Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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 Messenger (ﷺ)! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Ka`b). "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You may say it." Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Ka`b 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, Ka`b 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.) Ka`b 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 Ka`b that Muhammad would return to him. He came to Ka`b at night along with Ka`b's foster brother, Abu Na'ila. Ka`b 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?" Ka`b 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." Ka`b 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 (ﷺ) and informed him. (Abu Rafi`) was killed after Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf."
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 4037
In-book reference
Book 64, Hadith 84
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 369
Translation by Dr. M. Muhsin Khan · Language: EN
Sahih
It is related that Jabir ibn 'Abdullah was heard to say that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Who will deal with Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf? He has insulted Allah and His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." Muhammad ibn Maslama stood up and said, "Messenger of Allah, would you like me to kill him?." He replied, "Yes." He said, "Give me permission to say something." He said, "Say it." So Muhammad ibn Maslama went to him and said, "This man has asked us for sadaqa and has made impositions on us, so I have come to ask you to make me a loan." He said, "By Allah, he will tire you!" He said, "We have followed him and we do not want to leave him until we see how his business will end up. We want for you to lend us one or two wasqs [of food]." ['Amr related more than once, "He did not mention 'one or two wasqs.'"] He said, "Alright, but you must leave me a pledge." They said, "What do you want?" He said, "Leave your women with me as a pledge." They said, "How can we leave our women with you as a pledge when you are the most handsome of the Arabs?" He said, "Then leave your sons with me as a pledge." They said, "How can we leave our sons with you as a pledge? One of them will be abused and it will said, 'He was pledged for one or two wasqs. This will be a shame for us. Rather we will leave our arms as a pledge with you." Sufyan said it meant weapons. He promised to come to him and he went to him at night with Abu Na'ila, Ka'b's milk brother. He invited them into the fortress and came down to them. His wife said to him, "Where are you going at this hour?" He said, "It is only Muhammad ibn Maslama and my brother Abu Na'ila." Someone other than 'Amr said that she said, "I hear a voice that seems to have blood dripping from it. He said, "It is only my brother, Muhammad ibn Maslama and my milk brother Abu Na'ila. The generous man should answer, even if he is called to an attack by night." He said, "Muhammad ibn Maslama came in with two men." Sufyan was asked, "Did 'Amr name them?" He said that some of them named them. 'Amr said, "He brought two men with him," and other than 'Amr said, "Abu 'Abs ibn Jabr, al-Harith ibn Aws, and 'Abbad ibn Bishr." But 'Amr said, "He brought two men with him and said, 'When he comes, I will speak pull his hair and smell it. When you see that I have hold of his head, then you must strike him.'" He said once, "Then I will let you smell it." He came down to them fully clad and the smell of perfume came from him. He said, "I have never smelt a more fragrant scent than this!" Someone other than 'Amr said that he said, "I have the most skilled of Arab women in scent and the most perfect of the Arabs." 'Amr said that he asked, "Will be give me permission to smell your head?" He said, "Yes." He smelt it and let his companions. Then he said, "Will you give me permission?" and he said, "Yes." When he had a firm grip of him, he said, "Get him!" and they killed him. Then they went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and informed him.
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 4037
In-book reference
Book 64, Hadith 84
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 369
Translation by Aisha Bewley · Language: EN
Sahih
