Someone told me that Abdullah ibn Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) would never fight any nation until he had already conveyed the Da’wah of Islam to them. Here are the references for the Hadith. Abdur Razzaq, Hakim, Ahmad and Tabrani as quoted in Nasbur Ra’yah.
It may also be in Kanzul Ummal and Bayhaqi (Vol.9 Pg.107).
Are these from one chain, and is it authentic?
He shared another narration too. Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Aidh (radiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that whenever Rasulullah dispatched a battalion, he would brief them thus, “Gain the confidence of people and do not attack them until you have called them to Islam. If you bring to me the residents of every baked and unbaked home (of every city and village) on earth as Muslims, it would please me more than you killing their men and bringing their women and children to me as captives.” Ibn Mandah and Ibn Asakir as quoted in Kanzul Ummal (Vol.2 Pg.294).
Also reported by Ibn Shaheen and Baghawi as mentioned in Isabah (Vol.3 Pg.152) and by Tirmidhi (Vol.1 Pg.195).
Is the above Hadith authentic too?
Answer
It is well established, from several sources that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) always emphasised inviting the people to Islam before engaging in battle with them. In fact, the actual reason for the Sahabah going in Allah’s path was exactly this; to invite the people to Islam.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) -as well as other Hadith authors- have dedicated chapters to this practice. See Sahih Bukhari, before Hadith: 2938.
The narrators of the first Hadith in question have been declared as authentic (rijalus sahih) by ‘Allamah Haythami (rahimahullah)
(Majma’uz Zawaid, vol.5 pg.304)
The second Hadith in your question (reported by ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Aidh) is also found in Musnad Musaddad, with a reliable chain that is mursal (broken after the Tabi’i; i.e, in which the Tabi’i attributes the Hadith directly to Rasulullah -sallallahu’alayhi wasallam).
(See Al-Matalibul ‘Aliyah, Hadith: 2019 and Ithaful Khiyarah, Hadith: 6002)
Such a Hadith acceptable especially since it has numerous supports.
Note: The narrator of the second Hadith: ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Aidh (rahimahullah) is more accurately classified as a Tabi’i and not a Sahabi.
(Taqribut Tahdhib)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar