Abû Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) reports: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent out ten men as scouts.
He put 'Âsim ibn Thâbit al-Ansârî (may Allah be pleased with him) in command of them.
At al-Hada'a, between 'Usfân and Mecca, their presence was reported to a clan of Hudhayl: the Banû Lihyân.
Close to a hundred archers set out after them. Another version of the same hadith says close to two hundred.
They followed their tracks and found date stones. “These are the dates of Yathrib.” They kept following.
When 'Âsim and his companions saw them, they took refuge on a high ground. The archers surrounded them.
“Come down and surrender. You have our pledge and covenant: we will not kill any of you.”
'Âsim answered: “As for me, by Allah, I will not come down today under the protection of a disbeliever.”
Then he said: “O Allah, inform Your Prophet ﷺ about us.”
They shot their arrows. 'Âsim was killed, and six others with him.
Three men came down on the pledge: Khubayb, Zayd ibn ad-Dathina (may Allah be pleased with them), and a third man.
Once they held them, the archers undid their bowstrings and tied them with them.
The third man said: “This is the first betrayal. By Allah, I will not go with you. In these men I have an example.”
He meant the ones just killed. They dragged him and struggled with him; he refused, so they killed him.
They took Khubayb and Ibn ad-Dathina to Mecca and sold them there. It was after the battle of Badr.
The biographers place the expedition in the third year, after Uhud.
Quraysh heard that 'Âsim was dead. They sent men to bring back a part of his body, so that he could be recognised.
He had killed one of their great men at Badr. But Allah sent over 'Âsim something like a cloud of bees.
They protected him from their messengers, who could not cut anything from him.
Allah answered 'Âsim on the day he was struck. The Prophet ﷺ told his companions their news.
Ten men left Medina on a mission. Only the news of them came back.
What did they say when the promise of safety turned out to be a trap?
'Âsim asked one thing before the arrows: that his Prophet ﷺ be told. Allah told him.
Tonight, before you sleep, ask Allah one thing for believers who are in hardship, and name them.