| 702 | Narrated
Abdullah bin Kab bin Malik: Who, from among Kab's sons, was the guide
of Kab when he became blind: I heard Kab bin Malik narrating the story
of (the Ghazwa of) Tabuk in which he failed to take part. Kab said, "I
did not remain behind Allah's Apostle in any Ghazwa that he fought
except the Ghazwa of Tabuk, and I failed to take part in the Ghazwa of
Badr, but Allah did not admonish anyone who had not participated in it,
for in fact, Allah's Apostle had gone out in search of the caravan of
Quraish till Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) and their enemy meet
without any appointment. I witnessed the night of Al-'Aqaba (pledge)
with Allah's Apostle when we pledged for Islam, and I would not exchange
it for the Badr battle although the Badr battle is more popular amongst
the people than it (i.e. Al-'Aqaba pledge). As for my news (in this
battle of Tabuk), I had never been stronger or wealthier than I was when
I remained behind the Prophet in that Ghazwa. By Allah, never had I two
she-camels before, but I had then at the time of this Ghazwa. Whenever
Allah's Apostle wanted to make a Ghazwa, he used to hide his intention
by apparently referring to different Ghazwa till it was the time of that
Ghazwa (of Tabuk) which Allah's Apostle fought in severe heat, facing, a
long journey, desert, and the great number of enemy. So the Prophet
announced to the Muslims clearly (their destination) so that they might
get prepared for their Ghazwa. So he informed them clearly of the
destination he was going to. Allah's Apostle was accompanied by a large
number of Muslims who could not be listed in a book namely, a register."
Ka'b added, "Any man who intended to be absent would think that the
matter would remain hidden unless Allah revealed it through Divine
Revelation. So Allah's Apostle fought that Ghazwa at the time when the
fruits had ripened and the shade looked pleasant. Allah's Apostle and
his companions prepared for the battle and I started to go out in order
to get myself ready along with them, but I returned without doing
anything. I would say to myself, 'I can do that.' So I kept on delaying
it every now and then till the people got ready and Allah's Apostle and
the Muslims along with him departed, and I had not prepared anything for
my departure, and I said, I will prepare myself (for departure) one or
two days after him, and then join them.' In the morning following their
departure, I went out to get myself ready but returned having done
nothing. Then again in the next morning, I went out to get ready but
returned without doing anything. Such was the case with me till they
hurried away and the battle was missed (by me). Even then I intended to
depart to take them over. I wish I had done so! But it was not in my
luck. So, after the departure of Allah's Apostle, whenever I went out
and walked amongst the people (i.e, the remaining persons), it grieved
me that I could see none around me, but one accused of hypocrisy or one
of those weak men whom Allah had excused. Allah's Apostle did not
remember me till he reached Tabuk. So while he was sitting amongst the
people in Tabuk, he said, 'What did Ka'b do?' A man from Banu Salama
said, 'O Allah's Apostle! He has been stopped by his two Burdas (i.e.
garments) and his looking at his own flanks with pride.' Then Mu'adh bin
Jabal said, 'What a bad thing you have said! By Allah! O Allahs
Apostle! We know nothing about him but good.' Allah's Apostle kept
silent." Ka'b bin Malik added, "When I heard that he (i.e. the Prophet )
was on his way back to Medina. I got dipped in my concern, and began to
think of false excuses, saying to myself, 'How can I avoid his anger
tomorrow?' And I took the advice of wise member of my family in this
matter. When it was said that Allah's Apostle, had come near all the
evil false excuses abandoned from my mind and I knew well that I could
never come out of this problem by forging a false statement. Then I
decided firmly to speak the truth. So Allah's Apostle arrived in the
morning, and whenever he returned from a journey., he used to visit the
Mosque first of all and offer a two-Rak'at prayer therein and then sit
for the people. So when he had done all that (this time), those who had
failed to join the battle (of Tabuk) came and started offering (false)
excuses and taking oaths before him. They were something over eighty
men; Allah's Apostle accepted the excuses they had expressed, took their
pledge of allegiance asked for Allah's Forgiveness for them, and left
the secrets of their hearts for Allah to judge. Then I came to him, and
when I greeted him, he smiled a smile of an angry person and then said,
'Come on.' So I came walking till I sat before him. He said to me, 'What
stopped you from joining us. Had you not purchased an animal For
carrying you?' I answered, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle! But by Allah, if I
were sitting before any person from among the people of the world other
than you, I would have avoided his anger with an excuse. By Allah, I
have been bestowed with the power of speaking fluently and eloquently,
but by Allah, I knew well that if today I tell you a lie to seek your
favor, Allah would surely make you angry with me in the near future, but
