Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1057
The Detachment of Muḥammad b. Maslama ᴿᴬ against the Jew Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf
وَقَالَ ﷺ، كَمَا فِي الصَّحِيحِ: «مَنْ لِي بِكَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ؛ فَقَدْ آذَى اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ؟ ». وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «فَقَدْ آذَانَا بِشِعْرِهِ وَقَوَّى الْمُشْرِكِينَ عَلَيْنَا». فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ: أَنَا لَكَ بِهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَنَا أَقْتُلُهُ. قَالَ: «أَنْتَ لَهُ فَافْعَلْ إِنْ قَدَرْتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ». [وَفِي رِوَايَةِ عُرْوَةَ عِنْدَ ابْنِ عَائِذٍ، فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَإِنْ قُلْتَ (بِهَذَا) احْتَمَلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ سَكَتَ أَوَّلًا ثُمَّ أَذِنَ]. فَرَجَعَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، فَمَكَثَ ثَلَاثًا لَا يَأْكُلُ وَلَا يَشْرَبُ إِلَّا مَا تُعَلَّقُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ. 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: «إِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْجُهْدُ». وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «شَاوِرْ سَعْدَ بْنَ مُعَاذٍ فِي أَمْرِهِ» فَشَاوَرَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: تَوَجَّهْ إِلَيْهِ وَاذْكُرْ لَهُ الْحَاجَةَ وَسَلْهُ أَنْ يُسْلِفَكُمْ طَعَامًا. فَاجْتَمَعَ [فِي قَتْلِهِ] مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، وَعَبَّادُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، وَأَبُو نَائِلَةَ سَلْكَانُ بْنُ سَلَامَةَ، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَوْسِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، بَعَثَهُ عَمُّهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، وَأَبُو عَبْسِ بْنُ جَبْرٍ، فَقَالُوا: «يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَحْنُ نَقْتُلُهُ؛ فَأْذَنْ لَنَا فَلْنَقُلْ شَيْئًا؛ فَإِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لَنَا مِنْ أَنْ نَقُولَ». فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «قُولُوا مَا بَدَا لَكُمْ؛ فَأَنْتُمْ فِي حِلٍّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ». فَخَرَجَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ كَمَا قَالَ جُلُّ أَئِمَّةِ الْمَغَازِي، وَكَانَ أَخَا كَعْبٍ مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ. وَفِي الصَّحِيحِ: خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ. فَلَمَّا رَآهُ كَعْبٌ أَنْكَرَ شَأْنَهُ وَذُعِرَ مِنْهُ. فَقَالَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ أَوْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ: حَدَثَتْ حَاجَةٌ. فَقَالَ كَعْبٌ، وَهُوَ فِي نَادِي قَوْمِهِ وَجَمَاعَتِهِمْ: ادْنُ إِلَيَّ فَخَبِّرْنِي بِحَاجَتِكَ. فَتَحَدَّثْنَا سَاعَةً، وَأَبُو نَائِلَةَ أَوْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ يُنَاشِدُهُ الشِّعْرَ. فَقَالَ كَعْبٌ: مَا حَاجَتُكَ، لَعَلَّكَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تَقُومَ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْقَوْمُ قَامُوا. فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ أَوْ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ: «إِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَدْ سَأَلَنَا صَدَقَةً، وَنَحْنُ لَا نَجِدُ مَا نَأْكُلُ، وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ عَنَّانَا». قَالَ كَعْبٌ: «وَأَيْضًا وَاللَّهِ لَتَمَلُّنَّهُ». وَفِي غَيْرِ الصَّحِيحِ: فَقَالَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ: «إِنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكَ فِي حَاجَةٍ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهَا لَكَ فَاكْتُمْ عَنِّي». قَالَ: «أَفْعَلُ». قَالَ: «كَانَ قُدُومُ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ عَلَيْنَا بَلَاءً مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ، عَادَتْنَا الْعَرَبُ وَرَمَوْنَا عَنْ قَوْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَقَطَعَتْ عَنَّا السُّبُلَ، حَتَّى ضَاعَ الْعِيَالُ وَجَهَدَتِ الْأَنْفُسُ، وَأَصْبَحْنَا قَدْ جُهِدْنَا وَجُهِدَ عِيَالُنَا». فَقَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ: «أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أُخْبِرُكَ يَا ابْنَ سَلَامَةَ أَنَّ الْأَمْرَ سَيَصِيرُ إِلَى مَا أَقُولُ، وَلَكِنِ اصْدُقْنِي مَا الَّذِي تُرِيدُونَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ ؟ » قَالَ: «خِذْلَانَهُ وَالتَّنَحِّيَ عَنْهُ». قَالَ: «سَرَرْتَنِي أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَعْرِفُوا مَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ ؟ ». فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ أَوْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ: «مَعِي رِجَالٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي عَلَى مِثْلِ رَأْيِي، وَقَدْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ آتِيَكَ بِهِمْ فَنَبْتَاعَ مِنْكَ تَمْرًا وَطَعَامًا وَتُحْسِنَ إِلَيْنَا، وَنَرْهَنَكَ مَا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ فِيهِ ثِقَةٌ». وَفِي صَحِيحِ مُسْلِمٍ: «وَوَاعَدَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ بِالْحَارِثِ وَأَبِي عَبْسِ بْنِ جَبْرٍ، وَعَبَّادِ بْنِ بِشْرٍ. قَالَ [كَعْبٌ]: «أَمَا وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ أُحِبُّ يَا أَبَا نَائِلَةَ أَنْ أَرَى بِكَ هَذِهِ الْخَصَامَةَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ مِنْ أَكْرَمِ النَّاسِ، عَلَى مَاذَا تَرْهَنُونِي ؟ [أَتَرْهَنُونِي] أَبْنَاءَكُمْ ؟ » قَالَ: «إِنَّا نَسْتَحِي أَنْ يُعَيَّرَ أَبْنَاؤُنَا فَيُقَالَ، هَذَا رَهِينَةُ وَسْقٍ، وَهَذَا رَهِينَةُ وَسْقَيْنِ». قَالَ: «فَارْهَنُونِي نِسَاءَكُمْ». قَالَ: «لَقَدْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَفْضَحَنَا وَتُظْهِرَ أَمْرَنَا، أَنْتَ أَجْمَلُ النَّاسِ وَلَا نَأْمَنُكَ، وَأَيُّ امْرَأَةٍ تَمْتَنِعُ مِنْكَ لِجَمَالِكَ، وَلَكِنَّا نَرْهَنُكَ مِنَ السِّلَاحِ وَالْحَلْقَةِ مَا تَرْضَى بِهِ، وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ حَاجَتَنَا إِلَى السِّلَاحِ الْيَوْمَ». قَالَ كَعْبٌ: «إِنَّ فِي السِّلَاحِ لَوَفَاءً». وَأَرَادَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ أَلَّا يُنْكِرَ السِّلَاحَ إِذَا جَاءُوا بِهِ. فَسَكَنَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ، وَقَالَ: «جِئْ بِهِ مَتَى شِئْتَ». فَرَجَعَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ عَلَى مِيعَادٍ. فَأَتَى أَصْحَابَهُ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ، فَأَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ يَأْتُوهُ إِذَا أَمْسَى لِمِيعَادِهِ. وداع رسول الله للسرية ثُمَّ أَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِشَاءً فَأَخْبَرُوهُ فَمَشَى [مَعَهُمْ]. وَرَوَى ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ وَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ بِسَنَدٍ صَحِيحٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَشَى مَعَهُمْ إِلَى بَقِيعِ الْفَرْقَدِ، ثُمَّ وَجَّهَهُمْ وَقَالَ: «انْطَلِقُوا عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ أَعْنِهِمْ» وَعِنْدَ ابْنِ سَعْدٍ: «امْضُوا عَلَى بَرَكَةِ اللَّهِ وَعَوْنِهِ». ثُمَّ رَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُقْمِرَةٍ مِثْلَ النَّهَارِ، لَيْلَةَ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ. فَمَضَوْا حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى حِصْنِ ابْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ. وَفِي الصَّحِيحِ: فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ - وَفِي كُتُبِ الْمَغَازِي أَبُو نَائِلَةَ - لِأَصْحَابِهِ: «إِذَا مَا رَآكُمْ كَعْبٌ فَإِنِّي قَائِلٌ بِشَعَرِهِ فَأَسُمُّهُ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي اسْتَمْكَنْتُ مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَدُونَكُمْ فَاضْرِبُوهُ». فَهَتَفَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ، وَكَانَ ابْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ حَدِيثَ عَهْدٍ بِعُرْسٍ، فَوَثَبَ فِي مِلْحَفَةٍ، فَأَخَذَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ بِنَاحِيَتِهَا وَقَالَتْ: «إِنَّكَ امْرُؤٌ مُحَارِبٌ وَإِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْحَرْبِ لَا يَنْزِلُونَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ». فَقَالَ: «إِنَّهُ مِيعَادٌ عَلَيَّ وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ أَخِي أَبُو نَائِلَةَ لَوْ وَجَدَنِي نَائِمًا لَمَا أَيْقَظَنِي». فَقَالَتْ: «وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَعْرِفُ فِي صَوْتِهِ الشَّرَّ». فَكَلَّمَهُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِ الْبَيْتِ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «أَسْمَعُ صَوْتًا كَأَنَّهُ يَقْطُرُ مِنْهُ الدَّمُ». قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهَا كَعْبٌ: «إِنَّ الْكَرِيمَ لَوْ دُعِيَ إِلَى طَعْنَةٍ لَيْلًا لَأَجَابَ». ثُمَّ نَزَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مُتَوَشِّحًا بِمِلْحَفَةٍ وَهُوَ يَنْفَحُ مِنْهُ رِيحُ الطِّيبِ. فَجَاءَهُمْ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَتَحَدَّثَ مَعَهُمْ سَاعَةً حَتَّى انْبَسَطَ إِلَيْهِمْ. فَقَالُوا: «هَلْ لَكَ يَا ابْنَ الْأَشْرَفِ أَنْ نَتَمَاشَى إِلَى شِعْبِ الْعَجُوزِ فَنَتَحَدَّثُ فِيهِ بَقِيَّةَ لَيْلَتِنَا هَذِهِ ؟ » فَقَالَ: «إِنْ شِئْتُمْ». فَخَرَجُوا يَتَمَاشَوْنَ؛ فَمَشَوْا سَاعَةً. فَقَالَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ: «نَجِدُ مِنْكَ رِيحَ الطِّيبِ». قَالَ: «نَعَمْ؛ تَحْتِي فُلَانَةُ مِنْ أَعْطَرِ نِسَاءِ الْعَرَبِ». قَالَ: أَفَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أَشُمَّ [رَأْسَكَ] ؟ » قَالَ: نَعَمْ. فَأَدْخَلَ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ يَدَهُ فِي رَأْسِ كَعْبٍ ثُمَّ شَمَّ يَدَهُ، فَقَالَ: «مَا رَأَيْتُ كَاللَّيْلَةِ طِيبًا أَعْطَرَ قَطُّ». وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ كَعْبٌ يَدَّهِنُ بِالْمِسْكِ الْفَتِيتِ بِالْمَاءِ وَالْعَنْبَرِ حَتَّى يَتَلَبَّدَ فِي صُدْغَيْهِ، وَكَانَ جَعْدًا جَمِيلًا. ثُمَّ مَشَى أَبُو نَائِلَةَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ عَادَ لِمِثْلِهَا [حَتَّى اطْمَأَنَّ إِلَيْهِ وَسُلْسِلَتْ يَدُهُ فِي شَعْرِهِ] فَأَخَذَ بِقُرُونِ رَأْسِهِ وَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: «اضْرِبُوا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ». فَاخْتَلَفَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَسْيَافُهُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ شَيْئًا وَرَدَّ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا. وَلَصِقَ بِأَبِي نَائِلَةَ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ: «فَذَكَرْتُ مِغْوَلًا كَانَ فِي سَيْفِي حِينَ رَأَيْتُ أَسْيَافَنَا لَا تُغْنِي شَيْئًا، فَأَخَذْتُهُ وَقَدْ صَاحَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ أَوَّلِ ضَرْبَةٍ صَيْحَةً لَمْ يَبْقَ حَوْلَنَا حِصْنٌ مِنْ حُصُونِ يَهُودٍ إِلَّا أُوقِدَتْ عَلَيْهِ نَارٌ». قَالَ: «فَوَضَعْتُهُ فِي ثُنَّتِهِ ثُمَّ تَحَامَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى بَلَغْتُ عَانَتَهُ فَوَقَعَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ». وَعِنْدَ ابْنِ سَعْدٍ: فَطَعَنَهُ أَبُو عَبْسٍ فِي خَاصِرَتِهِ وَعَلَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ [بِالسَّيْفِ] وَقَدْ أُصِيبَ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَوْسِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، فَجُرِحَ فِي رِجْلِهِ، أَصَابَهُ بَعْضُ أَسْيَافِ الْقَوْمِ. فَلَمَّا فَرَغُوا حَزُّوا رَأْسَ كَعْبٍ ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا يَتَسَتَّرُونَ، وَهُمْ يَخَافُونَ مِنْ يَهُودَ الْإِرْصَادَ، حَتَّى سَلَكُوا عَلَى بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، ثُمَّ عَلَى قُرَيْظَةَ، وَإِنَّ نِيرَانَهُمْ فِي الْحُصُونِ لَعَالِيَةٌ، ثُمَّ عَلَى بُعَاثٍ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانُوا بِحَرَّةِ الْعُرَيْضِ تَخَلَّفَ الْحَارِثُ فَأَبْطَأَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَنَادَاهُمْ: «أَقْرِئُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنِّي السَّلَامَ». فَعَطَفُوا عَلَيْهِ فَاحْتَمَلُوهُ حَتَّى أَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ. فَلَمَّا بَلَغُوا بَقِيعَ الْفَرْقَدِ كَبَّرُوا. وَقَدْ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ يُصَلِّي، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَكْبِيرَهُمْ بِالْبَقِيعِ كَبَّرَ، وَعَرَفَ أَنْ قَدْ قَتَلُوهُ. ثُمَّ أَتَوْهُ يَعْدُونَ، حَتَّى وَجَدُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَاقِفًا عَلَى بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْلَحَتِ الْوُجُوهُ». فَقَالُوا: «وَوَجْهُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ» وَرَمَوْا بِرَأْسِهِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى عَلَى قَتْلِهِ. ثُمَّ أَتَوْا بِصَاحِبِهِمُ الْحَارِثِ، فَتَفَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى جُرْحِهِ فَلَمْ يُؤْذِهِ، فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى مَنَازِلِهِمْ. وقالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ ظَفَرْتُمْ بِهِ مِنْ رِجَالِ يَهُودَ فَاقْتُلُوهُ فَوَثْبَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مُحَيِّصَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ الْأَوْسِيُّ عَلَى ابْنِ سُنَيْنَةَ - رَجُلٍ مِنْ تُجَّارِ يَهُودَ كَانَ يُلَابِسُهُمْ وَيُبَايِعُهُمْ - فَقَتَلَهُ، وَكَانَ أَخُوهُ حُوَيِّصَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ أَسَنَّ مِنْهُ، وَلَمْ يُسْلِمْ بَعْدُ، فَلَمَّا قَتَلَهُ جَعَلَ حُوَيِّصَةُ يَضْرِبُهُ وَيَقُولُ: أَيْ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ، أَقَتَلْتَهُ ؟ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَرُبَّ شَحْمٍ فِي بَطْنِكَ مِنْ مَالِهِ. قَالَ مُحَيِّصَةُ: فَقُلْتُ: وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَمَرَنِي بِقَتْلِهِ مَنْ لَوْ أَمَرَنِي بِقَتْلِكَ لَضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَكَ. قَالَ: فَوَاللَّهِ إِنْ كَانَ لَأَوَّلَ إِسْلَامِ حُوَيِّصَةَ. وَقَالَ آوَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَمَرَكَ مُحَمَّدٌ بِقَتْلِي لَتَقْتُلُنِي ؟ ! قَالَ: نَعَمْ. وَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَمَرَنِي بِضَرْبِ عُنُقِكَ لَضَرَبْتُهَا. قَالَ: فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ دِينًا بَلَغَ بِكَ هَذَا لَعَجَبٌ فَأَسْلَمَ حُوَيِّصَةُ. قَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: حَدَّثَنِي بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مَوْلًى لِبَنِي حَارِثَةَ عَنِ ابْنَةِ مُحَيِّصَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهَا. وَقَالَ فِي ذَلِكَ مُحَيِّصَةُ: يَلُومُ ابْنُ أُمٍّ لَوْ أُمِرْتُ بِقَتْلِهِ لَطَبَّقْتُ ذِفْرَاهُ بِأَبْيَضَ قَاضِبِ حُسَامٍ كَلَوْنِ الْمِلْحِ أُخْلِصَ صَقْلُهُ مَتَى مَا أُصَوِّبْهُ فَلَيْسَ بِكَاذِبِ وَمَا سَرَّنِي أَنِّي قَتَلْتُكَ طَائِعًا وَأَنَّ لَنَا مَا بَيْنَ بُصْرَى وَمَأْرِبِ وَحَكَى ابْنُ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَمْرٍو الْمَدَنِيِّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْقِصَّةَ كَانَتْ بَعْدَ مَقْتَلِ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ، وَأَنَّ الْمَقْتُولَ كَانَ كَعْبُ بْنُ يَهُوذَا فَلَمَّا قَتَلَهُ مُحَيِّصَةُ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ قَالَ لَهُ أَخُوهُ حُوَيِّصَةُ مَا قَالَ، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مُحَيِّصَةُ بِمَا تَقَدَّمَ، فَأَسْلَمَ حُوَيِّصَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ. فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَعِنْدَ ابْنِ سَعْدٍ: فَأَصْبَحَتِ الْيَهُودُ مَذْعُورِينَ، فَجَاؤُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالُوا: قُتِلَ سَيِّدُنَا غِيلَةً، فَذَكَّرَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَنِيعَهُ، وَمَا كَانَ يَحُضُّ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُحَرِّضُ فِي قِتَالِهِمْ وَيُؤْذِيهِمْ. ثُمَّ دَعَاهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَكْتُبُوا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُمْ صُلْحًا [أَحْسَبُهُ]. فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ ؓ بَعْدُ. تَنْبِيهَاتٌ الْأَوَّلُ: قَالَ الْعُلَمَاءُ وَرَحِمَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى «فِي حَدِيثِ كَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى جَوَازِ قَتْلِ مَنْ سَبَّ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَوِ انْتَقَصَهُ أَوْ آذَاهُ، سَوَاءٌ أَكَانَ بِعَهْدٍ أَمْ بِغَيْرِ عَهْدٍ، وَلَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا كَانَ غَدْرًا، وَقَدْ قَالَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ كَانَ فِي مَجْلِسِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ؓ، فَضَرَبَ عُنُقَهُ. وَإِنَّمَا يَكُونُ الْغَدْرُ بَعْدَ أَمَانٍ، وَهَذَا نَقْضُ الْعَهْدِ، وَهَجَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَسَبَّهُ. وَقَدْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَاهَدَهُ أَلَّا يُعِينَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدًا، فَنَقَضَ كَعْبٌ الْعَهْدَ، وَلَمْ يُؤَمِّنْهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ وَلَا رُفْقَتُهُ بِحَالٍ، وَإِنَّمَا كَلَّمَهُ فِي أَمْرِ الْبَيْعِ وَالرَّهْنِ إِلَى أَنْ تَمَكَّنَ مِنْهُ.
Translation
✧ And he ﷺ said, as in the Ṣaḥīḥ: “Who will deal with Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf for me? For he has harmed Allāh and His Messenger.” In another narration: “For he has harmed us with his poetry and strengthened the polytheists against us.” Muḥammad b. Maslama said: “I will deal with him for you, O Messenger of Allāh; I will kill him.” He said: “You are suited for him; do it if you are able.” [In ʿUrwa's narration in Ibn ʿĀʾidh, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ fell silent. If you say (this), it is possible that he was silent at first and then gave permission]. Muḥammad b. Maslama returned and stayed three days not eating or drinking except what kept his soul attached. That was mentioned to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, so he summoned him and said: “Why have you abandoned food and drink?” He said: “O Messenger of Allāh, I said to you a word I do not know whether I can fulfill for you or not.” He said: “You are only required to strive.” And the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Consult Saʿd b. Muʿādh in his affair.” He consulted him, and he said to him: “Go to him and mention a need to him and ask him to lend you food.” So gathered [for his killing] Muḥammad b. Maslama, ʿAbbād b. Bishr, Abū Nāʾila Silkān b. Salāma, and al-Ḥārith b. Aws b. Muʿādh, sent by his uncle Saʿd b. Muʿādh, and Abū ʿAbs b. Jabr. They said: “O Messenger of Allāh, we will kill him; give us permission to say something, for we must say something.” The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Say whatever seems appropriate to you; you are absolved of that.” So Abū Nāʾila went out, as most of the maghāzī imams said, and he was Kaʿb's foster brother. In the Ṣaḥīḥ: Muḥammad b. Maslama went out to him. When Kaʿb saw him, he