64/16. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4040 — Abu Rafi Mission and Careful Resolve
The killing of Abu Rafi’, ‘Abdullah bin Abi Al-Huqaiq and he was also called Salam bin Abi Al-Huqaiq who used to live in Khaybar, and some said that he used to live in his castle in the land of Hijaz
وَقَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ هُوَ بَعْدَ كَعْبِ بْنِ الأَشْرَفِ.Az-Zuhri said, "He (Abu Rafi)’ was killed after Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf."
Sahih al-Bukhari 4040: Abu Rafi Hadith and the Mission of Abdullah bin Atik
Sahih Bukhari : 4040
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4040
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُرَيْحٌ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ ـ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْبَرَاءَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى أَبِي رَافِعٍ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَتِيكٍ وَعَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُتْبَةَ فِي نَاسٍ مَعَهُمْ، فَانْطَلَقُوا حَتَّى دَنَوْا مِنَ الْحِصْنِ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَتِيكٍ امْكُثُوا أَنْتُمْ حَتَّى أَنْطَلِقَ أَنَا فَأَنْظُرَ. قَالَ فَتَلَطَّفْتُ أَنْ أَدْخُلَ الْحِصْنَ، فَفَقَدُوا حِمَارًا لَهُمْ ـ قَالَ ـ فَخَرَجُوا بِقَبَسٍ يَطْلُبُونَهُ ـ قَالَ ـ فَخَشِيتُ أَنْ أُعْرَفَ ـ قَالَ ـ فَغَطَّيْتُ رَأْسِي كَأَنِّي أَقْضِي حَاجَةً، ثُمَّ نَادَى صَاحِبُ الْبَابِ مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فَلْيَدْخُلْ قَبْلَ أَنْ أُغْلِقَهُ. فَدَخَلْتُ ثُمَّ اخْتَبَأْتُ فِي مَرْبِطِ حِمَارٍ عِنْدَ باب الْحِصْنِ، فَتَعَشَّوْا عِنْدَ أَبِي رَافِعٍ وَتَحَدَّثُوا حَتَّى ذَهَبَتْ سَاعَةٌ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا إِلَى بُيُوتِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا هَدَأَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ وَلاَ أَسْمَعُ حَرَكَةً خَرَجْتُ ـ قَالَ ـ وَرَأَيْتُ صَاحِبَ الْبَابِ حَيْثُ وَضَعَ مِفْتَاحَ الْحِصْنِ، فِي كَوَّةٍ فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَفَتَحْتُ بِهِ باب الْحِصْنِ. قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنْ نَذِرَ بِي الْقَوْمُ انْطَلَقْتُ عَلَى مَهَلٍ، ثُمَّ عَمَدْتُ إِلَى أَبْوَابِ بُيُوتِهِمْ، فَغَلَّقْتُهَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ ظَاهِرٍ، ثُمَّ صَعِدْتُ إِلَى أَبِي رَافِعٍ فِي سُلَّمٍ، فَإِذَا الْبَيْتُ مُظْلِمٌ قَدْ طَفِئَ سِرَاجُهُ، فَلَمْ أَدْرِ أَيْنَ الرَّجُلُ، فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا رَافِعٍ. قَالَ مَنْ هَذَا قَالَ فَعَمَدْتُ نَحْوَ الصَّوْتِ فَأَضْرِبُهُ، وَصَاحَ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ شَيْئًا ـ قَالَ ـ ثُمَّ جِئْتُ كَأَنِّي أُغِيثُهُ فَقُلْتُ مَا لَكَ يَا أَبَا رَافِعٍ وَغَيَّرْتُ صَوْتِي. فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُعْجِبُكَ لأُمِّكَ الْوَيْلُ، دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَجُلٌ فَضَرَبَنِي بِالسَّيْفِ. قَالَ فَعَمَدْتُ لَهُ أَيْضًا فَأَضْرِبُهُ أُخْرَى فَلَمْ تُغْنِ شَيْئًا، فَصَاحَ وَقَامَ أَهْلُهُ، قَالَ ثُمَّ جِئْتُ وَغَيَّرْتُ صَوْتِي كَهَيْئَةِ الْمُغِيثِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ مُسْتَلْقٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ، فَأَضَعُ السَّيْفَ فِي بَطْنِهِ ثُمَّ أَنْكَفِئُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ الْعَظْمِ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ دَهِشًا حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ السُّلَّمَ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَنْزِلَ، فَأَسْقُطُ مِنْهُ فَانْخَلَعَتْ رِجْلِي فَعَصَبْتُهَا، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ أَصْحَابِي أَحْجُلُ فَقُلْتُ انْطَلِقُوا فَبَشِّرُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِنِّي لاَ أَبْرَحُ حَتَّى أَسْمَعَ النَّاعِيَةَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي وَجْهِ الصُّبْحِ صَعِدَ النَّاعِيَةُ فَقَالَ أَنْعَى أَبَا رَافِعٍ. قَالَ فَقُمْتُ أَمْشِي مَا بِي قَلَبَةٌ، فَأَدْرَكْتُ أَصْحَابِي قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْتُوا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبَشَّرْتُهُ.
