الغسل
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Thumāmah al-Hanafi was arrested. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to go to him and say: "What do you expect, Thumāmah?" He would reply: "If you kill me, you will kill someone whose blood will be avenged; if you forgive, you will forgive someone who will be grateful; and if you want money, you will be given as much of it as you wish." The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) preferred ransom because killing such a man would be of no use to them. One day, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed by him and he embraced Islam. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set him free and sent him to an orchard that belonged to Abu Talhah and commanded him to bathe. He bathed and offered two Rak‘ahs. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Your brother is now a good Muslim."
عن أبي هريرة -رضي الله عنه-، أن ثُمَامَة الحَنَفِي أُسِر، فكان النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَغْدُو إليه، فيقول: «ما عندك يا ثُمَامَة؟»، فيقول: إن تَقْتُل تَقْتُل ذَا دَم، وإن تَمُنَّ تَمُنَّ على شَاكِر، وإن تُرِدَّ المال نُعْطِ منه ما شِئْتَ. وكان أصحاب النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يُحِبُّون الفِدَاءَ، ويقولون: ما نَصنع بقَتْل هذا؟ فمرَّ عليه النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يومًا، فأسْلَم، فحَلَّه، وبَعث به إلى حَائِط أبِي طلْحَة، فأَمَرَه أن يغتسل فاغَتَسَل، وصلَّى ركعتين، فقال النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم-: «لقد حَسُن إسلام أخِيكُم».
شرح الحديث :
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Thumāmah (may Allah be pleased with him) was taken prisoner and then tied to one of the pillars of the mosque. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to him three times. Every time, he would ask him: "What do you expect, Thumāmah?" Thumāmah would reply: "If you kill me, you will kill someone whose blood will be avenged; if you forgive, you will forgive someone who will be grateful; and if you want money, you will be given as much of it as you wish." The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) preferred a ransom, whether it would be in the form of money or an exchange of prisoners. Options other than killing this prisoner were useful to the Muslim community. When Thumāmah embraced Islam, the Prophet set him free or asked someone to untie him, and he then sent him to the orchard of Abu Talhah to bathe. So it can be learned from this Hadīth that a new convert has to take a bath. We also know from another Hadīth that when Qays ibn ‘Āsim became Muslim, the Prophet commanded him to take a ritual bath. As Thumāmah bathed and prayed two Rak‘ahs, the Prophet told his Companions that their new brother was now a good Muslim. In this respect, Thumāmah might have done something that elicited this comment from the Prophet, or it is possible that the Prophet was informed of this by divine revelation.