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المعجم الكبير للطبراني
Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (Tabarani)
باب الكاف
Companions Whose Names Begin with Kaf (ك)
ابن كعب بن مالك، عن أبيه الزهري، عن ابن كعب
Ibn Kab bin Malik from his father Kab (may Allah be pleased with him) — al-Zuhri from Ibn Kab
Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 16141 — Abdullah bin Ka'b (may Allah have mercy)
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو شُعَيْبٍ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، ثنا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ النُّفَيْلِيُّ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: فَذَكَرَ الزُّهْرِيُّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ ثُمَّ السُّلَمِيِّ، أَنَّ أَبَاهُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ كَعْبٍ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ قَائِدَ أَبِيهِ كَعْبٍ حِينَ أُصِيبَ بِبَصَرِهِ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبِي كَعْبًا يُحَدِّثُ حَدِيثَهُ حِينَ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكٍ وَحَدِيثَ صَاحِبَيْهِ، قَالَ: " مَا تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَيْرَهَا قَطُّ، غَيْرَ أَنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ قَدْ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْهُ فِي غَزْوَةِ بَدْرٍ وَلَمْ يُعَاتِبِ اللهُ وَلَا رَسُولُهُ أَحَدًا تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّمَا خَرَجَ يُرِيدُ عِيرَ قُرَيْشٍ، حَتَّى جَمَعَ اللهُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ عَدُوِّهِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِيعَادٍ
: " وَلَقَدْ شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ حِينَ تَوَاثَقْنَا عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِهَا مَشْهَدَ بَدْرٍ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ غَزْوَةُ بَدْرٍ أَذَكَرَ فِي النَّاسِ مِنْهَا
كَانَ مِنْ حَدِيثِي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْهُ فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَلَّمَا يَخْرُجُ فِي غَزْوَةٍ يَغْزُوهَا إِلَّا وَرَّى بِغَيْرِهَا، حَتَّى كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ فَغَزَاهَا فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَاسْتَقْبَلَ عَدُوًّا كَثِيرًا، فَحَكَى لِلنَّاسِ أَمَرَهُمْ لِيَتَأَهَّبُوا لِذَلِكَ أُهْبَةَ غَزْوِهِمْ، فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِوَجْهِهِ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ، وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَنْ تَبِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَبِيرٌ لَا يَجْمَعُهُمْ كِتَابٌ حَافَظٌ يَعْنِي بِذَلِكُ كَعْبٌ الدِّيوَانَ، يَقُولُ: لَا يَجْمَعُهُمْ دِيوَانٌ مَكْتُوبٌ، قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَقَلَّ رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَغِيبَ إِلَّا ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ مُسْتَخْفٍ لَهُ ذَلِكَ مَا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ فِيهِ وَحْيٌ مِنَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَغَزَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةَ حِينَ طَابَتِ الثِّمَارُ وَرَاحَتِ الظِّلَالُ، فَتَجَهَّزَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَجَهَّزَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ، وَجَعَلْتُ أَغْدُو لِأَتَجَهَّزَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَرْجِعَ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ حَاجَةً، وَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي: إِنِّي قَادِرٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ ذَلِكَ يَتَمَادَى بِي حَتَّى شَمَّرَ النَّاسُ لِلْغَدِ، فَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَادِيًا وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ، لَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا، ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ فَرَجَعْتُ، وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى أَسْرَعُوا فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَرْتَحِلَ فَأُدْرِكُهُمْ وَلَيْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ، وَلَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَجَعَلْتُ إِذَا خَرَجْتُ فِي النَّاسِ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَحْزِنُنِي أَنْ لَا أَرَى إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَغْمُوصًا عَلَيْهِ فِي النِّفَاقِ أَوْ رَجُلًا مِمَّنْ عُذِّرَ أَنَّهُ فِي الضُّعَفَاءِ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ تَبُوكًا ، قَالَ، وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْقَوْمِ: «أَتَدْرُونَ مَا فَعَلَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ؟» ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ: نَعَمْ، حَبَسَهُ بُرْدَاهُ وَالنَّظَرُ فِي عِطْفِهِ، فَقَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ: تَدْرِي مَا قُلْتَ؟، وَاللهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا. فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ تَوَجَّهَ قَافِلًا مِنْ تَبُوكٍ حَضَرَنِي شَرٌّ فَجَعَلْتُ أَتَذَكَّرُ الْكَذِبَ وَأَقُولُ: بِمَاذَا أَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَدًا؟، وَأَسْتَعِينُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بِكُلِّ مَنْ أَرَى مِنْ أَهْلِي، فَلَمَّا قِيلَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ أَظَلَّ قَادِمًا زَاحَ عَنِّي الْبَاطِلُ، وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ لَا أَنْجُوَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا بِالصِّدْقِ، فَأَجْمَعْتُ أَنْ أَصْدُقَهُ، فَصَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ، وَكَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ بَدَأَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَرَكَعَ فِيهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِلنَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ جَاءَهُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فَجَعَلُوا يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ، وَكَانُوا بِضْعَةً وَثَمَانِينَ رَجُلًا، فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَانِيَتَهُمْ وَإِيمَانَهُمْ، فَيَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ، وَجَعَلَ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، حَتَّى جِئْتُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «تَعَالَ» ، فَجِئْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لِي: «مَا خَلَفَكَ؟، أَلَمْ تَكُنِ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرًا؟» ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَاللهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِكِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا لَرَأَيْتُ أَنِّي سَأَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخْطَتِهِ، لَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا، وَلَكِنِّي وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ الْيَوْمَ كَذِبًا لِتَرْضَى عَنِّي لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللهُ أَنْ يُسْخِطَكَ عَلَيَّ، وَلَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثًا صَادِقًا تَجِدُ عَلِيَّ فِيهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو عَفْوَ اللهِ فِيهِ، وَاللهِ مَا كَانَ لِي عُذْرٌ، وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلَا أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْكَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمْ، قُمْ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ فِيكَ أَمَرَهُ» ، فَقُمْتُ وَقَامَ مَعِي رِجَالٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَاتَّبَعُونِي، فَقَالُوا: وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْنَاكَ أَذْنَبْتَ ذَنْبًا قَبْلَ هَذَا، وَلَقَدْ عَجَزْتَ أَنْ لَا تَكُونَ اعْتَذَرْتَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَا اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُنَافِقُونَ، قَدْ كَانَ كَافِيَكَ مِنْهُ اسْتِغْفَارُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَوَاللهِ مَا زَالُوا يُؤَنِّبُونَنِي حَتَّى أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأُكَذِّبَ نَفْسِي، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ: هَلْ لَقِيَ هَذَا أَحَدٌ غَيْرِي؟، فَقَالُوا: نَعَمْ، رَجُلَانِ قَالَا مِثْلَ مَقَالِكَ، وَقِيلَ لَهُمَا مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ لَكَ، قُلْتُ: مَنْ هُمَا؟، قَالُوا: مُرَارَةُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ ? وَهِلَالُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ الْوَاقِفِيُّ، فَذَكَرُوا رَجُلَيْنِ صَالِحَيْنِ فِيهِمَا أُسْوَةٌ، فَصَمَّمْتُ حِينَ ذَكَرُوهُمَا لِي، وَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ كَلَامِنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلَاثَةُ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ، فَاجْتَنَبَنَا النَّاسُ وَتَغَيَّرُوا لَنَا، حَتَّى تَنَكَّرَتْ لِي نَفْسِي وَالْأَرْضُ، فَمَا هِيَ بِالْأَرْضِ الَّتِي كُنْتُ، فَلَبِثْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً، أَمَا صَاحِبَايَ فَاسْتَكَنَّا وَقَعَدَا فِي بُيُوتِهِمَا، وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَكُنْتُ أَشَدَّ الرَّهْطِ وَأَجْلَدَهُمْ، وَكُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ وَأَشْهَدُ الصَّلَاةَ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَأَطُوفُ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ فَلَا يُكَلِّمُنِي أَحَدٌ، وَإِنِّي آتِي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ فَأُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي: هَلْ حَرَّكَ شَفَتَيْهِ بَرَدِّ السَّلَامِ عَلِيَّ أَمْ لَا؟