Mukhtasar Bukhari

Sayyiduna Bara bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent some Ansar to Abu Rafi’, the Jew, and appointed Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Atik (may Allah be pleased with him) as their leader. Abu Rafi’ used to cause great harm to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and was always intent on harming him. He lived in his fortress which was in Hijaz. When these people reached near him, the sun had already set and the people had brought their cattle back in the evening. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Atik (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his companions, “You sit here, I will go and try to find a way to enter the fortress by befriending the gatekeeper.” Then he went towards the fortress until he reached near the door. Then he hid himself in his cloak as if someone was sitting to relieve himself. The people of the fortress had gone inside. The gatekeeper called out to Abdullah, “O servant of Allah! If you want to come inside, then come, because I am about to close the door.” I went inside. When everyone had come in, the gatekeeper closed the door and hung the keys on a peg. Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says, “I intended to take the keys, then I took them and opened the door.” Abu Rafi’ used to have storytellers with him and he lived in his upper chamber. When the storytellers left him, I climbed up to the upper chamber. Whenever I opened a door, I would lock it from the inside (and I thought to myself) that even if people became aware of me, they would not be able to reach me before I killed Abu Rafi’. When I reached him, I saw that he was sleeping in a dark room among his children. I did not know his exact place. I called out, “Abu Rafi’!” He replied, “Who is it?” I rushed towards the voice and struck with my sword, my heart was pounding, but the blow missed and he started shouting. I left the room and after a while went back in and (changing my voice) said, “O Abu Rafi’! What was that sound?” He said, “May your mother be bereaved, someone has just struck me with a sword.” Hearing this, I struck a severe blow, although he was already fatally wounded, but he had not died yet. Finally, I placed the tip of the sword on his belly and pressed hard until the sword reached his back. When I was sure that I had killed him, I started opening each door one by one. When I reached the stairs and was coming down, I thought I had reached the ground, but in the moonlit night I fell down (with a thud) and my shin bone broke. I tied it with my turban and came out and sat at the door, saying, “I will not leave tonight until I know whether I have killed him or not.” When the rooster crowed, the announcer (who brings news of death) stood on the wall and said, “I announce the death of Abu Rafi’, the merchant of the people of Hijaz.” Then I went to my companions and said, “Let us go quickly, Allah has caused Abu Rafi’ to be killed.” I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and narrated the whole story. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Stretch out your leg.” I stretched out my leg and he passed his hand over it, and it became as if I had never had any complaint about it.