|
This article or section is being renovated.
Lead = 2 / 4
Structure = 3 / 4
Content = 4 / 4
Language = 4 / 4
References = 4 / 4
Lead
2 / 4
|
Structure
3 / 4
|
Content
4 / 4
|
Language
4 / 4
|
References
4 / 4
|
|
According to the Islamic tradition, the early Muslim community faced numerous threats and were in a near constant state of war with their neighbors. As such Muhammad utilized many stratagems of war against his enemies, including targeted assassination orders as well as at least one recorded case of mass execution of a troubling tribe of Jews. The sira tradition also portrays Muhammad as having been sensitive to criticism, particularly from poets, and he ordered that a number of poets who had made verses inveighing against him or mocking him should be executed.
Reputation
The Affair of Ka'b B. Zuhayr After the Departure from al-Ta'if:
When the apostle arrived (at Medina) after his departure from aI-Ta'if Bujayr b. Zuhayr b. Abu Sulma wrote to his brother Ka'b telling him that the apostle had killed some of the men in Mecca who had satirized and insulted him and that the Quraysh poets who were left--Ibn aI-Ziba'ra and Hubayra b. Abu Wahb--had fled in all directions.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 597, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 501, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Divine Dispensation for Killing
God said, 'It is not for any prophet,' i.e. before thee, 'to take prisoners' from his enemies 'until he has made slaughter in the earth,' i.e. slaughtered his enemies until he drives them from the land. 'You desire the lure of this world,' i.e.: its goods, the ransom of the captives. 'But God desires the next world,' i.e. their killing them to manifest the religion which He wishes to manifest and by which the next world may be attained.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 326-327, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 676, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Individuals
Assassination of Musaylimah
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
Harithah ibn Mudarrib said that he came to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and said (to him): There is no enmity between me and any of the Arabs. I passed a mosque of Banu Hanifah. They (the people) believed in Musaylimah. Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud) sent for them. They were brought, and he asked them to repent, except Ibn an-Nawwahah. He said to him: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: Were it not that you were not a messenger, I would behead you. But today you are not a messenger. He then ordered Qarazah ibn Ka'b (to kill him). He beheaded him in the market. Anyone who wants to see Ibn an-Nawwahah slain in the market (he may see him).
Assassination of `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul al-`Aufi
Narrated 'Aisha: Whenever Allah's Apostle intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots amongst his wives, and Allah's Apostle used to take with him the one on whom lot fell. He drew lots amongst us during one of the Ghazwat which he fought. The lot fell on me and so I proceeded with Allah's Apostle after Allah's order of veiling (the women) had been revealed. I was carried (on the back of a camel) in my howdah and carried down while still in it (when we came to a halt). So we went on till Allah's Apostle had finished from that Ghazwa of his and returned.
When we approached the city of Medina he announced at night that it was time for departure. So when they announced the news of departure, I got up and went away from the army camps, and after finishing from the call of nature, I came back to my riding animal. I touched my chest to find that my necklace which was made of Zifar beads (i.e. Yemenite beads partly black and partly white) was missing. So I returned to look for my necklace and my search for it detained me. (In the meanwhile) the people who used to carry me on my camel, came and took my howdah and put it on the back of my camel on which I used to ride, as they considered that I was in it. In those days women were light in weight for they did not get fat, and flesh did not cover their bodies in abundance as they used to eat only a little food. Those people therefore, disregarded the lightness of the howdah while lifting and carrying it; and at that time I was still a young girl. They made the camel rise and all of them left (along with it). I found my necklace after the army had gone.
Then I came to their camping place to find no call maker of them, nor one who would respond to the call. So I intended to go to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would miss me and come back to me (in my search). While I was sitting in my resting place, I was overwhelmed by sleep and slept. Safwan bin Al-Muattal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army. When he reached my place in the morning, he saw the figure of a sleeping person and he recognized me on seeing me as he had seen me before the order of compulsory veiling (was prescribed). So I woke up when he recited Istirja' (i.e. "Inna lillahi wa inna llaihi raji'un") as soon as he recognized me. I veiled my face with my head cover at once, and by Allah, we did not speak a single word, and I did not hear him saying any word besides his Istirja'. He dismounted from his camel and made it kneel down, putting his leg on its front legs and then I got up and rode on it. Then he set out leading the camel that was carrying me till we overtook the army in the extreme heat of midday while they were at a halt (taking a rest). (Because of the event) some people brought destruction upon themselves and the one who spread the Ifk (i.e. slander) more, was 'Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul."
(Urwa said, "The people propagated the slander and talked about it in his (i.e. 'Abdullah's) presence and he confirmed it and listened to it and asked about it to let it prevail." Urwa also added, "None was mentioned as members of the slanderous group besides ('Abdullah) except Hassan bin Thabit and Mistah bin Uthatha and Hamna bint Jahsh along with others about whom I have no knowledge, but they were a group as Allah said. It is said that the one who carried most of the slander was 'Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul." Urwa added, "'Aisha disliked to have Hassan abused in her presence and she used to say, 'It was he who said: My father and his (i.e. my father's) father and my honor are all for the protection of Muhammad's honor from you.").
'Aisha added, "After we returned to Medina, I became ill for a month. The people were propagating the forged statements of the slanderers while I was unaware of anything of all that, but I felt that in my present ailment, I was not receiving the same kindness from Allah's Apostle as I used to receive when I got sick. (But now) Allah's Apostle would only come, greet me and say,' How is that (lady)?' and leave. That roused my doubts, but I did not discover the evil (i.e. slander) till I went out after my convalescence, I went out with Um Mistah to Al-Manasi' where we used to answer the call of nature and we used not to go out (to answer the call of nature) except at night, and that was before we had latrines near our houses. And this habit of our concerning evacuating the bowels, was similar to the habits of the old 'Arabs living in the deserts, for it would be troublesome for us to take latrines near our houses. So I and Um Mistah who was the daughter of Abu Ruhm bin Al-Muttalib bin Abd Manaf, whose mother was the daughter of Sakhr bin 'Amir and the aunt of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and whose son was Mistah bin Uthatha bin 'Abbas bin Al-Muttalib, went out. I and Um Mistah returned to my house after we finished answering the call of nature. Um Mistah stumbled by getting her foot entangled in her covering sheet and on that she said, 'Let Mistah be ruined!' I said, 'What a hard word you have said. Do you abuse a man who took part in the battle of Badr?' On that she said, 'O you Hantah! Didn't you hear what he (i.e. Mistah) said? 'I said, 'What did he say?'
Then she told me the slander of the people of Ifk. So my ailment was aggravated, and when I reached my home, Allah's Apostle came to me, and after greeting me, said, 'How is that (lady)?' I said, 'Will you allow me to go to my parents?' as I wanted to be sure about the news through them. Allah's Apostle allowed me (and I went to my parents) and asked my mother, 'O mother! What are the people talking about?' She said, 'O my daughter! Don't worry, for scarcely is there a charming woman who is loved by her husband and whose husband has other wives besides herself that they (i.e. women) would find faults with her.' I said, 'Subhan-Allah! (I testify the uniqueness of Allah). Are the people really talking in this way?' I kept on weeping that night till dawn I could neither stop weeping nor sleep then in the morning again, I kept on weeping. When the Divine Inspiration was delayed.
Allah's Apostle called 'Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin Zaid to ask and consult them about divorcing me. Usama bin Zaid said what he knew of my innocence, and the respect he preserved in himself for me. Usama said, '(O Allah's Apostle!) She is your wife and we do not know anything except good about her.' 'Ali bin Abi Talib said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Allah does not put you in difficulty and there are plenty of women other than she, yet, ask the maid-servant who will tell you the truth.' On that Allah's Apostle called Barira (i.e. the maid-servant) and said, 'O Barira! Did you ever see anything which aroused your suspicion?' Barira said to him, 'By Him Who has sent you with the Truth. I have never seen anything in her (i.e. Aisha) which I would conceal, except that she is a young girl who sleeps leaving the dough of her family exposed so that the domestic goats come and eat it.'
So, on that day, Allah's Apostle got up on the pulpit and complained about 'Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Salul) before his companions, saying, 'O you Muslims! Who will relieve me from that man who has hurt me with his evil statement about my family? By Allah, I know nothing except good about my family and they have blamed a man about whom I know nothing except good and he used never to enter my home except with me.' Sad bin Mu'adh the brother of Banu 'Abd Al-Ashhal got up and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! I will relieve you from him; if he is from the tribe of Al-Aus, then I will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, i.e. Al-Khazraj, then order us, and we will fulfill your order.' On that, a man from Al-Khazraj got up. Um Hassan, his cousin, was from his branch tribe, and he was Sad bin Ubada, chief of Al-Khazraj. Before this incident, he was a pious man, but his love for his tribe goaded him into saying to Sad (bin Mu'adh). 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you shall not and cannot kill him. If he belonged to your people, you would not wish him to be killed.'
On that, Usaid bin Hudair who was the cousin of Sad (bin Mu'adh) got up and said to Sad bin 'Ubada, 'By Allah! You are a liar! We will surely kill him, and you are a hypocrite arguing on the behalf of hypocrites.' On this, the two tribes of Al-Aus and Al Khazraj got so much excited that they were about to fight while Allah's Apostle was standing on the pulpit. Allah's Apostle kept on quietening them till they became silent and so did he. All that day I kept on weeping with my tears never ceasing, and I could never sleep.
In the morning my parents were with me and I wept for two nights and a day with my tears never ceasing and I could never sleep till I thought that my liver would burst from weeping. So, while my parents were sitting with me and I was weeping, an Ansari woman asked me to grant her admittance. I allowed her to come in, and when she came in, she sat down and started weeping with me. While we were in this state, Allah's Apostle came, greeted us and sat down. He had never sat with me since that day of the slander. A month had elapsed and no Divine Inspiration came to him about my case. Allah's Apostle then recited Tashah-hud and then said, 'Amma Badu, O 'Aisha! I have been informed so-and-so about you; if you are innocent, then soon Allah will reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and ask Him for forgiveness for when a slave confesses his sins and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah accepts his repentance.'
When Allah's Apostle finished his speech, my tears ceased flowing completely that I no longer felt a single drop of tear flowing. I said to my father, 'Reply to Allah's Apostle on my behalf concerning what he has said.' My father said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle .' Then I said to my mother, 'Reply to Allah's Apostle on my behalf concerning what he has said.' She said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle.' In spite of the fact that I was a young girl and had a little knowledge of Quran, I said, 'By Allah, no doubt I know that you heard this (slanderous) speech so that it has been planted in your hearts (i.e. minds) and you have taken it as a truth. Now if I tell you that I am innocent, you will not believe me, and if confess to you about it, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will surely believe me. By Allah, I find no similitude for me and you except that of Joseph's father when he said, '(For me) patience in the most fitting against that which you assert; it is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought.' Then I turned to the other side and lay on my bed; and Allah knew then that I was innocent and hoped that Allah would reveal my innocence. But, by Allah, I never thought that Allah would reveal about my case, Divine Inspiration, that would be recited (forever) as I considered myself too unworthy to be talked of by Allah with something of my concern, but I hoped that Allah's Apostle might have a dream in which Allah would prove my innocence. But, by Allah, before Allah's Apostle left his seat and before any of the household left, the Divine inspiration came to Allah's Apostle.
So there overtook him the same hard condition which used to overtake him, (when he used to be inspired Divinely). The sweat was dropping from his body like pearls though it was a wintry day and that was because of the weighty statement which was being revealed to him. When that state of Allah's Apostle was over, he got up smiling, and the first word he said was, 'O 'Aisha! Allah has declared your innocence!' Then my Mother said to me, 'Get up and go to him (i.e. Allah's Apostle). I replied, 'By Allah, I will not go to him, and I praise none but Allah. So Allah revealed the ten Verses:-- "Verily! They who spread the slander Are a gang, among you............." (24.11-20)
Allah revealed those Quranic Verses to declare my innocence. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq who used to disburse money for Mistah bin Uthatha because of his relationship to him and his poverty, said, 'By Allah, I will never give to Mistah bin Uthatha anything after what he has said about Aisha.' Then Allah revealed:--
"And let not those among you who are good and wealthy swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, those in need, and those who have left their homes for Allah's cause, let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is oft-Forgiving Most Merciful." (24.22)
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said, 'Yes, by Allah, I would like that Allah forgive me.' and went on giving Mistah the money he used to give him before. He also added, 'By Allah, I will never deprive him of it at all.'
Aisha further said:." Allah's Apostle also asked Zainab bint Jahsh (i.e. his wife) about my case. He said to Zainab, 'What do you know and what did you see?" She replied, "O Allah's Apostle! I refrain from claiming falsely that I have heard or seen anything. By Allah, I know nothing except good (about 'Aisha).' From amongst the wives of the Prophet Zainab was my peer (in beauty and in the love she received from the Prophet) but Allah saved her from that evil because of her piety. Her sister Hamna, started struggling on her behalf and she was destroyed along with those who were destroyed. The man who was blamed said, 'Subhan-Allah! By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, I have never uncovered the cover (i.e. veil) of any female.' Later on the man was martyred in Allah's Cause."
Assassination of Abu `Afak
Salim b. 'Umary's Expedition to Kill Abu 'Afak:
Abu 'Afak was one of B. 'Amr b. 'Auf of the B. 'Ubayda clan. He showed his disaffection when the apostle killed al-Harith b. Suwayd b. Samit and said:
- Long have I lived but never have I seen
- An assembly or collection of people
- More faithful to their understanding
- And their allies when called upon
- That the sons of Qayla when they assembled,
- Men who overthrew mountains and never submitted.
- A rider who came to them split them in two (saying)
- 'Permitted', 'Forbidden' of all sorts of things.
- Had you believed in glory or kinship
- You would have followed Tubba'.
The apostle said, 'Who will deal with this rascal for me?' whereupon Salim b. 'Umayr, brother of B. 'Amr b. 'Auf one of the 'weepers', went forth and killed him. Umama b. Muzayriya said concerning that:
- You gave the lie to God's religion and the man Ahmad!
- By him who was your father, evil is the son he produced!
- A hanif gave you a thrust in the night saying
- 'Take that Abu 'Afak in spite of your age!'
- Though I knew whether it was man or jinn
- Who slew you in the dead of night (I would say naught).
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 675, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 635-636, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Then occurred the "sariyyah" [raid] of Salim Ibn Umayr al-Amri against Abu Afak, the Jew, in [the month of] Shawwal in the beginning of the twentieth month from the hijrah [immigration from Mecca to Medina in AD 622], of the Apostle of Allah. Abu Afak, was from Banu Amr Ibn Awf, and was an old man who had attained the age of one hundred and twenty years. He was a Jew, and used to instigate the people against the Apostle of Allah, and composed (satirical) verses [about Muhammad].
Salim Ibn Umayr who was one of the great weepers and who had participated in Badr, said, "I take a vow that I shall either kill Abu Afak or die before him. He waited for an opportunity until a hot night came, and Abu Afak slept in an open place. Salim Ibn Umayr knew it, so he placed the sword on his liver and pressed it till it reached his bed. The enemy of Allah screamed and the people who were his followers, rushed to him, took him to his house and interred him.
Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 2, P. 31
Assassination of Abu Rafi’ (Sallam Ibn Abu'l-Huqayq)
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab). "The Prophet said, "You may say it." Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Kab and said, "That man (i.e. Muhammad demands Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) from us, and he has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you." On that, Kab said, "By Allah, you will get tired of him!" Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Now as we have followed him, we do not want to leave him unless and until we see how his end is going to be. Now we want you to lend us a camel load or two of food." (Some difference between narrators about a camel load or two.) Kab said, "Yes, (I will lend you), but you should mortgage something to me." Muhammad bin Mas-lama and his companion said, "What do you want?" Ka'b replied, "Mortgage your women to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our women to you and you are the most handsome of the 'Arabs?" Ka'b said, "Then mortgage your sons to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our sons to you? Later they would be abused by the people's saying that so-and-so has been mortgaged for a camel load of food. That would cause us great disgrace, but we will mortgage our arms to you." Muhammad bin Maslama and his companion promised Kab that Muhammad would return to him. He came to Kab at night along with Kab's foster brother, Abu Na'ila. Kab invited them to come into his fort, and then he went down to them. His wife asked him, "Where are you going at this time?" Kab replied, "None but Muhammad bin Maslama and my (foster) brother Abu Na'ila have come." His wife said, "I hear a voice as if dropping blood is from him, Ka'b said. "They are none but my brother Muhammad bin Maslama and my foster brother Abu Naila. A generous man should respond to a call at night even if invited to be killed." Muhammad bin Maslama went with two men. (Some narrators mention the men as 'Abu bin Jabr. Al Harith bin Aus and Abbad bin Bishr). So Muhammad bin Maslama went in together with two men, and sail to them, "When Ka'b comes, I will touch his hair and smell it, and when you see that I have got hold of his head, strip him. I will let you smell his head." Kab bin Al-Ashraf came down to them wrapped in his clothes, and diffusing perfume. Muhammad bin Maslama said. " have never smelt a better scent than this. Ka'b replied. "I have got the best 'Arab women who know how to use the high class of perfume." Muhammad bin Maslama requested Ka'b "Will you allow me to smell your head?" Ka'b said, "Yes." Muhammad smelt it and made his companions smell it as well. Then he requested Ka'b again, "Will you let me (smell your head)?" Ka'b said, "Yes." When Muhammad got a strong hold of him, he said (to his companions), "Get at him!" So they killed him and went to the Prophet and informed him. (Abu Rafi) was killed after Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf."
Narrated Al-Bara bin Azib: Allah's Apostle sent a group of persons to Abu Rafi. Abdullah bin Atik entered his house at night, while he was sleeping, and killed him.
Narrated Al-Bara bin Azib:Allah's Apostle sent some men from the Ansar to ((kill) Abu Rafi, the Jew, and appointed 'Abdullah bin Atik as their leader. Abu Rafi used to hurt Allah's Apostle and help his enemies against him. He lived in his castle in the land of Hijaz. When those men approached (the castle) after the sun had set and the people had brought back their livestock to their homes. Abdullah (bin Atik) said to his companions, "Sit down at your places. I am going, and I will try to play a trick on the gate-keeper so that I may enter (the castle)." So 'Abdullah proceeded towards the castle, and when he approached the gate, he covered himself with his clothes, pretending to answer the call of nature. The people had gone in, and the gate-keeper (considered 'Abdullah as one of the castle's servants) addressing him saying, "O Allah's Servant! Enter if you wish, for I want to close the gate." 'Abdullah added in his story, "So I went in (the castle) and hid myself. When the people got inside, the gate-keeper closed the gate and hung the keys on a fixed wooden peg. I got up and took the keys and opened the gate. Some people were staying late at night with Abu Rafi for a pleasant night chat in a room of his. When his companions of nightly entertainment went away, I ascended to him, and whenever I opened a door, I closed it from inside. I said to myself, 'Should these people discover my presence, they will not be able to catch me till I have killed him.' So I reached him and found him sleeping in a dark house amidst his family, I could not recognize his location in the house. So I shouted, 'O Abu Rafi!' Abu Rafi said, 'Who is it?' I proceeded towards the source of the voice and hit him with the sword, and because of my perplexity, I could not kill him. He cried loudly, and I came out of the house and waited for a while, and then went to him again and said, 'What is this voice, O Abu Rafi?' He said, 'Woe to your mother! A man in my house has hit me with a sword! I again hit him severely but I did not kill him. Then I drove the point of the sword into his belly (and pressed it through) till it touched his back, and I realized that I have killed him. I then opened the doors one by one till I reached the staircase, and thinking that I had reached the ground, I stepped out and fell down and got my leg broken in a moonlit night. I tied my leg with a turban and proceeded on till I sat at the gate, and said, 'I will not go out tonight till I know that I have killed him.' So, when (early in the morning) the cock crowed, the announcer of the casualty stood on the wall saying, 'I announce the death of Abu Rafi, the merchant of Hijaz. Thereupon I went to my companions and said, 'Let us save ourselves, for Allah has killed Abu Rafi,' So I (along with my companions proceeded and) went to the Prophet and described the whole story to him. "He said, 'Stretch out your (broken) leg. I stretched it out and he rubbed it and it became All right as if I had never had any ailment whatsoever."
Narrated Al-Bara: Allah's Apostle sent 'Abdullah bin 'Atik and 'Abdullah bin 'Utba with a group of men to Abu Rafi (to kill him). They proceeded till they approached his castle, whereupon 'Abdullah bin Atik said to them, "Wait (here), and in the meantime I will go and see." 'Abdullah said later on, "I played a trick in order to enter the castle. By chance, they lost a donkey of theirs and came out carrying a flaming light to search for it. I was afraid that they would recognize me, so I covered my head and legs and pretended to answer the call to nature. The gatekeeper called, 'Whoever wants to come in, should come in before I close the gate.' So I went in and hid myself in a stall of a donkey near the gate of the castle. They took their supper with Abu Rafi and had a chat till late at night. Then they went back to their homes. When the voices vanished and I no longer detected any movement, I came out. I had seen where the gate-keeper had kept the key of the castle in a hole in the wall. I took it and unlocked the gate of the castle, saying to myself, 'If these people should notice me, I will run away easily.' Then I locked all the doors of their houses from outside while they were inside, and ascended to Abu Rafi by a staircase. I saw the house in complete darkness with its light off, and I could not know where the man was. So I called, 'O Abu Rafi!' He replied, 'Who is it?' I proceeded towards the voice and hit him. He cried loudly but my blow was futile. Then I came to him, pretending to help him, saying with a different tone of my voice, ' What is wrong with you, O Abu Rafi?' He said, 'Are you not surprised? Woe on your mother! A man has come to me and hit me with a sword!' So again I aimed at him and hit him, but the blow proved futile again, and on that Abu Rafi cried loudly and his wife got up. I came again and changed my voice as if I were a helper, and found Abu Rafi lying straight on his back, so I drove the sword into his belly and bent on it till I heard the sound of a bone break. Then I came out, filled with astonishment and went to the staircase to descend, but I fell down from it and got my leg dislocated. I bandaged it and went to my companions limping. I said (to them), 'Go and tell Allah's Apostle of this good news, but I will not leave (this place) till I hear the news of his (i.e. Abu Rafi's) death.' When dawn broke, an announcer of death got over the wall and announced, 'I convey to you the news of Abu Rafi's death.' I got up and proceeded without feeling any pain till I caught up with my companions before they reached the Prophet to whom I conveyed the good news."
Narrated Al-Bara bin Azib: Allah's Apostle sent a group of Ansari men to kill Abu-Rafi. One of them set out and entered their (i.e. the enemies) fort. That man said, "I hid myself in a stable for their animals. They closed the fort gate. Later they lost a donkey of theirs, so they went out in its search. I, too, went out along with them, pretending to look for it. They found the donkey and entered their fort. And I, too, entered along with them. They closed the gate of the fort at night, and kept its keys in a small window where I could see them. When those people slept, I took the keys and opened the gate of the fort and came upon Abu Rafi and said, 'O Abu Rafi. When he replied me, I proceeded towards the voice and hit him. He shouted and I came out to come back, pretending to be a helper. I said, 'O Abu Rafi, changing the tone of my voice. He asked me, 'What do you want; woe to your mother?' I asked him, 'What has happened to you?' He said, 'I don't know who came to me and hit me.' Then I drove my sword into his belly and pushed it forcibly till it touched the bone. Then I came out, filled with puzzlement and went towards a ladder of theirs in order to get down but I fell down and sprained my foot. I came to my companions and said, 'I will not leave till I hear the wailing of the women.' So, I did not leave till I heard the women bewailing Abu Rafi, the merchant pf Hijaz. Then I got up, feeling no ailment, (and we proceeded) till we came upon the Prophet and informed him."
“The killing of Abu Rafi’, ‘Abdullah bin Abi Al-Huqaiq and he was also called Salam bin Abi Al-Huqaiq who used to live in Khaibar, and some said the he used to live in his castle at the land of Hijaz. Az-Zhuri said, ‘He (Abu Rafi’) was killed after Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf.”
Bukhari vol.5 book 59 chapter 15
The Killing of Sallam ibn Abu'l-Huqayq:
When the fight at the trench and the affair of the B. Qurayza were over, the matter of Sallam b. Abu'l-Huqayq known as Abu Rafi carne up in connexion with those who had collected the mixed tribes together against the apostle. Now Aus had killed Ka'b b. aI-Ashraf before Uhud because of his enmity towards the apostle and because he instigated men against him, so Khazraj asked and obtained the apostle's permission to kill Sallam who was in Khaybar.
Muhammad b. Muslim b. Shihab al-Zuhri from Abdullah b. Ka'b b. Malik told me: One of the things which God did for His apostle was that
these two tribes of the Ansar, Aus and Khazraj, competed the one with the other like two stallions: if Aus did anything to the apostle s advantage Khazraj would say, 'They shall not have this superiority over us in the apostle's eyes and in Islam' and they would not rest until they could do something similar. If Khazraj did anything Aus would say the same.
When Aus had killed Ka'b for his enmity towards the apostle: Khazraj used these words and asked themselves what man was as hostile to the apostle as Ka'b? And then they remembered Sallam who was in Khaybar and asked and obtained the apostle's permission to kill him.
Five men of B. Salima of Khazraj went to him: 'Abdullah b. 'Atik; Mas'ud b. Sinan; 'Abdullah b. Unays; Abu Qatada al-Harith b. Rib'i; and Khuza'i b. Aswad, an ally from Aslam. As they left, the aposte appointed 'Abdullah b. 'Atik as their leader, and he forbade them to kill women or children. When they got to Khaybar they went to Sallam's house by night, having locked every door in the settlement on the inhabitants. Now he was in an upper chamber of his to which a (T. Roman) ladder led up. They mounted this until they came to the door and asked to be allowed to come in. His wife. came out and asked who they were and they told her that they were Arabs In search of supplies. She told them that their man was here and that they could come in. When we entered we bolted the door of the room on her and ourselves fearing lest something should come between us and him. His wife shrieked and warned him of us, so we ran at him with our swords as he was on his bed. The only thing that guided us in the darkness of the night was his whiteness like an Egyptian blanket. When his wife shrieked one of our number would lift his sword against her; then he would remember the apostle's ban on killing women and withdraw his hand; but or that we would have made an end of her that night. When we had smitten him With our swords 'Abdullah b. Unays bore down with his sword into his belly until it went right through him, as he was saying Qatni, qatni, i.e. It's enough.
We went out. Now 'Abdullah b. 'Atik had poor sight, and fell from the ladder and sprained his arm severely, so we carried him until we brought him to one of their water channels and went into it. The people lit lamps and went in search of us in all directions until, despairing of finding us, they returned to their master and gathered round him as he was dying. We asked each other how we could know that the enemy of God was dead, and one of us volunteered to go and see; so off he went and mingled with the people. He said, 'I found his wife and some Jews gathered round him. She had a lamp in her hand and was peering into his face and saying to them 'By God, I certainly heard the voice of 'Abdullah b. 'Atik. Then I decided I must be wrong and thought "How can Ibn 'Atik be in this country?'" Then she turned towards him, looking into his face, and said, 'By the God of the Jews he is dead!' Never have I heard sweeter words than those.
Then he came to us and told us the news, and we picked up our companion and took him to the apostle and told him that we had killed God's
enemy. We disputed before him as to who had killed him, each of us laying claim to the deed. The apostle demanded to see our swords and when he looked at them he said, 'It is the sword of 'Abdullah b. Unays that killed him; I can see traces of food on it.'
Hassan b. Thabit mentioning the killing of Ka'b and Sallam said:
- God, what a fine band you met,
- O Ibnu'l-Huqayq and Ibnu'l-Ashraf!
- They went to you with sharp swords,
- Brisk as lions in a tangled thicket,
- Until they came on you in your dwelling
- And made you drink death with their swift-slaying swords,
- Looking for the victory of their prophet's religion
- Despising every risk of hurt.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 482-484, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 273-276, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
The Killing of Abu Rafi' the Jew:
Abu Ja'far (al-Tabari) says: In this year, it is said, the killing of Abu Rafi' the Jew took place. The reason for his being killed was, it is said, that he used to take the part of Ka'b b. al-Ashraf against the Messenger of God. The Messenger of God is said to have sent 'Abd Allah b.'Atik against him in the middle of Jumada al-Akhirah of this year (which began November 19, 624).
According to Harun b. Ishaq al-Hamdani--Mus'ab b. Miqdam--Isra'il--Abu Ishaq--al-Bard': The Messenger of God sent some of the Ansar under the command of 'Abd Allah b. 'Uqbah or 'Abd
Allah b. 'Atik against Abu Rafi' the Jew, who was in the Hijaz. Abu Rafi' used to injure and wrong the Messenger of God. He lived in his stronghold in the Hijaz. When the Muslim party drew close to it, as the sun was setting and the people were bringing their flocks back, 'Abd Allah b. 'Uqbah or 'Abd Allah b. 'Atik said to the others, "Stay where you are, and I will go and ingratiate myself with the doorkeeper, in the hope of gaining entrance." He went forward, and when he was close to the door, he wrapped himself up in his cloak as though he were relieving himself. Everybody else had gone in, and the doorkeeper called to him, "You there, if you want to come in, come in, because I want to shut the door." "I went in," he said, "and hid myself in a donkey pen. When everybody had come in, the man shut the door and hung up the keys on a wooden peg. I went to the keys, took them, and opened the door. Abu Rafi' had company that evening in some upper rooms, and when his guests left I went up to him. Every time I opened a door, I shut it again behind me from inside, saying to myself, 'If they become aware of me, they will not be able to reach me before I kill him.' When I reached him, he was in a dark room along with his family. As I did not know where he was in the room, I said, 'Abu Rafi'!' and he said, 'Who is that?' I rushed toward the sound and gave him a blow with my sword, but I was in a state of confusion and did not achieve anything. He gave a shout, and I left the room but remained close at hand. I then went in again and said, 'What was that noise, Abu Rafi'?' 'God damn it,' he said, 'there is a man in the house who has just struck me with his sword.' Then I hit him and covered him with wounds, but I could not kill him, so I thrust the point of my sword into his stomach until it came out through his back. At that, I knew that I had killed him, and I opened the doors one by one until I reached a flight of stairs. Thinking that I had reached the round, I put my foot out but fell into a moonlit night and broke my leg. I bound it up with my turban and moved on. Finally, finding myself sitting by the door, I said to myself, 'By God, I will not leave tonight until I know whether I have killed him or not.' When the cock crowed, the announcer of his death stood upon the wall and said, 'I announce the death of Abu Rafi', the profit-maker of the people of Hijaz.' I went to my companions and said , 'Deliverance! God has killed Abu Rafi'.' Then I went to the Prophet and told him, and he said, 'Stretch out your leg!' When I stretched it out, he stroked it, and it was as though I had never had anything wrong with it."
Abu Ja'far (al-Tabari) says: As for al-Waqidi, he asserts that this expedition sent by the Messenger of God against Abu Rafi ' Sallam b. Abi al-Huqayq was sent in the fourth year of the Hijrah in Dhu al-Hijjah (which began May 4, 626) and that those who went to him and killed him were Abu Qatadah, 'Abd Allah b. 'Atik, Mas'ud b. Sinan, al-Aswad b. Khuza'i, and 'Abd Allah b. Unays.
According to Ibn Humayd--Salamah--Ibn Ishaq: Sallam b. Abi al-Hugayq, who was Abu Rafi', was one of those who had mustered the ahzab against the Messenger of God. Al-Aws had killed Ka'b b. al-Ashraf before Uhud on account of his enmity to the Messenger of God and his inciting people against him, and so al-Khazraj asked permission of the Messenger of God to kill Sallam b. Abi al-Huqayq, who was in Khaybar, and was granted this.
al-Tabari (d. 923), W. Montgomery Watt; M. V. McDonald, eds, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VII, SUNY Press, pp. 99-100, ISBN 0-88706-344-6, 1987, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n1805/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 493-495, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
"When his wife shouted that we were there, one of us would raise his sword against her; then he would remember the Prophet's prohibition and withdraw his hand. If it had not been for that, we would have dispatched him that night. After we had struck him with our swords, 'Abd Allah b. Unays thrust his sword into his stomach and transfixed him while he was shouting, 'Enough! Enough!' At once we went out. 'Abd Allah b. 'Atik had bad eyesight, and he fell off the stairway, bruising his leg severely. We lifted him up, took him to one of their water channels, and entered it. They lit lamps, and searched for us in every nook and cranny, but finally they gave up hope and went back to their master, crowding round him as he lay dying. We said to ourselves, 'How shall we know that the enemy of God is dead?' One of us said, 'I will go and look for you.' He set off and mingled with the people. He said later, 'I found him with the men of the Jews, and with his wife, who had a lamp in her hand and was looking into his face. Then she said, speaking to them, "By God, I recognised the voice of Ibn 'Atik, but then I thought I must be wrong, and said to myself, 'How could Ibn 'Atik be in this country?'" Then she turned to him to look in his face, and said, "By the God of the Jews, he is dead." 'I never heard any words more pleasing to me, said our companion.
"He then came back to us and told us the news. We lifted up our injured companion, went to the Messenger of God, and told him that we had killed the enemy of God. We disagreed in his presence about the killing of Ibn Abi al-Huqayq, each of us claiming to have done it. The Messenger of God then said, 'Bring your swords,' and when we did so he looked at them and said, 'This sword of 'Abd Allah b. Unays killed him. I can see the marks left by bones on it.' "
al-Tabari (d. 923), W. Montgomery Watt; M. V. McDonald, eds, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VII, SUNY Press, pp. 102-103, ISBN 0-88706-344-6, 1987, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n1805/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 496-497, https://app.turath.io/book/9783 , See Also Ishaq:483
Assassination of Ka’b bin Ashraf
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Who would kill Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf as he has harmed Allah and His Apostle ?" Muhammad bin Maslama (got up and) said, "I will kill him." So, Muhammad bin Maslama went to Ka`b and said, "I want a loan of one or two Wasqs of food grains." Ka`b said, "Mortgage your women to me." Muhammad bin Maslama said, "How can we mortgage our women, and you are the most handsome among the Arabs?" He said, "Then mortgage your sons to me." Muhammad said, "How can we mortgage our sons, as the people will abuse them for being mortgaged for one or two Wasqs of food grains? It is shameful for us. But we will mortgage our arms to you." So, Muhammad bin Maslama promised him that he would come to him next time. They (Muhammad bin Maslama and his companions came to him as promised and murdered him. Then they went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him about it.
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: The Prophet said, "Who is ready to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has really hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Muhammad bin Maslama said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you like me to kill him?" He replied in the affirmative. So, Muhammad bin Maslama went to him (i.e. Ka'b) and said, "This person (i.e. the Prophet) has put us to task and asked us for charity." Ka'b replied, "By Allah, you will get tired of him." Muhammad said to him, "We have followed him, so we dislike to leave him till we see the end of his affair." Muhammad bin Maslama went on talking to him in this way till he got the chance to kill him.
"Narrated Jabir : The Prophet said, ‘Who is ready to kill Ka’b bin Ashraf (i.e. a Jew).’ Muhammad bin Maslama replied, ‘Do you like me to kill him?’ The Prophet replied in the affirmative. Muhammad bin Maslama said, ‘Then allow me to say what I like.’ The Prophet replied ‘I do (i.e. allow you).’"
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab). "The Prophet said, "You may say it." Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Kab and said, "That man (i.e. Muhammad demands Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) from us, and he has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you." On that, Kab said, "By Allah, you will get tired of him!" Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Now as we have followed him, we do not want to leave him unless and until we see how his end is going to be. Now we want you to lend us a camel load or two of food." (Some difference between narrators about a camel load or two.) Kab said, "Yes, (I will lend you), but you should mortgage something to me." Muhammad bin Mas-lama and his companion said, "What do you want?" Ka'b replied, "Mortgage your women to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our women to you and you are the most handsome of the 'Arabs?" Ka'b said, "Then mortgage your sons to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our sons to you? Later they would be abused by the people's saying that so-and-so has been mortgaged for a camel load of food. That would cause us great disgrace, but we will mortgage our arms to you." Muhammad bin Maslama and his companion promised Kab that Muhammad would return to him. He came to Kab at night along with Kab's foster brother, Abu Na'ila. Kab invited them to come into his fort, and then he went down to them. His wife asked him, "Where are you going at this time?" Kab replied, "None but Muhammad bin Maslama and my (foster) brother Abu Na'ila have come." His wife said, "I hear a voice as if dropping blood is from him, Ka'b said. "They are none but my brother Muhammad bin Maslama and my foster brother Abu Naila. A generous man should respond to a call at night even if invited to be killed." Muhammad bin Maslama went with two men. (Some narrators mention the men as 'Abu bin Jabr. Al Harith bin Aus and Abbad bin Bishr). So Muhammad bin Maslama went in together with two men, and sail to them, "When Ka'b comes, I will touch his hair and smell it, and when you see that I have got hold of his head, strip him. I will let you smell his head." Kab bin Al-Ashraf came down to them wrapped in his clothes, and diffusing perfume. Muhammad bin Maslama said. " have never smelt a better scent than this. Ka'b replied. "I have got the best 'Arab women who know how to use the high class of perfume." Muhammad bin Maslama requested Ka'b "Will you allow me to smell your head?" Ka'b said, "Yes." Muhammad smelt it and made his companions smell it as well. Then he requested Ka'b again, "Will you let me (smell your head)?" Ka'b said, "Yes." When Muhammad got a strong hold of him, he said (to his companions), "Get at him!" So they killed him and went to the Prophet and informed him. (Abu Rafi) was killed after Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf."
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Who will kill Ka'b b. Ashraf? He has maligned Allah, the Exalted, and His Messenger. Muhammad b. Maslama said: Messenger of Allah, do you wish that I should kill him? He said: Yes. He said: Permit me to talk (to him in the way I deem fit). He said: Talk (as you like). So, Muhammad b. Maslama came to Ka'b and talked to him, referred to the old friendship between them and said: This man (i. e. the Holy Prophet) has made up his mind to collect charity (from us) and this has put us to a great hardship. When be heard this, Ka'b said: By God, you will be put to more trouble by him. Muhammad b. Maslama said: No doubt, now we have become his followers and we do not like to forsake him until we see what turn his affairs will take. I want that you should give me a loan. He said: What will you mortgage? He said: What do you want? He said: Pledge me your women. He said: You are the most handsome of the Arabs; should we pledge our women to you? He said: Pledge me your children. He said: The son of one of us may abuse us saying that he was pledged for two wasqs of dates, but we can pledge you (cur) weapons. He said: All right. Then Muhammad b. Maslama promised that he would come to him with Harith, Abu 'Abs b. Jabr and Abbad b. Bishr. So they came and called upon him at night. He came down to them. Sufyan says that all the narrators except 'Amr have stated that his wife said: I hear a voice which sounds like the voice of murder. He said: It is only Muhammad b. Maslama and his foster-brother, Abu Na'ila. When a gentleman is called at night even it to be pierced with a spear, he should respond to the call. Muhammad said to his companions: As he comes down, I will extend my hands towards his head and when I hold him fast, you should do your job. So when he came down and he was holding his cloak under his arm, they said to him: We sense from you a very fine smell. He said: Yes, I have with me a mistress who is the most scented of the women of Arabia. He said: Allow me to smell (the scent on your head). He said: Yes, you may smell. So he caught it and smelt. Then he said: Allow me to do so (once again). He then held his head fast and said to his companions: Do your job. And they killed him.
Ka'b b. Malik said:
- Of them Ka'b was left prostrate there
- (After his fall al-Nadir were brought low).
- Sword in hand we cut him down
- By Muhammad's order when he sent secretly by night
- Ka'b's brother to go to Ka'b.
- He beguiled him and brought him down with guile
- Mahmud was trustworthy, bold.
Hassan b. Thabit, mentioning the killing of Ka'b and of Sallam b. Abu'l-Huqayq, said:
- What a fine band you met, O Ibnu'l-Huqayq,
- And you too, Ibnu'l-Ashraf,
- Travelling by night with their swords
- Bold as lions in their jungle lair
- Until they came to you in your quarter
- And made you taste death with their deadly swords,
- Seeking victory for the religion of their prophet
- Counting their lives and wealth as nothing.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 368-369, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 57-58, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
We lifted him [Ka'b, having been killed] up and carried him to the Messenger of God at the end of the night. He was standing in prayer, so we greeted him, and he came out to meet us. We told him that the enemy of God had been killed, he spat upon the wound of our companion, and we returned to our families. The next morning, the Jews were in a state of fear on account of our attack upon the enemy of God, and there was not a Jew there but feared for his life.
Al-Tabari, Vol. 7, p. 97al-Tabari (d. 923), W. Montgomery Watt; M. V. McDonald, eds, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VII, SUNY Press, p. 97, ISBN 0-88706-344-6, 1987, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n1805/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 491, https://app.turath.io/book/9783 See Also Ishaq 368
The Killing of Ka'b b. al-Ashraf:
After the Quraysh defeat at Badr the apostle had sent Zayd b. Haritha to the lower quarter and 'Abdullah b. Rawaha to the upper quarter to tell the Muslims of Medina of God's victory and of the polytheists who had been killed. 'Abdullah b. al-Mughith b. Abu Burda al-Zafari and 'Abdullah b. Abu Bakr b. Muhammad b. 'Amr b. Hazm and 'Asim b. 'Umar b. Qatada and Salih; b. Abu Umama b. Sahl each gave me a part of the following story: Kab b. aI-Ashraf who was one of the Tayyi' of the subsection B. Nabhan whose mother was from the B. al-Nadir, when he heard the news said, 'Is this true? Did Muhammad actually kill these whom these two men mention? (i.e. Zayd and 'Abdullah b. Rawaha). These are the nobles of the Arabs and kingly men; by God, if Muhammad has slain these people 'twere better to be dead than alive.'
When the enemy of God became certain that the news was true he left the town and went to Mecca to stay with al-Muttalib b. Abu Wada'a b. Dubayra al-Sahmi who was married to 'Atika d. Abu'l-'Is b. Umayya b. 'Abdu Shams b. 'Abdu 'Manaf. She took him in and entertained him hospitably. He began to inveigh against the apostle and to recite verses in which he be wailed the Quraysh who were thrown into the pit after having been slain at Badr. He said: [poetry]
Then he composed amatory verses of an insulting nature about the Muslim women. The apostle said-according to what 'Abdullah b.
al-Mughith b. Abu Burda told me--'Who will rid me of Ibnu'I-Ashraf?' Muhammad b. Maslama, brother of the B. 'Abdu'l-Ashhal, said, 'I will
deal with him for you, O apostle of God, I will kill him.' He said, 'Do so if you can: So Muhammad b. Maslama returned and waited for three days without food or drink, apart from what was absolutely necessary. When the apostle was told of this he summoned him and asked him why he had given up eating and drinking. He replied that he had given him an undertaking and he did not know whether he could fulfil it. The apostle said, 'All that is incumbent upon you is that you should try: He said, 'O apostle of God, we shall have to tell lies.' He answered, 'Say what you like, for you are free in the matter.' Thereupon he and Silkan b. Salama b. Waqsh who was Abu Na'ila one of the B. 'Abdu'l-Ashhal, foster-brother of Ka'b, and 'Abbad b. Bishr b. Waqsh, and al-Harith b. Aus b. Mu'adh of the B. 'Abdu'l-Ashhal and Abu 'Abs b. Jabr of the B. Haritha conspired together and sent Silkan to the enemy of God, Ka'b b. Ashraf, before they came to him. He talked to him some time and they recited poetry one to the other, for Silkan was fond of poetry. Then he said, 'O Ibn Ashraf, I have come to you about a matter which I want to tell you of and wish you to keep secret.' 'Very well,' he replied. He went on, 'The coming of this man is a great trial to us. It has provoked the hostility of the Arabs, and they are all in league against us. The roads have become impassable so that our families are in want and privation, and we and our families are in great distress.' Ka'b answered, 'By God, I kept telling you, O Ibn Salama, that the things I warned you of would happen.' Silkan said to him, 'I want you to sell us food and we will give you a pledge of security and you deal generously in the matter.' He replied, 'Will you give me your sons as a pledge?' He said, 'You want to insult us. I have friends who share my opinion and I want to bring them to you so that you may sell to them and act generously, and we will give you enough weapons for a good pledge.' Silkan's object was that he should not take alarm at the sight of weapons when they brought them. Ka'b answered, 'Weapons are a good pledge.' Thereupon Silkan returned to his companions, told them what had happened, and ordered them to take their arms. Then they went away and assembled with him and met the apostle.
Thaur b. Zayd from 'Ikrima from Ibn 'Abbas told me the apostle walked with them as far as Baqi'u'I-Gharqad. Then he sent them off, saying, 'Go in God's name; a God help them.' So saying, he returned to his house. Now it was a moonlight night and they journeyed on until they came to his castle, and Abu Na'ila called out to him. He had only recently married, and he jumped up in the bedsheet, and his wife took hold of the end of it and said, 'You are at war, and those who are at war do not go out at this hour.' He replied, 'It is Abu Na'ila. Had he found me sleeping he would not have woken me.' She answered, 'By God, I can feel evil in his voice.' Ka'b answered 'Even if the call were for a stab a brave man must answer it.' So he went down and talked to them for some time, while they conversed with him. Then Abu Na'ila said, 'Would you like to walk with us to Shi'b al-'Ajuz, so that we can talk for the rest of the night?' 'If you like,' he answered, so they went off walking together; and after a time Abu Na'ila ran his hand through his hair. Then he smelt his hand, and said, 'I have never smelt a scent finer than this.' They walked on farther and he did the same so that Ka'b suspected no evil. Then after a space he did it for the third time, and cried, 'Smite the enemy of God!' So they smote him, and their swords clashed over him with no effect. Muhammad b. Maslama said, 'I remembered my dagger when I saw that our swords were useless, and I seized it. Meanwhile the enemy of God had made such a noise that every fort around us \vas showing a light. I thrust it into the lower part of his body, then I bore down upon it until I reached his genitals, and the enemy of God fell to the ground. Al-Harith had been hurt, being ,wounded either in his head or in his foot, one of our words having struck him. We went away, passing by the B. Umayya b. Zayd and then the B. Qurayza and then Bu'ath until we went up the Harra of aI-'Urayd.' Our friend al-Harith had lagged behind, weakened by loss of blood so we waited for him for some time until he came up, following our tracks'. We carried him and brought him to the apostle at the end of the night. We saluted him as he stood praying, and he came out to us, and we told him that we had killed God's enemy. He spat upon our comrade's wounds and both he and we returned to our families. Our attack upon God's enemy cast terror among the Jews, and there was no Jew in Medina who did not fear for his life.'
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 364-368, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 51-56, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
The cause of slaying him (Ka'b bin Ashraf) was that he was a poet and used to satirize the Prophet, may Allah bless him, and his Companions, and used to instigate (polytheists) against them, and offended (يوذى) them....Then they cut his head and took it with them. When they reached Baqi' al-Gharqad, they said takbir (Allah is Great). The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, passed the night, offering prayers. When he heard their takbir (Allah is Great) he also recited takbir (Allah is Great). He knew that
they had killed him. When they reached the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him ; he said : (Your) faces be lucky. They said : Yours too ! O Apostle of Allah. They cast his head before him. He (the Prophet) praised Allah on his being slain.
Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 2, P. 35-37
Attempted Assassination of Abu Sufyan
Abu Sufyan was the commander of the Meccan forces.
The Mission of 'Amr b. Umayyah against Abu Sufyan:
The story of 'Amr b. Umayyah al-Damn, when he was sent by the Messenger of God to kill Abu Sufyan b. Harb.
When the men whom the Prophet had sent to 'Adal and al-Qarah were killed at al-Raji' and the news reached the Messenger of God, he sent 'Amr b. Umayyah al-Damn and one of the Ansar to Mecca, ordering them to kill Abu Sufyan b. Harb.
According to Ibn Humayd--Salamah b. al-Fadl--Muhammad b. Ishaq--Ja'far b. al-Fadl b. al-Hasan b. 'Amr b. Umayyah al-Damri--his father--his great-grandfather, that is 'Amr b. Umayyah, whose account is as follows: After the death of Khubayb and his companions, the Messenger of God sent me together with one of the Ansar, saying, "Go to Abu Sufyan b. Harb and kill him." I and my companion set out. I had a camel and he had not, and he had a weakness in his foot, so I carried him on my camel until we reached the valley of Ya'jaj. Then we hobbled our camel in the bottom of a ravine and climbed up. I said to my companion, "Come with me to Abu Sufyan's house, as I am going to try to kill him. You keep watch, and if a patrol comes or something alarms you, get back to your camel, mount it, return to Medina, and go to the Messenger of God and tell him what has happened. You can leave me to my own devices, because I know the town well, am
bold, and have strong legs."
When we entered Mecca I had with me the like of an eagle's secondary feather--meaning his dagger--which I had ready to kill anybody who laid hold of me. My companion said to me, "Shall we make a start by circumambulating the Ka'bah seven times and praying two rak'ahs?" I said to him, "I know the people of Mecca better than you do. When it gets dark, they sprinkle their courtyards with water and sit in them; and I am better known there than a piebald horse."
But he kept on pestering me until in the end we went to the Ka'bah, circumambulated it seven times, and prayed two rak'ahs. When we came out we went past a group of men sitting together, and one of them recognized me and shouted out at the top of his voice, "That is 'Amr b. Umayyah!" The Meccans rushed after us, saying "By God, 'Amr b. Umayyah has not come here for any good purpose! By the God by whom we swear, he has never come here except for some evil purpose!' ('Amr had been a cutthroat and a
desperado before accepting Islam).
They set out in pursuit of my companion and myself, and I said to him, "Let us get out of here! This is just what I was afraid of! We will never reach Abu Sufyan now, so save your own skin." We left at full speed, took to the hills, and hid in a cave, where we spent the night. In this way we gave them the slip, and they had to return without us. As we went into the cave, I concealed the entrance with stones, saying to my companion, "Let us wait here until the hue and cry has died down; they are sure to hunt for us the rest of the night and all tomorrow until the evening." I was still in the cave when, by God, 'Uthman b. Malik b. 'Ubayd Allah al-Taymi came up riding proudly on his horse. He kept coming nearer and nearer, riding proudly on his horse, until he reached the entrance to our cave. I said to my companion, "This is Ibn Malik. By God, if he sees us, he will tell everyone in Mecca about us!" So I went out and stabbed him below the breast with my dagger. He gave a shout which all the Meccans heard, and they came up to him while I went back to my hiding place, went in and said to my companion, "Stay where you are!" The Meccans hastily followed the shout, and found him on the point of death. They asked him, who had wounded him. "'Amr b. Umayyah," he replied, and died. They could not find anything to show them where we were, and merely said, "By God, we knew that he came for no good purpose." The death of their companion impeded their search for us, for they carried him away. We remained in the cave for two days until the pursuit had died down and then went out to al-Tan'im, where Khubayb's cross was. My companion said to me, "Shall we take Khubayb down from his cross?" "Where is he?" I said. "You can see him over there," he said. "Very well," I said, "but leave it to me, and keep well away from me." The cross was watched over by a guard, so I said to the Ansari, "If you are afraid of anything, make your way to your camel, mount it, go to the Messenger of God, and tell him what has happened." I went quickly to Khubayb's cross, untied him, and carried him on my back, but I had gone no more than forty paces when they spotted me. At once I threw him down, and I will never forget the sound his body made when it fell. They ran after me, and I took the path to al-Safra' and managed to throw them off. They went back, while my companion made his way to his camel, mounted it, went to the Prophet and told him what had happened to us. I proceeded on foot until I was overlooking Ghalil Dajnan. There I went into a cave with my bow and arrows. While I was in it a tall one-eyed man from the Banu al-Dil b. Bakr came in driving some sheep. He said, "Who is there?" and I said, "One of the Banu Bakr." He said, "I am from the Banu Bakr, one of the Banu al-Dil." Then he lay down next to me, and raised his voice in song:
- I will not be a Muslim as long as I live,
- and will not believe in the faith of the Muslims.
I said, "You will soon see!" Before long the beduin went to sleep and started snoring, and I went to him and killed him in the most dreadful way that anybody has ever killed anybody. I leant over him, stuck the end of my bow into his good eye, and thrust it down until it came out of the back of his neck. After that I rushed out like a wild beast and took to the highway like an eagle, fleeing for my life. First, I came to such and such a village, then to Rakubah, and then to al-Naqi'. At this place there were two Meccans whom Quraysh had sent to spy out how things were with the Messenger of God. I recognized them and called on them to surrender. "Shall we surrender to you?" they said; so I shot an arrow at one of them and killed him, and then called on the other to surrender. He did so and I tied him up and took him to the Messenger of God.
According to Ibn Humayd--Salamah--Ibn Islhaq--Sulayman b. Wardan--his father--'Amr b. Umayyah: When I came to Medina, I went past some shaykhs of the Ansar. "By God," they said, "that is 'Amr b. Umayyah!" Some boys heard what they were saying and rushed to the Messenger of God to tell him. I had tied my prisoner's thumbs together with my bowstring, and the Messenger of God looked at him and laughed so that his back teeth could be seen. Then he questioned me and I told him what had happened. "Well done!" he said, and prayed for me to be blessed.
Al-Tabari, Vol. 7, p. 97al-Tabari (d. 923), W. Montgomery Watt; M. V. McDonald, eds, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VII, SUNY Press, pp. 147-150, ISBN 0-88706-344-6, 1987, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n1805/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 542-545, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
The Account of the Greater Battle of Badr in the Letter of 'Urwah:
According to 'Ali b. Nasr b. 'Ali and 'Abd al-Warith b. 'Abd al-Samad b. 'Abd al-Warith--'Abd al-Samad b. 'Abd al-Warith--his father--Aban al-'Attar-Hisham b. 'Urwah: 'Urwah wrote to 'Abd al-Malik b. Marwan as follows:
You have written to me asking about Abu Sufyan and the circumstances of his expedition. Abu Sufyan b. Harb came' from Syria at the head of nearly seventy horsemen from all the clans of Quraysh. They had been trading in Syria and they all came together with their money and their merchandise. The Messenger of God and his companions were informed about them. This was after fighting had broken out between them and people had been killed, including Ibn al-Hadrami at Nakhlah, and some of Quraysh had been فaken captive, including one of the sons of al-Mughirah and their mawla, Ibn Kaysan. Those responsible were 'Abd Allah b. Jahsh and Waqid, the confederate of the Band 'Adi b. Ka'b, together with other companions of the Messenger of God whom he had sent out with 'Abd Allah b. Jahsh. This incident had provoked (a state of) war between the Messenger of God and Quraysh and was the beginning of the fighting in which they inflicted casualties upon one another; it took place before Abd Sufyan and his companions had set out for Syria.
Subsequently Abu Sufyan and the horsemen of Quraysh who were with him returned from Syria, following the coastal road. When the Messenger of God heard about them he called together his companions and told them of the wealth they had with them and the fewness of their numbers. The Muslims set out with no other object than Abu Sufyan and the horsemen with him. They did not think that these were anything but (easy) booty and did not suppose that there would be a great battle when they met them. It is concerning this that God revealed, "And ye longed that other
than the armed one might be yours."
When Abd Sufyan heard that the companions of the Messenger of God were on their way to intercept him, he sent to Quraysh (saying), "Muhammad and his companions are going to intercept your caravan, so protect your merchandise." When Quraysh heard this, since all the clans of Ka'b b. Lu'ayy were represented in Abd Sufyan's caravan, the people of Mecca hastened towards it. The body of men was drawn from the clans comprised in the Banu Ka'b b. Lu'ayy but did not contain any of the clan of 'Amir, except for some of the subclan of Malik b. Hisl. Neither the Messenger of God nor his companions heard about this force from Mecca until the Prophet reached Badr, which was on the route of those horsemen of Quraysh who had taken the coastal road to Syria. Abu Sufyan then doubled back from Badr and kept to the coastal road, being afraid of an ambush at Badr.
Al-Tabari, Vol. 7, p. 97al-Tabari (d. 923), W. Montgomery Watt; M. V. McDonald, eds, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VII, SUNY Press, pp. 28-30, ISBN 0-88706-344-6, 1987, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n1805/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 421-422, https://app.turath.io/book/9783 See Also Ishaq:289
Murder of `Asma' Bint Marwan
'Umayr b. 'Adiy's Journey to Kill 'Asma' d. Marwan
She was of B. Umayya b. Zayd. When Abu 'Afak had been killed she displayed disaffection. 'Abdullah b. al-Harith b. al-Fudayl from his father said that she was married to a man of B. Khatma called Yazid b. Zayd. Blaming Islam and its followers she said:
- I despise B. Malik and al-Nabit
- And 'Auf and B. al-Khazraj.
- You obey a stranger who is none of yours,
- One not of Murad or Madhhij.
- Do you expect good from him after the killing of your chiefs
- Like a hungry man waiting for a cook's broth?
- Is there no man of pride who would attack him by surprise
- And cut off the hopes of those who expect aught from him?
Hassan b. Thabit answered her:
- Banu Wa'il and B. Waqif and Khatma
- Are inferior to B. al-Khazraj.
- When she called for folly woe to her in her weeping,
- For death is coming.
- She stirred up a man of glorious origin,
- Noble in his going out and his coming in.
- Before midnight he dyed her in her blood
- And incurred no guilt thereby.
When the apostle heard what she had said he said, 'Who will rid me of Marwan's daughter?' 'Umayr b. 'Adiy al-Khatmi who was with him heard him, and that very night he went to her house and killed her. In the morning he came to the apostle and told him what he had done and he said, 'You have helped God and His apostle, a 'Umayr!' When he asked if he would have to bear any evil consequences the apostle said, 'Two goats won't butt their heads about her,' so 'Umayr went back to his people.
Now there was a great commotion among B. Khatma that day about the affair of Bint Marwan. She had five sons, and when 'Umayr went to them from the apostle he said, 'I have killed Bint Marwan, a sons of Khatma. Withstand me if you can; don't keep me waiting.' That was the first day that Islam became powerful among B. Khatma; before that those who were Muslims concealed the fact. The first of them to accept Islam was 'Umayr b. 'Adiy who was called 'the Reader', and 'Abdullah b. Aus and Khuzayma b. Thabit. The day after Bint Marwan was killed the men of B. Khatma became Muslims because they saw the power of Islam.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 675-676, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 636-638, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Sariyyah Of `Umayr Ibn `Adi
Then (occurred) the sariyyah of `Umayr ibn `Adi Ibn Kharashah al-Khatmi against `Asma' Bint Marwan, of Banu Umayyah Ibn Zayd, when five nights had remained from the month of Ramadan, in the beginning of the nineteenth month from the hijrah of the apostle of Allah. `Asma' was the wife of Yazid Ibn Zayd Ibn Hisn al-Khatmi. She used to revile Islam, offend the prophet and instigate the (people) against him. She composed verses. Umayr Ibn Adi came to her in the night and entered her house. Her children were sleeping around her. There was one whom she was suckling. He searched her with his hand because he was blind, and separated the child from her. He thrust his sword in her chest till it pierced up to her back. Then he offered the morning prayers with the prophet at al-Medina. The apostle of Allah said to him: "Have you slain the daughter of Marwan?" He said: "Yes. Is there something more for me to do?" He [Muhammad] said: "No. Two goats will butt together about her. This was the word that was first heard from the apostle of Allah. The apostle of Allah called him `Umayr, "basir" (the seeing).
Ibn Sa`d, Vol. 2, p. 31
The Killing of the King of Dumah's Brother
When the Messenger of God reached Tabuk, Yuhannah b. Ru'bah, governor of Aylah, came to him, made a treaty with him, and offered him the poll tax [jizyah]. The people of jarba' and Adhruh also offered him the poll tax, and the Messenger of God wrote a document for each of them which is still in their possession.
Then the Messenger of God summoned Khalid b. al-Walid and sent him to Ukaydir at Dumah. This was Ukaydir b. 'Abd al-Malik, a man from Kindah who was a king of Dumah and a Christian. The Messenger of God told Khalid that he would find him hunting wild cows. Khalid b. al-Walid rode out until he came within sight of his fort. It was a moonlit summer night and Ukaydir was on the roof terrace with his wife. The wild cows had been scratching the palace gate with their horns all night. His wife asked him if he had ever seen anything like that, and he said, "No indeed." Then she said, "Who would allow this?" He responded, "No one." He then came down and called for his horse, which was saddled. A group of men from his family , among them his brother Hassan, took their hunting spears, mounted [their horses], and rode off. On their way they encountered the Messenger of God's cavalry, and [Ukaydir] was seized and his brother Hassan was killed. Hassan was wearing a silk brocade gown woven with gold in the form of date-palm leaves. Khalid stripped him of it and sent it to the Messenger of God before his arrival.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Ismail K. Poonawala, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. IX, SUNY Press, pp. 58-59, ISBN 0-88706-691-7, 1990, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2267/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 108-109, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
Assassination of Amr b. Jihash
One of Yamin's family told me that the apostle said to Yamin, 'Have you seen the way your cousin has treated me and what he proposed to do?' Thereupon Yamin gave a man money to kill 'Amr b. Jihash and he did kill him, or so they allege.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 438, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 192, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Assassination of Khalid b. Sufyan
Narrated 'Abd Allah b. Unais:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent me to Khalid b. Sufyan al-Hudhail. This was towards 'Uranah and 'Arafat. He (the Prophet) said: Go and kill him. I saw him when the time of the afternoon prayer had come. I said: I am afraid if a fight takes place between me and him (Khalid b. Sufyan), that might delay the prayer. I proceeded walking towards him while I was praying by making a sign. When I reached near him, he said to me: Who are you ? I replied: A man from the Arabs; it came to me that you were gathering (any army) for this man (i.e. Prophet). Hence I came to you in connection with this matter. He said: I am (engaged) in this (work). I then walked along with him for a while ; when it became convenient for me, I dominated him with my sword until he became cold (dead).
