d a hostile
animosity against the Moslems of Medina, to war with whom he had
enrolled himself in the adverse tribe of Ghatafan. Preparations were
briskly made by this tribe to make a havoc of Medina, and Oseir had been
made the hero of the enterprise. Hereupon Mohammad delegated the mission
of bringing the insurgent to Medina to Abdullah-bin Rawaha and some
others, with a promise of making him Governor of Khyber,[225] and
treating him with marked distinction, if he yielded to the wishes of the
Prophet. Oseir complied, and set out with his followers to Medina. On a
camel were mounted Abdullah-bin, Oneis, and Oseir. Hardly they had
travelled six miles when Oseir repented of his determination to go to
Medina, and stretched forth his hand towards the sword of Abdullah, who
leaped from the camel and cut off his leg, Oseir in the meantime
wounding Abdullah's head with his camel staff.[226]

Now, whether Oseir was assassinated or murdered perfidiously; whether
he meditated treachery, and Abdullah struck him in his
self-defence,--whatever might be the case, certainly there is nothing in
the narrative of Oseir's death to show that Mohammad had sent him "on a
secret errand with a view of getting rid of the Jewish chief" as Sir W.
Muir explains.[227] The story is not imparted by earliest writers like
Ibn Ishak, and the traditions of a later date are incoherent, one-sided,
and imperfect. Notwithstanding these inaccuracies, no account tells us
that mandates were issued for fighting with or killing Oseir, much less
for his assassination.

7.--_The alleged intended Assassination of Abu Sofian._

[Sidenote: 55. The intended assassination of Abu Sofian.]

A Bedouin Arab was sent by Abu Sofian to Medina to assassinate Mohammad.
The emissary was tracked in his evil attempt, and confessed the purpose
with which he had come. This is related by Ibn Sad Katib Wakidi as the
cause of Mohammad's sending Amr Ibn Omeya to assassinate Abu
Sofian.[228] According to Hishamee, Amr was commissioned by the Prophet
to fight with Abu Sofian, and to kill him in immediate revenge for the
murder of Khobeib and his companions captured at Raji.[229] Now, Ibn
Ishak and Wakidi preserve absolute silence on this head. Ibn Hisham
relates nothing about assassination. It is only Ibn Sad Katib Wakidi who
hands down to posterity the orders of Mohammad for the assassination of
Abu Sofian. This tradition is neither strengthened by any sterling
witness, nor is it a ge