MUHAMMAD, MAGIC AND POISON
The life of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, is recorded not only in the Qur’an but also in Hadith literature and early Islamic historical works. Within these sources are accounts that touch on unusual and controversial themes, including allegations of magic and an incident involving poison.
Some traditions describe a period when Muhammad was said to have been affected by sorcery, raising questions about its nature and implications. Other reports narrate an episode in which he consumed poisoned food, an event that later became part of discussions about his final illness and death.
These narratives have been interpreted in different ways by scholars, believers, and critics alike. This work explores these accounts carefully, examining what the primary Islamic sources say, how they have been understood over time, and what theological or historical questions they raise.
MUHAMMAD, MAGIC AND POISON
REASON WHY MUHAMMAD WAS POISONED
KITAB AL TABAQAT AL KABIR BY Ibn Sa’d pages 251, 252:
….When the apostle of Allah conquered Khaibar and he had peace of mind, Zaynab Bint al-Harith the brother of Marhab, who was the spouse of Sallam Ibn Mishkam, inquired, “Which part of the goat is liked by Muhammad?” They said, “The foreleg.” Then she slaughtered one from her goats and roasted it (the meat). Then she wanted a poison which could not fail. …. The apostle of Allah took the foreleg, a piece of which he put into his mouth. Bishr took another bone and put it into his mouth. When the apostle of Allah ate one morsel of it Bishr ate his and other people also ate from it. Then the apostle of Allah said, “Hold back your hands! because this foreleg; …informed me that it is poisoned. Thereupon Bishr said, “By Him who has made you great! I discovered it from the morsel I took. Nothing prevented me from emitting it out, but the idea that I did not like to make your food unrelishing. When you had eaten what was in your mouth I did not like to save my life after yours, and I also thought you would not have eaten it if there was something wrong.
Bishr did not rise form his seat but his color changed to that of “taylsan” (a green cloth)……….The apostle of Allah sent for Zaynab and said to her, “What induced you to do what you have done?” She replied, “You have done to my people what you have done. You have killed my father, my uncle and my husband, so I said to myself, “If you are a prophet, the foreleg will inform you; and others have said, “If you are a king we will get rid of you.””……
The apostle of Allah lived after this three years till in consequence of his pain he passed away. During his illness he used to say, “I did not cease to find the effect of the (poisoned) morsel, I took at Khaibar and I suffered several times (from its effect) but now I feel the hour has come of the cutting of my jugular vein.
In hadith Sahih Bukhari Muhammad said anyone who ate seven Awja date magic and poison cannot affect him/her throughout that day.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5768
Narrated Saud:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If somebody takes some `Ajwa dates every morning, he will not be affected by poison or magic on that day till night.” (Another narrator said seven dates).
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا هَاشِمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَامِرُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” مَنِ اصْطَبَحَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةً، لَمْ يَضُرُّهُ سَمٌّ وَلاَ سِحْرٌ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ ”. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ ” سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5779
Narrated Sa`d:
I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “Whoever takes seven ‘Ajwa dates in the morning will not be effected by magic or poison on that day.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَامِرُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يَقُولُ، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ مَنِ اصْطَبَحَ بِسَبْعِ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةٍ لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ سَمٌّ وَلاَ سِحْرٌ ”.
But to my surprise both Magic and poison affect Muhammad. In fact poison is the causes of Muhammad death according to Hadith.
- MAGIC WORKED ON HIM.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5763
Narrated `Aisha:
A man called Labid bin al-A’sam from the tribe of Bani Zaraiq worked magic on Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) till Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) started imagining that he had done a thing that he had not really done. One day or one night he was with us, he invoked Allah and invoked for a long period, and then said, “O `Aisha! Do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I have asked him about? Two men came to me and one of them sat near my head and the other near my feet. One of them said to his companion, “What is the disease of this man?” The other replied, “He is under the effect of magic.’ The first one asked, ‘Who has worked the magic on him?’ The other replied, “Labid bin Al-A’sam.’ The first one asked, ‘What material did he use?’ The other replied, ‘A comb and the hairs stuck to it and the skin of pollen of a male date palm.’ The first one asked, ‘Where is that?’ The other replied, ‘(That is) in the well of Dharwan;’ ” So Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) along with some of his companions went there and came back saying, “O `Aisha, the color of its water is like the infusion of Henna leaves. The tops of the date-palm trees near it are like the heads of the devils.” I asked. “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)? Why did you not show it (to the people)?” He said, “Since Allah cured me, I disliked to let evil spread among the people.” Then he ordered that the well be filled up with earth.
