I may recognize him.” He answered, “The mark between you and him is that, when your eyes fall upon him, you will feel a sudden shudder.”

So I departed with my sword draped across me. I reached him in the late afternoon while he was travelling with a group of women, looking for a campsite. The moment I saw him, I felt exactly the chill the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had foretold. I advanced toward him, but I feared a prolonged exchange might delay the prayer, so I performed it as I walked, bowing only with nods of my head.

When I drew near, he asked, “Who are you?” I replied, “A man from the Arabs who has heard of you and of the force you are mustering against that man, and I have come for that reason.” He said, “Yes, that is what we are about.” I walked on with him until I found my opening; then I struck him with the sword and killed him, and went off, leaving his womenfolk bent over him.

When I returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said, “Success to that face!” I said, “I have slain him, O Messenger of Allah.” He replied, “You have spoken the truth.” Then he rose, led me into his house, and handed me a staff, saying, “Keep this by you.”

I went out carrying it, and the people asked, “What is this staff?” I said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave it to me and ordered me to keep it.” They said, “Will you not go back and ask him (its meaning)?” So I returned and asked, “Why did you give me this, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “It will be a sign between you and me on the Day of Resurrection, for there will be very few people then carrying staffs.”

ʿAbd Allah therefore bound it to his sword, and it remained with him until he died. In his will he ordered that it be wrapped with him in his shroud, and thus we buried them together.

ʿAbd al-Warith ibn Saʿīd transmitted this report from Ibn Isḥāq, stating that the target was Khalid ibn Sufyān al-Hudhali. Musa ibn ʿUqbah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had sent him against Sufyān ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Abī Nubayḥ al-Hudhali—and Allah knows best.