Ibn Humayd--Salamah--Muhammad b. Ishaq--Muhammad b. Ja`far b. al-Zubayr--`Abdallah b. Unays: The Messenger of God called me and said, "It has reached me that Khalid b. Sufyan b. Nubayb al-Hudhali is gathering a force to attack me. He is either in Nakhlah or `Uranah, so go to him and kill him." I replied, "O Messenger of God, describe him to me so that I might know him." He said, "When you see him he will remind you of Satan. [A sure] sign between you and him is that when you see him you will feel a shudder." I went out, girding on my sword, until I came to him while he was in howdah with the women, seeking a halting place for them at the time for afternoon prayer. When I saw him I found him to be as the Messenger of God had described. I advanced toward him, but fearing that there might be acrimony between me and him which would distract me from the prayer, I prayed, making gestures with my head as I walked toward him. When I got to him he asked who I was, and I replied, "An Arab who has come to you because he has heard about you and your gathering [a force] against this fellow [i.e., Muhammad]." He said, "Yes, I am doing that." I walked a short distance with him and when it was feasible for me I struck him with my sword and killed him. Then I departed, leaving his women to throw themselves at him. When I came to the Messenger of God and greeted him, he looked at me and asked, "Is the objective accomplished?" I replied, "I have killed him." "You have said the truth," he replied. Then he stood up and went"' into his house and gave me a stick, saying, "Keep this stick with you O `Abdallah b. Unays." When I went out with it the people asked me what that stick was. I told them that the Messenger of God had given it to me and asked me to keep it with me. They told me to go back to him and ask him the reason for that. So I went back to him and said, "O Messenger of God, why did you give me this stick?" He replied, "[As a] sign between me and you on the day of resurrection. There will be a few men at that time who will carry sticks tied to their waists (al-mutakhassirun)." `Abdallah, therefore, fastened the stick to his sword, where it remained with him until his death, when he ordered that it should be fastened to his body with the shroud and buried with him.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Ismail K. Poonawala, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. IX, SUNY Press, pp. 121-122, ISBN 0-88706-691-7, 1990, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2267/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 156-157, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
The Killing of Khubaib
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle sent a Sariya of ten men as spies under the leadership of 'Asim bin Thabit al-Ansari, the grandfather of 'Asim bin Umar Al-Khattab. They proceeded till they reached Hadaa, a place between 'Usfan, and Mecca, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhail called Bani Lihyan. About two-hundred men, who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates they had brought with them from Medina. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e. Medina), "and continued following their tracks When 'Asim and his companions saw their pursuers, they went up a high place and the infidels circled them. The infidels said to them, "Come down and surrender, and we promise and guarantee you that we will not kill any one of you" 'Asim bin Thabit; the leader of the Sariya said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of infidels. O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet. Then the infidels threw arrows at them till they martyred 'Asim along with six other men, and three men came down accepting their promise and convention, and they were Khubaib-al-Ansari and Ibn Dathina and another man So, when the infidels captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then the third (of the captives) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyred, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubaid and Ibn Dathina with them and sold them (as slaves) in Mecca (and all that took place) after the battle of Badr. Khubaib was bought by the sons of Al-Harith bin 'Amir bin Naufal bin 'Abd Manaf. It was Khubaib who had killed Al-Harith bin 'Amir on the day (of the battle of) Badr. So, Khubaib remained a prisoner with those people.
Narrated Az-Zuhri: 'Ubaidullah bin 'Iyyad said that the daughter of Al-Harith had told him, "When those people gathered (to kill Khubaib) he borrowed a razor from me to shave his pubes and I gave it to him. Then he took a son of mine while I was unaware when he came upon him. I saw him placing my son on his thigh and the razor was in his hand. I got scared so much that Khubaib noticed the agitation on my face and said, 'Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.' By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubaib. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Mecca." The daughter of Al-Harith used to say, "It was a boon Allah bestowed upon Khubaib." When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Mecca) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubaib requested them to let him offer two Rakat (prayer). They allowed him and he offered Two Rakat and then said, "Hadn't I been afraid that you would think that I was afraid (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception." (He then recited the poetic verse):-- "I being martyred as a Muslim, Do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, For my killing is for Allah's Sake, And if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body" Then the son of Al Harith killed him. So, it was Khubaib who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two-Rak'at prayer (before being killed). Allah fulfilled the invocation of Asim bin Thabit on that very day on which he was martyred. The Prophet informed his companions of their news and what had happened to them. Later on when some infidels from Quraish were informed that Asim had been killed, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e. his head) by which he would be recognized. (That was because) 'Asim had killed one of their chiefs on the day (of the battle) of Badr. So, a swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over Asim and protect him from their messenger and thus they could not cut off anything from his flesh.
The Torture and Murder of Kinanah b. al-Rabi b. al-Huqyaq
According to Ibn Isliaq: Kinanah b. al-Rabi` b. Abi al-Huqayq, who had the treasure of the Band al-Nadir, was brought to the Messenger of God, who questioned him; but he denied knowing where it was. Then the Messenger of God was brought a Jew who said to him, "I have seen Kinanah walk around this ruin every morning." The Messenger of God said to Kinanah: "What do you say? If we find it in your possession, I will kill you." "All right," he answered. The Messenger of God commanded that the ruin should be dug up, and some of the treasure was extracted from it. Then he asked him for the rest of it. Kinanah refused to surrender it; so the Messenger of God gave orders concerning him to al-Zubayr b. al-'Awwam, saying, "Torture him until you root out
what he has." Al-Zubayr kept twirling his firestick in his breast until Kinanah almost expired; then the Messenger of God gave him to Muhammad b. Maslamah, who beheaded him to avenge his brother Mahmud b. Maslamah.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, pp. 122-123, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 14, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
The Rest of the Affair of Khaybar:
Kinana b. al-Rabi', who had the custody of the treasure of B. al-Nadir, was brought to the apostle who asked him about it. He denied that he knew where it was. A Jew came (T. was brought) to the apostle and said that he T. 158. had seen Kinana going round a certain ruin every morning early. When the apostle said to Kinana, 'Do you know that if we find you have it I shall kill you?' he said Yes. The apostle gave orders that the ruin was to be excavated and some of the treasure was found. When he asked him about the rest he refused to produce it, so the apostle gave orders to al-Zubayr b. al-'Awwam, 'Torture him until you extract what he has,' so he kindled a fire with flint and steel on his chest until he was nearly dead. Then the apostle delivered him to Muhammad b. Maslama and he struck off his head, in revenge for his brother Mahmud.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 515, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 336-337, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
The Murder of Al-Nadr Bin Al-Harith
If it was money he wanted, they would make him the richest of them all; if it was honour, he should be their prince; if it was sovereignty, they would make him king; if it was a spirit which had got possession of him (they used to call the familiar spirit of the jinn ra'iy), then they would exhaust their means in finding medicine to cure him. The apostle replied that he had no such intention. He sought not money, nor honour, nor sovereignty, but God had sent him as an apostle, and revealed a book to him, and commanded him to become an announcer and a warner. He had brought them the messages of his Lord, and given them good advice. If they took it then they would have a portion in this world and the next; if they rejected it, he could only patiently await the issue until God decided between them, or words to that effect. 'Well, Muhammad,' they said, 'if you won't accept any of our propositions, you know that no people are more short of land and water, and live a harder life than we, so ask your Lord, who has sent you, to remove for us these mountains which shut us in, and to straighten out our country for us, and to open up in it rivers like those of Syria and Iraq, and to resurrect for us our forefathers, and let there be among those that are resurrected for us Qusayy b. Kilab, for he was a true shaikh, so that we may ask them whether what you say is true or false. If they say you are speaking the truth, and you do what we have asked you, we will believe in you, and we shall know what your position with God is, and that He has actually sent you as an apostle as you say.' He replied that he had not been sent to them with such an object. He had conveyed to them God's message, and they could either accept it with advantage, or reject it and await God's judgement. They said that if he would not do that for them, let him do something for himself. Ask God to send an angel with him to confirm what he said and to contradict them; to make him gardens and castles, and treasures of gold and silver to satisfy his obvious wants. He stood in the streets as they did, and he sought a livelihood as they did. If he could do this, they would recognize his merit and position with God, if he were an apostle as he claimed to be. He replied that he would not do it, and would not ask for such things, for he was not sent to do so, and he repeated what he had said before. They said, 'Then let the heavens be dropped on us in pieces,' as you assert that your Lord could do if He wished, for we will not believe you unless you do so.' The apostle replied that this was a matter for God; if He wanted to do it with them, He would do it. They said, 'Did not your Lord know that we would sit with you, and ask you these questions, so that He might come to you and instruct you how to answer us, and tell you what He wall going to do with us, if we did not receive your message? Information has reached us that you are taught by this fellow in al-Yamama, called al-Rahman, and by God we will never believe in the Rahman. Our conscience is clear. By God, we will not leave you and our treatment of you, until either we destroy you or you destroy us.' Some said, 'We worship the angels, who are the daughters of Allah.' Others said, 'We will not believe in you until you come to us with God and the angels as a surety."
When they said this the apostle got up and left them.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 133-134, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 295-296, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
When Abu Jahl said that to them, aI-Nadir b. al-Harith b. Kalada b. 'Alqama b. Abdu Manaf b. Abdu'I-Dar b. Qusayy got up and said: 'O Quraysh, a situation has arisen which you cannot deal with. Muhammad was a young man most liked among you, most truthful in speech, and most trustworthy, until, when you saw grey hairs on his temple, and he brought you his message, you said he was a sorcerer, but he is not, for we have seen such people and their spitting and their knots; you said, a diviner, but we have seen such people and their behaviour, and we have heard their rhymes; and you said a poet, but he is not a poet, for we have heard all kinds of poetry; you said he was possessed, but he is not, for we have seen the possessed, and he shows no signs of their gasping and whispering and delirium. Ye men of Quraysh, look to your affairs, for by God, a serious thing has befallen you.' Now al-Nadr b. al-Harith was one of the satans of Quraysh; he used to insult the apostle and show him enmity. He had been to al-Hira and learnt there the tales of the kings of Persia, the tales of Rustum and Isbandiyar. When the apostle had held a meeting in which he reminded them of God, and warned his people of what had happened to bygone generations as a result of God's vengeance, al-Nadr got up when he sat down, and said, 'I can tell a better story than he, come to me.' Then he began to tell them about the kings of Persia, Rustum and Isbandiyar, and then he would say, 'In what respect is Muhammad a better story-teller than?.
Ibn 'Abbas, according to my information, used to say eight verses of the Quran came down in reference to him, 'When our verses are read to him, he says fairy tales of the ancients'; and all those passages in-the Quran in which 'fairy tales' are mentioned.
When Al-Nadr said that to them, they sent him and 'Uqba b. Abu Mu'ayt to the Jewish rabbis in Medina and said to them, 'Ask them about Muhammad; describe him to them and tell them what he says, for they are the first people of the scriptures and have knowledge which we do not possess about the prophets.' They carried out their instructions, and said to the rabbis, 'You are the people of the Taurat,' and we have come to you so that you can tell us how to deal with this tribesman of ours.' The rabbis said, 'Ask him about three things of which we will instruct you; if he gives you the right answer then he is an authentic prophet, but if he does not, then the man is a rogue, so form your own opinion about him. Ask him what happened to the young men who disappeared in ancient days, for they have a marvellous story. Ask him about the mighty traveller who reached the confines of both East and West. Ask him what the spirit is. If he can give you the answer, then follow him, for he is a prophet. If he cannot, then he is a forger and treat him as you will.' The two men returned to Quraysh at Mecca' and told them that they had. a decisive way of dealing with Muhammad, and they told them about the three questions.
They came to the apostle and called upon him to answer these questions. He said to/them, II will give you your answer tomorrow,' but he did not say, 'if God will.' So they went away; and the apostle, so they say, waited for fifteen days without a revelation from God on the matter, nor did Gabriel come to him, so that the people of Mecca began to spread evil reports, saying, 'Muhammad promised us an answer on the morrow, and today is the fifteenth day we have remained without an answer.' This delay caused the apostle great sorrow, until Gabriel brought him the Chapter of The Cave, in which he reproaches him for his sadness, and told him the answers of their questions, the youths, the mighty traveller, and the spirit.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 135-137, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 300-302, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Al-Nadr b. al-Harith b. 'Alqama b. Kalada b. 'Abdu Manaf whenever the apostle sat in an assembly and invited people to God, and recited the Quran and warned the Quraysh of what had happened to former peoples, followed him when he got up and spoke to them about Rustum the Hero and Isfandiyar and the kings of Persia, saying, 'By God, Muhammad cannot tell; better story than I and his talk is only of old fables which he has copied as I have.' So God revealed concerning him, 'And they say, Stories of the ancients which he has copied down, and they are read to him morning and night. Say, He who knows the secrets of heaven and earth has sent it down. Verily, He is merciful, forgiving.'
And there came down concerning him, 'When Our verses are read to him he says, fables of the ancients'.
And again, 'Woe to every sinful liar who hears God's verses read before him. Then he continues in pride as though he had not heard them, as though in his ears was deafness. Tell him about a painful punishment'.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 162-163, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 358, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Then the apostle went forward until when he came out of the pass of al-Safra' he halted on the sandhill between the pass and al-Naziya called Sayar at a tree there and divided the booty which God had granted to the Muslims equally.' Then he marched until he reached Rauha' when the Muslims met him congratulating him and the Muslims on the victory God had given him. Salama b. Salama-so 'Asim b. 'Umar b. Qatada and Yazid b. Ruman told me-said, 'What are you congratulating us about? By God, we only met some bald old women like the sacrificial camels who are hobbled, and we slaughtered them!' The apostle smiled and said, 'But, nephew, those were the chiefs'. When the apostle was in al-Safra', al-Nadr was killed by 'Ali, as a learned Meccan told me. When he was in 'Irqu'l-Zabya 'Uqba was killed. He had been captured by 'Abdullah b. Salima, one of the B. al-'Ajlan.
When the apostle ordered him to be killed 'Uqba said, 'But who will look after my children, O Muhammad?' 'Hell', he said, and 'Asim b. Thabit b. Abu'I-Aqlah al-Ansari killed him according to what Abu 'Ubayda b. Muhammad b. 'Ammar b. Yasir told me.
Abu Hind, freedman of Farwa b. 'Amr al-Bayadi, met the apostle there With a jar full of butter and dates (383). He had stayed behind from Badr
but was present at all the other battles and afterwards became the apostle's cupper, The apostle said, 'Abu Hind is one of the Ansar; intermarry with him, and they did so.
The apostle arrived in Medina a day before the prisoners.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 308-309, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 643-644, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Then Quraysh sent to redeem their prisoners
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 312, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 649, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Qutayla d. al-Harith, sister of al-Nadr b. al-Harith, weeping him said:
- O Rider, I think you will reach Uthayl
- At dawn of the fifth night if you are lucky.
- Greet a dead man there for me.
- Swift camels always carry news from me to :thee.
- (Tell of) flowing tears running profusely or ending in a sob.
- Can al-Nadir hear me when I call him,
- How can a dead man hear who cannot speak?
- O Muhammad, finest child of noble mother,
- Whose sire a noble sire was,
- 'Twould not have harmed you had you spared him.
- (A warrior oft spares though full of rage and anger.)
- Or you could have taken a ransom,
- The dearest price that could be paid.
- Al-Nadr was the nearest relative you captured
- With the best claim to be released.
- The swords of his father's sons came down on him.
- Good God, what bonds of kinship there were shattered!
- Exhausted he was led to a cold-blooded death,
- A prisoner in bonds, walking like a hobbled beast.
