56. The slaying of Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf

Sirat Ibn Hisham 921No grade recorded
مُقْتَلُ كَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ [ اسْتِنْكَارُهُ خَبَرَ رَسُولَيْ الرَّسُولِ بِقَتْلِ نَاسٍ مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَكَانَ مِنْ حَدِيثِ كَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ: أَنَّهُ لَمَّا أُصِيبَ أَصْحَابُ بَدْرٍ، وَقَدِمَ زَيْدُ بْنُ حَارِثَةَ إلَى أَهْلِ السَّافِلَةِ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَوَاحَةَ إلَى أَهْلِ الْعَالِيَةِ بَشِيرَيْنِ، بَعَثَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إلَى مَنْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِفَتْحِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ، وَقُتِلَ مَنْ قُتِلَ مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ. كَمَا حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُغِيثِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ الظَّفَرِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ، وَعَاصِمُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ قَتَادَةَ، وَصَالِحُ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ بْنِ سَهْلٍ، كُلٌّ قَدْ حَدَّثَنِي بَعْضَ حَدِيثِهِ، قَالُوا: قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ، وَكَانَ رَجُلًا مِنْ طَيِّئٍ، ثُمَّ أَحَدَ بَنِي نَبْهَانَ، وَكَانَتْ أُمُّهُ مِنْ بَنِي النَّضِيرِ، حِينَ بَلَغَهُ الْخَبَرُ: أَحَقٌّ هَذَا ؟ أَتَرَوْنَ مُحَمَّدًا قَتَلَ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ يُسَمَّى هَذَانِ الرَّجُلَانِ - يَعْنِي زَيْدًا وَعَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ رَوَاحَةَ - فَهَؤُلَاءِ أَشْرَافُ الْعَرَبِ وَمُلُوكُ النَّاسِ، وَاَللَّهِ لَئِنْ كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَصَابَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمَ، لَبَطْنُ الْأَرْضِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ ظَهْرِهَا.
✧ The Killing of Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf [His rejection of the news brought by the Messenger's two messengers of the killing of some polytheists] Ibn Isḥāq said: Regarding the account of Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf: when the companions of Badr were struck down, and Zayd b. Ḥārithah came to the people of the lower part and ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah to the people of the upper part as bearers of good news—the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had sent them both to the Muslims in Madinah with the victory that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, had granted him, and with the killing of those polytheists who were killed—as ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Mughīth b. Abī Burdah al-Ẓafarī, ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Bakr b. Muḥammad b. ʿAmr b. Ḥazm, ʿĀṣim b. ʿUmar b. Qatādah, and Ṣāliḥ b. Abī Umāmah b. Sahl narrated to me, each of them having narrated to me part of his account, they said: Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf—who was a man from Ṭayyiʾ, then one of the Banū Nabhān, and whose mother was from the Banū al-Naḍīr—said, when the news reached him: "Is this true? Do you think that Muḥammad killed these ones whom these two men—meaning Zayd and ʿAbd Allāh b. Rawāḥah—name? These are the nobles of the Arabs and the kings of the people. By Allah, if Muḥammad has struck down these people, then the belly of the earth is better than its back."