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ سَحَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي زُرَيْقٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ، حَتَّى كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ الشَّىْءَ وَمَا فَعَلَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أَوْ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَهْوَ عِنْدِي لَكِنَّهُ دَعَا وَدَعَا ثُمَّ قَالَ ” يَا عَائِشَةُ، أَشَعَرْتِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَفْتَانِي فِيمَا اسْتَفْتَيْتُهُ فِيهِ، أَتَانِي رَجُلاَنِ فَقَعَدَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِي، وَالآخَرُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ، فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ مَا وَجَعُ الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ مَطْبُوبٌ. قَالَ مَنْ طَبَّهُ قَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ. قَالَ فِي أَىِّ شَىْءٍ قَالَ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاطَةٍ، وَجُفِّ طَلْعِ نَخْلَةٍ ذَكَرٍ. قَالَ وَأَيْنَ هُوَ قَالَ فِي بِئْرِ ذَرْوَانَ ”. فَأَتَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي نَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ ” يَا عَائِشَةُ كَأَنَّ مَاءَهَا نُقَاعَةُ الْحِنَّاءِ، أَوْ كَأَنَّ رُءُوسَ نَخْلِهَا رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ ”. قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أَسْتَخْرِجُهُ قَالَ ” قَدْ عَافَانِي اللَّهُ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُثَوِّرَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فِيهِ شَرًّا ”. فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَدُفِنَتْ. تَابَعَهُ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ وَأَبُو ضَمْرَةَ وَابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنْ هِشَامٍ. وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاقَةٍ. يُقَالُ الْمُشَاطَةُ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الشَّعَرِ إِذَا مُشِطَ، وَالْمُشَاقَةُ مِنْ مُشَاقَةِ الْكَتَّانِ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5765
Narrated Aisha:
Magic was worked on Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) so that he used to think that he had sexual relations with his wives while he actually had not (Sufyan said: That is the hardest kind of magic as it has such an effect). Then one day he said, “O `Aisha do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about? Two men came to me and one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet. The one near my head asked the other. What is wrong with this man?’ The latter replied the is under the effect of magic The first one asked, Who has worked magic on him?’ The other replied Labid bin Al-A’sam, a man from Bani Zuraiq who was an ally of the Jews and was a hypocrite.’ The first one asked, What material did he use)?’ The other replied, ‘A comb and the hair stuck to it.’ The first one asked, ‘Where (is that)?’ The other replied. ‘In a skin of pollen of a male date palm tree kept under a stone in the well of Dharwan’ ” So the Prophet (ﷺ) went to that well and took out those things and said “That was the well which was shown to me (in a dream) Its water looked like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palm trees looked like the heads of devils.” The Prophet (ﷺ) added, “Then that thing was taken out’ I said (to the Prophet (ﷺ) ) “Why do you not treat yourself with Nashra?” He said, “Allah has cured me; I dislike to let evil spread among my people.”
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ، يَقُولُ أَوَّلُ مَنْ حَدَّثَنَا بِهِ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي آلُ، عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، فَسَأَلْتُ هِشَامًا عَنْهُ فَحَدَّثَنَا عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُحِرَ حَتَّى كَانَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ يَأْتِي النِّسَاءَ وَلاَ يَأْتِيهِنَّ. قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَهَذَا أَشَدُّ مَا يَكُونُ مِنَ السِّحْرِ إِذَا كَانَ كَذَا. فَقَالَ ” يَا عَائِشَةُ أَعَلِمْتِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَفْتَانِي فِيمَا اسْتَفْتَيْتُهُ فِيهِ، أَتَانِي رَجُلاَنِ فَقَعَدَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِي، وَالآخَرُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ، فَقَالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ رَأْسِي لِلآخَرِ مَا بَالُ الرَّجُلِ قَالَ مَطْبُوبٌ. قَالَ وَمَنْ طَبَّهُ قَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ أَعْصَمَ، رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي زُرَيْقٍ حَلِيفٌ لِيَهُودَ، كَانَ مُنَافِقًا. قَالَ وَفِيمَ قَالَ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاقَةٍ. قَالَ وَأَيْنَ قَالَ فِي جُفِّ طَلْعَةٍ ذَكَرٍ، تَحْتَ رَعُوفَةٍ، فِي بِئْرِ ذَرْوَانَ ”. قَالَتْ فَأَتَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْبِئْرَ حَتَّى اسْتَخْرَجَهُ فَقَالَ ” هَذِهِ الْبِئْرُ الَّتِي أُرِيتُهَا، وَكَأَنَّ مَاءَهَا نُقَاعَةُ الْحِنَّاءِ، وَكَأَنَّ نَخْلَهَا رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ ”. قَالَ فَاسْتُخْرِجَ، قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ أَفَلاَ أَىْ تَنَشَّرْتَ. فَقَالَ ” أَمَا وَاللَّهِ فَقَدْ شَفَانِي، وَأَكْرَهُ أَنْ أُثِيرَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ شَرًّا ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5766
