Abu Rafi was a wealthy Jewish merchant from Hijaz who had settled in Khaybar. He was instrumental in organizing the coalition against the Muslims. Once the threat of the coalition receded and the Banu Quraydha were put to the sword, it was decided that Abu Rafi was too dangerous to be left unchecked. Muslims from the Aus tribe had killed Ka'b bin Ashraf and eliminated a major threat against the Muslims. Their success had brought them acclaim from the community. Now the Khazraj tribe wanted the assignment to silence Abu Rafi, and five men from among them rose to carry out the mission in Dhul Hijjah, 5 A.H.
Abu Rafi's fortress lay on the outskirts of Khaybar. The Khazraj men under Abdullah bin Atik reached there at sunset. Abdullah asked his men to wait nearby and went off by himself to the fortress gate. He squatted there casually as if he were one of the inhabitants. The watchman saw him and said, "O servant of God, come back in. I need to close the gate." Abdullah needed no second invitation. He complied and as soon as he entered, he hid himself. Late that night he stole the keys and opened the gate to facilitate his escape.
Then he headed for Abu Rafi's rooms. He took the precaution of locking from inside every door that he opened. The darkness of the chamber and the slumber of its inhabitants gave no clue as to Abu Rafi's whereabouts. "Abu Rafi," Abdullah called out softly. "Who is out there?" Abu Rafi asked.
Abdullah followed the voice and struck Abu Rafi with his sword, managing to injure but not kill him. Abu Rafi screamed in pain. Unfazed, Abdullah left the room only to reenter pretending to be one of the household. Disguising his voice, he came up and inquired, "Abu Rafi, what was that noise?" "May your mother be destroyed! Someone just struck me with a sword," Abu Rafi shouted in pain and fury.
Abdullah approached him and struck once more, but the blow was not fatal. He then plunged the sword into Abu Rafi's belly and left him bleeding. He opened the doors one by one and came out. The moon was out, but because of his bad vision, Abdullah missed his step and hurt his leg. His turban wound around his leg, he sat down in the shadows by the gate waiting until cockcrow when a man intoned from atop the wall of the fortress, “I announce the death of Abu Rafi, the merchant of Hijaz”.
The mission was over, and satisfied Abdullah returned to his companions. Safe in Madinah again, they reported to the Prophet (PBUH), who saw Abdullah’s bandaged leg ran a hand over it, and healed it. It was a symbol that one more source of hurt had disappeared and one more enemy had been vanquished.
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