The Prophet of Allah (PBUH) refrained from killing them for the benefit of Islam

“We were along with the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, on an expedition and a man from the Muhaajiroon (the Emigrants) attacked the back of the people of the Ansaar, so the latter said: ‘O people from the Ansaar (help)!’ And in return the former said: ‘O people of the Muhaajiroon (help)!’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, heard this and said: “What is wrong with people calling the proclamations [or slogans] of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance?” People said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, ‘A man from the Muhaajiroon struck at the back of the people of the Ansaar.’ Thereupon, the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, heard this and said: “Abandon it [the slogans of the pre-Islamic era] for it is something disgusting.” ‘Ab- dullaah ibn Ubayy heard it and said: ‘They have indeed done it. By Allah, when we would return to Madinah the respectable amongst them (the Ansaar) would turn away the mean (the Emigrants).’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was told of this. Thereupon ‘Umar said: ‘Permit me so that I strike the neck of this hypocrite.’ But the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Leave him, so that the people may not say that Mu- hammad kills his companions.””1

“He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘No, but announce to people that we will leave.’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, left at a time when he was not supposed to leave2 . He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saw Usayd ibn Hudhayr who asked him about this, and he replied: ‘Rather you are the most respectable and honorable, O Messenger of Allah, and he is the humiliated one.’ ‘Abdullaah, the son of Ibn Salool (who was a true Mus- lim) came to know about what his father had said; so he went to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: ‘I came to know that you want to kill my father because of what he had said about you. If you are truly planning to do so, then I will bring his head to you (i.e. behead him). The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “No, rather, we will be kind to him and lenient with him so long as he is living with us.””1

“His son ‘Abdullah said to him (i.e. to his father): ‘I swear by Allah, you will never return to Madinah until you admit that you are the humiliated one and that the Messenger of Allah,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is the honorable one, so he did (admitted to what his son wanted to him to admit to).”