English Translation

Yazid told us: Ibn Awn informed us, who said: I wrote to Nafi' asking him what kept Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, from going out on military expeditions, or from being among the people when they went to war, calling out to the enemy before fighting them, and whether a man could charge into the battle formation without his commander's permission. He wrote back to me: Ibn Umar's son used to go on military expeditions, and he would carry burdens on his back; and he used to say: 'The best deed after prayer is jihad in the way of Allah, Exalted is He.' Nothing kept Ibn Umar from going out on expeditions except the responsibilities left to him by Umar, young children, and much property to manage. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, raided the Banu al-Mustaliq while they were unaware, watering their livestock; he killed their fighting men and took their captives, and he acquired Juwayriyyah bint al-Harith. He said: Ibn Umar told me this hadith, and he was in that army. In the early days of Islam they used to be called upon before being attacked; but as for the individual man, he does not charge into the battle formation except with his commander's permission.