Book: Dalail an-Nubuwwah by Bayhaqi

Chapter on the Sheep Gifted to the Prophet at Khaybar

In this chapter, the narration sheds light on the sheep gifted to the Prophet ﷺ at Khaybar, with a focus on the divine protection over him and his followers. The sheep contained poison, yet the Prophet ﷺ was unharmed until he addressed the issue and informed his companions about it, after which he refrained from eating the rest of it.

Narration Chain

Abu 'Abdullah Al-Hafiz narrated to us that Abu Al-'Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub informed him that Bahru ibn Nasr Al-Khawlani narrated to him from Shu'ayb ibn Al-Layth ibn Sa'd, who heard it from his father. His father narrated from Sa'id ibn Abi Sa'id, who was told by Abu 'Amr Al-Adib, who heard it from Abu Bakr Al-Isma'ili, who narrated it from Al-Hasan ibn Sufyan, who was informed by Qutaybah, who heard it from Layth, from Sa'id, from Abu Hurayrah:

Narration Content

When Khaybar was conquered, a sheep was presented to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ which had been poisoned. The Prophet ﷺ commanded those Jews present to gather, and they did. He asked them if they would answer truthfully, and they affirmed. He inquired about their father, and upon their response, he corrected them. He then asked if they would answer truthfully if questioned again, and they agreed. The Prophet ﷺ asked if they had poisoned the sheep, and they admitted to it out of curiosity whether he was a genuine prophet or not. The Prophet ﷺ assured them that their trick did not harm him, but cautioned them about their intentions. He then asked them to leave Medina forever and inquired about the poisoned sheep, to which they confessed their act of deceit hoping to test his claims.

Translation of a Classical Arabic Text

Hadith of Shu'ayb Narrated by al-Bukhari

The wording of the Hadith of Shu'ayb is narrated by al-Bukhari in his Sahih collection through Qutaybah and others. Al-Fath (7:497) summarizes it as follows: "When Khaibar was conquered, a sheep containing poison was given as a gift to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)." This narration is also extensively documented by al-Bukhari in Book 58, on the chapter of Jizyah, Hadith 76.

Interaction with the Woman from Khaibar

Upon receiving the poisoned sheep, the Prophet (peace be upon him) inquired about its origin to the Jews present. The Jews affirmed the gift and the Prophet asked them about the father of the woman who brought the sheep. After some confusion, they acknowledged the true identity. The Prophet then questioned the Jews about the poison in the sheep, to which they admitted, citing revenge for their losses. The Prophet declared that they were destined for Hell but would eventually be replaced by others. He assured them that he would never betray them. The Prophet then asked if they were truthful in their declaration, to which they confirmed their intentions. The woman who brought the poisoned sheep was identified as Zaynab bint al-Harith, a Jewish woman seeking vengeance for her relatives who had been killed. The accounts differ among scholars regarding whether the Prophet punished her for this act.

Various Views on the Consequences

Scholars have debated whether the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered her execution or allowed others to seek justice. The opinions vary among narrators and the authenticity of the accounts, but Imam Malik argued that poisoning is akin to using a weapon that warrants retaliation. Conversely, some jurists argued against retaliation but in favor of financial compensation, especially if the poison was mixed with food or drink. Al-Shafi'i claimed that punishment was necessary if one knowingly used poison with harmful intent. The incident with the poisoned sheep showcased a miracle where the Prophet remained unharmed despite the poison's presence.

Discovery of an Ancient Armenian Manuscript

In the third year, third issue of the Arabic magazine "Al-Majallah", the editor-in-chief, Dr. Munir Al-Ajlani, revealed the existence of an ancient Armenian manuscript. This manuscript proves that the poisoning of the Prophet was a decision made by Jewish leaders.

Unveiling the Document

During his research at the National Library in Paris, the editor-in-chief came across an extremely old Armenian document. The document discusses the appearance of the Prophet Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsula and the events that occurred during his time. Most of the content resembles myths and is not considered reliable. However, the document contains a reference to the poisoning incident of the Prophet, which was orchestrated by the Jewish leaders in the city.

Plot to Assassinate the Prophet

The Jewish leaders conspired to kill the Prophet and engaged in multiple attempts against him. The document includes a translation highlighting their envy towards Christians and the plotting to eliminate the Prophet Muhammad through deceitful means. The Jewish leaders chose a beautiful woman from their community to invite the Prophet to a banquet and subsequently poison him.

This revelation sheds new light on the assassination attempt of the Prophet, dispelling the misconception that it was the act of a deranged individual, rather than a well-planned scheme by influential figures.

It is worth pondering whether the assassination of Umar ibn al-Khattab was also the result of conspirators rather than the actions of a lone individual.

The Story of the Poisoned Sheep

In this hadith narrated by Anas bin Malik, a Jewish woman brought a poisoned sheep to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in an attempt to harm him. When asked why, she confessed that she wanted to kill him. Despite this, the Prophet did not retaliate against her but forgave her instead.

Key Points:

• The Jewish woman admitted to poisoning the sheep to harm the Prophet.
• The Prophet forgave her without seeking revenge.

Additional Narrations

Other sources such as Bukhari and Muslim also mention this incident. It is a powerful example of forgiveness and mercy.

Sources:

• Sahih Bukhari - Hadith narrated by Yahya bin Habib from Al-Hajjaj
• Sahih Muslim - Hadith narrated by Yahya bin Habib bin Arabi

Further References

For more detailed accounts, refer to the following sources:

• Al-Zurqani's Sharh al-Mawahib
• Ibn Hisham's Seerah al-Nabawiyyah
• Ibn Kathir's Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah
• Al-Waqidi's Maghazi

Story of the Poisoned Sheep

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

Once, a Jewish woman presented a poisoned sheep to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He informed his companions that the sheep was poisoned and asked the woman what led her to do so. She replied that she wanted to test if he was a true prophet or a liar, asserting that Allah would inform him of the poison or she would free the people from him. The Prophet did not punish her for her action.

Another Incident with a Poisoned Sheep

Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah:

On a separate occasion, a Jewish woman gifted the Prophet a poisoned sheep and a poisoned shoulder. As she offered it and people reached out to take some, he stopped them, realizing that a part of it was poisoned. He asked the woman if she poisoned it, and she openly admitted doing so for similar reasons as the previous incident. The Prophet did not punish her in this case either.

[In reference to footnotes (4) and (5), consult the related annotations for further information.]

Translation of classical Islamic Arabic text

Story: A Jewish woman gifted the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, a poisoned sheep at Khaibar. When asked about it, she said it was a gift and warned against saying it was charity to prevent him from eating it. The Prophet ate from it, and so did his companions. After realizing it was poisoned, the Prophet asked if it was poisoned, to which she confessed, acknowledging that if he was a prophet, it wouldn't harm him. The Prophet then underwent treatment while instructing his companions to do the same. Some of them passed away.

Controversy:

There are conflicting accounts regarding the woman's conversion and whether the Prophet had her killed. Some sources state she converted and was spared, while others claim the Prophet had her killed.

Additional accounts:

Various narrations attribute different endings to the story, with some suggesting she was spared after conversion, while others claim the Prophet had her killed and crucified. The exact outcome remains uncertain.

Summary:

While the incident of the poisoned sheep has different versions, it remains a topic of debate within Islamic historical narratives regarding the woman's fate and the Prophet's response to the situation.

Story of A Jewish Woman from Khaybar Offering Poisoned Meat to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

This hadith is transmitted by Abdullah ibn Ja'far, narrated by Abu Ali al-Hussein ibn Muhammad al-Rudhbary, who heard it from Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Bakr, who was informed by Abu Dawud al-Sijistani, who narrated it from Sulayman ibn Dawud al-Mahri, who heard it from Ibn Wahb, who was told by Yunus, that Ibn Shihab reported: Jabir ibn Abdullah used to narrate that a Jewish woman from the people of Khaybar poisoned a sheep and gifted it to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) consumed from it, as did a group of his companions. Then, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked the companions to stop eating and inquired from the Jewish woman if she had poisoned the sheep. She admitted and explained that she wanted to test whether Muhammad (peace be upon him) truly was a Prophet. The Prophet (peace be upon him) forgave her without punishment.

Some of the companions who ate from the sheep passed away. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then sought treatment for the effects of the poison. Abu Hind from Al-Qurayza performed cupping on the Prophet (peace be upon him). The hadith continues to mention another similar incident involving the Prophet (peace be upon him) and a Jewish woman from Khaybar.

This narration is mentioned in various sources including Ibn Kathir's Al-Bidayah wa-Nihayah.

Story of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Sheep of Safiyyah

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) conquered Khaibar and killed some of the enemies. Zaynab bint al-Harith, a Jewish woman, presented a roasted sheep to Safiyyah as a gift. The sheep was cooked in a specific way, with its shoulder and arm preferred because she heard the Prophet liked them. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) entered with Bashir bin al-Bara' bin Ma'rur from the Banu Salamah tribe. The sheep was presented to them, and the Prophet took the shoulder and ate from it. Bashir took the bone and also ate from it. When the Prophet finished, Bashir found something in the bone. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "Raise your hands, for the shoulder of this sheep informs me that it was poisoned." Bashir confessed to having found something in his portion but hesitated to spit it out as he didn't want to harm the Prophet's honor. When the poison took effect, he turned pale like a man afflicted with sunstroke.

Reference: Al-Asma'i, Kitab al-Tahqiq, p. 207.

The Prophet Muhammad's Cupping Treatment

It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) underwent the practice of cupping, known as "hijama," at the hands of his servant Bayadha using horns and a lancet.

After three years had passed, the Prophet mentioned that the pain he felt during the Battle of Khaybar due to poisoned food had not ceased and had indeed worsened. This eventually led to the Prophet's passing, described as a martyrdom. This account is narrated by Musa ibn Uqba.

In another narration from Abu al-Aswad, it is mentioned that Urwa reported a similar incident with the Prophet, although without Jaber's specific statement regarding cupping.

Interpretation of Narrations

Some parts of Musa ibn Uqba's narration have been cited by Ibn Kathir in his historical work and summarized by Ibn Abdul Barr in his compilation of gems.

Understanding Cupping Therapy

Cupping, or "hijama," involves drawing a small amount of blood from the skin's surface using a special glass cup, commonly known as "air cups." Cupping therapy comes in two forms: dry cupping and wet cupping.

In dry cupping, air is heated inside the cup, causing it to expand. When the cup touches the skin, the air cools, creating a vacuum effect that pulls the skin inside the cup, drawing a small amount of blood. Dry cupping helps alleviate pain, particularly of rheumatic origin, chest pains, enhances blood circulation, and aids in conditions like difficult urination and anuria resulting from kidney inflammation.

On the other hand, wet cupping involves making superficial cuts on the skin's surface, about 3 cm long each, before applying the cup in the same manner as dry cupping. This method allows for the removal of blood from the affected area. Wet cupping is often used on the back to address heart conditions with lung involvement, certain heart diseases to reduce blood congestion, and joint pains.