Sulaiman bin Buraidah narrated on the authority of his father on the authority of 'A'ishah (RAA), "Whenever Allah's Messenger appointed a commander over an army or a Sariyah, he would instruct him to fear Allah in his own behavior and consider the welfare of the Muslims who were with him. He then used to say "Go out for Jihad in Allah's name, in the Cause of Allah, and fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Go out for Jihad and do not indulge in Ghulul, or be treacherous or mutilate (dead bodies) or kill a child. When you meet your enemy, or the polytheists, invite them to three courses of action, and accept whichever of them they are willing to agree to, and withhold from doing anything else:
Call them to Islam, and if they agree accept it from them. Then invite them to migrate from their land to the land of the Emigrants (i.e. al-Madinah), if they refuse, then tell them they will be like the Muslim desert Arabs, thus they will have no right in the Ghanimah or Fai' unless they participate in Jihad with the Muslims. If they refuse (to accept Islam) order them to pay the Jizyah and if they agree, accept it from them. If they refuse, seek Allah, the Most High's help against them and fight them. When you besiege a fortress, and its people wish you to grant them the protection of Allah and His Prophet, grant them neither but grant them your protection, for it is less serious (a lesser guilt) to break your guarantee of protection than to break that of Allah's. And if they offer to capitulate under the condition that they are subjected to the judgment of Allah, do not grant them this, but judge according to your own command, for you do not know whether or not you will be able to carry out Allah, the Most High's Judgment regarding them." Related by Muslim.
