Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 3989

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent out ten spies under the command of `Asim bin Thabit Al-Ansari رضی اللہ عنہ , the grand-father of `Asim bin `Umar Al-Khattab رضی اللہ عنہ . When they reached (a place called) Al-Hadah between 'Usfan and Mecca, their presence was made known to a sub-tribe of Hudhail called Banu Lihyan. So they sent about one hundred archers after them. The archers traced the footsteps (of the Muslims) till they found the traces of dates which they had eaten at one of their camping places. The archers said, "These dates are of Yathrib (i.e. Medina)," and went on tracing the Muslims' footsteps. When `Asim رضی اللہ عنہ and his companions became aware of them, they took refuge in a (high) place. But the enemy encircled them and said, "Come down and surrender. We give you a solemn promise and covenant that we will not kill anyone of you." `Asim bin Thabit رضی اللہ عنہ said, "O people! As for myself, I will never get down to be under the protection of an infidel. O Allah! Inform your Prophet about us." So the archers threw their arrows at them and martyred `Asim. Three of them came down and surrendered to them, accepting their promise and covenant and they were Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ, Zaid bin Ad-Dathina رضی اللہ عنہ and another man. When the archers got hold of them, they untied the strings of the arrow bows and tied their captives with them. The third man said, "This is the first proof of treachery! By Allah, I will not go with you for I follow the example of these." He meant the martyred companions. The archers dragged him and struggled with him (till they martyred him). Then Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ anAd Zaid bin Ad-Dathina were taken away by them and later on they sold them as slaves in Mecca after the event of the Badr battle. The sons of Al-Harit bin `Amr bin Naufal bought Khubaib for he was a person who had killed (their father) Al-Hari bin `Amr on the day (of the battle) of Badr. Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ remained imprisoned by them till they decided unanimously to kill him. One day Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ borrowed from a daughter of Al-Harith, a razor for shaving his pubic hair, and she lent it to him. By chance, while she was inattentive, a little son of hers went to him (i.e. Khubaib) and she saw that Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ had seated him on his thigh while the razor was in his hand. She was so much terrified that Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ noticed her fear and said, "Are you afraid that I will kill him? Never would I do such a thing." Later on (while narrating the story) she said, "By Allah, I had never seen a better captive than Khubaib. By Allah, one day I saw him eating from a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was fettered with iron chains and (at that time) there was no fruit in Mecca." She used to say," It was food Allah had provided Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ with." When they took him to Al-Hil out of Mecca sanctuary to martyr him, Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ requested them. "Allow me to offer a two-rak`at prayer." They allowed him and he prayed two rak`at and then said, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid that you would think I was worried, I would have prayed more." Then he (invoked evil upon them) saying, "O Allah! Count them and kill them one by one, and do not leave anyone of them"' Then he recited: "As I am martyred as a Muslim, I do not care in what way I receive my death for Allah's Sake, for this is for the Cause of Allah. If He wishes, He will bless the cut limbs of my body." Then Abu Sarva, 'Ubqa bin Al-Harith went up to him and killed him. It was Khubaib رضی اللہ عنہ who set the tradition of praying for any Muslim to be martyred in captivity (before he is executed). The Prophet (ﷺ) told his companions of what had happened (to those ten spies) on the same day they were martyred. Some Quraish people, being informed of `Asim bin Thabit's death, sent some messengers to bring a part of his body so that his death might be known for certain, for he had previously killed one of their leaders (in the battle of Badr). But Allah sent a swarm of wasps to protect the dead body of `Asim رضی اللہ عنہ, and they shielded him from the messengers who could not cut anything from his body. Hadrat Ka'b bin Malik states of his body. Hadrat Mararah bin Rabi Amri رضی اللہ عنہ and Hadrat Hilal bin Omayyah Waqifi رضی اللہ عنہ both were noble men and both participated in the battle of Badr.