Sirat Ibn Hisham 922No grade recorded
[ شِعْرُهُ فِي التَّحْرِيضِ عَلَى الرَّسُولِ ] فَلَمَّا تَيَقَّنَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ الْخَبَرَ، خَرَجَ حَتَّى قَدِمَ مَكَّةَ، فَنَزَلَ عَلَى الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ أَبِي وَدَاعَةَ بْنِ ضُبَيْرَةَ السَّهْمِيِّ، وَعِنْدَهُ عَاتِكَةُ بِنْتُ أَبِي الْعِيصِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ شَمْسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، فَأَنْزَلَتْهُ وَأَكْرَمَتْهُ، وَجَعَلَ يُحَرِّضُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَيُنْشِدُ الْأَشْعَارَ، وَيَبْكِي أَصْحَابَ الْقَلِيبِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، الَّذِينَ أُصِيبُوا بِبَدْرِ، فَقَالَ: طَحَنَتْ رَحَى بَدْرٍ لِمَهْلِكِ أَهْلِهِ وَلِمِثْلِ بَدْرٍ تَسْتَهِلُّ وَتَدْمَعُ قُتِلَتْ سَرَاةُ النَّاسِ حَوْلَ حِيَاضِهِمْ لَا تَبْعَدُوا إنَّ الْمُلُوكَ تُصَرَّعُ كَمْ قَدْ أُصِيبَ بِهِ مِنْ أَبْيَضَ مَاجِدٍ ذِي بَهْجَةٍ يَأْوِي إلَيْهِ الضُّيَّعُ طَلْقُ الْيَدَيْنِ إذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ أَخْلَفَتْ حَمَّالُ أَثْقَالٍ يَسُودُ وَيَرْبَعُ وَيَقُولُ أَقْوَامٌ أُسَرُّ بِسَخَطِهِمْ إنَّ ابْنَ الْأَشْرَفِ ظَلَّ كَعْبًا يَجْزَعُ صَدَقُوا فَلَيْتَ الْأَرْضُ سَاعَةَ قُتِّلُوا ظَلَّتْ تَسُوخُ بِأَهْلِهَا وَتُصَدَّعُ صَارَ الَّذِي أَثَرَ الْحَدِيثَ بِطَعْنِهِ أَوْ عَاشَ أَعْمَى مُرْعَشًا لَا يَسْمَعُ نُبِّئْتُ أَنَّ بَنِي الْمُغِيرَةِ كُلَّهُمْ خَشَعُوا لِقَتْلِ أَبِي الْحَكِيمِ وَجُدِّعُوا وَابْنَا رَبِيعَةَ عِنْدَهُ وَمُنَبِّهٌ مَا نَالَ مِثْلَ الْمُهْلِكِينَ وَتُبَّعُ نُبِّئْتُ أَنَّ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ هِشَامِهِمْ فِي النَّاسِ يَبْنِي الصَّالِحَاتِ وَيَجْمَعُ لِيَزُورَ يَثْرِبَ بِالْجُمُوعِ وَإِنَّمَا يَحْمَى عَلَى الْحَسَبِ الْكَرِيمُ الْأَرْوَعُ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: قَوْلُهُ تُبَّعُ، وَأُسِرَّ بِسَخَطِهِمْ. عَنْ غَيْرِ ابْنِ إسْحَاقَ
✧ [His poetry inciting against the Messenger] When the enemy of God was certain of the news, he went out until he arrived in Makkah and stayed with al-Muṭṭalib b. Abī Wadāʿah b. Ḍubayrah al-Sahmī. With him was ʿĀtikah bt. Abī al-ʿĪṣ b. Umayyah b. ʿAbd Shams b. ʿAbd Manāf, and she lodged him and honored him. He began inciting against the Messenger of God ﷺ, reciting poems, and weeping for the companions of the well from Quraysh who were struck down at Badr. He said: Ṭaḥanat raḥā Badrin li-mahliki ahlihī wa-li-mithli Badrin tastahillu wa-tadmaʿū Qutilat sarātu al-nāsi ḥawla ḥiyāḍihim lā tabʿadū inna al-mulūka tuṣarraʿū Kam qad uṣība bihi min abyaḍa mājidin dhī bahjatin yaʾwī ilayhi al-ḍuyyaʿū Ṭalqu al-yadayni idhā al-kawākibu akhlafat ḥammālu athqālin yasūdu wa-yarbaʿū Wa-yaqūlu aqwāmun usarru bi-sakhaṭihim inna ibna al-Ashrafi ẓalla Kaʿban yajzaʿū Ṣadaqū fa-layta al-arḍa sāʿata quttilū ẓallat tasūkhu bi-ahlihā wa-tuṣaddaʿū Ṣāra alladhī athara al-ḥadītha bi-ṭaʿnihi aw ʿāsha aʿmā murʿashan lā yasmaʿū Nubbiʾtu anna Banī al-Mughīrati kullahum khashaʿū li-qatli Abī al-Ḥakīmi wa-juddiʿū Wa-bnā Rabīʿata ʿindahu wa-Munabbihun mā nāla mithla al-muhlikīna wa-Tubbaʿū Nubbiʾtu anna al-Ḥāritha bna Hishāmihim fī al-nāsi yabnī al-ṣāliḥāti wa-yajmaʿū Li-yazūra Yathriba bi-al-jumūʿi wa-innamā yaḥmī ʿalā al-ḥasabi al-karīmu al-arwaʿū Ibn Hishām said: His saying “Tubbaʿ” and “usarru bi-sakhaṭihim” is from other than Ibn Isḥāq.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 923No grade recorded
[ شِعْرُ حَسَّانَ فِي الرِّدِّ عَلَيْهِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَأَجَابَهُ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، فَقَالَ: أَبَكَى لِكَعْبٍ ثُمَّ عُلَّ بِعَبْرَةٍ مِنْهُ وَعَاشَ مُجَدَّعًا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ بِبَطْنِ بَدْرٍ مِنْهُمْ قَتْلَى تَسُحُّ لَهَا الْعُيُونُ وَتَدْمَعُ فَابْكِي فَقَدْ أَبَكَيْتَ عَبْدًا رَاضِعًا شِبْهَ الْكُلَيْبِ إلَى الْكُلَيْبَةِ يَتْبَعُ وَلَقَدْ شَفَى الرَّحْمَنُ مِنَّا سَيِّدًا وَأَهَانَ قَوْمًا قَاتَلُوهُ وَصُرِّعُوا وَنَجَا وَأُفْلِتَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَلْبُهُ شَغَفٌ يَظَلُّ لِخَوْفِهِ يَتَصَدَّعُ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَأَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ بِالشِّعْرِ يُنْكِرُهَا لِحَسَّانَ. وَقَوْلُهُ أَبَكَى لِكَعْبِ عَنْ غَيْرِ ابْنِ إسْحَاقَ