if I tell you the truth, though you will get angry because of it, I
hope for Allah's Forgiveness. Really, by Allah, there was no excuse for
me. By Allah, I had never been stronger or wealthier than I was when I
remained behind you.' Then Allah's Apostle said, 'As regards this man,
he has surely told the truth. So get up till Allah decides your case.' I
got up, and many men of Banu Salama followed me and said to me. 'By
Allah, we never witnessed you doing any sin before this. Surely, you
failed to offer excuse to Allah's Apostle as the others who did not join
him, have offered. The prayer of Allah's Apostle to Allah to forgive
you would have been sufficient for you.' By Allah, they continued
blaming me so much that I intended to return (to the Prophet) and accuse
myself of having told a lie, but I said to them, 'Is there anybody else
who has met the same fate as I have?' They replied, 'Yes, there are two
men who have said the same thing as you have, and to both of them was
given the same order as given to you.' I said, 'Who are they?' They
replied, Murara bin Ar-Rabi Al-Amri and Hilal bin Umaiya Al-Waqifi.' By
that they mentioned to me two pious men who had attended the Ghazwa
(Battle) of Badr, and in whom there was an example for me. So I did not
change my mind when they mentioned them to me. Allah's Apostle forbade
all the Muslims to talk to us, the three aforesaid persons out of all
those who had remained behind in that Ghazwa. So we kept away from the
people and they changed their attitude towards us till the very land
(where I lived) appeared strange to me as if I did not know it. We
remained in that condition for fifty nights. As regards my two fellows,
they remained in their houses and kept on weeping, but I was the
youngest of them and the firmest of them, so I used to go out and
witness the prayers along with the Muslims and roam about in the
markets, but none would talk to me, and I would come to Allah's Apostle
and greet him while he was sitting In his gathering after the prayer,
and I would wonder whether the Prophet did move his lips in return to my
greetings or not. Then I would offer my prayer near to him and look at
him stealthily. When I was busy with my prayer, he would turn his face
towards me, but when I turned my face to him, he would turn his face
away from me. When this harsh attitude of the people lasted long, I
walked till I scaled the wall of the garden of Abu Qatada who was my
cousin and dearest person to me, and I offered my greetings to him. By
Allah, he did not return my greetings. I said, 'O Abu Qatada! I beseech
you by Allah! Do you know that I love Allah and His Apostle?' He kept
quiet. I asked him again, beseeching him by Allah, but he remained
silent. Then I asked him again in the Name of Allah. He said, "Allah and
His Apostle know it better.' Thereupon my eyes flowed with tears and I
returned and jumped over the wall." Ka'b added, "While I was walking in
the market of Medina, suddenly I saw a Nabati (i.e. a Christian farmer)
from the Nabatis of Sham who came to sell his grains in Medina, saying,
'Who will lead me to Kab bin Malik?' The people began to point (me) out
for him till he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of
Ghassan in which the following was written: "To proceed, I have been
informed that your friend (i.e. the Prophet ) has treated you harshly.
Anyhow, Allah does not let you live at a place where you feel inferior
and your right is lost. So join us, and we will console you." When I
read it, I said to myself, 'This is also a sort of a test.' Then I took
the letter to the oven and made a fire therein by burning it. When forty
out of the fifty nights elapsed, behold ! There came to me the
messenger of Allah's Apostle and said, 'Allah's Apostle orders you to
keep away from your wife,' I said, 'Should I divorce her; or else! what
should I do?' He said, 'No, only keep aloof from her and do not cohabit
her.' The Prophet sent the same message to my two fellows. Then I said
to my wife. 'Go to your parents and remain with them till Allah gives
His Verdict in this matter." Kab added, "The wife of Hilal bin Umaiya
came to Apostle and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Hilal bin Umaiya is a
helpless old man who has no servant to attend on him. Do you dislike
that I should serve him? ' He said, 'No (you can serve him) but he
should not come near you.' She said, 'By Allah, he has no desire for
anything. By, Allah, he has never ceased weeping till his case began
till this day of his.' On that, some of my family members said to me,
'Will you also ask Allah's Apostle to permit your wife (to serve you) as
he has permitted the wife of Hilal bin Umaiya to serve him?' I said,
'By Allah, I will not ask the permission of Allah's Apostle regarding
her, for I do not know What Allah's Apostle would say if I asked him to
permit her (to serve me) while I am a young man.' Then I remained in
that state for ten more nights after that till the period of fifty
nights was completed starting from the time when Allah's Apostle
prohibited the people from talking to us. When I had offered the Fajr
prayer on the 50th morning on the roof of one of our houses and while I
was sitting in the condition which Allah described (in the Quran) i.e.
