xecuted. The word '_hatta_' means '_until_,' and is also
used as a causative word. I prefer the latter, and translate--

"It is not for any Prophet that prisoners may be brought to him _in
order_ that he may make slaughter in the land," which means, that it is
not proper for a Prophet to take prisoners of war in order to slaughter
them. This meaning is in consonance with the other passage in the Koran
(xlvii, 4), which restricts the treatment of the prisoners of war to
either free dismissal or ransom.

In the first place, the verse rather reprimanded those who wished to
kill the prisoners; and in the second, those who desired to exact ransom
for their liberty. They ought to have set them at liberty without any
pecuniary advantage, if they knew any good in their deserving free
liberty.

[Footnote 244: _Ibid_, p. 117.]

_Kind Treatment of the Prisoners of War by Mohammad._

[Sidenote: 67. The Koran enjoins, the prisoners of war to be either
freely liberated or ransomed, but neither executed nor enslaved.]

The prisoners of war were always treated kindly by Mohammad, and the
ancient practice of killing and enslaving them was much discouraged and
abolished by the Koran.

"And when ye meet those who misbelieve, then strike off heads until ye
have massacred them, and bind fast the bonds!"

"Then either a free grant (of liberty) or a ransom until the war shall
have laid down its burdens."--Sura, xlvii, 4 and 5.

Regarding the prisoners of Badr Sir W. Muir writes: "In pursuance of
Mahomet's commands, the citizens of Medina, and such of the refugees as
possessed houses, received the prisoners and treated them with much
consideration." "Blessing be on the men of Medina!" said these prisoners
in latter days. "They made us ride, while they themselves walked; they
gave us wheatened bread to eat, when there was little of it, contenting
themselves with dates." It is not surprising that when, some time after,
their friends came to ransom them, several of the prisoners who had been
thus received declared themselves adherents of Islam: and to such the
Prophet granted a liberty without the usual payment.[245]

The prisoners of the Bani Mustalik were released without paying any
ransom.[246]

The Bani Hawazin were made prisoners of war at Honain, fought in the
eighth year of the Hegira, but were all set free without any exaction of
ransom from them. Mohammad first released his prisoners, and the men of
Mecca and Medina cheerf