✧ [Ḥassān's poetry in reply to him] Ibn Isḥāq said: Ḥassān b. Thābit al-Anṣārī answered him, saying: He wept for Kaʿb, then was afflicted with a tear from him, and lived mutilated, not hearing. And I saw at the bottom of Badr among them slain ones for whom eyes shed tears and weep. So weep, for you have made weep a suckling slave, like a little dog following the little bitch. The Merciful has sufficed us against a chief, and humiliated a people who fought him and were thrown down. And he who escaped and slipped away from them has a heart pierced with grief; he remains splitting apart from fear of it. Ibn Hishām said: Most of the people of knowledge in poetry deny these verses as being Ḥassān's. And his saying 'He wept for Kaʿb' is from other than Ibn Isḥāq.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 924No grade recorded
[ شِعْرُ مَيْمُونَةَ فِي الرِّدِّ عَلَى كَعْبٍ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَقَالَتْ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ بَنِي مُرَيْدٍ، بَطْنٌ مِنْ بَلِيٍّ، كَانُوا حَلْفَاءَ فِي بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ؛ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ: الْجَعَادِرَةُ، تُجِيبُ كَعْبًا - قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: اسْمُهَا مَيْمُونَةُ بِنْتُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَأَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ بِالشِّعْرِ يُنْكِرُ هَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتَ لَهَا، وَيُنْكِرُ نَقِيضَتَهَا لِكَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ: تَحَنَّنَ هَذَا الْعَبْدُ كُلَّ تَحَنُّنٍ يُبَكَّى عَلَى قَتْلَى وَلَيْسَ بِنَاصِبِ بَكَتْ عَيْنُ مَنْ يَبْكِي لِبَدْرٍ وَأَهْلُهُ وَعُلَّتْ بِمِثْلِيِّهَا لُؤَيُّ بْنُ غَالِبِ فَلَيْتَ الَّذِينَ ضُرِّجُوا بِدِمَائِهِمْ يَرَى مَا بِهِمْ مَنْ كَانَ بَيْنَ الْأَخَاشِبِ فَيَعْلَمُ حَقًّا عَنْ يَقِينٍ وَيُبْصِرُوا مَجَرَّهُمْ فَوْقَ اللِّحَى وَالْحَوَاجِبِ
✧ [A poem by Maymūnah in reply to Kaʿb] Ibn Isḥāq said: A woman of the Muslims from Banū Murayd, a branch of Balī, who were allies among Banū Umayyah b. Zayd—they are called al-Jaʿādirah—replied to Kaʿb. Ibn Isḥāq said: Her name was Maymūnah bt. ʿAbd Allāh, and most of the people of knowledge in poetry deny these verses to her and deny her counter-poem to Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf: This slave yearns with every yearning, wept over the slain, though he is not one who takes up the cause. The eye of him who weeps for Badr and its people shed tears, and Luʾayy b. Ghālib was afflicted with the like of it. Would that those who were stained with their blood might see what has befallen them—he who was among the al-Akhāshib— so that they might know truly, with certainty, and behold their dragging above the beards and the eyebrows.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 925No grade recorded
[ شِعْرُ كَعْبٍ فِي الرِّدِّ عَلَى مَيْمُونَةَ ] فَأَجَابَهَا كَعْبُ بْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ، فَقَالَ: أَلَا فَازْجُرُوا مِنْكُمْ سَفِيهًا لِتَسْلَمُوا عَنْ الْقَوْلِ يَأْتِي مِنْهُ غَيْرَ مُقَارِبِ أَتَشْتُمُنِي أَنْ كُنْتُ أَبْكِي بِعَبْرَةٍ لِقَوْمٍ أَتَانِي وُدُّهُمْ غَيْرَ كَاذِبِ فَإِنِّي لَبَاكٍ مَا بَقِيتُ وَذَاكِرٌ مَآثِرَ قَوْمٍ مَجْدُهُمْ بِالْجَبَاجِبِ لَعَمْرِي لَقَدْ كَانَتْ مُرَيْدٌ بِمَعْزِلٍ عَنْ الشَّرِّ فَاحْتَالَتْ وُجُوهَ الثَّعَالِبِ فَحُقَّ مُرَيْدٌ أَنْ تُجَدَّ أُنُوفُهُمْ بِشَتْمِهِمْ حَيِيِّ لُؤَيِّ بْنِ غَالِبِ وَهَبْتُ نَصِيبِي مِنْ مُرَيْدٍ لِجَعْدَرٍ وَفَاءً وَبَيْتُ اللَّهِ بَيْنَ الْأَخَاشِبِ
✧ [The poetry of Kaʿb in reply to Maymūnah] Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf answered her, saying: Now restrain a fool among you, that you may be safe from speech that comes from him far from the mark. Do you revile me because I weep with tears for a people whose love came to me, not false? For I shall weep as long as I live, and remember the glorious deeds of a people whose glory is in the assemblies. By my life, Murayd was in a place apart from evil, so it resorted to the ways of foxes. Murayd deserves that their noses be rubbed in the dust for their reviling of the best of Luʾayy b. Ghālib. I have given my share of Murayd to Jaʿdar in fulfillment—and by the House of God between al-Akhāshib.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 926No grade recorded
[ تَشْبِيبُ كَعْبٍ بِنِسَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْحِيلَةُ فِي قَتْلِهِ ] ثُمَّ رَجَعَ كَعْبُ بْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ إلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَشَبَّبَ بِنِسَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ حَتَّى آذَاهُمْ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، كَمَا حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُغِيثِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ مَنْ لِي بِابْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، أَخُو بَنِي عَبْدِ الْأَشْهَلِ: أَنَا لَكَ بِهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَنَا أَقْتُلُهُ، قَالَ: فَافْعَلْ إنْ قَدَرْتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ. فَرَجَعَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ فَمَكَثَ ثَلَاثًا لَا يَأْكُلُ وَلَا يَشْرَبُ إلَّا مَا يُعْلِقُ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ، فَذُكِرَ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَدَعَاهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: لِمَ تَرَكْتَ الطَّعَامَ وَالشَّرَابَ ؟ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، قُلْتُ لَكَ قَوْلًا لَا أَدْرِي هَلْ أَفِيَنَّ لَكَ بِهِ أَمْ لَا ؟ فَقَالَ: إنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْجَهْدُ؛ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لَنَا مِنْ أَنْ نَقُولَ: قَالَ: قُولُوا مَا بَدَا لَكُمْ، فَأَنْتُمْ فِي حِلٍّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ فِي قَتْلِهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، وَسِلْكَانُ بْنُ سَلَامَةَ بْنِ وَقْشٍ، وَهُوَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ، أَحَدُ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْأَشْهَلِ، وَكَانَ أَخَا كَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ مِنْ الرَّضَاعَةِ، وَعَبَّادُ بْنُ بِشْرِ بْنِ وَقْشٍ، أَحَدُ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْأَشْهَلِ، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَوْسِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، أَحَدُ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْأَشْهَلِ، وَأَبُو عَبْسِ بْنِ جَبْرٍ، أَحَدُ بَنِي حَارِثَةَ؛ ثُمَّ قَدَّمُوا إلَى عَدُوِّ اللَّهِ كَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْتُوهُ، سِلْكَانَ بْنَ سَلَامَةَ، أَبَا نَائِلَةَ، فَجَاءَهُ، فَتَحَدَّثَ مَعَهُ سَاعَةً، وَتَنَاشَدُوا شِعْرًا، وَكَانَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ يَقُولُ الشِّعْرَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا ابْنَ الْأَشْرَفِ إنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكَ لِحَاجَةِ أُرِيدُ ذِكْرَهَا لَكَ، فَاكْتُمْ عَنِّي؛ قَالَ: أَفْعَلُ؛ قَالَ: كَانَ قُدُومُ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ عَلَيْنَا بَلَاءً مِنْ الْبَلَاءِ، عَادَتْنَا بِهِ الْعَرَبُ، وَرَمَتْنَا عَنْ قَوْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَقَطَعَتْ عَنَّا السُّبُلَ حَتَّى ضَاعَ الْعِيَالُ، وَجُهِدَتْ الْأَنْفُسُ، وَأَصْبَحْنَا قَدْ جُهِدْنَا وَجُهِدَ عِيَالُنَا. فَقَالَ كَعْبٌ: أَنَا ابْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ، أَمَا وَاَللَّهِ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أُخْبِرُكَ يَا ابْنَ سَلَامَةَ أَنَّ الْأَمْرَ سَيَصِيرُ إلَى مَا أَقُولُ؛ فَقَالَ لَهُ سِلْكَانُ: إنِّي قَدْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ تَبِيعَنَا طَعَامًا وَنَرْهَنَكَ وَنُوثِقَ لَكَ، وَنُحْسِنُ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: أَتَرْهَنُونَنِي أَبْنَاءَكُمْ ؟ قَالَ: لَقَدْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَفْضَحَنَا إنَّ مَعِي أَصْحَابًا لِي عَلَى مِثْلِ رَأْيِي، وَقَدْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ آتِيَكَ بِهِمْ، فَتَبِيعُهُمْ وَتُحْسِنُ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَنَرْهَنُكَ مِنْ الْحَلْقَةِ مَا فِيهِ وَفَاءٌ، وَأَرَادَ سِلْكَانُ أَنْ لَا يُنْكِرَ السِّلَاحَ إذَا جَاءُوا بِهَا؛ قَالَ: إنَّ فِي الْحَلْقَةِ لَوَفَاءً؛ قَالَ: فَرَجَعَ سِلْكَانُ إلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ خَبَرَهُ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَأْخُذُوا السِّلَاحَ، ثُمَّ يَنْطَلِقُوا فَيَجْتَمِعُوا إلَيْهِ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ. قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَيُقَالُ: أَتَرْهَنُونَنِي نِسَاءَكُمْ ؟ قَالَ: كَيْفَ نَرْهَنُكَ نِسَاءَنَا، وَأَنْتَ أَشَبُّ أَهْلِ يَثْرِبَ وَأَعْطَوْهُمْ، قَالَ: أَتَرْهَنُونَنِي أَبْنَاءَكُمْ ؟ قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَحَدَّثَنِي ثَوْرُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ. قَالَ مَشَى مَعَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إلَى بَقِيعِ الْغَرْقَدِ، ثُمَّ وَجَّهَهُمْ، فَقَالَ: انْطَلِقُوا عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ؛ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إلَى بَيْتِهِ، وَهُوَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُقْمِرَةٍ، وَأَقْبَلُوا حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إلَى حِصْنِهِ، فَهَتَفَ بِهِ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ، وَكَانَ حَدِيثَ عَهْدٍ بِعُرْسٍ، فَوَثَبَ فِي مِلْحَفَتِهِ، فَأَخَذَتْ امْرَأَتُهُ بِنَاحِيَتِهَا، وَقَالَتْ: إنَّكَ امْرُؤٌ مُحَارِبٌ، وَإِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْحَرْبِ لَا يَنْزِلُونَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ؛ قَالَ: إنَّهُ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ، لَوْ وَجَدَنِي نَائِمًا لَمَا أَيْقَظَنِي؛ فَقَالَتْ: وَاَللَّهِ إنِّي لَأَعْرِفُ فِي صَوْتِهِ الشَّرَّ؛ قَالَ: يَقُولُ لَهَا كَعْبٌ: لَوْ يُدْعَى الْفَتَى لِطَعْنَةٍ لَأَجَابَ. فَنَزَلَ فَتَحَدَّثَ مَعَهُمْ سَاعَةً، وَتَحَدَّثُوا مَعَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: هَلْ لَكَ يَا ابْنَ الْأَشْرَفِ أَنْ تَتَمَاشَى إلَى شِعْبِ الْعَجُوزِ، فَنَتَحَدَّثَ بِهِ بَقِيَّةَ لَيْلَتِنَا هَذِهِ ؟ قَالَ: إنْ شِئْتُمْ. فَخَرَجُوا يَتَمَاشَوْنَ، فَمَشَوْا سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ إنَّ أَبَا نَائِلَةَ شَامَ يَدَهُ فِي فَوْدِ رَأْسِهِ، ثُمَّ شَمَّ يَدَهُ فَقَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ كَاللَّيْلَةِ طِيبًا أَعْطَرَ قَطُّ، ثُمَّ مَشَى سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ عَادَ لِمِثْلِهَا حَتَّى اطْمَأَنَّ، ثُمَّ مَشَى سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ عَادَ لِمِثْلِهَا، فَأَخَذَ بِفَوْدِ رَأْسِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: اضْرِبُوا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ، فَضَرَبُوهُ، فَاخْتَلَفَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَسْيَافُهُمْ، فَلَمْ تُغْنِ شَيْئًا. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ: فَذَكَرْتُ مِغْوَلًا فِي سَيْفِي، حِينَ رَأَيْتُ أَسْيَافَنَا لَا تُغْنِي شَيْئًا، فَأَخَذْتُهُ، وَقَدْ صَاحَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ صَيْحَةً لَمْ يَبْقَ حَوْلَنَا حِصْنٌ إلَّا وَقَدْ أُوقِدَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَارٌ قَالَ: فَوَضَعْتُهُ فِي ثُنَّتِهِ ثُمَّ تَحَامَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى بَلَغْتُ عَانَتَهُ فَوَقَعَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ، وَقَدْ أُصِيبَ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَوْسِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَجُرِحَ فِي رَأْسِهِ أَوْ فِي رِجْلِهِ، أَصَابَهُ بَعْضُ أَسْيَافِنَا. قَالَ: فَخَرَجْنَا حَتَّى سَلَكْنَا عَلَى بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، ثُمَّ عَلَى بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ، ثُمَّ عَلَى بُعَاثٍ حَتَّى أَسْنَدْنَا فِي حَرَّةِ الْعَرِيضِ، وَقَدْ أَبْطَأَ عَلَيْنَا صَاحِبُنَا الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَوْسٍ، وَنَزَفَهُ الدَّمُ، فَوَقَفْنَا لَهُ سَاعَةً، ثُمَّ أَتَانَا يَتْبَعُ آثَارَنَا. قَالَ: فَاحْتَمَلْنَاهُ فَجِئْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ آخِرَ اللَّيْلِ، وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي، فَسَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ، فَخَرَجَ إلَيْنَا. فَأَخْبَرْنَاهُ بِقَتْلِ عَدُوِّ اللَّهِ، وَتَفَلَ عَلَى جُرْحِ صَاحِبِنَا، فَرَجَعَ وَرَجَعْنَا إلَى أَهْلِنَا فَأَصْبَحْنَا وَقَدْ خَافَتْ يَهُودُ لِوَقْعَتِنَا بِعَدُوِّ اللَّهِ، فَلَيْسَ بِهَا يَهُودِيٌّ إلَّا وَهُوَ يَخَافُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ
✧ [Kaʿb's love poetry about Muslim women and the stratagem to kill him] Then Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf returned to Madinah and composed love poetry about the women of the Muslims until he harmed them. The Messenger of God ﷺ said, as ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Mughīth b. Abī Burdah related to me: "Who will deal with Ibn al-Ashraf for me?" Muḥammad b. Maslamah, brother of the Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal, said to him: "I will deal with him for you, O Messenger of God. I will kill him." He said: "Then do so if you are able." So Muḥammad b. Maslamah returned and stayed for three days without eating or drinking except the minimum to keep himself alive. That was mentioned to the Messenger of God ﷺ, so he summoned him and said to him: "Why have you abandoned food and drink?" He said: "O Messenger of God, I said something to you and I do not know whether I can fulfill it for you or not." He said: "You are only required to make the effort." He said: "O Messenger of God, we will inevitably have to say things." He said: "Say whatever seems appropriate to you; you are absolved of that." So those who gathered to kill him were Muḥammad b. Maslamah, Silkān b. Salāmah b. Waqsh—who was Abū Nāʾilah, one of the Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal, and the foster-brother of Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf—ʿAbbād b. Bishr b. Waqsh, one of the Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal, al-Ḥārith b. Aws b. Muʿādh, one of the Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal, and Abū ʿAbs b. Jabr, one of the Banū Ḥārithah. Then, before they came to him, they sent Silkān b. Salāmah, Abū Nāʾilah, ahead to the enemy of God, Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf. He came to him and conversed with him for a while, and they recited poetry to one another—Abū Nāʾilah used to compose poetry. Then he said: "Woe to you, O Ibn al-Ashraf! I have come to you for a need that I want to mention to you, so keep it secret from me." He said: "I will." He said: "The arrival of this man among us has been a trial among trials: the Arabs have turned against us, they have shot at us from a single bow, and they have cut off the roads from us, so that families are lost and souls are exhausted. We have become exhausted, and our families are exhausted." Kaʿb said: "I am Ibn al-Ashraf! By God, I was telling