my very soul seemed straitened to me and even the earth seemed narrow to
me for all its spaciousness, there I heard the voice of one who had
ascended the mountain of Sala' calling with his loudest voice, 'O Kab
bin Malik! Be happy (by receiving good tidings).' I fell down in
prostration before Allah, realizing that relief has come. Allah's
Apostle had announced the acceptance of our repentance by Allah when he
had offered the Fajr prayer. The people then went out to congratulate
us. Some bringers of good tidings went out to my two fellows, and a
horseman came to me in haste, and a man of Banu Aslam came running and
ascended the mountain and his voice was swifter than the horse. When he
(i.e. the man) whose voice I had heard, came to me conveying the good
tidings, I took off my garments and dressed him with them; and by Allah,
I owned no other garments than them on that day. Then I borrowed two
garments and wore them and went to Allah's Apostle. The people started
receiving me in batches, congratulating me on Allah's Acceptance of my
repentance, saying, 'We congratulate you on Allah's Acceptance of your
repentance." Kab further said, "When I entered the Mosque. I saw Allah's
Apostle sitting with the people around him. Talha bin Ubaidullah
swiftly came to me, shook hands with me and congratulated me. By Allah,
none of the Muhajirin (i.e. Emigrants) got up for me except him (i.e.
Talha), and I will never forget this for Talha." Kab added, "When I
greeted Allah's Apostle he, his face being bright with joy, said "Be
happy with the best day that you have got ever since your mother
delivered you." Kab added, "I said to the Prophet 'Is this forgiveness
from you or from Allah?' He said, 'No, it is from Allah.' Whenever
Allah's Apostle became happy, his face would shine as if it were a piece
of moon, and we all knew that characteristic of him. When I sat before
him, I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Because of the acceptance of my
repentance I will give up all my wealth as alms for the Sake of Allah
and His Apostle. Allah's Apostle said, 'Keep some of your wealth, as it
will be better for you.' I said, 'So I will keep my share from Khaibar
with me,' and added, 'O Allah's Apostle! Allah has saved me for telling
the truth; so it is a part of my repentance not to tell but the truth as
long as I am alive. By Allah, I do not know anyone of the Muslims whom
Allah has helped fortelling the truth more than me. Since I have
mentioned that truth to Allah's Apostle till today, I have never
intended to tell a lie. I hope that Allah will also save me (from
telling lies) the rest of my life. So Allah revealed to His Apostle the
Verse:-- "Verily, Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin (i.e.
Emigrants (up to His Saying) And be with those who are true (in word and
deed)." (9.117-119) By Allah, Allah has never bestowed upon me, apart
from His guiding me to Islam, a Greater blessing than the fact that I
did not tell a lie to Allah's Apostle which would have caused me to
perish as those who have told a lie perished, for Allah described those
who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody
else. Allah said:-- "They (i.e. the hypocrites) will swear by Allah to
you when you return to them (up to His Saying) Certainly Allah is not
pleased with the rebellious people--" (9.95-96) Kab added, "We, the
three persons, differed altogether from those whose excuses Allah's
Apostle accepted when they swore to him. He took their pledge of
allegiance and asked Allah to forgive them, but Allah's Apostle left our
case pending till Allah gave His Judgment about it. As for that Allah
said):-- And to the three (He did for give also) who remained behind."
(9.118) What Allah said (in this Verse) does not indicate our failure to
take part in the Ghazwa, but it refers to the deferment of making a
decision by the Prophet about our case in contrast to the case of those
who had taken an oath before him and he excused them by accepting their
excuses.
|
0 comments:
Post a Comment