Al-Bara Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent `Abdullah bin 'Atik and `Abdullah bin `Utba with a group of men to Abu Rafi` (to kill him). They proceeded till they approached his castle, whereupon `Abdullah bin Atik said to them, "Wait (here), and in the meantime I will go and see."`Abdullah said later on, "I played a trick in order to enter the castle. By chance, they lost a donkey of theirs and came out carrying a flaming light to search for it. I was afraid that they would recognize me, so I covered my head and legs and pretended to answer the call to nature. The gatekeeper called, 'Whoever wants to come in, should come in before I close the gate.' So I went in and hid myself in a stall of a donkey near the gate of the castle. They took their supper with Abu Rafi` and had a chat till late at night. Then they went back to their homes.When the voices vanished and I no longer detected any movement, I came out. I had seen where the gate-keeper had kept the key of the castle in a hole in the wall. I took it and unlocked the gate of the castle, saying to myself, 'If these people should notice me, I will run away easily.' Then I locked all the doors of their houses from outside while they were inside, and ascended to Abu Rafi` by a staircase.I saw the house in complete darkness with its light off, and I could not know where the man was. So I called, 'O Abu Rafi`!' He replied, 'Who is it?' I proceeded towards the voice and hit him. He cried loudly but my blow was futile. Then I came to him, pretending to help him, saying with a different tone of my voice, ' What is wrong with you, O Abu Rafi`?' He said, 'Are you not surprised? Woe on your mother! A man has come to me and hit me with a sword!' So again I aimed at him and hit him, but the blow proved futile again, and on that Abu Rafi` cried loudly and his wife got up.I came again and changed my voice as if I were a helper, and found Abu Rafi` lying straight on his back, so I drove the sword into his belly and bent on it till I heard the sound of a bone break. Then I came out, filled with astonishment and went to the staircase to descend, but I fell down from it and got my leg dislocated. I bandaged it and went to my companions limping. I said (to them), 'Go and tell Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) of this good news, but I will not leave (this place) till I hear the news of his (i.e. Abu Rafi`'s) death.'When dawn broke, an announcer of death got over the wall and announced, 'I convey to you the news of Abu Rafi`'s death.' I got up and proceeded without feeling any pain till I caught up with my companions before they reached the Prophet (ﷺ) to whom I conveyed the good news."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4040In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 87USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 372
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4040
This Abu Rafi hadith gives a detailed report of a mission sent by Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). The main focus is the action of Abdullah bin Atik and the group who went with him. The narration shows planning, caution, fear of being recognized, and the need to complete what they were sent to do. Abdullah bin Atik entered the castle, watched where the key was kept, opened the gate, and made a way out in case he was discovered. The text also shows his injury after falling from the stairs, his patience while waiting for the announcement, and his effort to bring the news to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). This explanation should stay within the report itself: it is a specific event from the military expeditions, not a general rule for personal action.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report shows that the companions followed a direct mission given by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
- Abdullah bin Atik acted with caution when he feared being recognized.
- He continued despite injury until the news was confirmed.
- The companions were eager to inform the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) after the mission ended.
