Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Who is willing to kill Kaʿb bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Messenger of Allah 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 Kaʿb). "The Prophet ﷺ said, "You may say it." Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Kaʿb 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, Kaʿb 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.) Kaʿb 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?" Kaʿb 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?" Kaʿb 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 Kaʿb that Muhammad would return to him. He came to Kaʿb at night along with Kaʿb's foster brother, Abu Na'ila. Kaʿb 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?" Kaʿb 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, Kaʿb 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 ʿAbbad bin Bishr). So Muhammad bin Maslama went in together with two men, and sail to them, "When Kaʿb 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." Kaʿb 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. Kaʿb replied. "I have got the best 'Arab women who know how to use the high class of perfume." Muhammad bin Maslama requested Kaʿb "Will you allow me to smell your head?" Kaʿb said, "Yes." Muhammad smelt it and made his companions smell it as well. Then he requested Kaʿb again, "Will you let me (smell your head)?" Kaʿb 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 Rafiʿ) was killed after Kaʿb bin Al-Ashraf."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ لِكَعْبِ بْنِ الأَشْرَفِ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ آذَى اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَامَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْتُلَهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَأْذَنْ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ شَيْئًا قَالَ قُلْ فَأَتَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَدْ سَأَلَنَا صَدَقَةً وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ عَنَّانَا وَإِنِّي قَدْ أَتَيْتُكَ أَسْتَسْلِفُكَ قَالَ وَأَيْضًا وَاللَّهِ لَتَمَلُّنَّهُ قَالَ إِنَّا قَدِ اتَّبَعْنَاهُ فَلاَ نُحِبُّ أَنْ نَدَعَهُ حَتَّى نَنْظُرَ إِلَى أَىِّ شَىْءٍ يَصِيرُ شَأْنُهُ وَقَدْ أَرَدْنَا أَنْ تُسْلِفَنَا وَسْقًا أَوْ وَسْقَيْنِ وَحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ فَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ وَسْقًا أَوْ وَسْقَيْنِ أَوْ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فِيهِ وَسْقًا أَوْ وَسْقَيْنِ فَقَالَ أُرَى فِيهِ وَسْقًا أَوْ وَسْقَيْنِ فَقَالَ نَعَمِ ارْهَنُونِي قَالُوا أَىَّ شَىْءٍ تُرِيدُ قَالَ فَارْهَنُونِي نِسَاءَكُمْ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نَرْهَنُكَ نِسَاءَنَا وَأَنْتَ أَجْمَلُ الْعَرَبِ قَالَ فَارْهَنُونِي أَبْنَاءَكُمْ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نَرْهَنُكَ أَبْنَاءَنَا فَيُسَبُّ أَحَدُهُمْ فَيُقَالُ رُهِنَ بِوَسْقٍ أَوْ وَسْقَيْنِ هَذَا عَارٌ عَلَيْنَا وَلَكِنَّا نَرْهَنُكَ اللأْمَةَ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ يَعْنِي السِّلاَحَ فَوَاعَدَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ فَجَاءَهُ لَيْلاً وَمَعَهُ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ وَهْوَ أَخُو كَعْبٍ مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ فَدَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْحِصْنِ فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ أَيْنَ تَخْرُجُ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ وَأَخِي أَبُو نَائِلَةَ وَقَالَ غَيْرُ عَمْرٍو قَالَتْ أَسْمَعُ صَوْتًا كَأَنَّهُ يَقْطُرُ مِنْهُ الدَّمُ قَالَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ أَخِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ وَرَضِيعِي أَبُو نَائِلَةَ إِنَّ الْكَرِيمَ لَوْ دُعِيَ إِلَى طَعْنَةٍ بِلَيْلٍ لأَجَابَ قَالَ وَيُدْخِلُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ مَعَهُ رَجُلَيْنِ قِيلَ لِسُفْيَانَ سَمَّاهُمْ عَمْرٌو قَالَ سَمَّى بَعْضَهُمْ قَالَ عَمْرٌو جَاءَ مَعَهُ بِرَجُلَيْنِ وَقَالَ غَيْرُ عَمْرٍو أَبُو عَبْسِ بْنُ جَبْرٍ وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَوْسٍ وَعَبَّادُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ قَالَ عَمْرٌو وَجَاءَ مَعَهُ بِرَجُلَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِذَا مَا جَاءَ فَإِنِّي قَائِلٌ بِشَعَرِهِ فَأَشَمُّهُ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي اسْتَمْكَنْتُ مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَدُونَكُمْ فَاضْرِبُوهُ وَقَالَ مَرَّةً ثُمَّ أُشِمُّكُمْ فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مُتَوَشِّحًا وَهْوَ يَنْفَحُ مِنْهُ رِيحُ الطِّيبِ فَقَالَ مَا رَأَيْتُ كَالْيَوْمِ رِيحًا أَىْ أَطْيَبَ وَقَالَ غَيْرُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ عِنْدِي أَعْطَرُ نِسَاءِ الْعَرَبِ وَأَكْمَلُ الْعَرَبِ قَالَ عَمْرٌو فَقَالَ أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أَشَمَّ رَأْسَكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَشَمَّهُ ثُمَّ أَشَمَّ أَصْحَابَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَتَأْذَنُ لِي قَالَ نَعَمْ فَلَمَّا اسْتَمْكَنَ مِنْهُ قَالَ دُونَكُمْ فَقَتَلُوهُ ثُمَّ أَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ  

[Machine] "To his people, I will put out the fire of al-Hadathan for you," Khalid said. Umara bin Ziyad, a man from his people, said to him, "By Allah, O Khalid, I have never heard you say anything but the truth. So what is your concern with the fire of al-Hadathan? You claim that you can put it out." Khalid then set out with Umara bin Ziyad and a group of his people until they reached the fire, which was coming out of the mountain in a place called Harra Ashja'a. Khalid drew a plan for them and made them sit in it. He said, "If I am delayed, do not call me by my name." The fire came out as if it were a line of golden horses following each other. Khalid approached it and began striking it with his stick, saying, "It appears, it appears, every direction has been illuminated." Ibn Ra'iyah al-Ma'zah claimed that he would not leave it and that his clothes burned. He entered the trench with it, and then he delayed. Umara bin Ziyad said, "By Allah, if your companion was alive, he would have come out to you later." They said, "Indeed, he has forbidden us from calling him by his name." Umara bin Ziyad said, "Call him by his name." He then went out to them, holding his head, and said, "Did I not warn you not to call me by my name? By Allah, you have killed me. Bury me. When the red ones pass by you, in which there is a barren female camel, dig me up, for you will find me alive." The red ones then passed by them, in which there was a barren female camel. They said, "Dig him up, for he has commanded us to do so." Umara bin Ziyad said to them, "Do not disturb us with any harm. By Allah, we will never dig them up." Khalid had told them that there were two tablets in the saddle of his wife. If something difficult arises for you, look into them, for you will find what you are asking about. He also said, "They cannot be touched by a menstruating woman." When they returned to his wife, they asked her about them, and she brought them out while she was menstruating, so all the knowledge that was in them disappeared. Abu Yunus said that Simec reported that the son of Khalid bin Sinan came to the Prophet ﷺ , and the Prophet ﷺ said, "Welcome, the son of my brother and Abu Yunus, Hatim bin Abi Saghira."  

لِقَوْمِهِ أَنَا أُطْفِئُ عَنْكُمْ نَارَ الْحَدَثَانِ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَارَةُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ وَاللهِ مَا قُلْتُ لَنَا يَا خَالِدُ قَطُّ إِلَّا حَقًّا فَمَا شَأْنُكَ وشأنُ نَارِ الْحَدَثَانِ؟ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّكَ تُطْفِئُها قَالَ فَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ عُمَارَةُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ فِي نَاسٍ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ حَتَّى أَتَوْها وَهِيَ تَخْرُجُ فِي شَقِّ جَبَلٍ فِي حَرَّةٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا حَرَّةُ أَشْجَعَ قَالَ فَخَطَّ لَهُمْ خَالِدٌ خَطَّةً فَأَجْلَسَهُمْ فِيهَا وَقَالَ إِنْ أَبْطَأْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَا تَدْعُونِي بِاسْمِي فَخَرَجَتْ كَأَنَّهَا خَيْلٌ شُقْرٌ يَتْبَعُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا فَاسْتَقْبَلَهَا خَالِدٌ فَجَعَلَ يَضْرِبُهَا بِعَصَاهُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ بَدَا بَدَا كُلٌّ هُدى مُرْدًا زَعَمَ ابْنُ رَاعِيَةِ الْمَعْزَى أَنِّي لَا أَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَثِيَابِي تَنْدَى حَتَّى دَخَلَ مَعَهَا الشِّقَّ فَأَبْطَأَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ عُمَارَةُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ وَاللهِ لَوْ كَانَ صَاحِبُكُمْ حَيًّا لَقَدْ خَرَجَ إِلَيْكُمْ بَعْدُ فَقَالُوا إِنَّهُ قَدْ نَهَانَا أَنْ نَدْعُوَهُ بِاسْمِهِ قَالَ فَدَعُوهُ بِاسْمِهِ قَالَ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَقَدْ أَخَذَ بِرَأْسِهِ فَقَالَ أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمْ أَنْ تَدْعُونِي بِاسْمِي؟ فَقَدْ وَاللهِ قَتَلْتُمُوني فَادْفِنُونِي فَإِذَا مَرَّتْ بِكُمُ الْحُمُرُ فِيهَا حِمَارٌ أَبْتَرُ فانْبُشُوني فَإِنَّكُمْ سَتَجِدُوني حَيًّا قَالَ فَمَرَّتْ بِهِ الْحُمُرُ فِيهَا حِمَارٌ أَبْتَرُ فَقَالُوا انْبُشْهُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ أَمَرَنَا أَنْ نَنْبُشَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ عُمَارَةُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ لَا تُحَدِّثُ مُضَرُ أَنَّا نَنْبُشُ مَوْتَانَا وَاللهِ لَا تَنْبُشُوهُ أَبَدًا قَالَ وَقَدْ كَانَ خَالِدٌ أَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ فِي عِكْمِ امْرَأَتِهِ لَوْحَيْنِ فَإِذَا أَشْكَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَمْرٌ فَانْظُرُوا فِيهِمَا فَإِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ مَا تَسْأَلُونَ عَنْهُ وَقَالَ لَا يَمَسَّهُما حَائِضٌ قَالَ فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوا إِلَى امْرَأَتِهِ سَأَلُوها عَنْهُمَا فَأَخْرَجَتْهُما وَهِيَ حَائِضٌ فَذَهَبَ مَا كَانَ فِيهِمَا مِنْ عَلِمٍ قَالَ وَقَالَ أَبُو يُونُسَ قَالَ سِمَاكٌ إِنَّ ابْنَ خَالِدِ بْنِ سِنَانَ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «مَرْحَبًا بِابْنِ أَخِي وَأَبُو يُونُسَ حَاتِمُ بْنُ أَبِي صَغِيرَةَ»  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Anyone who sees Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf, then he has indeed harmed Allah and His Messenger." Muhammad ibn Muslimah said to him, "Would you like me to kill him, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Yes." He said, "I am loyal to him, O Messenger of Allah. So allow me to speak to him." He said, "Speak." So Muhammad ibn Muslimah went to him and said, "This man has taken our charity from us and he has caused us harm, and we have grown tired of him." The evil one, when he heard this, said, "By Allah, I will certainly ensnare him, or he will be ensnared by me, and I know that your affairs will come to this." He said, "We cannot submit him until we see what he has done, and we dislike leaving him after we have followed him, until we see what will become of him." He said, "I have come to ask you for a loan." He said, "Yes, on the condition that you pledge your women to me." Muhammad said, "We will pledge our women to you, and you are the most handsome of the Arabs?" He said, "What about your children?" Muhammad said, "They will be insulted by people, as our children were in pledge to him through begging. And perhaps he will say that the son of one of us is pledged by begging." He said, "Then what will you pledge?" He said, "We will pledge our servant, meaning the weapon." He said, "Yes." So he made an appointment with him to meet, and Muhammad returned to his companions. He went to him with Abu Na'ilah, who was the brother of Ka'b through breastfeeding, and two other men. He said, "I have a hold of his head. When I put my hand on his head, then hold him down." So they approached him at night, and Muhammad called out to him, saying, "O Abu al-Ashraf!" His wife said, "Where are you going at this hour?" He said, "This is Muhammad ibn Muslimah and my brother Abu Na'ilah coming to me." So Muhammad entered, wearing one garment from which a pleasant fragrance emanated. He