The Expedition of Ibn Atik to Khaybar: Difference between revisions
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==Time and Place== | ==Time and Place== | ||
This expedition took place in the year 5 A.H. in the region of Khaybar. | This expedition took place in the year 5 A.H. in the region of Khaybar. <ref name=":0">al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, Ibn Kathir Volume 4 Page 137</ref> | ||
==The Background to this Expedition== | ==The Background to this Expedition== | ||
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===A request from the Khazrajis to kill Ibn Abi Huqayq=== | ===A request from the Khazrajis to kill Ibn Abi Huqayq=== | ||
As it has been narrated from Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri from Abd Allah ibn Kab from his father, Kab ibn Malik al-Ansari, <blockquote>“From the words that Allah bestowed upon His Prophet it was said that the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj competed with one another in their support of the Prophet of Allah. Anything that the people of Aws did, the people of Khazraj also wanted to carry out a similar fashion, and any action that the people of Khazraj did, the people of Aws also wanted to perform. After the Battle of Badr but before the Battle of Uhud, the people of Aws killed Kab ibn Ashraf, who had been encouraging the enemies against the Prophet of Allah. For this reason, the people of Khazraj requested permission from the Prophet, after the Battle of Khandaq, to assassinate Sallam ibn Abi al-Huqayq. Like Ibn Ashraf, he too had been involved in instigating the enemies of the Prophet of Allah and due to this, permission was granted.” < | As it has been narrated from Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri from Abd Allah ibn Kab from his father, Kab ibn Malik al-Ansari, <blockquote>“From the words that Allah bestowed upon His Prophet it was said that the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj competed with one another in their support of the Prophet of Allah. Anything that the people of Aws did, the people of Khazraj also wanted to carry out a similar fashion, and any action that the people of Khazraj did, the people of Aws also wanted to perform. After the Battle of Badr but before the Battle of Uhud, the people of Aws killed Kab ibn Ashraf, who had been encouraging the enemies against the Prophet of Allah. For this reason, the people of Khazraj requested permission from the Prophet, after the Battle of Khandaq, to assassinate Sallam ibn Abi al-Huqayq. Like Ibn Ashraf, he too had been involved in instigating the enemies of the Prophet of Allah and due to this, permission was granted.” <ref name=":1">Sirah of Ibn Hisham Volume 3 Page 286-287</ref> </blockquote> | ||
===Sending a group under the leadership of Ibn Atik on the order of the Prophet=== | ===Sending a group under the leadership of Ibn Atik on the order of the Prophet=== | ||
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The Prophet of Allah appointed Ibn Atik as their leader and forbade them from killing his (ibn Abi Huqayq) wives and children. | The Prophet of Allah appointed Ibn Atik as their leader and forbade them from killing his (ibn Abi Huqayq) wives and children. | ||
Atiyyah ibn Abd Allah ibn Unays narrates from his father, <blockquote> “Abd Allah ibn Atik’s foster mother was Jewish and lived in Khaybar. Abd Allah could speak Hebrew and he was chosen for this job for this reason.” | Atiyyah ibn Abd Allah ibn Unays narrates from his father, <blockquote> “Abd Allah ibn Atik’s foster mother was Jewish and lived in Khaybar. Abd Allah could speak Hebrew and he was chosen for this job for this reason.” <ref name=":2">Muhammad bin Umar al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi Volume 1 Page 291-292</ref> </blockquote> | ||
==The Events of this Expedition== | ==The Events of this Expedition== | ||
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The Muslims left for Khaybar at dawn on Monday, the fourth of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Abd Allah sent a message to his mother in Khaybar and informed her of his coming. After some time, his mother came with a container full of bread and dates and they ate together. Thereafter, Abd Allah said to her, <blockquote> “O mother, you see that night has fallen (and that the journey from Medina to Khaybar took one full day), so take us into Khaybar so that we may sleep at your house (as it is too late to go back).” </blockquote> | The Muslims left for Khaybar at dawn on Monday, the fourth of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Abd Allah sent a message to his mother in Khaybar and informed her of his coming. After some time, his mother came with a container full of bread and dates and they ate together. Thereafter, Abd Allah said to her, <blockquote> “O mother, you see that night has fallen (and that the journey from Medina to Khaybar took one full day), so take us into Khaybar so that we may sleep at your house (as it is too late to go back).” </blockquote> | ||
His mother asked, <blockquote> “Who do you want (to kill)?” </blockquote> He replied, <blockquote> “Abu Rafi.” </blockquote> His mother then said, <blockquote> “Enter with the people and come to me at night. When the ruckus of the people coming back in calms down, ambush him.” </blockquote> They entered the village at night and he proceeded to go to his mother’s house. When the ruckus of everyone coming back home had calmed down, she said to them, <blockquote> “Go.” | His mother asked, <blockquote> “Who do you want (to kill)?” </blockquote> He replied, <blockquote> “Abu Rafi.” </blockquote> His mother then said, <blockquote> “Enter with the people and come to me at night. When the ruckus of the people coming back in calms down, ambush him.” </blockquote> They entered the village at night and he proceeded to go to his mother’s house. When the ruckus of everyone coming back home had calmed down, she said to them, <blockquote> “Go.” <ref name=":3">Muhammad bin Umar al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi Volume 1 Page 391-392</ref> </blockquote> | ||
