The Prophet spared his life and concluded a truce with him...

The Prophet spared his life and concluded a truce with him upon payment of the poll-tax. It is reported in Bayhaqi's Dala'ilu'l-Nubuwwah [^62] on the authority of Abu 'l-Aswad that when the Messenger of Allah was on his way back from Tabuk, some of his plotted against him. They agreed to travel with him through a steep road and throw him over the cliff. The Messenger of Allah was, however, informed of their plot.

He thus advised: "Let anyone of you who wish, take the road through the valley, for it is more spacious for you! " Yet he himself took the steep road. All the men took the road through the valley, except those who had plotted against him; they made ready and masked themselves. The Messenger of Allah commanded Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman and Ammar ibn Yasir to walk with him. He ordered `Ammar to lead his she-camel, and Hudhayfah to drive her on from behind.

As they were thus going, they heard the hastening footsteps of the men who had all surrounded him. The Apostle of Allah became angry, and ordered Hudhayfah to turn them away from him. Hudhayfah ran after them with a thick staff with a twisted handle and struck them with it in their faces. The men scattered, and Allah caused them to be frightened as they saw Hudhayfah. They thought that their malicious scheme had been discovered.

They thus ran until they intermingled with the people, and Hudhayfah returned to the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet ordered Hudhayfah to drive the she-camel on, and `Ammar to lead her quickly until they came out of the steep road, where they halted to wait for the men.

The Prophet asked: "O Hudhayfah, did you recognize the horse or camel of any of these men?" "Yes", he answered, "I recognized the mount of this and that man" - even though the darkness of the night had covered them, and they were masked. The Prophet asked: "Do you know what these riders wished to do?" "No, O Apostle of Allah", they said.

He continued: "They plotted to travel at my side through this steep road, so that when darkness had covered the road, they would push me down the cliff!" Hudhayfah and `Ammar asked: "When the people come, will you not, O Apostle of Allah, order that they be beheaded?" "I do not wish that men talk later and say that Muhammad has finally attacked his own ", he answered.

He then named the culprits all for them, and said: "Keep their names a secret!" It is reported in Aban ibn `Uthman's book that they were twelve men, seven of whom were of the Quraysh.