References to Farmers in Letters from the Second Caliph 'Umar ibnu l-Khattab

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Ibnu Abi Shaybah narrates an account by 'Abdullah Ibnu 'Umar, about his father, 'Umar ibnu l-Khattab:

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: كَتَبَ عُمَرُ إِلَى أُمَرَاءِ الْأَجْنَادِ أَنْ لَا تَقْتُلُوا امْرَأَةً وَلَا صَبِيًّا ...

In letters addressed to commanders of the troops, 'Umar wrote: “Do not kill women or children […]”

'Umar ibnu l-Khattab رضي الله عنه (died 23 AH/644 CE) was the second Caliph of the Muslims. His instructions to the troops are likewise to those of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and Abu Bakr before him.

In another narration found in the Sunan of Sa'id ibnu Mansur, it is reported: When 'Umar ibnu l-Khattab called upon the Muslims to march to Persia under the command of Salamah ibnu Qais al-Ashja'i رضي الله عنه, he said:

لَا تَغُلُّوا، وَلَا تَغْدِرُوا، وَلَا تُمَثِّلُوا، وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا امْرَأَةً، وَلَا صَبِيًّا، وَلَا شَيْخًا هِمًّا ...

Do not defraud, nor breach trusts. And do not kill women, nor children, nor the elderly […]

In the same book, a different narration on the authority of the Tabi'i²¹ Zaid ibnu Wahb رحمه الله (died 83 AH/702 CE) is referenced. This narration can also be found in the Musannaf of Ibnu Abi Shaybah. The Tabi'i recounts that he was present when a letter from 'Umar ibnu l-Khattab arrived. The letter goes as follows:

عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ: كَتَبَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ [وعند ابن أبي شيبة: أَتَانَا كِتَابُ عُمَرَ] «لَا تَغُلُّوا، وَلَا تَغْدِرُوا، وَلَا تُمَثِّلُوا، وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا وَلِيدًا، وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فِي الْفَلَّاحِينَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَنْصُبُونَ لَكُمُ الْحَرْبَ»

Do not defraud, nor breach trusts, nor kill a child. Do not desecrate corpses and fear Allah concerning the farmers (and workers in the fields), who are themselves not fighting you.²²