you, O Ibn Salāmah, that the matter would come to what I said." Silkān said to him: "I wanted you to sell us food, and we would pledge something to you and give you surety, and you would be generous in that." He said: "Will you pledge your sons to me?" He said: "You want to disgrace us! I have companions with me who share my view, and I wanted to bring them to you so that you could sell to them and be generous, and we would pledge to you from the armor what would be sufficient." Silkān intended that the weapons should not be objected to when they brought them. He said: "In armor there is sufficient security." He said: So Silkān returned to his companions, told them the news, and instructed them to take their weapons, then go and gather with him. So they gathered at the Messenger of God ﷺ. Ibn Hishām said: It is also said: "Will you pledge your women to me?" He said: "How can we pledge our women to you when you are the most handsome man in Yathrib and have given them?" He said: "Will you pledge your sons to me?" Ibn Isḥāq said: Thawr b. Zayd related to me, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās. He said: The Messenger of God ﷺ walked with them to Baqīʿ al-Gharqad, then sent them off, saying: "Go in the name of God. O God, help them." Then the Messenger of God ﷺ returned to his house. It was a moonlit night. They went on until they reached his fortress. Abū Nāʾilah called out to him—he had recently married. Kaʿb sprang up in his sheet, and his wife took hold of its edge and said: "You are a warrior, and warriors do not come down at this hour." He said: "It is Abū Nāʾilah. If he found me sleeping, he would not wake me." She said: "By God, I recognize evil in his voice." He said: Kaʿb said to her: "If a young man is called to a thrust, he answers." So he came down and conversed with them for a while, and they conversed with him. Then he said: "Would you, O Ibn al-Ashraf, like to walk with us to the ravine of al-ʿAjūz, so that we may talk there for the rest of this night?" He said: "If you wish." So they went out walking together. They walked for a while, then Abū Nāʾilah put his hand into the hair at the side of Kaʿb's head, then smelled his hand and said: "I have never seen perfume more fragrant than tonight." Then he walked for a while, then repeated the same until he felt at ease. Then he walked for a while, then repeated the same, and seized the hair at the side of his head, then said: "Strike the enemy of God!" So they struck him, but their swords clashed against each other and accomplished nothing. Muḥammad b. Maslamah said: "I remembered a dagger that was in my sword when I saw that our swords were accomplishing nothing. I took it out. The enemy of God let out a cry, and there was no fortress around us but that a fire was kindled on it. He said: I placed the dagger in the hollow of his throat, then pressed upon it until it reached his pubic bone, and the enemy of God fell. Al-Ḥārith b. Aws b. Muʿādh was wounded—injured in his head or his leg—struck by one of our swords." He said: "We went out and took the route past the Banū Umayyah b. Zayd, then past the Banū Qurayẓah, then past Buʿāth, until we climbed up into the ḥarrah of al-ʿArīḍ. Our companion al-Ḥārith b. Aws was delayed, and blood was draining from him, so we waited for him for a while. Then he came to us following our tracks. He said: We carried him and brought him to the Messenger of God ﷺ at the end of the night while he was standing in prayer. We greeted him, and he came out to us. We told him of the killing of the enemy of God, and he spat on the wound of our companion, and he returned. We returned to our families, and by morning the Jews were in fear because of our attack on the enemy of God; there was not a Jew among them who did not fear for his own life."
