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Hadhrat Ka'ab's
(Radhiyallaho anho) failure to join the Tabuk Expedition:
Among the Munafiqin
who did not join the Tabuk expedition, there were more than eighty persons from
among the Ansar and an equal number from amongst the nomadic Arabs and a large
number from the out-stations. Not only did they stay behind themselves, but
they induced others to do so saying:
"Go not forth in
the heat."
Allah's reply to this
was:
"Say the fire of
Hell is of more intense heat."
>From amongst the faithful,
there were only three persons who failed to rally to the Prophet's call. They
were Murarah bin Rabi, Hilal Umayyah and Ka'ab bin Malik (Radhiallaho anhum).
Murarah had orchards of dates, laden with fruit. He persuaded himself to lag
behind
with the plea:
"I have taken
part in all the campaigns so far. What possible harm would befall the Muslims,
if I miss this one?"
He feared the loss of
his entire crop in his absence, and this prevented him from going out. But when
he realized his folly, he gave away in charity the whole crop and garden, too,
that had caused him to tarry behind the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam).
Hilal's case was different. Some of his kinsfolk who had been away for a long
time had just returned to Madinah. It was for the sake of their company that he
did not join the expedition. He also had participated in all the campaigns
previously and thought (like Murarah) that it would not matter much if he
missed just that one campaign. When he came to know of the seriousness of his
default, he made up his mind to sever all his connections with those relatives
who had been the cause of that blunder. Ka'ab himself gives his account in
detail, which is quoted in all books of Hadith. He says:
"I had never
been financially as well off as I was at the time of Tabuk. I had two
dromedaries of my own. I had never possessed this number before. It was a habit
with the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) that he never disclosed the
destination of his expeditions, but he would keep enquiring about the
conditions prevailing elsewhere. But this time in view of the distance, the hot
season, and the strength of the enemy, he had declared his destination, so that
preparations could be made thorough and complete. The number of the
participants was so large that it was difficult to note down their names even,
so much so, that absentees could hardly be detected in the large host. The
gardens of Madinah were full of fruit. I intended every morning to make
preparation for the journey but, somehow or other, the days passed by and I
made no progress. I was satisfied that I had all the necessary means at my
disposal
and that I would be ready in no time if I once did decide to do so. I was still
in this state of indecision when I learnt that the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam)
had left with his companions. The idea still lingered in my mind that I would
take a day or two to get ready and overtake the party. This procrastination
continued
till the time for the Prophet's arrival in Tabuk drew very near. I then tried
to get ready but again, somehow or other, I did not do so. Now, when I came to
look at the people left behind, I realized that there was none in Madinah
except those who had been condemned as Munafiqin or had been specially exempted
from going for certain reasons. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) on
reaching Tabuk inquired as well, 'How is it that I do not see Ka'ab?' Somebody
said, '0, Prophet of Allah: His pride in wealth and ease has caused him to stay
behind.' Ma'az interrupted and said, No, this is wrong. As far as our knowledge
goes, he is a true Muslim.' The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) however,
kept quiet."
Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho
anho) says:
"After a few
days I heard the news of the Prophet's return. I was struck with grief and
remorse. Good excuses one after the other entered my mind, and I was sure that
I could escape the Prophet's wrath with one of them for the time being, and
later on I could pray for forgiveness to Allah. I also sought advice of the
wise men of my family in the matter. But when I knew that the Prophet
(Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) had actually arrived, I was convinced that nothing
but the truth would save me; so I decided to speak out the plain truth. It was
a habit with the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) that whenever he returned
from a journey he would repair to the masjid, first of all, say two rakaat
'Tahiyyatul masjid' and then stay there for a while to meet visitors. Now also,
as he sat in the masjid, the Munafiqin came and placed before him on solemn
oaths, their excuses for failing to accompany him on the campaign. He took them
at their words, leaving the rest to Allah. Just then I came and greeted him
with 'salaam'. He turned his face with a sardonic smile. I besought him with
the words: '0, Prophet of Allah! You turn your face from me. By Allah! I am
neither
a Munafiq, nor have I the least doubt in my faith.' He asked me to draw near
and I did so. He then said to me: 'What prevented you from going out? Had you
not purchased the dromedaries? I made a reply: '0, Prophet of Allah: If
I were dealing with a worldly man, I am sure I would escape his displeasure
through (seemingly) reasonable excuses, for Allah has endowed me with the gift
of the gab. But in your case I am sure that if I appease you with a false
statement, Allah would be displeased with me. And, on the other hand, I am sure
that if I displease you by confessing the simple truth, then Allah would very
soon blow away your displeasure. I, therefore, make bold to speak the very
truth. By Allah, I had no excuse at all. I had never been so well to do as I
was at that time.' The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) remarked: 'He is
speaking the truth.' He then said to me: 'You go away, Allah will decide about
you. When I left the masjid, many a man of my clan blamed me and admonished me
thus; 'Never before you had committed any wrong; if after making some good
excuse for once, you had requested the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) to
pray for your goodness, surely his prayer would have sufficed you.' I inquired
of them if there were any more people like me. They informed me that there were
two other persons viz. Hilal bin Umayyah and Murarah bin Rabi, who also had
admitted their faults like me and received the same reply from the Prophet
(Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). I knew that both of them were very good Muslims
and had participated in the campaign of Badr. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam) issued instructions that none was to speak with the three of us.'
It is a common principle
that displeasure is shown where some attachment exists, and a reprimand is
given when there is hope for correction. A reprimand to an incorrigible person
would be a futile effort.
Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho
anho) continues:
"Under the
instructions of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), the Sahabah
completely boycotted us. Nobody was prepared to mix with or even speak to us.
It seemed as if I was living in a strange land altogether. My own birth-place
looked like a foreign locality and my bosom friends behaved like strangers.
