Sahih al-Bukhari 4040

Hadith text

Narrated Al-Bara: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

Al-Bara bataate hain: Allah ke Rasool ne Abdullah bin Atik aur Abdullah bin Utba ko kuch logon ke giroh ke saath Abu Rafi ko qatl karne ke liye bheja. Woh chal pade jab tak unke qile ke qareeb pahunche, ispar Abdullah bin Atik ne unse kaha, "Intezaar karo (yahaan), main jaunga aur dekhunga." Abdullah ne baad mein kaha, "Maine qile mein daakhil hone ke liye ek trick istemal kiya. Sanyog se, unka ek gadha kho gaya aur woh jalti roshni lekar use dhoondne nikle. Mujhe dar tha ke woh mujhe pahchan lenge, isliye maine apna sar aur taangen dhankan liya aur qaza-e-hajat karne ka natak kiya. Darwaza-baan ne pukara, 'Jo bhi andar aana chahta hai, mere darwaza band karne se pahle andar aa jaaye.' Isliye main andar gaya aur qile ke darwaze ke qareeb ek gadhe ke tabele mein chhup gaya. Unhone Abu Rafi ke saath raat ka khaana khaya aur der raat tak baaten ki. Phir woh apne gharon wapas chale gaye. Jab aawaazen khatam huee aur mujhe koee harakat mahsoos nahi huee, main bahar aaya. Maine dekha tha darwaza-baan ne qile ki chaabi kahaan deewaar ke ek chhed mein rakhi thi. Maine use liya aur qile ka darwaza khola, apne aap se kehte huye, 'Agar in logon ko mera pata chala, main aasaani se bhaag sakta hoon.' Phir maine unke sab gharon ke darwaze bahar se band kar diye jabke woh andar the, aur main ek seedhi se Abu Rafi ki taraf chadha. Maine ghar bilkul andhere mein paaya, uski roshni bujha di gaee thi, aur main jaan nahi paya woh shaks kahaan tha. Isliye maine pukara, 'Aye Abu Rafi!' Unhone jawab diya, 'Kaun hai?' Main aawaaz ki taraf badha aur unpar hamla kiya. Woh zor se chille magar mera vaar be-asar raha. Phir main unke paas madad karne ka natak karta hua aaya, apni aawaaz ka sur badalkar kehte huye, 'Kya baat hai, Aye Abu Rafi?' Unhone kaha, 'Kya tumhe hairat nahi hoti? Tumhari maa ka bura ho! Ek shaks mere paas aaya aur mujhe talwaar se maara!' Isliye maine phir unpar nishaana sadha aur unpar hamla kiya, magar phir mera vaar be-asar raha, aur ispar Abu Rafi zor se chille aur unki biwi uth gaee. Main phir aaya aur apni aawaaz badal li mano main madad karne wala hoon, aur maine Abu Rafi ko apni peeth ke bal seedha leta dekha, isliye maine talwaar unke pet mein ghusaee aur use jhukata raha jab tak maine ek haddi tootne ki aawaaz suni. Phir main bahar aaya, hairat se bhara, aur seedhi ki taraf gaya ise utarne ke liye, magar main isse gir gaya aur meri taang khisak gaee. Maine ise patti se baandha aur langda huya apne sathiyon ke paas gaya. Maine (unse) kaha, 'Jaao aur Allah ke Rasool ko yeh achhi khabar do, magar main (yahaan se) tab tak nahi jaunga jab tak main unki (yaani Abu Rafi ki) maut ki khabar na sunun.' Jab subah huee, maut ka elaan karne wala deewaar par chadha aur elaan kiya, 'Main tumhe Abu Rafi ki maut ki khabar deta hoon.' Main utha aur bina koee dard mahsoos kiye chal pada jab tak main apne sathiyon se mil gaya isse pahle ke woh Nabi tak pahunchte, jinhe main achhi khabar sunaee."

Sahih al-Bukhari 4040 · Book 64, Hadith 87