The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, acted in a good manner towards them, even if they were captives, just to preserve their status and out of hope that they would accept Islam

“The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sent some horsemen in the direction of Najd, and they brought back a man from Banu Haneefah. They did not know who he was until they went to the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and he told them: ‘Do you know who you have captured? This is Thumaamah ibn Uthaal Al-Hanafi (he was the chief of the people of Yamaamah), so be good to him while he is a captive.’ They then tied him to a pole in the mosque (and the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, went back to his family and said: ‘Gather whatever food you have, then send it to me.’ He also ordered that a she-camel be brought close to him by day and by night so that he could milk it.) The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then went to Thumaamah and said: ‘What is your situation O Thumaamah?’ He replied: ‘I have only what is righteous (to say), O Muhammad. If you were to kill me, you would kill someone worthy of being killed [because he killed someone, so killing him would be a fair judgment], if you are kind, you would be kind to someone grateful, also, if you want money, then ask and you will be given whatever it is you want.’ Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, left him for two days and then went to him and said: ‘What is your situation, O Thumaamah.’ Thumaamah repeated the same thing again to him. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then left him alone until the next day and repeated whatever he said in the first day, and Thumaamah responded the same way. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then said: ‘Free Thumaamah.’ When they freed him, he went to a date-palm tree close to the mosque and bathed, then entered the mosque and said: ‘I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger. O Muhammad, by Allah, there was no one on the face of the earth whose face I hated more than your face, and now it has become the most beloved face to me; by Allah there was no religion more hated by than your religion, and now it is the most beloved religion to me; by Allah, there was no city more hated by me than your city, and now it is the most beloved city to me. Your horsemen captured me while I was on the way to performing `Umrah, so what do you think?’ The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave him glad tidings and ordered him to continue with his `Umrah. When he went to Makkah, `someone said to him, ‘You have become a Sabian,’ to which he replied: ‘Rather, I have accepted Islam with Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and by Allah, no piece of wheat will come to you from Al-Yamaamah until the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gives permission for it to come here.’”