(1) The words placed between square brackets are an addition taken from al-Bukhari. The phrase “mithl az-zulla mina al-badr” means “a cloud-like canopy coming from the full moon.” The term az-zulla, with a u-vowel on the first consonant, denotes “cloud”; while ad-dabr, with a fat-ha on the first consonant and sukun on the second, designates hornets, and according to another view the male bee; it has no singular that shares its root letters. The verb “fahammathu,” with a fat-ha on the first consonant and on the mim, means “he shielded him from them.” (2) The report continues: “and they were unable to lay a hand on him.” In another chain transmitted by Ibn Ishaq ibn Amr from Qatadah it reads: “Asim ibn Thabit had pledged to Allah that no idolater would ever touch him, nor would he touch an idolater. When ‘Umar heard of what had happened, he used to say, ‘Allah guards the believing servant after his death just as He guarded him during his life.’” (3) The hadith shows that a captive may refuse an offer of safe-conduct and refuse to surrender himself, even if this leads to death, out of pride at not being subject to an unbeliever’s jurisdiction; yet if he prefers the concession he may seek protection—a position approved by al-Hasan al-Basri, whereas Sufyan al-Thawri disliked it. It further establishes: the duty to honour treaties with polytheists; scrupulousness in sparing their children; gentleness toward a person who is about to be killed; the reality of karamat (extraordinary signs) granted to Allah’s friends; the permissibility of making a comprehensive supplication against the idolaters; and the legitimacy of praying at the moment of execution. It also permits composing and reciting poetry at the time of death and testifies to Khubayb’s strong certainty and firmness in his faith. The narration teaches that Allah tests His servant according to His prior knowledge in order to reward him—“Had your Lord willed, they would not have done it”—and that He answers the believer’s supplication and honours him both in life and after death. In Khubayb’s case, divine response extended to preserving his flesh from the idolaters, while not preventing them from killing him, because martyrdom was the higher honour decreed for him, and part of that honour was protecting his body from mutilation. Finally, the report reveals the reverence that the Quraysh pagans still had for the Sacred Precinct and for the sacred months.