The Expedition of Abdullah ibn Unais, also known as the Assassination of Khaled bin Sufyan, was the first attack against the Banu Lahyan, which took place in the month of Muharram in the year A.H. 3. It was reported that Khalid ibn Sufyan al-Hudhali (also known as Hudayr, the chief of the Banu Lahyan tribe), considered an attack on Madinah and that he was inciting the people on Nakhla or Uranah to fight Muslims. So Muhammad sent Abdullah ibn Unais to assassinate him. After cutting off Khaled bin Sufyan's head at night, Unais brought it back to Muhammad.Za'd Al-Ma'ad p. 2/109; Ibn Hisham p. 2/619.Note: Book contains a list of battles of Muhammad in Arabic, English translation available here
Attack on the chief of Banu Lahyan After the migration to Medina Muhammed tried to gather information of possible attacks and acted to crush his enemies. This expedition was executed on a similar news. Abdullah ibn Unais found Khaled bin Sufyan Al-Hathali (also known as Hudayr, the chief of the Banu Lahyan tribe) in the company of his wife. Khaled bin Sufyan trusted him. Then Unais asked to talk to him privately, once, while conversing, Abdullah ibn Unais walked a short distance with ibn Sufyan, and when an opportunity came he struck him with his sword and killed him. After killing ibn Sufyan, he cut off his head and brought that to Muhammad. Muhammad gave him his staff as a reward and said:
This will function as a sign of recognition for you and me, on the day of resurrection (Musnad Ahmad 3:496)Ibn Hisham 2/619.As-Sunnah, says Ahmad 3:496, al-Waqidi 2:533, archive
Another branch of Banu Lihyan planned to take revenge for the killing of their leader, Khaled bin Sufyan.
Islamic sources
Biographical literature This event is mentioned in Ibn Hisham's biography of Muhammad. The Muslim jurist Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya also mentions the event in his biography of Muhammad, Zad al-Ma'ad.Mubarakpuri, The sealed nectar: biography of the Noble Prophet, p. 349. (footnote 1). Modern secondary sources which mention this, include the award winning book,Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum - The Sealed Nectar . Dar-us-Salam Publications. Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar).
The Muslim jurist Tabari, also mentions the event in his biography of Muhammad:
Hadith literature The incident is also mentioned in the Sunni Hadith collection Sunan Abu Dawud:
The event is also mentioned in Musnad Ahmad 3:496.
See also List of expeditions of Muhammad Military career of Muhammad Muslim–Quraysh War
References
Notes