===The circumstances of Ibn Abi al-Huqayq’s murder=== | ===The circumstances of Ibn Abi al-Huqayq’s murder=== | ||
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We entered the room and recognized him by the white clothes he was wearing, the same clothes worn by the Egyptian Copts, and we attacked him with our swords. His wife began to scream and so some of us wanted to go and quiet her (kill her), but we remembered the order of the Prophet of Allah who forbade us from killing women. | We entered the room and recognized him by the white clothes he was wearing, the same clothes worn by the Egyptian Copts, and we attacked him with our swords. His wife began to scream and so some of us wanted to go and quiet her (kill her), but we remembered the order of the Prophet of Allah who forbade us from killing women. | ||
Because the roof of the room was low, we could not strike him hard, so I plunged my sword into his abdomen until the sounds of life stopped coming from him and I was sure that he had been killed. The people who were with me also struck him. | Because the roof of the room was low, we could not strike him hard, so I plunged my sword into his abdomen until the sounds of life stopped coming from him and I was sure that he had been killed. The people who were with me also struck him. <ref name=":4">Muhammad bin Umar al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi Volume 1 Page 391-394</ref> | ||
==The Events after the Killing== | ==The Events after the Killing== | ||
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===The hiding of the Muslims=== | ===The hiding of the Muslims=== | ||
When his wife began to scream, others in the area also began to shout, but they did not leave their houses. During this confusion, we left Ibn Abi al-Huqayq’s room and hid near the waterway of Khaybar. | When his wife began to scream, others in the area also began to shout, but they did not leave their houses. During this confusion, we left Ibn Abi al-Huqayq’s room and hid near the waterway of Khaybar. <ref name=":4" /> | ||
===The Jews search for the Muslims=== | ===The Jews search for the Muslims=== | ||
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Ironically, Abu Qatadah Aswad ibn Khuzai (his name has come as such in Waqidi) had forgotten his bow and so Aswad left the hiding spot, altered his appearance to make himself look like the Jews of Khaybar, took a torch like the ones they were using and went amongst them, as this group was going towards Abu Rafi’s house for the second time. He joined this group and when he got to the house, he saw that a large group had gathered there and they were looking at his lifeless body. His wife came forward, torch in hand, and bent over him to see if he was alive or dead and proclaimed, <blockquote> “By the God of Musa, he is dead!” </blockquote> Because there did not seem to be any pulse in his veins, they understood that he had died and went to gather the things required for burial. | Ironically, Abu Qatadah Aswad ibn Khuzai (his name has come as such in Waqidi) had forgotten his bow and so Aswad left the hiding spot, altered his appearance to make himself look like the Jews of Khaybar, took a torch like the ones they were using and went amongst them, as this group was going towards Abu Rafi’s house for the second time. He joined this group and when he got to the house, he saw that a large group had gathered there and they were looking at his lifeless body. His wife came forward, torch in hand, and bent over him to see if he was alive or dead and proclaimed, <blockquote> “By the God of Musa, he is dead!” </blockquote> Because there did not seem to be any pulse in his veins, they understood that he had died and went to gather the things required for burial. | ||
Aswad says, “I also left the house and went to my friends at the waterway and told them what had happened. After that, we remained in our hiding spot for two days until the Jews stopped searching at which point we left for Medina. | Aswad says, “I also left the house and went to my friends at the waterway and told them what had happened. After that, we remained in our hiding spot for two days until the Jews stopped searching at which point we left for Medina. <ref name=":4" /> | ||
===The return of the Muslims to Medina and visit to the Prophet=== | ===The return of the Muslims to Medina and visit to the Prophet=== | ||
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He asked if we had killed him. We replied, <blockquote> “Yes.” </blockquote> All of us claimed that we had killed him! | He asked if we had killed him. We replied, <blockquote> “Yes.” </blockquote> All of us claimed that we had killed him! | ||
He said, <blockquote> “Show me your swords.” </blockquote> We produced our swords for him and he pointed at Unays’ sword and said, <blockquote> “This sword has killed him and this is the mark left from the strike.” | He said, <blockquote> “Show me your swords.” </blockquote> We produced our swords for him and he pointed at Unays’ sword and said, <blockquote> “This sword has killed him and this is the mark left from the strike.” <ref name=":4" /> </blockquote> | ||
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[[Category:Expedition]] | [[Category:Expedition]] | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:The Expedition of Ibn Atik to Khaybar}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:The Expedition of Ibn Atik to Khaybar}} | ||
==References== | |||
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