[Machine] When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Madinah after his departure from Ta'if, Bujayr bin Zuhair bin Abi Salamah wrote to his brother Ka'b bin Zuhair bin Abi Salamah, informing him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had killed a man in Makkah who used to insult and harm him. He mentioned that the remaining poets of the Quraysh, Ibn Ziba'rah and Hubayrah bin Abi Wahb, had fled in all directions. He advised Ka'b to seek the protection of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , as he does not kill anyone who comes to him repenting. If he did not want to do that, he should go to his own people for help. When Ka'b received the letter, he felt overwhelmed and frightened for his life. Those who were present with him trembled, assuming that he had been killed. When he could not find anything to say, he recited the poem he had composed praising the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and describing his fear and the trembling of his limbs. Then he left until he reached Madinah and stayed with a man named Ma'rifah, with whom he had some connection in Juhaynah. In the morning, he went with him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and prayed with the people. Then Ma'rifah pointed him out to the Prophet, saying, "This is the Messenger of Allah." He asked Ka'b to come forward and gave him his hand. Since the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not know who he was, Ka'b said, "O Messenger of Allah, Ka'b bin Zuhair has come, seeking your protection, remorseful and a Muslim. Would you be willing to receive him if I bring him to you?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "Yes." Ka'b then said, "O Messenger of Allah, I am Ka'b bin Zuhair." Ibn Ishaq said that 'Asim bin 'Umar bin Qatadah reported that a man from the Ansar alighted and said, "O Messenger of Allah, let me take his life for you as the enemy of Allah." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "Leave him, as he has come repentant and seeking forgiveness." The Ansar became angry at him for what he had done to their companion. That happened because they did not know that Ka'b had come repentant, seeking forgiveness.
لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ مُنْصَرَفِهِ مِنَ الطَّائِفِ كَتَبَ بُجَيْرُ بْنُ زُهَيْرِ بْنِ أَبِي سُلْمَى إِلَى أَخِيهِ كَعْبِ بْنِ زُهَيْرِ بْنِ أَبِي سُلْمَى يُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَتَلَ رَجُلًا بِمَكَّةَ مِمَّنْ كَانَ يَهْجُوهُ وَيُؤْذِيهِ وَأَنَّهُ مَنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ شُعَرَاءِ قُرَيْشٍ ابْنُ الزِّبَعْرَى وَهُبَيْرَةُ بْنُ أَبِي وَهْبٍ قَدْ هَرَبُوا فِي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ حَاجَةٌ فَفِرَّ إِلَى رَسُولِ ﷺ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَقْتُلُ أَحَدًا جَاءَ تَائِبًا وَإِنْ أَنْتَ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَانْجُ إِلَى نَجَائِكَ وَقَدْ كَانَ كَعْبٌ قَالَ أَبْيَاتًا نَالَ فِيهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ كَعْبًا الْكِتَابُ ضَاقَتْ بِهِ الْأَرْضُ وَأَشْفَقَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَأَرْجَفَ بِهِ مَنْ كَانَ فِي حَاضَرِهِ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ قَالُوا هُوَ مَقْتُولٌ فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَجِدْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَدَا قَالَ قَصِيدَتَهُ الَّتِي مَدَحَ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَذَكَرَ خَوْفَهُ وَإِرْجَافَ الْوُشَاةِ بِهِ مِنْ غَدِهِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ حَتَّى قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَنَزَلَ عَلَى رَجُلٍ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنِهِ مَعْرِفَةٌ مِنْ جُهَيْنَةَ كَمَا ذَكَرَ لِي فَغَدَا بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ حِينَ صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ فَصَلَّى مَعَ النَّاسِ ثُمَّ أَشَارَ لَهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ النَّبِيِّ فَقَالَ هَذَا رَسُولُ اللهِ فَقُمْ إِلَيْهِ فَاسْتَأْمِنْهُ فَذَكَرَ لِي أَنَّهُ قَامَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ حَتَّى وَضَعَ يَدَهُ فِي يَدِهِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ لَا يَعْرِفُهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ كَعْبَ بْنَ زُهَيْرٍ جَاءَ يَسْتَأْمِنُ مِنْكَ تَائِبًا مُسْلِمًا فَهَلْ أَنْتَ قَابِلٌ مِنْهُ إِنْ أَنَا جِئْتُكَ بِهِ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «نَعَمْ» قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَا كَعْبُ بْنُ زُهَيْرٍ قَالَ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ فَحَدَّثَنِي عَاصِمُ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ قَتَادَةَ قَالَ وَثَبَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ دَعْنِي وَعَدُوَّ اللهِ أَضْرِبُ عُنُقَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «دَعْهُ عَنْكَ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ جَاءَ تَائِبًا نَازِعًا» فَغَضِبَ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَيِّ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ بِمَا صَنَعَ بِهِ صَاحِبِهِمْ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