Muhammad Bin Maslama

 

Muhammad bin Maslama was tall, black and strong. He was like a giant among the companions — a giant in body and in deeds. 

He was called Muhammad even before he became a Muslim.  He was one of the first people of Medina to accept Islam.  Muhammad learned about Islam from Musab bin Umayr.  The Prophet had sent Musab from Mecca as a missionary to Medina. 

When the Prophet came to Medina, he used a unique method of strengthening brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar.  He paired off each Muhajirin with one of the Ansar.  The Ansar gave the muhajirin food and shelter.  They shared and became like brothers.

The Prophet understood people’s characters well.  He tried to join Muhajirin and Ansar with similar characters.

Muhammad bin Maslama was quiet, thoughtful, and intelligent.  He was also strong and brave in action.  He was a good horseman and served Islam well.  Muhammad bin Maslama joined in all the military action except the march to Tabuk.  At that time, he and Ali were put in charge of an army to protect Medina.  Later in life he often told his ten children about the battles.

Muhammad bin Maslama was a dependable and trustworthy person.  Just before the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet and seven hundred Muslims camped for the night.  The Prophet put Muhammad bin Maslama in charge of a patrol of fifty men.  The patrol protected the camp while the other Muslims slept.

During the Battle of Uhud Muhammad fought like a hero.  He and a small band of Muslims protected the Prophet.  Later the battle turned in favor of the Muslims.  

Muhammad was also helpful to the Prophet in his dealings with the Jews.  When he came to Medina, the Prophet made an agreement with the Jews. It said:

The Jews who join our alliance will be protected from all insults and trouble.  They will have equal rights with the Muslims for assistance.  They will join the Muslims in defending Medina against all enemies.  They will not declare war nor enter a treaty or agreement against the Muslims.

Later the Jewish leaders broke this treaty.  They encouraged the Qureish and other tribes around Medina in their plans against the Muslims.  They also tried to make trouble among the people of Medina to weaken Islam.

After the Muslim victory at Badr, the Jewish Qaynuqa Tribe were very upset.  They said to the Prophet, “O Muhammad, do you think we are like your people?  Don’t be fooled.  You fought people who don’t know anything about war.  So you were able to defeat them.  But if you fight us, you’ll know we are men.”

The Jews forgot about their agreement and asked for a fight. The Qaynuqa Tribe were goldsmiths.  They were powerful in the Medina market. They wanted the Khazraj Tribe to help them against the Prophet. However, the Khazraj refused to help. The Prophet put the Qaynuqa Tribe under control for fifteen days. They finally decided to surrender.  They asked the Prophet for a safe passage out of Medina.

The Prophet allowed them to leave unharmed.  But they had to leave their arms and goldsmith equipment.  They settled in Adhraat in Syria.

The agreement with the other Jews in Medina continued. But some Jews still made trouble for the Prophet. Kab bin al-Ashraf was one of the biggest trouble-makers.

Kab’s father was an Arab who escaped to Medina after committing a crime.  He became an ally of the Nadir Tribe, an important Jewish tribe. He married a Jewish woman named Aqlah. She was Kab’s mother.

Kab was a tall and impressive person.  He was a well-known poet.  He was also one of the richest Jews. He lived in a great house on the outskirts of Medina. He had a lot of palm trees. He was known throughout the Hijaz. He helped and supported many Jewish rabbis. 

Kab was openly hostile to Islam. He made fun of the Prophet and said ugly things about Muslim women in his poems. He stirred up the tribes around Medina against the Prophet and Islam. Kab was especially upset with the Muslim’s victory at Badr. He was furious when he saw the Muslim army returning with pagan prisoners of war.

Kab went to Mecca to say how sorry he was.  He also told the Qureish to have their revenge on the Muslims.  He went to other areas, too, and urged the tribes to take up arms against the Prophet. 

News about his activities reached the Prophet.  “O Lord, rid me of the son of  Ashraf however You wish,” he prayed.

Kab had become a real danger to the peace of Medina.  He returned there and continued his attack in words on the Prophet and Muslim women.  The Prophet warned him to stop.  But Kab was set on starting a revolt against the Prophet and Muslims in Medina.

With his actions Kab had openly declared war against the Prophet.  He was a danger to the small Islamic state.  The Prophet asked the Muslims, “Who will deal with Kab?  He offends God and His Messenger.”

“I’ll deal with him, Rasul Allah,” said Muhammad bin Maslama.  This duty was not an easy one.  Kab was Muhammad’s uncle.  Muhammad went home and didn’t eat or drink anything for three days.  He only thought about what to do.  The Prophet heard about this.  He asked Muhammad why he didn’t eat or drink for three days. 

Muhammad replied, “Rasul Allah, I gave my word to you.  But I’m not sure if I can do the job.”

The Prophet said, “Your duty is to try your best.”

Muhammad talked with some other companions about his duty.  Abu Nailah, a foster brother of Kab’s, was among them.  They agreed to help.

Muhammad made a plan.  It included a trick.  Then he asked the Prophet about it.  The Prophet agreed because they were at war.

Both Muhammad bin Maslama and Abu Nailah went to Kab’s house.  Muhammad was the first to speak.  He said, “That man (the Prophet) asks for sadaqat and taxes.  But we don’t even have anything to eat.  I came to you to ask for a loan.”

“I’m more unhappy with him than you are,” Kab replied.

Muhammad continued, “We don’t want to leave him until we see how all this business will end.  So we would like you to lend us some gold.”

“It’s about time that you saw that you’re following falsehood?” Kab said.  Then he promised to give them the gold.  “But,” he said, “you must provide security for the loan.”

“What kind of security do you want?” they asked.

“Give me your wives and children,” replied Kab.

“That would be a disgrace to us,” they said.  “But we can give you our weapons as security.”  Kab agreed to this.

“The coming of this Prophet has hurt our customs,” Abu Nailah said.  “He has left our families hungry.”

“I told you, son of Solomon, that this matter would end up like this,” added Kab.

“I wish you could sell us some food,” said Abu Nailah.  “We’ll give you whatever security you want.  Some of our friends think like we do.  I’ll bring them the next time.  We’ll bring our weapons then.”  Kab agreed to what they said.

Muhammad and Abu Nailah went to report to the Prophet.  That night Muhammad bin Maslama, Abu Nailah, Abbad bin Bishr, al-Harith and Abu Abasa all set off for Kab’s house.  The Prophet went with them for a short distance.  He prayed for God to help them.  Then he went home.  It was a moonlit night in 3 A.H.

Muhammad and his four friends reached Kab’s house.  They called out his name.  As Kab got out of bed, his wife warned him, “You are a man at war.  People at war don’t go down at this hour.”

“It’s only my nephew Muhammad bin Maslama and my foster brother Abu Nailah,” Kab answered.

Kab went down with his sword drawn.  He was wearing a lot of the perfume of musk.  Muhammad said, “I haven’t smelt anything so pleasant today.  Let me smell your head.”

Kab agreed and bent over.  Muhammad grabbed Kab’s head firmly and called the others.  They struck him with their swords and killed him.

The next year the Prophet went to see the Nadir Tribe on the outskirts of Medina.  While he was there, Muhammad (pbuh) learned they were planning to kill him.  The Prophet immediately returned to the center of the city.  Later he sent Muhammad bin Maslama with a message.  He told them to leave Medina within ten days.  They did as the Prophet ordered.