Al-Bukhari’s report attributed to al-Bara ibn Azib describes an expedition sent by Islam’s founder Mohamed to kill אבו ראפע ABU RAFEA. Its English chapter heading also names him Salam bin Abi Al-Huqaiq
. Those names belong to one transmitted identification, rather than two independently established victims. 1
What does the report say happened?
The account names Abdullah ibn Atik as leader and narrates his entry into a fortified home through deception. He locates the victim in a dark room with his family, strikes repeatedly and later hears an announcement of the death. In the digital English rendering, the attacker’s narrated words include So I reached him and found him sleeping in a dark house amidst his family
. The account presents a planned killing in a domestic setting; its claims about אבו ראפע ABU RAFEA’s hostility are the tradition’s explanation, not independent findings. 2
Why is no anniversary assigned?
The report gives a nighttime sequence but no numbered date, month or year. The supplied expedition chronology proposes 627 CE and alternative months in 5 AH. That reconstruction still requires comparison with its underlying witnesses. The report’s description of a moonlit night cannot establish an exact calendar day. 3
Guided reflections
- What does the account’s domestic setting add to an assessment of the expedition’s conduct?
- How does the chapter heading help prevent duplicate biographies while leaving the date unresolved?
Footnotes
Works cited
- Al-Bukhari. Sahih, report 4039 and chapter heading identifying Abu Rafi / Sallam ibn Abu al-Huqayq; attributed to al-Bara ibn Azib. Sunnah.com digital English rendering, read through the web tool; original HTML fetch returned HTTP 403. No print witness or Arabic text independently collated. https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4039 Accessed October 27, 2026.