Sirat Ibn Hisham 927No grade recorded
[ شِعْرُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ فِي مَقْتَلِ ابْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَقَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: فَغُودِرَ مِنْهُمْ كَعْبٌ صَرِيعًا فَذَلَّتْ بَعْدَ مَصْرَعِهِ النَّضِيرُ عَلَى الْكَفَّيْنِ ثَمَّ وَقَدْ عَلَتْهُ بِأَيْدِينَا مُشْهَرَةٌ ذُكُورُ بِأَمْرِ مُحَمَّدٍ إذْ دَسَّ لَيْلًا إلَى كَعْبٍ أَخَا كَعْبٍ يَسِيرُ فَمَا كَرِهَ فَأَنْزَلَهُ بِمَكْرٍ وَمَحْمُودٌ أَخُو ثِقَةٍ جَسُورُ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَهَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتُ فِي قَصِيدَةٍ لَهُ فِي يَوْمِ بَنِي النَّضِيرِ، سَأَذْكُرُهَا إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ فِي حَدِيثِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ
✧ [The poetry of Kaʿb b. Mālik on the killing of Ibn al-Ashraf] Ibn Isḥāq said: Kaʿb b. Mālik said: Of them Kaʿb was left lying slain, and after his fall al-Naḍīr was humbled; upon the two hands there, and there had mounted him by our hands drawn swords, males, by Muḥammad's command when he sent by night to Kaʿb a brother of Kaʿb, journeying; he did not dislike it, so he brought him down by guile, and Maḥmūd a brother of trust, bold. Ibn Hishām said: These verses are in an ode of his on the day of Banū al-Naḍīr, which I shall mention, if God wills, in the account of that day.
Sirat Ibn Hisham 928No grade recorded
[ شِعْرُ حَسَّانَ فِي مُقْتَلِ ابْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ وَابْنِ أَبِي الْحُقَيْقِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَقَالَ حَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ يَذْكُرُ قَتْلَ كَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ وَقَتْلَ سَلَّامِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحُقَيْقِ: لِلَّهِ دَرُّ عِصَابَةٍ لَاقَيْتهمْ يَا ابْنَ الْحُقَيْقِ وَأَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْأَشْرَفِ يَسْرُونَ بِالْبِيضِ الْخِفَافِ إلَيْكُمْ مَرَحًا كَأُسْدٍ فِي عَرِينٍ مُغْرِفِ حَتَّى أَتَوْكُمْ فِي مَحِلِّ بِلَادِكُمْ فَسَقَوْكُمْ حَتْفًا بِبِيضٍ ذُفَّفِ مُسْتَنْصِرِينَ لِنَصْرِ دِينِ نَبِيِّهِمْ مُسْتَصْغَرِينَ لِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ مُجْحِفِ قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَسَأَذْكُرُ قَتْلَ سَلَّامِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحُقَيْقِ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. وَقَوْلُهُ: ذُفَّفِ، عَنْ غَيْرِ ابْنِ إسْحَاقَ
✧ [Ḥassān's poetry on the killing of Ibn al-Ashraf and Ibn Abī al-Ḥuqayq] Ibn Isḥāq said: Ḥassān b. Thābit said, mentioning the killing of Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf and the killing of Sallām b. Abī al-Ḥuqayq: By God, what an excellent band you met, O Ibn al-Ḥuqayq, and you, O Ibn al-Ashraf! They walk by night toward you with sleek white swords, exultantly, like lions in a sheltering thicket; Until they came to you in the place where your lands settled, and they gave you death to drink with keen white swords; Seeking help for the victory of their Prophet's religion, deeming small every onerous affair. Ibn Hishām said: I shall mention the killing of Sallām b. Abī al-Ḥuqayq in its proper place, if God wills. And his saying "keen" is from other than Ibn Isḥāq.