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2768. It was reported from Jābir who said: "The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: 'Who will kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf, for he has insulted Allāh and His Messenger.' Muḥammad bin Maslamah stood up and said: 'I will, O Messenger of Allāh! Would you like me to kill him?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Will you permit me to say something (against you)?' He said: 'Yes, say it.' He then came to him (Ka'b) and said: 'This man (Muḥammad ﷺ) has asked us to give chairty and has put us through difficulties. He (Ka'b) said: 'And he is going to cause more grief for you.' He (Muḥammad bin Maslamah) said: 'As we have already followed him, we do not like to desert him as yet, until we see where his matter ends up. We wish if you could lend us a Wasq or two.' Ka'b said: 'What would you leave me as collateral?' He said: 'What do you want from us?' He
(Ka'b) said: 'Your women.' They said: 'Subhān Allāh! You are the most beautiful of the Arabs. If we leave our women as collateral with you, it will be a disgrace for us.' He said: 'So leave your children as collateral with me.' They said: 'Subhān Allāh! Our children may be abused. It might be said: "You were collateral for a Wasq or two." They said: 'We will leave our armour'" — they meant by these weapons. "He said: 'Yes.' When he came, and called him, he came outside to meet him. He had applied perfume, and it was spreading fragrance from his head. When he (Ka'b) sat beside him' — he had come with three or four persons with him — they said something to him about his perfume. He said: 'I have such and such woman with me. She is the most fragrant of the women among the people.' He (Muḥammad bin Maslamah) said: 'Would you give me permission to smell it?' He said: 'Yes.' He (Muḥammad bin Maslamah) then entered, put his hand in his hair and smelled it. He said: 'Can I do it again?' He said: 'Yes.' He put his hand in his hair. When he got ahold of him, he said: 'Take him.' They struck him until they killed him." (Ṣaḥīḥ)
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Commentary
Ka'b bin Ashraf was from the Jewish tribe of Banū Naḏīr. He was a poet, and an extremely rich man. He rabidly hated the Muslims and exhorted the
people to rise against the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, and he slandered the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. He committed a breach of treaty and, rather than join the Muslims in their defense against the disbelievers, he went all the way to Makkah and tried to persuade the polytheists to wage a war against the Muslims.