found his situation suspicious and was alarmed by him. Abū Nāʾila, or Muḥammad b. Maslama, said: “A need has arisen.” Kaʿb said, while he was in the gathering place of his people and their assembly: “Come near me and tell me your need.” They conversed for a while, with Abū Nāʾila or Muḥammad b. Maslama reciting poetry to him. Kaʿb said: “What is your need? Perhaps you would like to rise from our presence.” When the people heard that, they rose. Muḥammad b. Maslama or Abū Nāʾila said: “This man has asked us for ṣadaqa, and we cannot find anything to eat, and he has distressed us.” Kaʿb said: “And also, by Allāh, you will grow weary of him.” In a non-Ṣaḥīḥ source: Abū Nāʾila said: “I have come to you with a need that I want to mention to you, so keep it secret from me.” He said: “I will do so.” He said: “The arrival of this man upon us has been a tribulation among tribulations: the Arabs have turned against us and shot at us from a single bow, and the roads have been cut off from us, until the dependents have been lost and souls have been exhausted, and we have become exhausted, and our dependents are exhausted.” Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf said: “Indeed, by Allāh, I was telling you, O son of Salāma, that the matter will come to what I say. But tell me truthfully: what do you want regarding his affair?” He said: “To forsake him and withdraw from him.” He said: “You have pleased me. Has the time not come for you to recognize the falsehood he is upon?” Abū Nāʾila or Muḥammad b. Maslama said to him: “With me are men of my companions who share my opinion, and I want to bring them to you so that we may buy dates and food from you, and you treat us well, and we give you a pledge in which there is trust.” In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: “And he promised him that he would come to him with al-Ḥārith, Abū ʿAbs b. Jabr, and ʿAbbād b. Bishr. [Kaʿb] said: ‘By Allāh, I did not like, O Abū Nāʾila, to see in you this dispute, even though you are among the noblest of people. What will you pledge to me? Will you pledge your sons to me?’ He said: ‘We would be ashamed that our sons be reproached, and it be said: this one is a pledge for a wasq, this one for two wasqs.’ He said: ‘Then pledge your women to me.’ He said: ‘You have wanted to disgrace us and expose our affair. You are the most handsome of people, and we do not trust you. Which woman would refuse you because of your beauty? But we will pledge to you weapons and coats of mail as you approve. You know our need for weapons today.’ Kaʿb said: ‘In weapons there is indeed fulfillment.’ Abū Nāʾila wanted him not to object to weapons when they brought them. He was reassured by his words and said: ‘Bring it whenever you wish.’” Abū Nāʾila returned from him with an appointment. He came to his companions and told them, and they resolved their affair to come to him in the evening at the appointed time. The Messenger's farewell to the detachment: Then they came to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ at night and told him, and he walked [with them]. Ibn Isḥāq and Imām Aḥmad narrated with a sound chain from Ibn ʿAbbās ؓ that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ walked with them to Baqīʿ al-Farqad, then sent them off and said: “Go in the name of Allāh; O Allāh, help them.” In Ibn Saʿd: “Proceed with the blessing of Allāh and His help.” Then the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ returned to his house on a moonlit night like daytime, the night of the fourteenth of the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal. They went on until they reached the fortress of Ibn al-Ashraf. In the Ṣaḥīḥ: Muḥammad b. Maslama said—and in the books of maghāzī it was Abū Nāʾila—to his companions: “When Kaʿb sees you, I will speak in his poetry and then I will smell him; when you see that I have taken hold of his head, then it is up to you: strike him.” Abū Nāʾila called out. Ibn al-Ashraf had recently married, so he jumped up in a blanket. 