Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf was a rich poet and a chieftain of the Jewish tribe of Banu al-Nadir, the son of an Arab father from Banu Nabhan and a mother of the Nadir, and foster brother of Abu Na'ilah Silkan ibn Salamah. He opposed Islam from early on, and after Badr he mourned the Quraysh dead, went to Makkah to ally secretly with Abu Sufyan against the Prophet ﷺ, told the Quraysh they were better guided than the Muslims, and composed verses naming Muslim women. In 3 AH Muhammad ibn Maslamah RA volunteered to deal with him and killed him at his fortress with Abu Na'ilah and others. His killing was one of the tensions that preceded the expulsion of the Banu al-Nadir.
All 5 events
Order within 624 isn’t recorded · listed A–Z
Ka'b opposed the Prophet ﷺ through poetry, an alliance with Abu Sufyan, and discouraging the Ansar from zakat, leading to his assassination.
“The foolish people will begin questioning, "Why have they turned away from the qibla that they were upon?"”
Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf questioned the change of the qibla; the lecture identifies him as the one Allah is quoting/addressing here.
“Surely, Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful, those who are stingy, promote stinginess among people, and withhold Allah's bounties.”
Revealed after Ka'b discouraged newly-converted Ansar from paying zakat.
انظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ ۖ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ إِثْمًا مُّبِينًا
“See how they fabricate lies against Allah — this alone is a blatant sin.”
Allah quotes and condemns Ka'b's private answer to Abu Sufyan.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَٰؤُلَاءِ أَهْدَىٰ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَبِيلًا
“Have you [O Prophet] not seen those who were given a portion of the Scriptures yet believe in jibt and taghut and reassure the disbelievers that they are better guided than the believers?”
Allah quotes and condemns Ka'b's private answer to Abu Sufyan.