، ثُمَّ أُصَلِّي قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ فَأُسَارِقُهُ النَّظَرَ، فَإِذَا أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ، فَإِذَا الْتَفَتُّ نَحْوَهُ أَعْرَضَ عَنِّي، حَتَّى إِذَا طَالَ عَلِيَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ جَفْوَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَشَيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ جِدَارَ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّي وَأَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَيَّ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَوَاللهِ مَا رَدَّ عَلِيَّ السَّلَامَ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ أَنْشُدُكَ اللهَ، هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ؟، فَسَكَتَ، فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَاشَدْتُهُ، فَسَكَتَ، فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَاشَدْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَايَ، وَرُحْتُ فَتَسَوَّرْتُ الْجِدَارَ، ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ إِلَى السُّوقِ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي فِي السُّوقِ فَإِذَا بِنَبَطِيٍّ مِنْ نَبَطِ الشَّامِ يَسْأَلُ عَنِّي مِمَّنْ قَدِمَ بِبَيْعِ الطَّعَامِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، يَقُولُ: مَنْ يَدُلُّنِي عَلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُشِيرُونَ إِلَيَّ، حَتَّى جَاءَنِي فَدَفَعَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابًا مِنْ مَلَكِ غَسَّانَ، وَكَتَبَ كِتَابًا فِي سَرَقَةٍ مِنْ حَرِيرٍ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ صَاحِبَكَ قَدْ جَفَاكَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْكَ اللهُ بَدَارَ هَوَانٍ، وَلَا مَضْيَعَةً، فَالْحَقْ بِنَا نُوَاسِكَ، فَقُلْتُ حِينَ قَرَأْتُهَا: هَذَا أَيْضًا مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ، قَدْ بَلَغَ بِي مَا قَدْ وَقَعَتُ فِيهِ أَنْ طَمَعَ فِيَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ، فَعَمَدْتُ بِهَا إِلَى تَنُّورٍ فَسَجَرْتُهُ بِهَا، فَأَقَمْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَتَّى مَضَتْ أَرْبَعُونَ لَيْلَةً، إِذَا رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْتِينِي، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَعْتَزِلَ امْرَأَتَكَ، قُلْتُ: أَطَلَاقًا أَمْ مَاذَا؟، قَالَ: بَلِ اعْتَزِلْهَا وَلَا تَقْرَبْهَا، وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى صَاحِبَيَّ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ، فَقُلْتُ لِامْرَأَتِي: الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ، وَكُونِي عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللهُ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ مَا هُوَ قَاضٍ، قَالَ: فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةُ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ هِلَالَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ ضَائِعٌ لَا خَادِمَ لَهُ، أَفَتَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَخْدُمَهُ؟، قَالَ: «لَا، وَلَكِنْ لَا يَقْرَبَنَّكِ» ، فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا بِهِ مِنْ حَرَكَةٍ إِلَيَّ، وَاللهِ مَا زَالَ يَبْكِي مُنْذُ كَانَ أَمْرُهُ مَا كَانَ إِلَى يَوْمِهِ هَذَا، وَلَقَدْ تَخَوَّفْتُ عَلَى بَصَرَهِ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ لِي بَعْضُ أَهْلِي: لَوِ اسْتَأْذَنْتَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِامْرَأَتِكَ، فَقَدْ أَذِنَ لِامْرَأَةِ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ أَنْ تَخْدُمَهُ، قُلْتُ: لَا وَاللهِ، لَا أَسْتَأْذِنَهُ فِيهَا، مَا يُدْرَى مَا يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي ذَلِكَ إِنِ اسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِيهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ، قَالَ: فَبِتْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ عَشْرَ لَيَالٍ، فَكَمُلَ لَنَا خَمْسُونَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ حِينِ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ كَلَامِنَا، حَتَّى صَلَّيْتُ الصُّبْحَ صُبْحَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ، وَقَدْ ضَاقَتْ عَلِيَّ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ، وَضَاقَتْ عَلِيَّ نَفْسِي، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ ابْتَنَيْتُ خَيْمَةً فِي ظَهْرِ سَلْعٍ، فَكُنْتُ أَكُونُ فِيهَا، إِذْ سَمِعْتُ صَارِخًا بِأَعْلَى سَلْعٍ، يَقُولُ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ: يَا كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَبْشِرْ، فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِدًا، وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ قَدْ جَاءَ الْفَرَجُ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ النَّاسَ بِتَوْبَةِ اللهِ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ اطَّلَعَ الْفَجْرُ، وَقَدْ ذَهَبَتْ أُنَاسٌ يُبَشِّرُونَنَا، فَذَهَبَ نَحْوَ صَاحِبَيَّ مُبَشِّرٌ، وَرَكَضَ رَجُلٌ إِلَيَّ فَرَسًا، وَسَعَى سَاعٍ مِنْ أَسْلَمَ حَتَّى أَوْفَى عَلَى الْجَبَلِ، وَكَانَ الصَّوْتُ أَسْرَعَ مِنَ الْفَارِسِ ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَنِي الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَهُ يُبَشِّرُنِي، نَزَعَتُ ثَوْبَيَّ فَكَسَوْتُهُ إِيَّاهُمَا بِشَارَةً، وَاللهِ مَا أَمْلِكُ غَيْرَهُمَا يَوْمَئِذٍ، وَاسْتَعَرْتُ ثَوْبَيْنِ فَلَبِسْتُهُمَا، وَانْطَلَقْتُ أَتَيَمَّمُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَتَلَقَّانِي النَّاسُ يُهَنِّئُونَنِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ وَيَقُولُونَ: لِيَهْنَئْكَ تَوْبَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْكَ، حَتَّى دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ، وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَالِسٌ وَحَوْلَهُ النَّاسُ، فَقَامَ إِلَيَّ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ فَحَيَّانِي وَهَنَّأَنِي، وَاللهِ مَا قَامَ إِلَيَّ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ غَيْرُهُ، قَالَ: فَكَانَ كَعْبٌ لَا يَنْسَاهَا لَهُ، قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَوَجْهُهُ مُشْرِقٌ مِنَ السُّرُورِ، وَقَالَ: «أَبْشِرْ بِخَيْرِ يَوْمٍ مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ مُنْذُ يَوْمِ وَلَدَتْكَ أُمُّكَ» ، قُلْتُ: مِنْ عِنْدِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى؟، قَالَ: «بَلْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ» ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا سُرَّ اسْتَبْشَرَ حَتَّى كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ قِطْعَةٌ مِنْ قَمَرٍ، وَكُنَّا نَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ أَنْخَلِعَ مِنْ مَالِي صَدَقَةً إِلَى اللهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ بَعْضَ مَالِكَ، فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ» ، قُلْتُ: إِنِّي أُمْسِكُ سَهْمِي مِنْ خَيْبَرَ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ أَنْجَانِي بِالصِّدْقِ، وَإِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي إِلَى اللهِ أَنْ لَا أُحَدِّثَ إِلَّا صِدْقًا مَا بَقِيتُ، وَاللهِ مَا أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ أَبْلَاهُ اللهُ فِي صِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ مَا أَبْلَانِي مُنْذُ ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا، وَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ يَحْفَظَنِي اللهُ فِيمَا بَقِيَ، وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {لَقَدْ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَؤُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ، وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّى إِذَا} [التوبة: ١١٨] ، إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: {وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ} [التوبة: ١١٩] ، قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَوَاللهِ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللهُ عَلِيَّ نِعْمَةً بَعْدَ أَنْ هَدَانِي لِلْإِسْلَامِ كَانَتْ أَعْظَمَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ صِدْقِي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ، إِلَّا أَنْ أَكُونَ كَذَبْتُهُ فَأَهْلَكَ كَمَا هَلَكَ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوهُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ قَالَ فِي الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوهُ حِينَ أُنْزِلَ الْوَحْيُ شَرَّ مَا قَالَ لِأَحَدٍ، قَالَ: {سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا انْقَلَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لِتُعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمْ فَأَعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ رِجْسٌ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَإِنْ تَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَرْضَى عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ} [التوبة: ٩٥] ، قَالَ: وَكُنَّا خَلَفَنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلَاثَةُ عَنْ أَمَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ قَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ حَلَفُوا لَهُ فَصَدَّقَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ، وَأَرْجَأَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَنَا حَتَّى قَضَى اللهُ فِيهِ مَا قَضَى، فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا} [التوبة: ١١٨] ، وَلَيْسَ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ لِتَخَلُّفِنَا عَنِ الْغَزْوِ، وَلَكِنْ لِتَخْلِيفِهِ إِيَّانَا وَإِرْجَائِهِ أَمَرَنَا عَنْ مَنْ حَلَفَ لَهُ وَاعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ.
