Did Prophet Muhammad Distribute Spoils Unfairly at Hunayn?

Some critics quote the report of a man objecting to the Prophet’s ﷺ distribution after Hunayn as if this is an argument against Islam. In reality, the report proves the opposite. It shows the Prophet’s justice, patience, wisdom in leadership, and his policy of reconciling the hearts of those who had only recently entered Islam.

The Hadith of the Distribution at Hunayn

Another wording states:

The objection is weak. The report does not show injustice. It shows that some people misunderstood the Prophet’s policy because they looked at the distribution like tribal men looking at war booty, not like believers understanding prophetic strategy.

First Response: One Spoiled Date Does Not Condemn the Palm Tree

I do not know whether it is a defect in the tall palm tree that some of its dates are spoiled, despite the abundance of good dates it has produced.

Or has the deceiver hated himself because of his hatred of the truth, until he came to see praise as blame and blame as praise?

The presence of one harsh man who objected does not damage the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, or Islam. Rather, it proves that Islamic sources record events honestly, including the words of those whose understanding was corrupt.

Second Response: Some Arabs Still Thought With Tribal Roughness

A man, or rather a tribe of rough Arabs, had been accustomed to the roughness of the desert and the harshness of desert life. Then Allah sent to them a civilized Prophet from the ancient Arab cities.

They saw in him the signs of prophethood, but it is natural that among them were those who concealed things in their hearts. They did not want to oppose their people openly, so they declared Islam with them and began to deal with the Prophet ﷺ as they would deal with the sheikh of their tribe or the commander of an army.

Despite being given much spoils and goodness, one of them was not satisfied and uttered these words.

His matter was brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ by pure Companions who rejected his words. The Prophet ﷺ then taught them that he had in his brothers from the prophets a good example, and that he would be patient just as they were patient.

The people of Moses, peace be upon him, asked Moses for something greater than this.

So the Prophet ﷺ was not surprised by harshness from people of weak understanding. He placed it in the wider history of prophetic patience.

Third Response: The Forger Accidentally Proved the Prophetic Wisdom

The forger himself transmitted, without realizing it, one of the narrations that he thought would extinguish the sun, but it was the sun itself.

He spoke about enthusiastic youth who thought fighting was only about strength and courage. So the Messenger ﷺ taught them that fighting in Islam is an exceptional case. Its goal is to protect the call, repel harm from the religion, and bring hearts together.

It is not based on love for exterminating the people of the countries they enter.

Fourth Response: Giving to Those Whose Hearts Were to Be Reconciled

To establish this principle, the Messenger ﷺ gave money to people who had recently entered Islam — meaning those who had recently converted from disbelief — as mentioned in the hadith.

The aim was to reconcile their hearts.

As for those whose beliefs were firmly rooted in Islam and faith, they were satisfied with their victory by returning with the Prophet ﷺ instead of returning with money.

They said:

This is the real difference between the firm believer and the weak-hearted newcomer. The weak one needs wealth to stabilize him. The firm believer knows that returning with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is greater than camels, spoils, and worldly gain.