Narrated `Aisha:
Magic was worked on Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) so that he began to imagine that he had done something although he had not. One day while he was with me, he invoked Allah and invoked for a long period and then said, “O `Aisha! Do you know that Allah has instructed me regarding the matter I asked Him about?” I asked, “What is that, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)?” He said, “Two men came to me; one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet. One of them asked his companion, ‘What is the disease of this man?’ The other replied, ‘He is under the effect of magic.’ The first one asked, ‘Who has worked magic on him?” The other replied, ‘Labid bin A’sam, a Jew from the tribe of Bani Zuraiq.’ The (first one asked), ‘With what has it been done?’ The other replied, ‘With a a comb and the hair stuck to it and a skin of the pollen of a male datepalm tree.’ The first one asked, ‘Where is it?’ The other replied, ‘In the well of Dharwan.’ Then the Prophet (ﷺ) went along with some of his companions to that well and looked at that and there were date palms near to it. Then he returned to me and said, ‘By Allah the water of that well was (red) like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palms were like the heads of devils” I said, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Did you take those materials out of the pollen skin?” He said, ‘No! As for me Allah has healed me and cured me and I was afraid that (by Showing that to the people) I would spread evil among them when he ordered that the well be filled up with earth, and it was filled up with earth “
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سُحِرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ الشَّىْءَ وَمَا فَعَلَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَهْوَ عِنْدِي دَعَا اللَّهَ وَدَعَاهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ ” أَشَعَرْتِ يَا عَائِشَةُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَفْتَانِي فِيمَا اسْتَفْتَيْتُهُ فِيهِ ”. قُلْتُ وَمَا ذَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” جَاءَنِي رَجُلاَنِ، فَجَلَسَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِي وَالآخَرُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ مَا وَجَعُ الرَّجُلِ قَالَ مَطْبُوبٌ. قَالَ وَمَنْ طَبَّهُ قَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ، الْيَهُودِيُّ مِنْ بَنِي زُرَيْقٍ. قَالَ فِيمَا ذَا قَالَ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاطَةٍ، وَجُفِّ طَلْعَةٍ ذَكَرٍ. قَالَ فَأَيْنَ هُوَ قَالَ فِي بِئْرِ ذِي أَرْوَانَ ”. قَالَ فَذَهَبَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي أُنَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ إِلَى الْبِئْرِ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا وَعَلَيْهَا نَخْلٌ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقَالَ ” وَاللَّهِ لَكَأَنَّ مَاءَهَا نُقَاعَةُ الْحِنَّاءِ، وَلَكَأَنَّ نَخْلَهَا رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ ”. قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَأَخْرَجْتَهُ قَالَ ” لاَ، أَمَّا أَنَا فَقَدْ عَافَانِي اللَّهُ وَشَفَانِي، وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ أُثَوِّرَ عَلَى النَّاسِ مِنْهُ شَرًّا ”. وَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَدُفِنَتْ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3175
Narrated Aisha:
Once the Prophet (ﷺ) was bewitched so that he began to imagine that he had done a thing which in fact he had not done.
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُحِرَ حَتَّى كَانَ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ صَنَعَ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يَصْنَعْهُ.
- POISON AFFECT MUHAMMAD.
Sunan Abi Dawud 4512
Narrated Abu Hurairah:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would accept a present, but would not accept alms (sadaqah). And Wahb bin Baqiyyah narrated to us, elsewhere, from Khalid, from Muhammad ibn Amr said on the authority of AbuSalamah, and he did not mention the name of Abu Hurairah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to accept presents but not alms (sadaqah).
This version adds: So a Jewess presented him at Khaybar with a roasted sheep which she had poisoned. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ate of it and the people also ate.
He then said: Take away your hands (from the food), for it has informed me that it is poisoned. Bishr ibn al-Bara’ ibn Ma’rur al-Ansari died.
So he (the Prophet) sent for the Jewess (and said to her): What motivated you to do the work you have done?
