7.

Musnad of the People of Mecca

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مسند المكيين

Narrated Ka'b bin Malik: I did not remain behind, from any expedition amongst the expeditions of the Prophet but that (expedition) of Ghazwa Tabuk, and I never had such good means of transport and expenditure as I had for that expedition. I thought that I would make preparations after one more day and then join the Prophet later. But I kept delaying my preparations till the army had already departed. I said to myself: Woe to me! Why don't I go in the afternoon so that I may catch up with them? I thought like that for three days till the Prophet returned. When Allah's Messenger returned (to Medina) after Tabuk, the people started offering excuses to him, and I also went to him. I had decided to speak the truth but when I stood before him and he smiled at me, (his usual habit upon seeing the people who made him happy) I told him a lie and swore to it. The Prophet said nothing further to me except: "As for you (go away), I shall postpone your case till Allah gives His verdict about you." Then it was revealed to the Prophet that he should either forgive us or punish us, so Allah's Messenger said to us, "Where are those liars? Get up." So I got up and went to him, and confessed that I had told a lie. So the Prophet announced Allah's Statement: 'They (hypocrites) ask your permission (to be exempted from Jihad) but those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger (disobey Allah and His Messenger by remaining behind) and Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqun.' (9.93) As for the Statement of Allah: 'And (He did forgive also) the three who stayed behind...' (9.118) Allah forgave us and took us into His Mercy and He revealed the Verses of the Qur'an proving our innocence of the crime which we were accused of. We passed fifty nights in that state (of being hypocrites) and by Allah, during those days when the Prophet would not speak to us, nor look at us, and we were afraid lest some Divine Curse should descend upon us for our sin, no doubt that was a harder period for us than our staying for a year in the world striving in the Cause of Allah. We, the three persons who remained behind, were in that state that two of us confined ourselves within their houses and would go out weeping, while I being a young man having many friends amongst the Muslims, would go out and offer prayers with the Muslims, walk in the markets, but none would greet me or talk to me. I would come to Allah's Messenger and greet him while he was sitting amongst his companions, and I would wonder whether his lips moved in return to my greetings or not. I would offer prayer near him and look at him stealthily and when I was busy in my prayer, he would look at me, but when I looked towards him he would turn his face away from me. When this harsh attitude of the Muslims had made me sick and the earth had become narrow for me, in spite of its vastness, I went up the wall of the garden of Abu Qatada (who was my cousin and with whom I had the best relations). I greeted him but he did not return my greetings. I said to him by Allah! Tell me, by Allah, do you know if Allah's Messenger has mentioned anything (in particular) about me?" He kept quiet, I repeated my question and he kept quiet. Then I said: Tell me, by Allah; do you know that I love Allah and His Messenger?" He kept quiet. I again repeated my question, then he said: "I have no knowledge, but I have heard Allah's Messenger saying: 'The sign of the hypocrite is three: When he speaks, he tells a lie; when he makes a promise, he breaks it, and when he is trusted he proves to be dishonest." I went away when he said so to me, and I believed that I was doomed to destruction. One day while I was walking in the market, I heard the greetings of somebody who had gone on a business trip, saying: "Peace be on you, O Ka'b!" I said: "Peace be on you." He then came to me, shook hands with me and gave me the good tidings of my innocence being declared from Heaven.