Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 3045
sahih

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent a Sariya of ten men as spies under the leadership of `Asim bin Thabit al-Ansari, the grandfather of `Asim bin `Umar Al-Khattab. They proceeded till they reached Hadaa, a place between 'Usfan, and Mecca, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhail called Bani Lihyan. About two-hundred men, who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates they had brought with them from Medina. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e. Medina), "and continued following their tracks When `Asim and his companions saw their pursuers, they went up a high place and the infidels circled them. The infidels said to them, "Come down and surrender, and we promise and guarantee you that we will not kill any one of you" `Asim bin Thabit; the leader of the Sariya said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of infidels. O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet. Then the infidels threw arrows at them till they martyred `Asim along with six other men, and three men came down accepting their promise and convention, and they were Khubaib-al-Ansari and Ibn Dathina and another man So, when the infidels captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then the third (of the captives) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyred, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubaid and Ibn Dathina with them and sold them (as slaves) in Mecca (and all that took place) after the battle of Badr. Khubaib was bought by the sons of Al-Harith bin 'Amir bin Naufal bin `Abd Manaf. It was Khubaib who had killed Al-Harith bin 'Amir on the day (of the battle of) Badr. So, Khubaib remained a prisoner with those people. Narrated Az-Zuhri: 'Ubaidullah bin 'Iyyad said that the daughter of Al-Harith had told him, "When those people gathered (to kill Khubaib) he borrowed a razor from me to shave his pubes and I gave it to him. Then he took a son of mine while I was unaware when he came upon him. I saw him placing my son on his thigh and the razor was in his hand. I got scared so much that Khubaib noticed the agitation on my face and said, 'Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.' By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubaib. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Mecca." The daughter of Al-Harith used to say, "It was a boon Allah bestowed upon Khubaib." When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Mecca) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubaib requested them to let him offer two rak`at (prayer). They allowed him and he offered Two rak`at and then said, "Hadn't I been afraid that you would think that I was afraid (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception." (He then recited the poetic verse):-- "I being martyred as a Muslim, Do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, For my killing is for Allah's Sake, And if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body" Then the son of Al Harith killed him. So, it was Khubaib who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two-rak`at prayer (before being killed). Allah fulfilled the invocation of `Asim bin Thabit on that very day on which he was martyred. The Prophet (ﷺ) informed his companions of their news and what had happened to them. Later on when some infidels from Quraish were informed that `Asim had been killed, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e. his head) by which he would be recognized. (That was because) `Asim had killed one of their chiefs on the day (of the battle) of Badr. So, a swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over `Asim and protect him from their messenger and thus they could not cut off anything from his flesh.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ بْنِ أَسِيدِ بْنِ جَارِيَةَ الثَّقَفِيُّ ـ وَهْوَ حَلِيفٌ لِبَنِي زُهْرَةَ وَكَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشَرَةَ رَهْطٍ سَرِيَّةً عَيْنًا، وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَاصِمَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ الأَنْصَارِيَّ جَدَّ عَاصِمِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، فَانْطَلَقُوا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانُوا بِالْهَدَأَةِ وَهْوَ بَيْنَ عُسْفَانَ وَمَكَّةَ ذُكِرُوا لِحَىٍّ مِنْ هُذَيْلٍ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ بَنُو لِحْيَانَ، فَنَفَرُوا لَهُمْ قَرِيبًا مِنْ مِائَتَىْ رَجُلٍ، كُلُّهُمْ رَامٍ، فَاقْتَصُّوا آثَارَهُمْ حَتَّى وَجَدُوا مَأْكَلَهُمْ تَمْرًا تَزَوَّدُوهُ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالُوا هَذَا تَمْرُ يَثْرِبَ‏.‏ فَاقْتَصُّوا آثَارَهُمْ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ عَاصِمٌ وَأَصْحَابُهُ لَجَئُوا إِلَى فَدْفَدٍ، وَأَحَاطَ بِهِمُ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالُوا لَهُمُ انْزِلُوا وَأَعْطُونَا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ، وَلَكُمُ الْعَهْدُ وَالْمِيثَاقُ، وَلاَ نَقْتُلُ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدًا‏.‏ قَالَ عَاصِمُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ أَمِيرُ السَّرِيَّةِ أَمَّا أَنَا فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَنْزِلُ الْيَوْمَ فِي ذِمَّةِ كَافِرٍ، اللَّهُمَّ أَخْبِرْ عَنَّا نَبِيَّكَ‏.‏ فَرَمَوْهُمْ بِالنَّبْلِ، فَقَتَلُوا عَاصِمًا فِي سَبْعَةٍ، فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ ثَلاَثَةُ رَهْطٍ بِالْعَهْدِ وَالْمِيثَاقِ، مِنْهُمْ خُبَيْبٌ الأَنْصَارِيُّ وَابْنُ دَثِنَةَ وَرَجُلٌ آخَرُ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَمْكَنُوا مِنْهُمْ أَطْلَقُوا أَوْتَارَ قِسِيِّهِمْ فَأَوْثَقُوهُمْ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ الثَّالِثُ هَذَا أَوَّلُ الْغَدْرِ، وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَصْحَبُكُمْ، إِنَّ فِي هَؤُلاَءِ لأُسْوَةً‏.‏ يُرِيدُ الْقَتْلَى، فَجَرَّرُوهُ وَعَالَجُوهُ عَلَى أَنْ يَصْحَبَهُمْ فَأَبَى فَقَتَلُوهُ، فَانْطَلَقُوا بِخُبَيْبٍ وَابْنِ دَثِنَةَ حَتَّى بَاعُوهُمَا بِمَكَّةَ بَعْدَ وَقْعَةِ بَدْرٍ، فَابْتَاعَ خُبَيْبًا بَنُو الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَامِرِ بْنِ نَوْفَلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، وَكَانَ خُبَيْبٌ هُوَ قَتَلَ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ عَامِرٍ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ، فَلَبِثَ خُبَيْبٌ عِنْدَهُمْ أَسِيرًا، فَأَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عِيَاضٍ أَنَّ بِنْتَ الْحَارِثِ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهُمْ حِينَ اجْتَمَعُوا اسْتَعَارَ مِنْهَا مُوسَى يَسْتَحِدُّ بِهَا فَأَعَارَتْهُ، فَأَخَذَ ابْنًا لِي وَأَنَا غَافِلَةٌ حِينَ أَتَاهُ قَالَتْ فَوَجَدْتُهُ مُجْلِسَهُ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ وَالْمُوسَى بِيَدِهِ، فَفَزِعْتُ فَزْعَةً عَرَفَهَا خُبَيْبٌ فِي وَجْهِي فَقَالَ تَخْشَيْنَ أَنْ أَقْتُلَهُ مَا كُنْتُ لأَفْعَلَ ذَلِكَ‏.‏ وَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ أَسِيرًا قَطُّ خَيْرًا مِنْ خُبَيْبٍ، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ وَجَدْتُهُ يَوْمًا يَأْكُلُ مِنْ قِطْفِ عِنَبٍ فِي يَدِهِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَمُوثَقٌ فِي الْحَدِيدِ، وَمَا بِمَكَّةَ مِنْ ثَمَرٍ وَكَانَتْ تَقُولُ إِنَّهُ لَرِزْقٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ رَزَقَهُ خُبَيْبًا، فَلَمَّا خَرَجُوا مِنَ الْحَرَمِ لِيَقْتُلُوهُ فِي الْحِلِّ، قَالَ لَهُمْ خُبَيْبٌ ذَرُونِي أَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ‏.‏ فَتَرَكُوهُ، فَرَكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَوْلاَ أَنْ تَظُنُّوا أَنَّ مَا بِي جَزَعٌ لَطَوَّلْتُهَا اللَّهُمَّ أَحْصِهِمْ عَدَدًا‏.‏ وَلَسْتُ أُبَالِي حِينَ أُقْتَلُ مُسْلِمًا عَلَى أَىِّ شِقٍّ كَانَ لِلَّهِ مَصْرَعِي وَذَلِكَ فِي ذَاتِ الإِلَهِ وَإِنْ يَشَأْ يُبَارِكْ عَلَى أَوْصَالِ شِلْوٍ مُمَزَّعِ فَقَتَلَهُ ابْنُ الْحَارِثِ، فَكَانَ خُبَيْبٌ هُوَ سَنَّ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ قُتِلَ صَبْرًا، فَاسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لِعَاصِمِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ يَوْمَ أُصِيبَ، فَأَخْبَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَصْحَابَهُ خَبَرَهُمْ وَمَا أُصِيبُوا، وَبَعَثَ نَاسٌ مِنْ كُفَّارِ قُرَيْشٍ إِلَى عَاصِمٍ حِينَ حُدِّثُوا أَنَّهُ قُتِلَ لِيُؤْتَوْا بِشَىْءٍ مِنْهُ يُعْرَفُ، وَكَانَ قَدْ قَتَلَ رَجُلاً مِنْ عُظَمَائِهِمْ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ، فَبُعِثَ عَلَى عَاصِمٍ مِثْلُ الظُّلَّةِ مِنَ الدَّبْرِ، فَحَمَتْهُ مِنْ رَسُولِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَقْطَعَ مِنْ لَحْمِهِ شَيْئًا‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 56, Hadith 251
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 4, Book 52, Hadith 281 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The battle of Al-Rajee‘ took place in Safar 4 A.H., and it was named after a well located between Makkah and ‘Usfaan, closer to the latter. It was a village about 80 miles (128 km) from northern Makkah on the way to Al-Madeenah. In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched ten men on a military expedition. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Raht, which denotes a number of men below ten, and it has also been said that it was below forty. A military expedition consisted of maximum 400 men (soldiers). Their task, under the leadership of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree, the grandfather of ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar Al-Khattaab on his mother’s side (may Allah be pleased with them), was to spy on the Muslims’ enemies. They proceeded till they reached Had’ah, a place between ‘Usfaan and Makkah, 7 miles away from ‘Usfaan, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhayl called BaneeLihyaan, meaning that the people of this branch knew of the military expedition. Therefore, about two-hundred men (from BaneeLihyaan), who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates that they had brought with them from Al-Madeenah. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e., the old name of Al-Madeenah),” and continued following their tracks. When ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw their pursuers, they went up to a high place and the disbelievers circled them. During the siege, the disbelievers promised them security and guaranteed that they would not kill any one of them if they surrendered. ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him), the leader of the military expedition, said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers,” because he (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that he could not trust them. He (may Allah be pleased with him) invoked Allah, Exalted is He, saying: “O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet ﷺ.” Since ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) defiantly refused to surrender, the disbelievers shot arrows at them till they were martyred. ‘Aasimand six other men (may Allah be pleased with them) were killed, and three men came down, accepting the promise of security, and they were Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy Al-Ansaaree, Zayd ibn Al-Dathinah Al-Ansaaree and another man (may Allah be pleased with them); it was said that his name was ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq. When the disbelievers captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then, the third man (of the captives, i.e., ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyrs, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubayb and Ibn Dathinah with them and sold them (as slaves) in Makkah. All this took place after the battle of Badr, explaining why the disbelievers sought revenge. Khubayb was bought by one of the sons of Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir ibn Nawfal ibn ‘Abd Manaaf, named ‘Uqbah, AbooSirwa‘ah and his half-brother Hujayr ibn Abee ‘Ihaab (on his mother’s side). It was Khubayb who had killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir on the day of Badr. So, Khubayb remained a prisoner with the sons of Al-Haarith, and Sawfaan ibn Umayyah bought Ibn Al-Dathinah and killed him in Makkah. ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Iyyaad, one of the hadeeth’s narrators, said that Zaynab bint Al-Haarith told him of what happened to Khubayb. She said that when Banee Al-Haarith gathered (to kill Khubayb), he borrowed a razor from her to shave, and she gave it to him. Her son came near Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) while she was unaware. She saw him placing her son on his thigh, and the razor was in his hand. She got scared so much that Khubayb noticed the agitation on her face and comforted her, saying, “Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.” She also made mention of some Karaamaat (i.e.,supernatural abilities or events bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, upon a righteous person which contradict universal norms and human standards) that happened to Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him). She said: “By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubayb. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Makkah.” She used to say, "It was a blessing that Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon Khubayb." This was one of the manifest Karaamaat conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on him. When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Makkah) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) requested them to let him offer a two Rak‘ah prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak‘ahs and then said, "Had not I been afraid that you would think that I was scared (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception,” meaning eradicate them all. He (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the poetic verse, "I am being martyred as a Muslim; I do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, for my killing is for Allah's Sake; and if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body." He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he cared less about death, since he was being killed in Allah’s Cause, and Allah, Exalted is He, would bless his torn body, if He willed it. Then the son of Al-Haarith killed him in Al-Tan‘eem and crucified him. It was Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two Rak‘ah prayer (before being killed). Allah, Exalted is He, answered the invocation of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him) on that very day on which he was martyred; the Prophetﷺinformed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of their news and what had happened to them. ‘Aasim(may Allah be pleased with him) had killed one of the chiefs of Quraysh named ‘Uqbah ibn AbeeMu‘ayt in the Battle of Badr. When the news of ‘Aasim’s death reached the people of Quraysh, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e., his head) by which he could be recognized, to verify the news. A swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over ‘Aasim’s dead body and protect him from their messenger, and thus the disbelievers of Quraysh could not cut off anything from his flesh. The hadeeth highlights a sign of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ. It also underlines that Allah, Exalted is He, protects and preserves His believing servants both during life and after death, and that attaining martyrdom does not indicate the destruction and defeat of Muslims, but is rather an honor, and an indication of their merits. It is deduced from the hadeeth that betrayal is unbecoming of a true Muslim, even with those who betray him. The hadeeth underlines the virtues of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree and Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy(may Allah be pleased with them). The hadeeth affirms the bestowal of Karaamaat on the allies and righteous servants of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He answers their supplications. .
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