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 an appointment upon me; it is only my brother Abū Nāʾila. If he found me sleeping, he would not wake me.” She said: “By Allāh, I recognize evil in his voice.” He spoke to them from above the house. In another narration: “I hear a voice as if blood drips from it.” He said: Kaʿb said to her: “If a noble man were called to a spear-thrust at night, he would answer.” Then he came down to them, wrapped in a blanket, exuding the scent of perfume. He came to them, sat down, and conversed with them for a while until he became at ease with them. They said: “Would you like, O Ibn al-Ashraf, that we walk to Shiʿb al-ʿAjūz and converse there for the rest of this night of ours?” He said: “If you wish.” They went out walking together; they walked for a while. Abū Nāʾila said: “We smell perfume from you.” He said: “Yes; beneath me is so-and-so, one of the most perfumed women of the Arabs.” He said: “Will you allow me to smell [your head]?” He said: “Yes.” Abū Nāʾila put his hand into Kaʿb's head, then smelled his hand and said: “I have never seen perfume more fragrant than tonight.” Kaʿb used to anoint himself with musk kneaded with water and ambergris until it became matted in his temples; he was curly-haired and handsome. Then Abū Nāʾila walked for a while, then returned to the same [until he felt secure with him and his hand slid into his hair]. He seized the locks of his head and said to his companions: “Strike the enemy of Allāh!” Their swords fell upon him but accomplished nothing, some deflecting others. He clung to Abū Nāʾila. Muḥammad b. Maslama said: “I remembered a dagger that was in my sword when I saw that our swords accomplished nothing. I took it, and the enemy of Allāh cried out at the first blow with a cry that left no fortress among the fortresses of the Jews around us without a fire kindled upon it.” He said: “I placed it in his throat, then pressed upon it until it reached his pubic area, and the enemy of Allāh fell.” In Ibn Saʿd: Abū ʿAbs stabbed him in his side, and Muḥammad b. Maslama struck him [with the sword]. Al-Ḥārith b. Aws b. Muʿādh was injured; he was wounded in his leg, struck by one of the swords of the men. When they finished, they cut off Kaʿb's head, then went out concealing themselves, fearing ambush by the Jews, until they took the route by Banū Umayya b. Zayd, then by Qurayẓa, whose fires in the fortresses were blazing high, then by Buʿāth. When they were at Ḥarrat al-ʿUrayḍ, al-Ḥārith lagged behind and delayed them. He called to them: “Convey my greetings to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.” They turned back to him and carried him until they came to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. When they reached Baqīʿ al-Farqad, they said the takbīr. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ had stood that night praying. When the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ heard their takbīr at al-Baqīʿ, he said the takbīr and knew that they had killed him. Then they came running until they found the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ standing at the door of the mosque. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “May the faces prosper.” They said: “And your face, O Messenger of Allāh.” They threw his head before him. He praised Allāh, Exalted be He, for his killing. Then they brought their companion al-Ḥārith, and the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ spat on his wound, and it did not harm him. Then they returned to their dwellings. Muḥammad b. Isḥāq said: The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Whomever you get hold of among the men of the Jews, kill him.” At that, Muḥayyiṣa b. Masʿūd al-Awsī jumped upon Ibn Sunayna—a man among the Jewish merchants who used to associate with them and trade with them—and killed him. His brother Ḥuwayyiṣa b. Masʿūd was older than him and had not yet embraced Islam. When he killed him, Ḥuwayyiṣa began beating him and saying: “O enemy of Allāh, you killed him? By Allāh, how much fat in your belly is from his wealth.” Muḥayyiṣa said: “I said: By Allāh, the one who commanded me to kill him, if he commanded me to kill you, I would strike your neck.” He said: “By Allāh, that was the first Islam of Ḥuwayyiṣa.” He said: “And by Allāh, if Muḥammad commanded you to kill me, you would kill me?” He said: “Yes. By Allāh, if he commanded me to strike your neck, I would strike it.” He said: “By Allāh, a religion that has brought you to this is indeed astonishing.” So Ḥuwayyiṣa embraced Islam. Ibn Isḥāq said: This ḥadīth was narrated to me by a client of Banū Ḥāritha from the daughter of Muḥayyiṣa from her father. Muḥayyiṣa said about that: A mother's son blames me; if I were commanded to kill him, I would press his occiput with a white cutting blade, a sharp sword like the color of salt, whose polishing is refined. Whenever I aim it, it is no liar. And it would not please me that I killed you willingly, and that we had what lies between Buṣrā and Maʾrib. Ibn Hishām related from Abū ʿUbayda, from Abū ʿAmr al-Madanī, that this story took place after the killing of Banū Qurayẓa, and that the one killed was Kaʿb b. Yahūdhā. When Muḥayyiṣa killed him by order of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ on the day of Banū Qurayẓa, his brother Ḥuwayyiṣa said to him what he said, and Muḥayyiṣa replied to him with what has preceded, and Ḥuwayyiṣa embraced Islam that day. And Allāh knows best. In Ibn Saʿd: The Jews woke up terrified, and they came to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and said: “Our chief has been killed treacherously.” The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ reminded them of his deeds, how he used to incite against them and urge fighting them and harming them. Then he invited them to write a peace agreement between him and them [I think]. That document was later with ʿAlī ؓ. Notes: First: The scholars, may Allāh the Exalted have mercy on them, said: “In the ḥadīth of Kaʿb b. al-Ashraf there is evidence for the permissibility of killing whoever insults our master Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, or belittles him or harms him, whether he has a treaty or not. It is not permissible to say that this was treachery. A man said that in the assembly of the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib ؓ, and he struck his neck. Treachery only occurs after a guarantee of safety, while this one broke the treaty, satirized the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and insulted him. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ had made a treaty with him that he would not aid anyone against him, but Kaʿb broke the treaty. Muḥammad b. Maslama and his companions never gave him safety under any circumstance; they only spoke with him about a matter of sale and pledge until they got hold of him.”
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