Sunan of Abu Dawood Book 20, Hadith 3000

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ فَارِسٍ، أَنَّ الْحَكَمَ بْنَ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، - وَكَانَ أَحَدَ الثَّلاَثَةِ الَّذِينَ تِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ - وَكَانَ كَعْبُ بْنُ الأَشْرَفِ يَهْجُو النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَيُحَرِّضُ عَلَيْهِ كُفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَأَهْلُهَا أَخْلاَطٌ مِنْهُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ يَعْبُدُونَ الأَوْثَانَ وَالْيَهُودُ وَكَانُوا يُؤْذُونَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَصْحَابَهُ فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ نَبِيَّهُ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالْعَفْوِ فَفِيهِمْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏{‏ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ ‏}‏ الآيَةَ فَلَمَّا أَبَى كَعْبُ بْنُ الأَشْرَفِ أَنْ يَنْزِعَ عَنْ أَذَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَعْدَ بْنَ مُعَاذٍ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ رَهْطًا يَقْتُلُونَهُ فَبَعَثَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ مَسْلَمَةَ وَذَكَرَ قِصَّةَ قَتْلِهِ فَلَمَّا قَتَلُوهُ فَزِعَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ فَغَدَوْا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا طُرِقَ صَاحِبُنَا فَقُتِلَ ‏.‏ فَذَكَرَ لَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الَّذِي كَانَ يَقُولُ وَدَعَاهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى أَنْ يَكْتُبَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُمْ كِتَابًا يَنْتَهُونَ إِلَى مَا فِيهِ فَكَتَبَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَامَّةً صَحِيفَةً ‏.‏

Ka'ab bin Malik who was one of those whose repentance was accepted said "Ka'ab bin Al Ashraf used to satire the Prophet (ﷺ) and incited the infidels of the Quraish against him. When the Prophet (ﷺ) came to Madeena, its people were intermixed, some of them were Muslims and others polytheists aho worshipped idols and some were Jews. They used to hurt the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions. Then Allaah Most High commanded His Prophet to show patience and forgiveness. So Allaah revealed about them "And ye shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who receive Book before you". When Ka'ab bin Al Ashraf refused to desist from hurting the Prophet (ﷺ) the Prophet(ﷺ) ordered Sa'd bin Mu'adh to send a band to kill him. He sent Muhammad bin Maslamah and mentioned the story of his murder. When they killed him, the Jews and the polytheist were frightened. Next day they came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said "Our Companions were attacked and night and killed." The Prophet(ﷺ) informed them about that which he would say. The Prophet (ﷺ) then called them so that he could write a deed of agreement between him and them and they should fulfill its provisions and desist from hurting him. He then wrote a deed of agreement between him and them and the Muslims in general."