The apostle left Badr at the end of the month of Ramadan or in Shawwal.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 360, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 42-43, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Mus'ab replied, 'You used to speak all kinds of calumnies against the Book of God and His Prophet; you also used the persecute and harm his companions.' Al Nadr said, 'Had Quraysh taken you captive, I would have never allowed them to kill you as long as I was alive'; to which Mus'ab replied, 'By God I do not believe you; I am not like you; Islam has severed my relations with you.' Al Nadr was the captive of al Miqdad who expected to receive a great ransom from the captive's family...At this the Prophet--may God's blessing be upon him---said: 'Strike his neck. O God, give al Miqdad plenty of Your bounty instead.' Ali ibn Abu Talib executed the Prophet's order with the sword. As the party arrived at Irq al Zubyah, the Prophet ordered the execution of Uqbah ibn Abu Mu'ayt. When Uqbah pleaded, 'Who will take care of my children, O Mohammed?' Mohammed answered, 'The fire.'
The Life of Muhammad, Muhammad H. Haykal, pp. 233-234
The Death of Ibn Sunayna
Narrated Muhayyisah: The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: If you gain a victory over the men of Jews, kill them. So Muhayyisah jumped over Shubaybah, a man of the Jewish merchants. He had close relations with them. He then killed him. At that time Huwayyisah (brother of Muhayyisah) had not embraced Islam. He was older than Muhayyisah. When he killed him, Huwayyisah beat him and said: O enemy of Allah, I swear by Allah, you have a good deal of fat in your belly from his property.
The Affair of Muhayyisa and Huwayyisa:
The apostle said, 'Kill any Jew that falls into your power.' Thereupon Muhayyisa b. Mas'ud leapt upon Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish merchant with women they had social and business relations, and killed him. Huwayyisa killed him Huwayyyisa began to beat him, saying, 'You enemy of God, did you kill him when much of the fat on your belly comes form his wealth?' Muhayyisa answered, 'Had the one who ordered me to kill him ordered me to kill you I would have cut your head off.' He said that this was the beginning of Huwayyisa's acceptance of Islam. The other replied, 'By God, if Muhammad had ordered you to kill me would you have killed me?' He said, 'Yes, by God, had he ordered me to cut off your head I would have done so.' He exclaimed, 'By God, a religion which can bring you to this is marvellous!' and he became a Muslim.
I was told this story by a client of B. Haritha from the daughter of Muhayyisa from Muhayyisa himself.
Muhayyisa composed the following lines on the subject:
- My mother's son blames me because if I were ordered to kill him
- I would smite his nape with a sharp sword,
- A blade white as salt from polishing.
- My downward stroke never misses its mark.
- It would not please me to kill you voluntarily
- Though we owned all Arabia from north to south.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 369, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 58-59, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
The Killing of Umaiya bin Khalaf Abi Safwan
Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud: Sa'd bin Mu'adh came to Mecca with the intention of performing 'Umra, and stayed at the house of Umaiya bin Khalaf Abi Safwan, for Umaiya himself used to stay at Sa'd's house when he passed by Medina on his way to Sham. Umaiya said to Sad, "Will you wait till midday when the people are (at their homes), then you may go and perform the Tawaf round the Ka'ba?" So, while Sad was going around the Ka'ba, Abu Jahl came and asked, "Who is that who is performing Tawaf?" Sad replied, "I am Sad." Abu Jahl said, "Are you circumambulating the Ka'ba safely although you have given refuge to Muhammad and his companions?" Sad said, "Yes," and they started quarreling. Umaiya said to Sad, "Don't shout at Abi-l-Hakam (i.e. Abu Jahl), for he is chief of the valley (of Mecca)." Sad then said (to Abu Jahl). 'By Allah, if you prevent me from performing the Tawaf of the Ka'ba, I will spoil your trade with Sham." Umaiya kept on saying to Sad, "Don't raise your voice." and kept on taking hold of him. Sad became furious and said, (to Umaiya), "Be away from me, for I have heard Muhammad saying that he will kill you." Umaiiya said, "Will he kill me?" Sad said, "Yes,." Umaiya said, "By Allah! When Muhammad says a thing, he never tells a lie." Umaiya went to his wife and said to her, "Do you know what my brother from Yathrib (i.e. Medina) has said to me?" She said, "What has he said?" He said, "He claims that he has heard Muhammad claiming that he will kill me." She said, By Allah! Muhammad never tells a lie." So when the infidels started to proceed for Badr (Battle) and declared war (against the Muslims), his wife said to him, "Don't you remember what your brother from Yathrib told you?" Umaiya decided not to go but Abu Jahl said to him, "You are from the nobles of the valley of Mecca), so you should accompany us for a day or two." He went with them and thus Allah got him killed.
The Execution of `Uqba bin Abi Mu`ayt
When the apostle ordered him to be killed 'Uqba said, 'But who will look after my children, O Muhammad?' 'Hell', he said, and 'Asim b. Thabit b. Abu'I-Aqlah al-Ansari killed him according to what Abu 'Ubayda b. Muhammad b. 'Ammar b. Yasir told me.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 308, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 643, https://app.turath.io/book/23833 See Also
Al-Tabari, Vol. 9, p. 121
Nubayh b. Wahb brother of B. 'Abdu'l-Dar told me that the apostle divided the prisoners amongst his companions and said, 'Treat them well.' Now Abu 'Aziz b. 'Umayr b. Hashim, brother of Mus'ab b. 'Umayr by the same mother and father, was among the prisoners and he said, 'My brother Mus'ab passed by me as one of the Ansar was binding me and he said: "Bind him fast, for his mother is a wealthy woman; perhaps she will redeem him from you." I was with a number of the Ansar when they brought me from Badr, and when they ate their morning and evening meals they gave me the bread and ate the dates themselves in accordance with the orders that the apostle had given about us. If anyone had a morsel of bread he gave it to me. I felt ashamed and returned it to one of them but he returned it to me untouched'.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 309, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 645, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
The Killing of Yusayr b. Rizam
It is reported about Yusayr b. Rizam, the Jew, that he was gathering Ghatafan in Khaybar to attack the Messenger of God, so the latter sent 'Abdallah b. Rawihah with a number of his companions, among whom were 'Abdallih b. Unays, an ally of the Band Salamah. When they came to him they spoke to him, made promises, treated him nicely, and said, "If you come to the Messenger of God he will give you an assignment and honor you." They continued [urging him] until he went with them, accompanied by a number of Jews. 'Abdallah b. Unays mounted him on his camel and rode behind him. When he was in al-Qargarah, about six miles from Khaybar, Yusayr b. Rizim regretted going to the Messenger of God. 'Abdallih b. Unays perceived his intention as he was getting ready to draw his sword, so he leapt at him and struck him with his sword, severing his leg. Yusayr hit him with a stick (with a crooked head) of shawاat wood which was in his hand, aiming at his head. God killed Yusayr, and each one of the Messenger of God's companions fell upon their Jewish traveling companions and killed them, except for one person who escaped on his mount. When 'Abdallah b. Unays came to the Messenger of God the Prophet spat on his head wound, and it did not' fester or hurt him.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Ismail K. Poonawala, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. IX, SUNY Press, p. 120, ISBN 0-88706-691-7, 1990, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2267/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 155, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
The Torture and Murder of the Eight Men From 'Ukil
The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land
is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement,
Narrated Anas bin Malik: A group of eight men from the tribe of 'Ukil came to the Prophet and then they found the climate of Medina unsuitable for them. So, they said, "O Allah's Apostle! Provide us with some milk." Allah's Apostle said, "I recommend that you should join the herd of camels." So they went and drank the urine and the milk of the camels (as a medicine) till they became healthy and fat. Then they killed the shepherd and drove away the camels, and they became unbelievers after they were Muslims. When the Prophet was informed by a shouter for help, he sent some men in their pursuit, and before the sun rose high, they were brought,
and he had their hands and feet cut off. Then he ordered for nails which were heated and passed over their eyes, and whey were left in the Harra (i.e. rocky land in Medina). They asked for water, and nobody provided them with water till they died (Abu Qilaba, a sub-narrator said, "They committed murder and theft and fought against Allah and His Apostle, and spread evil in the land.")
Narrated Abu Qilaba: Once 'Umar bin 'Abdul 'Aziz sat on his throne in the courtyard of his house so that the people might gather before him. Then he admitted them and (when they came in), he said, "What do you think of Al-Qasama?" They said, "We say that it is lawful to depend on Al-Qasama in Qisas, as the previous Muslim Caliphs carried out Qisas depending on it." Then he said to me, "O Abu Qilaba! What do you say about it?" He let me appear before the people and I said, "O Chief of the Believers! You have the chiefs of the army staff and the nobles of the Arabs. If fifty of them testified that a married man had committed illegal sexual intercourse in Damascus but they had not seen him (doing so), would you stone him?" He said, "No." I said, "If fifty of them testified that a man had committed theft in Hums, would you cut off his hand though they did not see him?" He replied, "No." I said, "By Allah, Allah's Apostle never killed anyone except in one of the following three situations: (1) A person who killed somebody unjustly, was killed (in Qisas,) (2) a married person who committed illegal sexual intercourse and (3) a man who fought against Allah and His Apostle and deserted Islam and became an apostate." Then the people said, "Didn't Anas bin Malik narrate that Allah's Apostle cut off the hands of the thieves, branded their eyes and then, threw them in the sun?" I said, "I shall tell you the narration of Anas. Anas said: "Eight persons from the tribe of 'Ukl came to Allah's Apostle and gave the Pledge of allegiance for Islam (became Muslim). The climate of the place (Medina) did not suit them, so they became sick and complained about that to Allah's Apostle. He said (to them ), "Won't you go out with the shepherd of our camels and drink of the camels' milk and urine (as medicine)?" They said, "Yes." So they went out and drank the camels' milk and urine, and after they became healthy, they killed the shepherd of Allah's Apostle and took away all the camels. This news reached Allah's Apostle , so he sent (men) to follow their traces and
they were captured and brought (to the Prophet). He then ordered to cut their hands and feet, and their eyes were branded with heated pieces of iron, and then he threw them in the sun till they died." I said, "What can be worse than what those people did? They deserted Islam, committed murder and theft."...
Narrated Anas: Some people from 'Uraina tribe came to Medina and its climate did not suit them, so Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) allowed them to go to the herd of camels (given as Zakat) and they drank their milk and urine (as medicine) but they killed the shepherd and drove away all the camels. So Allah's Apostle sent (men) in their pursuit to catch them, and they were brought, and he had their hands and feet cut, and their eyes were branded with heated pieces of iron and they were left in the Harra (a stony place at Medina) biting the stones. (See Hadith No. 234, Vol. 1)
Narrated Anas: The Prophet cut off the hands and feet of the men belonging to the tribe of 'Uraina and did not cauterise (their bleeding limbs) till they died.
Anas reported: Eight men of the tribe of 'Ukl came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and swore allegiance to him on Islam, but found the climate of that land uncogenial to their health and thus they became sick, and they made complaint of that to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), and he said: Why don't you go to (the fold) of our camels along with our shepherd, and make use of their milk and urine. They said: Yes. They set out and drank their (camels') milk and urine and regained their health. They killed the shepherd and drove away the camels. This (news) reached Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and he sent them on their track and they were caught and brought to him (the Holy Prophet).
He commanded about them, and (thus) their hands and feet were cut off and their eyes were gouged and then they were thrown in the sun, until they died.This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn al-Sabbah with a slight variation of words.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: Some people raided the camels of the Prophet (peace be upon him), drove them off, and apostatised. They killed the herdsman of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) who was a believer. He (the Prophet) sent (people) in pursuit of them and they were caught.
He had their hands and feet cut off, and their eyes put out. The verse regarding fighting against Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him) was then revealed. These were the people about whom Anas ibn Malik informed al-Hajjaj when he asked him.
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by the narrator Ayyub through different chain. This version has : So he (the prophet) order nails to be heated and had them blinded with them, and he had their hands and feet cut off, and did not cauterise them to stop the flow of blood.
Narrated AbuzZinad: When
the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) cut off (the hands and feet of) those who had stolen his camels and he had their eyes put out by fire (heated nails), Allah reprimanded him on that (action), and Allah, the Exalted, revealed: "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Apostle and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is execution or crucifixion."
The Slaughter of the Ten Meccans
According to al-Waqidi: The Messenger of God commanded that six men and four women should be killed. Of the men, [al-Waqidi] mentioned those whom Ibn Ishaq named. The women he mentioned were Hind bt. 'Utbah b. Rabi'ah, who became a Muslim and swore allegiance; Sarah, the mawldh of 'Amr b. Hashim b. 'Abd al-Muttalib b. 'Abd Manaf, who was killed on that day; Quraybah, who was killed on that day; and Fartana, who lived until the caliphate of 'Uthman.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, p. 181, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 60, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
The apostle of Allah entered through Adhakhir, [into Mecca], and prohibited fighting.
He ordered six men and four women to be killed, they were (1) Ikrimah Ibn Abi Jahl, (2) Habbar Ibn al-Aswad, (3) Abd Allah Ibn Sa`d Ibn Abi Sarh, (4) Miqyas Ibn Sababah al-Laythi, (5) al-Huwayrith Ibn Nuqaydh, (6) Abd Abbah Ibn Hilal Ibn Khatal al-Adrami, (7) Hind Bint Utbah, (8) Sarah, the mawlat (enfranchised girl) of Amr Ibn Hashim, (9) Fartana and (10) Qaribah. Ibn Sa`d, Vol. 2, p. 168
According to Ibn Humayd--Salamah--Ibn Ishaq, who said: When the Messenger of God ordered his commanders to enter Mecca, he charged them to kill no one except those who fought them; however, he gave charge concerning a group of men whom he named: he ordered that they should be killed even if they were found under the curtains of the Ka'bah. Among them was 'Abdallah b. Sa'd b. Abi Sari b. Hubayb b. Jadhimah b. Nasr b. Malik b. Hisl b. 'Amir b. Lu'ayy. The Messenger of God ordered that he should be killed only because he had become a Muslim and then had reverted to being a polytheist. He fled to 'Uthman, who was his foster-brother, and 'Uthman hid him. 'Uthman later brought him to the Messenger of God after the people of Mecca had become calm. He asked the Messenger of God to grant him a promise of safety. The Messenger of God is said to have remained silent for a long time and then to have said yes. After 'Uthman had taken him away, the Messenger of God said to his companions who were around him, "By God, I kept silent so that one of you might go up to him and cut off his head!" One of the Anger said, "Why didn't you give me a signal, Messenger of God? " He replied, "A prophet does not kill by making signs."
Also among them was 'Abdallah b. Khatal, a member of the Banu Taym b. Ghalib. The Messenger of God ordered that he should be killed only for the following reason: He was a Muslim, and the Messenger of God had sent him to collect alms, sending with him one of the Ansar. With him went a mawla of his, also a Muslim, to serve him. He halted at a resting place and commanded the mawla to slaughter him a goat and make him a meal; then he went to sleep. When he woke up, the mawla had done nothing for him; so he attacked him and killed him. Then he reverted to being a polytheist . He had two singing girls, Fartana and another with her. The two used to sing satire about the Messenger of God; so the latter commanded that the two of them should be killed along with him.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, pp. 178-179, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 58-59, https://app.turath.io/book/9783 See Also Ishaq 550
Assassination of Habbar Ibn al-Aswad
Muhammad ordered the assassination of al-Aswad. He was assassinated because, like Muhammad, he claimed to be a prophet.
