Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَسَمِعْتُهُ أَنَا مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ أَخْبَرَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَمْزَةَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمٌ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أُتِيَ بِحَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْتَ كَتَبْتَ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا تَغَيَّرَ الْإِيمَانُ مِنْ قَلْبِي وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ إِلَّا وَلَهُ جِذْمٌ وَأَهْلُ بَيْتٍ يَمْنَعُونَ لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَكَتَبْتُ كِتَابًا رَجَوْتُ أَنْ يَمْنَعَ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ أَهْلِي فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ائْذَنْ لِي فِيهِ قَالَ أَوَ كُنْتَ قَاتِلَهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِنْ أَذِنْتَ لِي قَالَ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ قَدْ اطَّلَعَ اللَّهُ إِلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ.
English Translation
Abdullah ibn Muhammad told us - and I myself heard it from Abdullah ibn Muhammad: Abu Usamah told us: Umar ibn Hamzah informed us: Salim informed me: Ibn Umar informed me: that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah brought to him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: Did you write this letter? He said: Yes. By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, my faith has not changed in my heart, but there was no man among Quraysh who did not have kinsmen and family who would protect his family for his sake, and I wrote a letter hoping that Allah would thereby protect my family through it. Umar said: Let me deal with him. He said: Would you have killed him? He said: Yes, if you gave me permission. He said: And what do you know - perhaps Allah has looked upon the people of Badr and said: Do as you wish.