in number; kill them one by one, and leave not one of them alive.” Then he began to recite:
“I do not mind, when I am killed as a Muslim,
On which side I fall in the cause of Allah.
That is for Allah’s sake; and, if He wills,
He will bless the severed limbs of a dismembered body.”
They crucified him alive, and he said: “O Allah, You know that there is no one around me to convey my greetings to Your Messenger; so convey my greetings to him.” Then Abu Sarwaʿah, ʿUqbah ibn al-Harith, rose and killed him.
It is also said that there was a polytheist named Salaman, Abu Maysarah, who had a spear. He placed it between Khubayb’s breasts, and Khubayb said to him, “Fear Allah.” But this only increased him in insolence, so he thrust it through him. This is the meaning of His saying: “When it is said to him, ‘Fear Allah,’ sinful pride takes hold of him”—meaning Salaman.
As for Zayd ibn al-Dathinnah, Safwan ibn Umayyah bought him in retaliation for his father, Umayyah ibn Khalaf. He sent him with a freedman of his named Nistas to al-Tanʿim to kill him in retaliation for his father. A group of Quraysh gathered, among them Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. When Zayd was brought forward to be killed, Abu Sufyan said to him, “I adjure you by Allah, O Zayd: would you wish that Muhammad were now in our hands in your place, so that we might strike off his head, while you were among your family?” He replied, “By Allah, I would not wish for Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, to be afflicted even by a thorn where he now is, while I sit among my family.” Abu Sufyan said, “I have never seen anyone love another as Muhammad’s companions love Muhammad.” Then Nistas killed him.
When this news reached the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he said to his companions, “Which of you will take Khubayb down from his cross, and for him shall be Paradise?” Al-Zubayr said, “I will, O Messenger of Allah, along with my companion al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad.” They set out, travelling by night and concealing themselves by day, until they reached al-Tanʿim at night ⦗31/b⦘. There they found forty polytheists sleeping drunkenly around the cross. They took him down and found that his body was still supple and flexible; nothing about him had changed after forty days. His hand was upon his wound, which was oozing blood: its colour was the colour of blood, but its scent was that of musk. Al-Zubayr carried him on his horse, and the two proceeded on their way.
The disbelievers awoke and discovered that Khubayb was gone. They informed Quraysh, and seventy of them mounted up. When they caught up with the two men, al-Zubayr cast Khubayb down, and the earth swallowed him. Thus he was called “the One Swallowed by the Earth.”
Al-Zubayr said, “What has emboldened you against us, O company of Quraysh?” Then he removed his turban from his head and said, “I am al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwam, and my mother is Safiyyah bint ʿAbd al-Muttalib. My companion, al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad, and I are two crouching lions defending our cubs. If you wish, I will engage you in archery; if you wish, I will meet you in combat; and if you wish, you may turn back.” So they returned to Mecca.
The two then came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while Gabriel was with him. Gabriel said, “O Muhammad, the angels are surely vying in praise over these two companions of yours.” Then, concerning al-Zubayr and al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad, was revealed: “And among the people are those who sell themselves seeking the pleasure of Allah”—when they gave up their lives to bring Khubayb down from his cross (2).
Most exegetes said that it was revealed concerning Suhayb ibn Sinan the Roman, when the polytheists seized him along with a group of believers