'Ubaydallah b. Said [al-Zuhri]--his uncle [Ya'qub]--Sayf [b. 'Umar]--Hisham b. Urwah--his father: The Messenger of God waged war against the false prophets by sending messengers. He sent a messenger to some of the descendants of the Persian soldiers in the Yemen (al-abna') instructing them [to get rid of] al-Aswad by artful contrivance. He [further] instructed them to seek help of some people whom he named from the Banu Tamim and Qays, sending [word] to the latter to help the former. They did [as instructed]. The means of [escape] for those who apostatized were cut off, and they were attacked [while they were] in a state of waning. Since they were isolated, they were occupied with themselves. Al-Aswad was killed while the Messenger of God was [still] alive, a day or a night before the latter's death. Tulayhah, Musaylimah and the likeness of them were driven away by the messengers.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Ismail K. Poonawala, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. IX, SUNY Press, p. 167, ISBN 0-88706-691-7, 1990, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2267/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 187, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
Assassination of `Abdullah ibn Sa`d Ibn Abi Sarh
The apostle had instructed his commanders when they entered Mecca only to fight those who resisted them, except a small number who were to be killed even if they were found beneath the curtains of the Ka'ba. Among them was 'Abdullah b. Sa'd, brother of the B. 'Amir b. Lu'ayy. The reason he ordered him to be killed was that he had been a Muslim and used to write down revelation; then he apostatized and returned to Quraysh and fled to 'Uthman b. 'Affan whose foster-brother he was; The latter hid him until he brought him to the apostle after the situation in Mecca was tranquil, and asked that he might be granted immunity. They allege that the apostle remained silent for a long time till finally he said yes. When 'Uthman had left he said to his companions who were sitting around him, 'I kept silent so that one of you might get up and strike off his head!' One of the Ansar said, 'Then why didn't you give me a sign, a apostle of God I' He answered that a prophet does not kill by pointing.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 550, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 409, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
A person of al-Ansar had taken a vow to kill Ibn Abi Sarh [the already mentioned Abdallah] if he saw him. `Uthman whose foster brother he (Ibn Abi Sarh) was, came and interceded for him with the prophet. The Ansari was waiting for the signal of the prophet to kill him. `Uthman interceded and he [Muhammad] let him go. The
the apostle of Allah said to the Ansari, "Why did you not fulfil your vow?" He said, "O apostle of Allah! I had my hand on the hilt of the sword waiting for your signal to kill him." The prophet said signalling would have been a breach of faith. "It does not behave the prophet to make signal."
Ibn Sa`d, Vol. 2, p. 174
Murder of Sarah and Ikrima Abu Jahl
Another was 'Abdullah b. Khatal of B. Taym b. Ghalib. He had become a Muslim and the apostle sent him to collect the poor tax in company with one of the Ansar. He had with him a freed slave who served him. (He was a Muslim.) When they halted he ordered the latter to kill a goat for him and prepare some food, and went to sleep. When he woke up the man had done nothing, so he attacked and killed him and apostatized. He had two singing-girls Fartana and her friend who used to sing satirical songs about the apostle, so he ordered that they should be killed with him.
Another was al-Huwayrith b. Nuqaydh b. Wahb b. 'Abd b. Qusayy, one of those who used to insult him in Mecca.
Another was Miqyas b. Hubaba' because he had killed an Ansari who had killed his brother accidentally, and returned to Quraysh as a polytheist. And Sara, freed slave of one of the B. 'Abdu'l-Muttalib; and 'Ikrima b. Abu Jahl. Sara had insulted him in Mecca. As for 'Ikrima, he fled to the Yarnan. His wife Umm Hakim d. al-Harith b. Hisham became a Muslim and asked immunity for him and the apostle gave it. She went to the
Yaman in search of him and brought him to the apostle and he accepted Islam. (T- 'Ikrima used to relate, according to what they say, that what turned him to Islam when he had gone to the Yaman was that he had determined to cross the sea to Abyssinia and when he found a ship the master said, 'O servant of God, you cannot travel in my ship until you acknowledge that God is one and disavow any rival to Him, for I fear that if you do not do so we should perish.' When I asked if none but such persons was allowed to travel in his ship he replied, 'Yes, and he must be sincere.' So I thought: Why should I leave Muhammad when this is what he has brought us? Truly our God on the sea is our God on the dry land. Thereupon I recognized Islam and it entered into my heart.) 'Abdullah h. Khatal was killed by Said b. Hurayth al-Makhzumi and Abu Barza al-Aslami acting together. Miqyas was killed by Numayla b. 'Abdullah, one of his own people. Miqyas's sister said of his killing:
- By my life, Numayla shamed his people
- And distressed the winter guests when he slew miqyas.
- Whoever has seen a man like Miqyas
- Who provided food for young mothers in hard times.
As for Ibn Khatal's two singing-girls, .one was killed and the other ran away until the apostle, asked for immunity, gave it her. Similarly Sara, who lived until in the time of 'Umar a mounted soldier trod her down in the valley of Mecca and killed her. AI-Huwayrith was killed by 'Ali.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 550-551, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 409-411, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Also among them were 'Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl and Sarah, a mawlah of one of the sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib. She was one of those who used to molest the Messenger of God in Mecca. 'Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl fled to Yemen. His wife, Umm Hakim bt. al Harith b. Hisham, became a Muslim. She asked the Messenger of God to grant `Ikrimah a promise of safety, and he did so. She set out to find him and then brought him to the Messenger of God. `Ikrimah, as people relate, used to say that what brought him back to Islam after his departure for Yemen was-in his own words: I was about to set sail for Ethiopia. When I came to board the ship, its captain said, "Servant of God, do not board my ship until you declare God to be one and repudiate any peers to Him; for I fear that if you do not do so, we shall perish in it." So I asked, "Does no one board until he declares God to be one and repudiates all others?" "Yes," he said, "no one boards until he clears himself." So I asked: Why then should I depart from Muhammad? By God, this is the very message he brought to us: that our God on the sea is [the same as] our God on land! At that moment I came to know Islam, and it entered into my heart.
'Abdallah b. Khalal was killed by Said b. Hurayth al-Makhzumi and Abu Barzah al-Aslami: the two shared in his blood. Miqyas b. Subabah was killed by Numaylah b. 'Abdallah, a man of his own clan. The sister of Miqyas said:
- By my life, Numaylah shamed his clan
- and distressed winter guests by [killing] Miqyas.
- How excellent it was for one to see a man like Miqyas
- in times when no food was prepared even for women in childbirth!
As for Ibn Khatal's two singing girls, one was killed and the other fled. The Messenger of God later was asked to grant her a promise of safety, and he did so. [As for Sarah, he was asked to grant her a promise of safety, and he did So. She lived until someone in the time of 'Umar b. al-Khatab caused his horse to trample her at al-Abtah and killed her. Al-Huwayrith b. Nuqaydh was killed by 'Ali b. Abi Talib.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, pp. 179-181, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 60-61, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
Murder of al-Aswad b. Ka`b al-`Ansi
Narrated Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utba: We were informed that Musailima Al-Kadhdhab had arrived in Medina and stayed in the house of the daughter of Al-Harith. The daughter of Al-Harith bin Kuraiz was his wife and she was the mother of 'Abdullah bin 'Amir. There came to him Allah's Apostle accompanied by Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas who was called the orator of Allah's Apostle. Allah's Apostle had a stick in his hand then. The Prophet stopped before Musailima and spoke to him. Musailima said to him, "If you wish, we would not interfere between you and the rule, on condition that the rule will be ours after you... The Prophet said, "If you asked me for this stick, I would not give it to you. I think you are the same person who was shown to me in a dream. And this is Thabit bin Al-Qais who will answer you on my behalf." The Prophet then went away. I asked Ibn Abbas about the dream Allah's Apostle had mentioned. Ibn Abbas said, "Someone told me that the Prophet said, "When I was sleeping, I saw in a dream that two gold bangles were put in my hands, and that frightened me and made me dislike them. Then I was allowed to blow on them, and when I blew at them, both of them flew. Then I interpreted them as two liars who would appear.'
One of them was Al-'Ansi who was killed by Fairuz in Yemen and the other was Musailima Al-Kadhdbab."
Narrated Ibn Abbas: Musailama-al-Kadhdhab (i.e. the liar) came in the life-time of Allah's Apostle with many of his people (to Medina) and said, "If Muhammad makes me his successor, I will follow him." Allah's Apostle went up to him with Thabit bin Qais bin Shams; and Allah's Apostle was carrying a piece of a date-palm leaf in his hand. He stood before Musailama (and his companions) and said, "If you asked me even this piece (of a leaf), I would not give it to you. You cannot avoid the fate you are destined to, by Allah.
If you reject Islam, Allah will destroy you. I think that you are most probably the same person whom I have seen in the dream." Abu Huraira told me that Allah's Apostle; said, "While I was sleeping, I saw (in a dream) two gold bracelets round my arm, and that worried me too much. Then I was instructed divinely in my dream, to blow them off and so I blew them off, and they flew away. I interpreted the two bracelets as symbols of two liars who would appear after me. And so one of them was Al-Ansi and the other was Musailama Al-Kadhdhab from Al-Yamama."
Attempted Murder of Hind bint Utbah
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: When Hind, daughter of Utbah, said: Prophet of Allah, accept my allegiance, he replied; I shall not accept your allegiance till you make a difference to the palms of your hands; for they look like the paws of a beast of prey.
According to al-Waqidi: The Messenger of God commanded that six men and four women should be killed. Of the men, [al-Waqidi] mentioned those whom Ibn Ishaq named. The women he mentioned were Hind bt. 'Utbah b. Rabi'ah, who became a Muslim and swore allegiance; Sarah, the mawldh of 'Amr b. Hashim b. 'Abd al-Muttalib b. 'Abd Manaf, who was killed on that day; Quraybah, who was killed on that day; and Fartana, who lived until the caliphate of 'Uthman.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, p. 181, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 60, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
Murder of al-Huwayrith Nuqaydh Wahb Qusayy
Another was al-Huwayrith b. Nuqaydh b. Wahb b. 'Abd b. Qusayy, one of those who used to insult him in Mecca.
Another was Miqyas b. Hubaba' because he had killed an Ansari who had killed his brother accidentally, and returned to Quraysh as a polytheist. And Sara, freed slave of one of the B. 'Abdu'l-Muttalib; and 'Ikrima b. Abu Jahl. Sara had insulted him in Mecca. As for 'Ikrima, he fled to the Yarnan. His wife Umm Hakim d. al-Harith b. Hisham became a Muslim and asked immunity for him and the apostle gave it. She went to the
Yaman in search of him and brought him to the apostle and he accepted Islam. (T- 'Ikrima used to relate, according to what they say, that what turned him to Islam when he had gone to the Yaman was that he had determined to cross the sea to Abyssinia and when he found a ship the master said, 'O servant of God, you cannot travel in my ship until you acknowledge that God is one and disavow any rival to Him, for I fear that if you do not do so we should perish.' When I asked if none but such persons was allowed to travel in his ship he replied, 'Yes, and he must be sincere.' So I thought: Why should I leave Muhammad when this is what he has brought us? Truly our God on the sea is our God on the dry land. Thereupon I recognized Islam and it entered into my heart.) 'Abdullah h. Khatal was killed by Said b. Hurayth al-Makhzumi and Abu Barza al-Aslami acting together. Miqyas was killed by Numayla b. 'Abdullah, one of his own people. Miqyas's sister said of his killing:
- By my life, Numayla shamed his people
- And distressed the winter guests when he slew miqyas.
- Whoever has seen a man like Miqyas
- Who provided food for young mothers in hard times.
As for Ibn Khatal's two singing-girls, .one was killed and the other ran away until the apostle, asked for immunity, gave it her. Similarly Sara, who lived until in the time of 'Umar a mounted soldier trod her down in the valley of Mecca and killed her. AI-Huwayrith was killed by 'Ali.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 551, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 410-411, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
The Murder of Abdullah Khatal of B. Taym b. Ghalib and his Slaves
Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah's Apostle entered Mecca in the year of its Conquest wearing an Arabian helmet on his head and when the Prophet took it off, a person came and said, "Ibn Khatal is holding the covering of the Ka'ba (taking refuge in the Ka'ba)."
The Prophet said, "Kill him."
Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased with them) reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) entered Mecca in the Year of Victory with a helmet on his head; and when he took it off, a man came to him and said: Ibn Khatal is hanging on to the curtains of the Ka'ba, whereupon
he said: Kill him. Malik (one of the narrators) attested this statement having been made.
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered Makka, in the Year of Victory, wearing a helmet, and when he took it off a man came to him and said, "Messenger of Allah, Ibn Khatal is clinging to the covers of the Kaba," and
the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Kill him."Malik commented, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not in ihram at the time, and Allah knows best."
"Verily
the apostle of Alah ordered (his followers) on the day of the Victory to kill Ibn Abi Sarh, Fartana Ibn al-Zibr'ra and Ibn Khatal. Abu Barzah came and saw him (Ibn Khatal) holding fast the curtains of al-Kabah.
He (Abu Barzah) ripped open his belly. Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 2, p. 174
"The apostle of Allah entered Makkah in the year of victory and on his head there was a helmet. Then he removed it. Ma'n and Musa Ibn Dawud said in their version: A person came to him and said, "O apostle of Allah! Ibn Khatal is holding fast the curtains of al-Kabah. Thereupon
the apostle of Allah said: "Kill him.".
.
.
Kill him wherever you find him" Ibn Sa'd, Vol. 2, p. 172-173
Another was 'Abdullah b. Khatal of B. Taym b. Ghalib. He had become a Muslim and the apostle sent him to collect the poor tax in company with one of the Ansar. He had with him a freed slave who served him. (He was a Muslim.) When they halted he ordered the latter to kill a goat for him and prepare some food, and went to sleep. When he woke up the man had done nothing, so he attacked and killed him and apostatized. He had two singing-girls Fartana and her friend who used to sing satirical songs about the apostle, so he ordered that they should be killed with him. [...]
As for Ibn Khatal's two singing-girls, .one was killed and the other ran away until the apostle, asked for immunity, gave it her. Similarly Sara, who lived until in the time of 'Umar a mounted soldier trod her down in the valley of Mecca and killed her. AI-Huwayrith was killed by 'Ali.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 550-551, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 409-411, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
The Murder of Miqyas Hubaba
Another was Miqyas b. Hubaba' because he had killed an Ansari who had killed his brother accidentally, and returned to Quraysh as a polytheist. And Sara, freed slave of one of the B. 'Abdu'l-Muttalib; and 'Ikrima b. Abu Jahl. Sara had insulted him in Mecca. As for 'Ikrima, he fled to the Yarnan. His wife Umm Hakim d. al-Harith b. Hisham became a Muslim and asked immunity for him and the apostle gave it. She went to the
Yaman in search of him and brought him to the apostle and he accepted Islam. (T- 'Ikrima used to relate, according to what they say, that what turned him to Islam when he had gone to the Yaman was that he had determined to cross the sea to Abyssinia and when he found a ship the master said, 'O servant of God, you cannot travel in my ship until you acknowledge that God is one and disavow any rival to Him, for I fear that if you do not do so we should perish.' When I asked if none but such persons was allowed to travel in his ship he replied, 'Yes, and he must be sincere.' So I thought: Why should I leave Muhammad when this is what he has brought us? Truly our God on the sea is our God on the dry land. Thereupon I recognized Islam and it entered into my heart.) 'Abdullah h. Khatal was killed by Said b. Hurayth al-Makhzumi and Abu Barza al-Aslami acting together. Miqyas was killed by Numayla b. 'Abdullah, one of his own people. Miqyas's sister said of his killing:
- By my life, Numayla shamed his people
- And distressed the winter guests when he slew miqyas.
- Whoever has seen a man like Miqyas
- Who provided food for young mothers in hard times.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 551, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 410-411, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Miqyas b. Subaba came from Mecca as a Muslim, so he professed, saying 'I come to you as a Muslim seeking the bloodwit for my brother who we killed in error.' The apostle ordered that he should have the bloodwit for his brother Hisham and he stopped a short while with the apostle. Then he attacked his brother's slayer and killed him and went off to Mecca an apostate. He spoke the following lines:
- It eased my soul that he died in the lowland,
- The blood of his neck veins dyeing his garments.
