The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 3 of 4

186 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
'My people, is there defence against matters ordained?
And will good times now gone ever return?
I remembered a time now gone, my emotions were
disturbed and my tears flowed down.
The pain of sorrow reminded me of brethren and of dead
now gone, including Tufayl and Bfi'
And Sa'd; they are in paradise, while their homes are
empty and the earth a waste-land without them.
At the battle of Badr they were loyal to the Messenger,
while above them were the shades of death and flashing
swords.
He called, and they responded properly, all of them
responsive and obedient to every command.
They did not withdraw until all were gone; and it is
only battles that shorten a life-span.
For they hope for intercession from him, at a time when
only prophets will intercede.
And so that, 0 best of worshippers, was our brave
action, our response to God while death awaited.
We made the first step towards You, while behind us in
God's religion others will follow our first.
We know that dominion is God's alone, and that God's
decree will surely prevail."'
ON THE EXECUTION OF ABU R4-FI' SALLAM B. ABU AL-HUQAYQ
THEJEW, GOD DAMN HIM, IN A FORTRESS OF HIS AT KHAYBAR.
HE WAS A WELL-KNOWN MERCHANT OF HIJAZ,
Ibn Ishzq stated, "When the battle of al-khandaq and the Bann Quray~ affair
were over, the matter of SaUm b. Aha al-Huqayq, he being known as Abn Rafifi:
arose. He was one of those who had gathered the clans against the Messenger of
God (SAAS). Prior to the Battle of Uhud, Aws had killed Ka'b b. d-Ashraf and
so the Khazraj asked permission of the Messenger of God (SAAS) to kill Sdlm
b. Aha al-Huqayq, who was at Khaybar, and he agreed.
"Muhammad b. Musallam al-Zuhri related to me as follows, quoting 'Abd
AUzh b. Ka'b b. Malik as having said, 'God had so ordered it for His messenger
(SAAS) that Aws and Khazraj used to compete with one another like two
stallions. If Aws ever accomplished something for him, then Khazraj would
not want this to give them any advantageous position with hi
over themselves.
So they would strive hard to achieve something similar. And when Khazraj
accomplished something, Aws would say the same.
"'When Aws struck down Ka'b b. al-Ashraf for his enmity to the Messenger
of God (SAAS), Khazraj determined that Aws would have no advantage with
hi over themselves thereby. And so they asked themselves who had expressed