A trade caravan of the Quraish was returning from Syria to Makkah Mukarramah on the last day of the sacred month of Rajab (in which engaging in battle and fighting was declared forbidden). However, mistakenly thinking that it was already the first of Sha’baan, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) launched an attack on this trade caravan of the Quraish.
Hazrat Waaqid bin Abdillah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) shot an arrow at the leader of this caravan, Amr ibnul Hadrami, causing his death. As soon as he died, the travellers of the caravan fled in confusion and despair. The Muslims then seized all their wealth and property, and also captured Uthmaan bin Abdillah and Hakam bin Kaysaan, taking them as prisoners of war.
Until that time, no law had been revealed regarding the distribution of the spoils of war. Purely on the basis of his inference (ijtihaad), Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) divided the booty into five parts. Of that, he distributed four parts among the Mujaahideen, and kept aside the remaining one-fifth for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
When they returned to Madinah Munawwarah and informed Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) of what had transpired, he remarked, “I did not instruct you to fight during the Haraam (sacred) month. Nevertheless, until a divine command is revealed, keep the prisoners and the booty safe.”
Upon this reprimand of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and his companions were extremely remorseful and worried. On the other hand, the disbelievers and the Jews began to say, “Muhammed and his companions have made fighting in the sacred months permissible.” On this occasion, the following verse was revealed:
يَسْئَلُوْنَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ ۖ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيْهِ كَبِيْرٌ ۖ وَصَدٌّ عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِنْدَ اللهِ ۚ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ ۗ وَلَا يَزَالُوْنَ يُقَاتِلُوْنَكُمْ حَتّٰى يَرُدُّوْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِكُمْ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا ۚ
They ask you (O Muhammed [sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam]) about fighting in the sacred month. Say (to them), “Undoubtedly, fighting in this month (deliberately) is a great (sin), but preventing people from the path of Allah, disbelieving in Allah, preventing people from Musjid-ul-Haraam and expelling the people of the Haram from the Haram, all these are far greater sins in the sight of Allah. The fitnah (of kufr and shirk) is far worse than this fighting.” These disbelievers will continue fighting you until they turn you away from your religion, if they have the ability. (Surah Baqarah v. 217)
In essence, mistakenly fighting in this sacred month, due to some confusion and misunderstanding, is not a very serious issue. On the contrary, the fitnah of kufr and shirk, and deliberately preventing the Muslims from entering Musjid-ul-Haraam is a great fitnah, beyond which there is no greater transgression.
After this verse was revealed, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) accepted his one-fifth of the booty, and distributed the remaining four-fifths of the booty among the Mujaahideen.
On hearing this verse, Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and his companions were happy and pleased. Thereafter, hoping for reward, they asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah! Can we also hope to receive reward from this expedition of ours?” Upon this, the following verse was revealed:
إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوْا وَالَّذِيْنَ هَاجَرُوْا وَجَاهَدُوْا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ أُولٰئِكَ يَرْجُوْنَ رَحْمَتَ اللهِ ۚ وَاللهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ
Certainly, those who believed, and those who made hijrah (migrated) and waged jihaad in the path of Allah, such people (should undoubtedly) hope for the mercy of Allah, (and why not when) Allah is All-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Surah Baqarah v. 218)
This was the very first war-booty in Islam, and Amr ibnul Hadrami was the first disbeliever to be slain at the hands of the Muslims.
(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 2/52-54)