- Before I killed him I was beset by cares
- Which prevented me from seeking my couch.
- I gave free vent to my vengeance
- And was the first to return to the idols.
- I avenged Fihr on him and laid his bloodwit
- On the chiefs of B. aI-Najjar, the lords of Fari'.
He also said:
- I fetched him a stroke in vengeance
- Which drew blood that ebbed and flowed.
- I said as the wrinkles of death covered him
- 'You can't be safe from B. Bakr when they are wronged'.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 492, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 293-294, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Unnamed
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle sent us in a mission (i.e. am army-unit) and said,
"If you find so-and-so and so-and-so, burn both of them with fire." When we intended to depart,
Allah's Apostle said, "I have ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so, and it is none but Allah Who punishes with fire, so, if you find them, kill them."
Ibn Humayd--Salamah--Muhammad b. Ishaq--Muhammad b. Ja`far b. al-Zubayr--`Abdallah b. Unays: The Messenger of God called me and said, "It has reached me that Khalid b. Sufyan b. Nubayb al-Hudhali is gathering a force to attack me. He is either in Nakhlah or `Uranah, so go to him and kill him." I replied, "O Messenger of God, describe him to me so that I might know him." He said, "When you see him he will remind you of Satan. [A sure] sign between you and him is that when you see him you will feel a shudder." I went out, girding on my sword, until I came to him while he was in howdah with the women, seeking a halting place for them at the time for afternoon prayer. When I saw him I found him to be as the Messenger of God had described. I advanced toward him, but fearing that there might be acrimony between me and him which would distract me from the prayer, I prayed, making gestures with my head as I walked toward him. When I got to him he asked who I was, and I replied, "An Arab who has come to you because he has heard about you and your gathering [a force] against this fellow [i.e., Muhammad]." He said, "Yes, I am doing that." I walked a short distance with him and when it was feasible for me I struck him with my sword and killed him. Then I departed, leaving his women to throw themselves at him. When I came to the Messenger of God and greeted him, he looked at me and asked, "Is the objective accomplished?" I replied, "I have killed him." "You have said the truth," he replied. Then he stood up and went"' into his house and gave me a stick, saying, "Keep this stick with you O `Abdallah b. Unays." When I went out with it the people asked me what that stick was. I told them that the Messenger of God had given it to me and asked me to keep it with me. They told me to go back to him and ask him the reason for that. So I went back to him and said, "O Messenger of God, why did you give me this stick?" He replied, "[As a] sign between me and you on the day of resurrection. There will be a few men at that time who will carry sticks tied to their waists (al-mutakhassirun)." `Abdallah, therefore, fastened the stick to his sword, where it remained with him until his death, when he ordered that it should be fastened to his body with the shroud and buried with him.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Ismail K. Poonawala, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. IX, SUNY Press, pp. 121-122, ISBN 0-88706-691-7, 1990, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2267/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 156-157, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
According to Safiyyah, who said: Hassan was with us there with the women and children. A man from the Jews passed by us and began to circle the fortress. The Banu Qurayzah had gone to war and had broken their pact with the Messenger of God. There was no one between us and them to defend us-the Messenger of God and the Muslims, being face to face with the enemy, could not leave them to come back to us when anyone came at us. So I said: "Hassan, this Jew, as you see, is circling the fortress. By God, I fear he will point out our exposed places to the Jews who are to our rear while the Messenger of God and his companions are too busy to attend to us. So go down to him and kill him." He replied: "God forgive you, daughter of 'Abd al-Muttalib! You know I am not the man to do it." When he said that to me and I saw that nothing could be expected from him, I girded myself, took a club, and, having gone down from the fortress to the man, I struck him with the club until I killed him. When I had finished with him, I returned to the fortress and said: "Hassan, go down to him and strip him"-only his being a man kept me from stripping him. Hassan replied, "I have no need for his spoils, daughter of 'Abd al-Muttalib."
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, pp. 22-23, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 577, https://app.turath.io/book/9783 See Also Ishaq 458
Abu Bair departed with the two men. When he was at Dhu al-Hulayfah, he sat against a wall, and his two companions sat with him. Abu Basir said, "Is this sword of yours sharp, O tribesman of the Banu 'Amir?" "Yes," he replied. "May I look at it?" he said. "If you wish," he replied. Abu Basir unsheathed it, attacked the man with it, and killed him. The mawla hurried away and came to the Messenger of God while the latter was sitting in the mosque. When the Messenger of God caught sight of him, he said, "This man has seen something fearful." When he reached the Messenger of God, the latter asked, "Alas, what has happened to you?" The man replied, "Your companion killed my companion." By God, while the man was still there, Abu Bair appeared girded with the sword and halted before the Messenger of God, saying: "Messenger of God, your obligation has been fulfilled and has been
discharged from you.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, pp. 90-91, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 638, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
'Amr got as far as al-Qarqara at the beginning of Qanat when two men of B. 'Amir turned up and stopped with him in the shade. Now there was an agreement of friendship between the apostle and the two 'Amiris of which 'Amr knew nothing, and when after questioning he found that they belonged to b. Amir he, let them alone for a time until they slept when he fell upon them and killed them, thinking that he had taken vengeance on them for the killing of the apostle's companions. But when he came to the apostle and told him what he had done he said. 'You have killed two men whose bloodwit I must pay.' Then the apostle said "This is (the result of) Abu Bara's act. I did not like this expedition fearing what would happen.' When Abu Bara' heard the news he was much upset at Amir's Violation of his guarantee in that the apostle's companions
had been killed because of what he had done and because he had promised them safety. Among those who were killed was 'Amir b. Fuhayra.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, pp. 434-435, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 186, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: A Jewess used to abuse the Prophet (peace be upon him) and disparage him.
A man strangled her till she died. The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) declared that
no recompense was payable for her blood.
The Blind Jew
As the Messenger of God was proceeding across the harrah of the Banu Harithah, a horse swished its tail, hit the handle of a sword, and knocked it out of its scabbard. The Messenger of God, who liked omens, although he did not take auguries from the flight of birds, said to the owner of the sword, "Sheathe your sword, for I see that swords will be drawn today." Then the Messenger of God said to his companions, "Who can take us close to the enemy by a road which will not cause us to pass by them?" Abu Hathmah, the brother of the Banu Harithah b. al-Harith, said, "I can, O Messenger of God." He took him through the harrah of the Banu Harithah and between their property, until he brought him to the property of al-Mirba' b. Qayzi, who was a Hypocrite, and blind. When the latter became aware of the presence of the Messenger of God and the Muslims with him, he rose up and threw dust in their faces, saying, "Even if you are the Messenger of God, I will not allow you into my garden!" I was told that he took a handful of dust and then said: "If only I knew that I would not hit anyone else, Muhammad, I would throw it in your face." The people rushed up to kill him, but the Messenger of God said, "Do not do so, for this man who is blind of sight is also blind of heart." Sa'd b. Yazid, the brother of the Banu 'Abd al-Ashhal, had rushed up to al-Mirba' as the Messenger of God uttered this prohibition, and he split al-Mirba"s head open with his bow.
al-Tabari (d. 923), W. Montgomery Watt; M. V. McDonald, eds, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VII, SUNY Press, p. 112, ISBN 0-88706-344-6, 1987, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n1805/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 506, https://app.turath.io/book/9783 See Also Ishaq:372
Blind Man's Slave-Mother
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas: A blind man had a slave-mother who used to abuse the Prophet (peace be upon him) and disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop. He rebuked her but she did not give up her habit. One night she began to slander the Prophet (peace be upon him) and abuse him.
So he took a dagger, placed it on her belly, pressed it, and killed her. A child who came between her legs was smeared with the blood that was there. When the morning came, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was informed about it.
He assembled the people and said: I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up. Jumping over the necks of the people and trembling the man stood up.
He sat before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: Apostle of Allah! I am her master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.
Thereupon the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Oh be witness,
no retaliation is payable for her blood.
A blind man had a freed concubine (umm walad) who used to insult the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and say bad things about him. He told her not to do that but she did not stop, and he rebuked her but she did not heed him. One night, when she started to say bad things about the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and insult him, he took a short sword or dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it and killed her. The following morning that was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He called the people together and said, “I ask by Allah the man who has done this action and I order him by my right over him that he should stand up.” The blind man stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am the one who did it; she used to insult you and say bad things about you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not give up her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was kind to me. Last night she began to insult you and say bad things about you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.”
Thereupon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Bear witness, there is no blood money due for her.”[1]
Qubaysah ibn ‘Uqbah told us: Yoonus ibn Abi Ishaaq narrated to us, from Abu Ishaaq, that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ma’qil said: Ibn Umm Maktoom stayed in the house of a Jewish woman in Madeenah, the paternal aunt of an Ansaari man. She was kind to him, but she annoyed him with regard to Allaah and His Messenger, so he took hold of her and hit her and killed her. The matter was referred to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he said: By Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah, she was kind to me, but she annoyed me with regard to Allaah and His Messenger, so I hit her and killed her. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“May Allaah cast her away. There is no recompense for the shedding of her blood."[1] Ibn Sa’d in al-Tabaqaat al-Kubra (4/210)
Burned Alive
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to c awl."
The Prophet added, "Certainly I decided to order the Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) to pronounce Iqama and order a man to lead the prayer and then take a fire flame to burn all those who had not left their houses so far for the prayer along with their houses."
The Infidel Spy
Narrated Salama bin Al-Akwa: "An infidel spy came to the Prophet while he was on a journey. The spy sat with the companions of the Prophet and started talking and then went away.
The Prophet said (to his companions), 'Chase and kill him.' So, I killed him." The Prophet then gave him the belongings of the killed spy (in addition to his share of the war booty).
Narrated AbuHurayrah: A man of the tribe of Aslam came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and testified four times against himself that he had had illicit intercourse with a woman, while all the time the Prophet (peace be upon him) was turning away from him. Then when he confessed a fifth time, he turned round and asked: Did you have intercourse with her? He replied: Yes. He asked: Have you done it so that your sexual organ penetrated hers? He replied: Yes. He asked: Have you done it like a collyrium stick when enclosed in its case and a rope in a well? He replied: Yes. He asked: Do you know what fornication is? He replied: Yes. I have done with her unlawfully what a man may lawfully do with his wife. He then asked: What do you want from what you have said? He said: I want you to purify me.
So he gave orders regarding him and he was stoned to death. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) heard one of his companions saying to another: Look at this man whose fault was concealed by Allah but who would not leave the matter alone, so that he was stoned like a dog. He said nothing to them but walked on for a time till he came to the corpse of an ass with its legs in the air. He asked: Where are so and so? They said: Here we are, Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him)! He said: Go down and eat some of this ass's corpse. They replied: Apostle of Allah! Who can eat any of this? He said: The dishonour you have just shown to your brother is more serious than eating some of it. By Him in Whose hand my soul is, he is now among the rivers of Paradise and plunging into them.
Mass Execution
The Messenger of God said, "Whoever of the Jews falls into your hands, kill him." So Muhayyisah b. Masud fell upon Ibn Sunaynah, one of the Jewish merchants who was on close terms with them and used to trade with them, and killed him. I;Iuwayyisah b. Mas'ud (his brother) at that time had not accepted Islam; he was older than Muhayyisah, and when (the latter) killed (the Jew), he began beating him and saying, "O enemy of God, have you killed him? By God, you have much fat in your belly from his wealth." Muhayyisah said, "I said to him, 'By God, if he who commanded me to kill him had commanded me to kill you, I would have cut off your head.'" And, by God, that was the beginning of Huwayyisah's acceptance of Islam. He said, "If Muhammad had ordered you to kill me, you would have killed me?" and I replied, "Yes, by God, if he had ordered me to kill you I would have cut off your head." "By God," he said, "a faith which has brought you to this is indeed a marvel." Then Huwayyisah accepted Islam.
Al-Tabari, Vol. 7, p. 97al-Tabari (d. 923), W. Montgomery Watt; M. V. McDonald, eds, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VII, SUNY Press, pp. 97-98, ISBN 0-88706-344-6, 1987, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n1805/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 491-492, https://app.turath.io/book/9783 See Also Ishaq 368
Qurayza
According to Ibn Ishaq, the conquest of the Banu Qurayzah took place in the month of Dhu al-Qa'dah or in the beginning of Dhu al-Hijjah. Al-Waqidi, however, has said that the Messenger of God attacked them a few days before the end of Dhu al-Qa'dah. He asserted that the Messenger of God commanded that furrows should be dug in the ground for the Banu Qurayzah. Then he sat down, and 'Ali and al-Zubayr began cutting off their heads in his presence. He asserts that the woman whom the Prophet killed that day was named Bunanah, the wife of al-Hakam al-Qurazi--it was she who had killed Khallad b. Suwayd by throwing a millstone on him. The Messenger of God called for her and beheaded her in retaliation for Khallad b. Suwayd.
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, pp. 40-41, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 593, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
The Messenger of God had commanded that all of them who had reached puberty should be killed.
According to Ibn Humayd--Salamah--Muhammad b. Ishaq--Ayyub b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Abdallah b. Abi Sa'Sa'ah (a member of the Banu 'Adi b. al-Najjar): Salma bt. Qays, the mother of al-Mundhir and sister of Salit b. Qays, was one of the maternal aunts of the Messenger of God. She had prayed with him facing both of the giblahs and had sworn allegiance to him after the manner of women. She asked him for [the life of I Rifa'ah b. Shamwil al-Qurazi, who had come of age. He had taken refuge with her and had previously been one of their acquaintances. She said: "Prophet of God, you are as dear to me as my father and mother! Give me Rifa'ah b. Shamwil, for he has said that he will pray and eat camel meat. He gave him to her, and thus she saved his life.
According to Ibn Ishaq: Then the Messenger of God divided the wealth, wives, and children of the Banu Qurayzah among the Muslims. On that day he made known the shares of horsemen and shares of foot soldiers, and he deducted from these shares the fifth (khums). A horseman received three shares: two shares for the horse and one share for its rider. A foot soldier who had no horse received one share. The cavalry at the battle with the Banu Qurayzah numbered thirty-six horses. It was the first booty (fay') in which shares were allotted and from which the khums was deducted; and according to its precedent (sunnah) and the procedure of the Messenger of God in it divisions of booty took place and precedent was followed in [succeeding] expeditions. However, if a man had horses with him, he appointed shares only for two horses
al-Tabari (d. 923), Michael Fishbein, ed, The History of al-Tabari [Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk], vol. VIII, SUNY Press, pp. 38-39, ISBN 0-7914-3149-5, 1997, https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 591-592, https://app.turath.io/book/9783
'Asim b. 'Umar b. Qatada told me from 'Abdu'l-Rahman b. 'Amr b. Sa'd b. Mu'adh from 'Alqama b. Waqqas al-Layth that the apostle said to Sa'd, 'You have given the judgement of Allah above the seven heavens'.
Then they surrendered, and the apostle confined them in Medina in the quarter of d. al-Harith, a woman of B. al-Najjar. Then the apostle went out to the market of Medina (which is still its market today) and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. Among them was the enemy of Allah Huyayy b. Akhtab and Ka'b b. Asad their chief. There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900. As they were being taken out in batches to the apostle they asked Ka'b what he thought would be done with them. He replied, 'Will you never understand? Don't you see that the summoner never stops and those who are taken away do not return? By Allah it is death!' This went on until the apostle made an end of them.
Ibn Ishaq (d. 768); Ibn Hisham (d. 833), A. Guillaume, ed, The Life of Muhammad [Sirat Rasul Allah], Oxford UP, p. 464, ISBN 0-19-636033-1, 1955, https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol. 2, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, pp. 240-241, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
References