'The earth, vast as it is, was straightened' for me. The thing that worried me
most
was that, if I died in this condition, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam)
would not lead my funeral prayer, and if the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam)
died in the meantime, I would be doomed for ever, with none to talk to me and
with none to pray at my funeral. The other two companions of mine confined
themselves to their houses. I was the most daring of the three: I would go to
the market, and join the Jamaat for Salaat, but nobody would talk to me. I
would approach the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and say
'Assalamualaikum'
and would watch eagerly to see if his lips moved in reply. After Fardh, I used
to complete the Salaat by standing close to him, and I would look at him from
the corner of my eye to learn if he ever cast a single glance at me. I noticed
that when I was engaged in Salaat he did glance at me, but when I was out of
it, he would avert his face from me." Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho anho) continues:
"When this complete social boycott became too hard for me to bear, I, one
day, climbed up the wall of Qatadah, my dear cousin, and greeted him with
'Assalamualaikum'. He did not return my greetings. I said to him, 'For Allah's
sake, do answer me one question. Do not you know that I love Allah and His
Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam)?' He kept quiet. Again I repeated my
request,
but again he would not speak. When I inquired for the third time. He simply
said, 'Allah and His Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) know best.' At this,
tears welled out of my eyes and he left me alone." "Once, I was
passing through a street of Madinah, when I noticed a Coptic Christian, who had
come from Syria to sell his grain, inquiring about Kaab-bin-Malik. When people
pointed me out to him, he came and made over a letter to me from the Christian
King
of Ghassan. Thus it read: 'We have come to know that your master has
ill-treated you. Allah may not-keep you in a basement and in disgrace. You had
better come to us. We shall extend all help to you.' When I read this letter, I
uttered "Inna-lillahi-wa-Inna-ilaihi-raajioon" To Allah we belong and
to Him is our return; and said; 'So my state of affairs (had) reached such an
ebb that even the Kafirs were aspiring to draw me away from Islam.' I could not
imagine a calamity worse than that. I went and threw the letter into an oven.
Thereafter!
Presented myself to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and exclaimed: '0,
Prophet of Allah! Your indifference towards me has lowered me to such an extent
that even the Kafirs are building up their hopes over me." When forty days
had passed in this condition, a messenger of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam) brought me this mandate: 'Be separated from your wife' I inquired,
'Am I to divorce her?' He replied: 'No, only be separated.' A similar message
was delivered to my other two companions as well. I consequently said to my
wife: 'Go to your parents and wait till Allah decides my case.' Hilal's wife
went to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and said; '0, Prophet of
Allah! Hilal is an old man and there is nobody else to look after him. If I go
away from him, he will perish. If it is not very serious, kindly permit me to
keep attending to him.' The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) replied; 'There
is no harm, provided you don't indulge in cohabitation with each other.' She
remarked! '0, Prophet of Allah: He has no urge for such a thing; since the day
his
ordeal has started, he has been spending his entire time in weeping."
Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho
anho) says:
"It was
suggested to me that I might also request the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam) for permission to keep my wife with me for service, but I said;
'Hilal is old, while I am young. I do not know what reply I shall get and, as
such, I have no courage to make the request.' Another ten days passed and now
our ordeal had lasted for a full fifty days. On the morning of the fiftieth
day, when I had said my 'Fajr' prayer and was sitting on the roof of my house
stricken with grief, and he earth had 'straightened' for me and the life had
become
dismal for me, I heard a crier's cry from over the top of the mount Sula;
'Happy tidings to you, 0, Kaab.' The moment I heard this, I fell prostrate on
the ground and tears of joy rolled down my cheeks, as I understood that the
ordeal was now over. In fact, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) had
announced the Divine forgiveness for all three of us after the Salaat that
morning. At this, a person ran up the top of the mountain and yelled out the
cry that had reached me. Thereafter, a rider came galloping to deliver the same
happy news to me. I gave away as a gift the clothes; I was wearing, to the
messenger of glad tidings. I swear by Allah I had no other clothes in my
possession at that time. I dressed up by borrowing clothes from some friend and
went to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). As I entered the masjid, the
people in the audience of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) ran to
congratulate me. Abu Talha (Radhiyallaho anho) was the first to approach me.. He
shook my hand with warmth that I shall never forget. Thereafter I offered my
salutation to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). I found his face
beaming and radiant like the full moon. This was usual with him at times of
extreme joy. I said to him, ‘O Prophet of Allah! I propose to give away in
charity all that I possess as thanks for the acceptance of my Taubah.' He said:
“This will be too
much for you. Keep a portion with you. I agreed to keep my share of the booty
that fell in our hands in the Khaiber campaign.”
He says:
"It is the truth
that brought me salvation, and as such I am determined to speak nothing but the
truth in future."
The above story
brings out the following salient characteristics of the Muslims of that time:-
(1) The importance of
striving in the path of Allah. Even the persons who had hither to faithfully
participated in every expedition, had to bear the brunt of the Prophet's
(Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) anger when they failed to respond to Allah's call
even
though for the first time in their lives.
(2) Their devotion
and obedience to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). For full fifty days
the whole Muslim community, even their nearest and dearest, would not speak to
the three persons, in obedience to the Prophet's (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam)
orders.
The three persons themselves went most steadfastly through the ordeal imposed
on them.
(3) Their strong
faith. Kaab was so much perturbed when he received the letter from the
Christian King, exciting him against the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam).
His words and his action at that time are a testimony to the strong faith in
his heart.
Let us search our hearts and see how much
devotion we have in them for the observance of the duties we owe to Islam.
Leaving aside Zakaat and Hajj, which involve the sacrifice of money, take the
case of Salaat alone, which is the most important pillar of Islam after Imaan.
How many of us are particular about it?
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