said to him, "How good is your body, and how delightful is your scent." He said, "I have the daughter of so-and-so, and she is the most fragrant of the Arabs." He said, "May I be permitted to smell her?" He said, "Yes." So Muhammad put his hand in her head, and then said, "May I be permitted to smell my companions?" He said, "Yes." So Muhammad put his hand in his own head and then smelled his companions. Then he put his hand in his head again, and then in his head for the second time, until he felt secure. Then he tightly gripped his head, and his companions attacked him and killed him. Then Muhammad went to the Messenger of Allah and informed him.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ لِكَعْبِ بْنِ الْأَشْرَفِ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ آذَى اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ أَتُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْتُلَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ أَنَا لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَأْذَنْ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ قَالَ قُلْ فَأَتَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَدْ أَخَذَنَا بِالصَّدَقَةِ وَقَدْ عَنَّانَا وَقَدْ مَلِلْنَا مِنْهُ فَقَالَ الْخَبِيثُ لَمَّا سَمِعَهَا وَأَيْضًا وَاللهِ لَتَمَلُّنَّهُ أَوْ لَتَمَلُّنُّ مِنْهُ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ أَمْرَكُمْ سَيَصِيرُ إِلَى هَذَا قَالَ إِنَّا لَا نَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ نُسْلِمَهُ حَتَّى نَنْظُرَ مَا فَعَلَ وَإِنَّا نَكْرَهُ أَنْ نَدَعَهُ بَعْدَ أَنِ اتَّبَعْنَاهُ حَتَّى نَنْظُرَ إِلَى أِيِّ شَيْءٍ يَصِيرُ أَمْرُهُ وَقَدْ جِئْتُكَ لِتُسْلِفَنِي تَمْرًا قَالَ نَعَمْ عَلَى أَنْ تَرْهَنُونِي نِسَاءَكُمْ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ نَرْهَنُكَ نِسَاءَنَا وَأَنْتَ أَجْمَلُ الْعَرَبِ؟ قَالَ فَأَوْلَادَكُمْ قَالَ فَيُعَيِّرُ النَّاسُ أَوْلَادَنَا أَنَّا رَهَنَّاهُمْ بِوَسْقٍ أَوْ وَسْقَيْنِ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ فَيُسَبُّ ابْنُ أَحَدِنَا فَيُقَالُ رُهِنَ بِوَسْقٍ أَوْ وَسْقَيْنِ قَالَ فَأِيُّ شَيْءٍ تَرْهَنُونَ؟ قَالَ نَرْهَنُكَ اللَّأْمَةَ يَعْنِي السِّلَاحَ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَوَاعَدَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ فَرَجَعَ مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَأَقْبَلَ وَأَقْبَلَ مَعَهُ أَبُو نَائِلَةَ وَهُوَ أَخُو كَعْبٍ مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ وَجَاءَ مَعَهُ رَجُلَانِ آخَرَانِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي مُسْتَمْكِنٌ مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَإِذَا أَدْخَلْتُ يَدِي فِي رَأْسِهِ فَدُونَكُمُ الرَّجُلَ فَجَاؤُوهُ لَيْلًا وَأَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ فَقَامُوا فِي ظِلِّ النَّخْلِ وَأَتَاهُ مُحَمَّدٌ فَنَادَاهُ يَا أَبَا الْأَشْرَفِ فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ أَيْنَ تَخْرُجُ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ؟ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ وَأَخِي أَبُو نَائِلَةَ فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ مُلْتَحِفًا فِي ثَوْبِ وَاحِدٍ تَنْفَحُ مِنْهُ رِيحُ الطِّيبِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُحَمَّدٌ مَا أَحْسَنَ جِسْمَكَ وَأَطْيَبَ رِيحَكَ قَالَ إِنَّ عِنْدِي ابْنَةَ فُلَانٍ وَهِيَ أَعْطَرُ الْعَرَبِ قَالَ فَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أَشُمَّهُ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَأَدْخَلَ مُحَمَّدٌ يَدَهُ فِي رَأْسِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أُشِمَّ أَصْحَابِي؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَأَدْخَلَهَا فِي رَأْسِهِ فَأَشَمَّ أَصْحَابَهُ ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَهَا مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فِي رَأْسِهِ حَتَّى أَمِنَهُ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ شَبَّكَ يَدَهُ فِي رَأْسِهِ فَنَصَاهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ دُونَكُمْ عَدُوَّ اللهِ فَخَرَجُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ ثُمَّ أَتَى رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَخْبَرَهُ