Life event
Killed by Muhallim ibn Juthama immediately after professing Islam with the greeting of salam, while his own tribe had not yet accepted Islam.
~8 AH, before the Conquest of Makkah; the dispute was resolved after the Battle of Hunayn · 8 AH
Strength of the report
The exact sariyya this incident belongs to is not named in this account; Ibn Ishaq is the sole source given for the account of Muhallim's repeated failed burials.
In one of the small sariyyas the Prophet ﷺ sent out before the Conquest of Makkah (against a tribe seen as a threat to the Muslims, though the lecture does not name it) the sahaba passed by Amir ibn al-Adbat al-Ashja'i, a secret Muslim whose own tribe had not accepted Islam. Happy to see them, Amir greeted them with the Islamic salam. Among the contingent was Muhallim ibn Juthama, who bore Amir a personal vendetta from the days of Jahiliyyah. While the rest of the sahaba accepted Amir's salam, Muhallim refused, insisting Amir was only pretending to be Muslim, and single-handedly killed him, taking his belongings as war booty.
When news reached the Prophet ﷺ, Allah revealed Surah al-Nisa 4:94, rebuking believers who refuse someone's offered peace out of a desire for worldly gain. A bitter dispute broke out between the tribe of Muhallim and the tribe of Amir; both later accepted Islam, and after the Battle of Hunayn their chieftains came to the Prophet ﷺ, angry, to demand the killing be resolved. The Prophet ﷺ calmed them and paid 100 camels in blood money himself, as the one who had sent Muhallim. When Muhallim's tribe asked him to seek Allah's forgiveness for Muhallim, the Prophet ﷺ refused, one of the very few times in his life he declined to do so, because of Muhallim's character and what was in his heart.
Ibn Ishaq reports that Muhallim died a few days later; his tribe buried him, but each morning found his body surfaced face-down, and after burying him a third time with the same result, they finally left him uncovered in a valley under a pile of stones. The Prophet ﷺ then said that the earth covers up people worse than Muhallim, but that Allah wished to warn the believers, through him, of the sanctity of human life.
Outcome: The Prophet ﷺ paid 100 camels in blood money and refused to ask Allah's forgiveness for Muhallim; Muhallim died soon after and, per Ibn Ishaq, could not be kept buried.
A foundational lesson on the sanctity of human life: a profession of Islam, even the bare greeting of salam, must be taken at face value and cannot be overridden by suspicion or personal grievance for the sake of worldly gain; the occasion for the revelation of Surah al-Nisa 4:94. The Prophet ﷺ's refusal to ask forgiveness for Muhallim, despite personally paying his blood money, shows that taking responsibility as a leader for a subordinate's actions is distinct from excusing the underlying sin.
Other events recorded in 8 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
Killed by Muhallim ibn Juthama immediately after professing Islam with the greeting of salam, while his own tribe had not yet accepted Islam.
Assalamu'alaykum!
Killed Amir ibn al-Adbat al-Ashja'i despite his profession of Islam, over a pre-Islamic vendetta, and took his belongings as war booty.
You are not a Muslim. He was just pretending to be a Muslim.
Said to Amir ibn al-Adbat al-Ashja'i when he greeted the sariyya with salam, and repeated afterward to the other sahaba to justify having killed him.
Paid 100 camels in blood money for the killing of Amir ibn al-Adbat al-Ashja'i, taking responsibility as the one who had sent Muhallim, but refused the request of Muhallim's tribe that he ask Allah to forgive him.
Verily, the earth covers up people worse than him, but Allah wanted to warn you through him by showing you the sanctity of life between you.
Said after Muhallim's tribe repeatedly failed to bury him, and after the Prophet ﷺ had refused their request that he ask Allah to forgive Muhallim.
Died a few days after the Prophet ﷺ paid the blood money for Amir's killing. Ibn Ishaq reports that his tribe buried him, but each morning found his body surfaced on the ground; after burying him a third time with the same result, they finally left him uncovered in a valley under a pile of stones.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَىٰ إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ اللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا
“O believers! When you struggle in the cause of Allah, be sure of who you fight. And do not say to those who offer you [greetings of] peace, "You are no believer!" -- seeking a fleeting worldly gain. Instead, Allah has infinite bounties [in store]. You were initially like them, then Allah blessed you [with Islam]. So be sure! Indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.”
Revealed rebuking the killing of Amir ibn al-Adbat al-Ashja'i after he offered the greeting of salam.