would be turmoil that would lead to apostasy,

‘Ali said “The Apostle of Allaah(saws) 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(saws). It was addressed from Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah to some of the polytheists(in Makkah) giving them some information about the Apostle of Allaah(saws). He asked “What is this, Hatib? He replied, Apostle of Allaah(saws) 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 Apostle of Allaah(saws) said “he has told you the truth. ‘Umar said “Let me cut off this hypocrite’s head. The Apostle of Allaah(saws) 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.”

I heard 'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) as saying: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent me and Zubair and Miqdad saying: Go to the garden of, Khakh [it is a place between Medina and Mecca at a distance of twelve miles from Medina] and there you will find a woman riding a camel. She would be in possession of a letter, which you must get from her. So we rushed on horses and when we met that woman, we asked her to deliver that letter to us. She said: There is no letter with me. We said: Either bring out that letter or we would take off your clothes. She brought out that letter from (the plaited hair of) her head. We delivered that letter to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in which Hatib b. Abu Balta'a had informed some people amongst the polytheists of Mecca about the affairs of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Hatib, what is this? He said: Allah's messenger, do not be hasty in judging my intention. I was a person attached to the Quraish. Sufyan said: He was their ally but had no relationship with them. (Hatib further said): Those who are with you amongst the emigrants have blood-relationship with them (the Quraish) and thus they would protect their families. I wished that when I had no blood-relationship with them I should find some supporters from (amongst them) who would help my family. I have not done this because of any unbelief or apostasy and I have no liking for the unbelief after I have (accepted) Islam. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: You have told the truth. 'Umar said: Allah's Messenger, permit me to strike the neck of this hypocrite. But he (the Holy Prophet) said: He was a participant in Badr and you little know that Allah revealed about the people of Badr: Do what you like for there is forgiveness for you. And Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said:" O you who believe, do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends" (lx. 1). And there is no mention of this verse in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Abu Bakr and Zubair and Ishaq has in his narration made a mention of the recitation of this verse by Sufyan.