Al-Lu'lu Wal-Marjan 1179 — The Book of Al-Jihad (Fighting for Allâh's Cause)

Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:

Allâh's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Who will kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allâh and His Messenger?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allâh's Messenger! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Yes." Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a thing (i.e. to deceive Ka'b)." The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "You may say it."Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Ka'b and said, "That man (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) demands Sadaqa from us, and he has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you." On that, Ka'b said, "By Allâh, 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.)Ka'b said, "Yes, (I will lend you), but you should mortgage something to me." Muhammad bin Maslama and his companion said, "What do you want?" Ka'b replied, "Mortgage your women to me?" They said, "How can we mortgage our women to you, and you are most handsome of the Arabs?" Ka'b said, "Then mortgage your sons to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our sons to you? Later they would be abused by people's saying that so-and-so has been mortgage for a camel load of food. That would cause us great disgrace, but we will mortgage our weapons to you." Muhammad bin Maslama and his companion promised Ka'b that they or he (Muhammad bin Maslama) would return to him.He came to Ka'b at night along with Ka'b's foster brother (milk suckling brother), Abû Nâ'ila. Ka'b invited them to come into his fort and then he went down to them. His wife asked, "Where are you going at this time?" Ka'b replied, "None but Muhammad bin Maslama and my (foster) brother Abû Nâ'ila have come." His wife said, "I hear a voice as if blood is dropping from him." Ka'b said, "They are none but my brother Muhammad bin Maslama and my foster brother Abû Nâ'ila. 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 Abû 'Abs bin Jabr, Al-Hârith bin Aûs and 'Abbâd bin Bishr.) So Muhammad bin Maslama went in together with two men, and said to them, "When Ka'b comes, I will touch his hair and smell it, and when you see that I have got hold of his head, strike him. I will let you smell his head." (The subnarrator also mentioned) that Muhammad bin Maslama said to his companions, "I will let you smell his head."Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf came down to them, wrapped in his clothes, and diffusing perfume. Muhammad bin Maslama said, "I have never smelt a better scent than this." Ka'b replied, "I have got the best Arab women who know how to use the high class of perfume." Muhammad bin Maslama requested Ka'b, "Will you allow me to smell your head?" Ka'b said, "Yes."Muhammad smelt it and made his companions smell it as well. Then he requested Ka'b again, "Will you let me (smell your head)?" Ka'b 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. ( Sahîh Al-Bukhâri, Hadîth No. 369, Vol. 5)