She said: If you were a prophet, it would not harm you; but if you were a king, I should rid the people of you. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then ordered regarding her and she was killed. He then said about the pain of which he died: I continued to feel pain from the morsel which I had eaten at Khaybar. This is the time when it has cut off my aorta.
حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ بَقِيَّةَ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْبَلُ الْهَدِيَّةَ وَلاَ يَأْكُلُ الصَّدَقَةَ . وَحَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ بَقِيَّةَ فِي مَوْضِعٍ آخَرَ عَنْ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْبَلُ الْهَدِيَّةَ وَلاَ يَأْكُلُ الصَّدَقَةَ . زَادَ فَأَهْدَتْ لَهُ يَهُودِيَّةٌ بِخَيْبَرَ شَاةً مَصْلِيَّةً سَمَّتْهَا فَأَكَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهَا وَأَكَلَ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالَ ” ارْفَعُوا أَيْدِيَكُمْ فَإِنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْنِي أَنَّهَا مَسْمُومَةٌ ” . فَمَاتَ بِشْرُ بْنُ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ مَعْرُورٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى الْيَهُودِيَّةِ ” مَا حَمَلَكِ عَلَى الَّذِي صَنَعْتِ ” . قَالَتْ إِنْ كُنْتَ نَبِيًّا لَمْ يَضُرَّكَ الَّذِي صَنَعْتُ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ مَلِكًا أَرَحْتُ النَّاسَ مِنْكَ . فَأَمَرَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُتِلَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ ” مَا زِلْتُ أَجِدُ مِنَ الأَكْلَةِ الَّتِي أَكَلْتُ بِخَيْبَرَ فَهَذَا أَوَانُ قَطَعَتْ أَبْهَرِي ” .
Sahih al-Bukhari 4428
Narrated `Aisha:
The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, “O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel as if my aorta is being cut from that poison.”
وَقَالَ يُونُسُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ عُرْوَةُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ “ يَا عَائِشَةُ مَا أَزَالُ أَجِدُ أَلَمَ الطَّعَامِ الَّذِي أَكَلْتُ بِخَيْبَرَ، فَهَذَا أَوَانُ وَجَدْتُ انْقِطَاعَ أَبْهَرِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ السَّمِّ ”.
Sunan Abi Dawud 4513
حَدَّثَنَا مَخْلَدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ أُمَّ مُبَشِّرٍ، قَالَتْ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ مَا يُتَّهَمُ بِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي لاَ أَتَّهِمُ بِابْنِي شَيْئًا إِلاَّ الشَّاةَ الْمَسْمُومَةَ الَّتِي أَكَلَ مَعَكَ بِخَيْبَرَ . وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ وَأَنَا لاَ أَتَّهِمُ بِنَفْسِي إِلاَّ ذَلِكَ فَهَذَا أَوَانُ قَطَعَتْ أَبْهَرِي ” . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَرُبَّمَا حَدَّثَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مُرْسَلاً عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَرُبَّمَا حَدَّثَ بِهِ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ وَذَكَرَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَنَّ مَعْمَرًا كَانَ يُحَدِّثُهُمْ بِالْحَدِيثِ مَرَّةً مُرْسَلاً فَيَكْتُبُونَهُ وَيُحَدِّثُهُمْ مَرَّةً بِهِ فَيُسْنِدُهُ فَيَكْتُبُونَهُ وَكُلٌّ صَحِيحٌ عِنْدَنَا قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ عَلَى مَعْمَرٍ أَسْنَدَ لَهُ مَعْمَرٌ أَحَادِيثَ كَانَ يُوقِفُهَا .
Narrated Ibn Ka’b b. Malik:
On the authority of his father: Umm Mubashshir said to the Prophet (ﷺ) during the sickness of which he died: What do you think about your illness, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? I do not think about the illness of my son except the poisoned sheep of which he had eaten with you at Khaybar. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: And I do not think about my illness except that. This is the time when it cut off my aorta.
Abu Dawud said: Sometime ‘Abd al-Razzaq transmitted this tradition, omitting the link of the Companion, from Ma’mar, from al-Zuhri, from the Prophet (ﷺ), and sometimes he transmitted it from al-Zuhri from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Ka’b b. Malik, ‘Abd al-Rahman mentioned that Ma’mar sometimes transmitted the tradition in a mursal form (omitting the link of the Companion), and they recorded it. And all this is correct with us. ‘Abd al-Razzaq said: When Ibn al-Mubarak came to Ma’mar, he transmitted the traditions in a musnad form (with a perfect chain) which he transmitted as mauquf traditions (statements of the Companions and not of the Prophet).