: " وَلَقَدْ شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ حِينَ تَوَاثَقْنَا عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِهَا مَشْهَدَ بَدْرٍ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ غَزْوَةُ بَدْرٍ أَذَكَرَ فِي النَّاسِ مِنْهَا
كَانَ مِنْ حَدِيثِي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْهُ فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَلَّمَا يَخْرُجُ فِي غَزْوَةٍ يَغْزُوهَا إِلَّا وَرَّى بِغَيْرِهَا، حَتَّى كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ فَغَزَاهَا فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَاسْتَقْبَلَ عَدُوًّا كَثِيرًا، فَحَكَى لِلنَّاسِ أَمَرَهُمْ لِيَتَأَهَّبُوا لِذَلِكَ أُهْبَةَ غَزْوِهِمْ، فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِوَجْهِهِ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ، وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَنْ تَبِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَبِيرٌ لَا يَجْمَعُهُمْ كِتَابٌ حَافَظٌ يَعْنِي بِذَلِكُ كَعْبٌ الدِّيوَانَ، يَقُولُ: لَا يَجْمَعُهُمْ دِيوَانٌ مَكْتُوبٌ، قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَقَلَّ رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَغِيبَ إِلَّا ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ مُسْتَخْفٍ لَهُ ذَلِكَ مَا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ فِيهِ وَحْيٌ مِنَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَغَزَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةَ حِينَ طَابَتِ الثِّمَارُ وَرَاحَتِ الظِّلَالُ، فَتَجَهَّزَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَجَهَّزَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ، وَجَعَلْتُ أَغْدُو لِأَتَجَهَّزَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَرْجِعَ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ حَاجَةً، وَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي: إِنِّي قَادِرٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ ذَلِكَ يَتَمَادَى بِي حَتَّى شَمَّرَ النَّاسُ لِلْغَدِ، فَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَادِيًا وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ، لَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا، ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ فَرَجَعْتُ، وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى أَسْرَعُوا فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَرْتَحِلَ فَأُدْرِكُهُمْ وَلَيْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ، وَلَمْ أَفْعَلْ وَجَعَلْتُ إِذَا خَرَجْتُ فِي النَّاسِ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَحْزِنُنِي أَنْ لَا أَرَى إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَغْمُوصًا عَلَيْهِ فِي النِّفَاقِ أَوْ رَجُلًا مِمَّنْ عُذِّرَ أَنَّهُ فِي الضُّعَفَاءِ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ تَبُوكًا ، قَالَ، وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْقَوْمِ: «أَتَدْرُونَ مَا فَعَلَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ؟» ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ: نَعَمْ، حَبَسَهُ بُرْدَاهُ وَالنَّظَرُ فِي عِطْفِهِ، فَقَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ: تَدْرِي مَا قُلْتَ؟، وَاللهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا. فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ تَوَجَّهَ قَافِلًا مِنْ تَبُوكٍ حَضَرَنِي شَرٌّ فَجَعَلْتُ أَتَذَكَّرُ الْكَذِبَ وَأَقُولُ: بِمَاذَا أَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَدًا؟، وَأَسْتَعِينُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بِكُلِّ مَنْ أَرَى مِنْ أَهْلِي، فَلَمَّا قِيلَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ أَظَلَّ قَادِمًا زَاحَ عَنِّي الْبَاطِلُ، وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ لَا أَنْجُوَ مِنْهُ إِلَّا بِالصِّدْقِ، فَأَجْمَعْتُ أَنْ أَصْدُقَهُ، فَصَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ، وَكَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ بَدَأَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَرَكَعَ فِيهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِلنَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ جَاءَهُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فَجَعَلُوا يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ، وَكَانُوا بِضْعَةً وَثَمَانِينَ رَجُلًا، فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَانِيَتَهُمْ وَإِيمَانَهُمْ، فَيَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ، وَجَعَلَ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، حَتَّى جِئْتُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «تَعَالَ» ، فَجِئْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لِي: «مَا خَلَفَكَ؟، أَلَمْ تَكُنِ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرًا؟» ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَاللهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِكِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا لَرَأَيْتُ أَنِّي سَأَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخْطَتِهِ، لَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا، وَلَكِنِّي وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ الْيَوْمَ كَذِبًا لِتَرْضَى عَنِّي لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللهُ أَنْ يُسْخِطَكَ عَلَيَّ، وَلَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثًا صَادِقًا تَجِدُ عَلِيَّ فِيهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو عَفْوَ اللهِ فِيهِ، وَاللهِ مَا كَانَ لِي عُذْرٌ، وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلَا أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْكَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمْ، قُمْ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللهُ فِيكَ أَمَرَهُ» ، فَقُمْتُ وَقَامَ مَعِي رِجَالٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَاتَّبَعُونِي، فَقَالُوا: وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْنَاكَ أَذْنَبْتَ ذَنْبًا قَبْلَ هَذَا، وَلَقَدْ عَجَزْتَ أَنْ لَا تَكُونَ اعْتَذَرْتَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَا اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُنَافِقُونَ، قَدْ كَانَ كَافِيَكَ مِنْهُ اسْتِغْفَارُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَوَاللهِ مَا زَالُوا يُؤَنِّبُونَنِي حَتَّى أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأُكَذِّبَ نَفْسِي، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ: هَلْ لَقِيَ هَذَا أَحَدٌ غَيْرِي؟، فَقَالُوا: نَعَمْ، رَجُلَانِ قَالَا مِثْلَ مَقَالِكَ، وَقِيلَ لَهُمَا مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ لَكَ، قُلْتُ: مَنْ هُمَا؟، قَالُوا: مُرَارَةُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ ? وَهِلَالُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ الْوَاقِفِيُّ، فَذَكَرُوا رَجُلَيْنِ صَالِحَيْنِ فِيهِمَا أُسْوَةٌ، فَصَمَّمْتُ حِينَ ذَكَرُوهُمَا لِي، وَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ كَلَامِنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلَاثَةُ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ، فَاجْتَنَبَنَا النَّاسُ وَتَغَيَّرُوا لَنَا، حَتَّى تَنَكَّرَتْ لِي نَفْسِي وَالْأَرْضُ، فَمَا هِيَ بِالْأَرْضِ الَّتِي كُنْتُ، فَلَبِثْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً، أَمَا صَاحِبَايَ فَاسْتَكَنَّا وَقَعَدَا فِي بُيُوتِهِمَا، وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَكُنْتُ أَشَدَّ الرَّهْطِ وَأَجْلَدَهُمْ، وَكُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ وَأَشْهَدُ الصَّلَاةَ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَأَطُوفُ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ فَلَا يُكَلِّمُنِي أَحَدٌ، وَإِنِّي آتِي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ فَأُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي: هَلْ حَرَّكَ شَفَتَيْهِ بَرَدِّ السَّلَامِ عَلِيَّ أَمْ لَا؟، ثُمَّ أُصَلِّي قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ فَأُسَارِقُهُ النَّظَرَ، فَإِذَا أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ، فَإِذَا الْتَفَتُّ نَحْوَهُ أَعْرَضَ عَنِّي، حَتَّى إِذَا طَالَ عَلِيَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ جَفْوَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَشَيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ جِدَارَ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّي وَأَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَيَّ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَوَاللهِ مَا رَدَّ عَلِيَّ السَّلَامَ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ أَنْشُدُكَ اللهَ، هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ؟، فَسَكَتَ، فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَاشَدْتُهُ، فَسَكَتَ، فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَاشَدْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَايَ، وَرُحْتُ فَتَسَوَّرْتُ الْجِدَارَ، ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ إِلَى السُّوقِ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي فِي السُّوقِ فَإِذَا بِنَبَطِيٍّ مِنْ نَبَطِ الشَّامِ يَسْأَلُ عَنِّي مِمَّنْ قَدِمَ بِبَيْعِ الطَّعَامِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، يَقُولُ: مَنْ يَدُلُّنِي عَلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُشِيرُونَ إِلَيَّ، حَتَّى جَاءَنِي فَدَفَعَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابًا مِنْ مَلَكِ غَسَّانَ، وَكَتَبَ كِتَابًا فِي سَرَقَةٍ مِنْ حَرِيرٍ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ صَاحِبَكَ قَدْ جَفَاكَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْكَ اللهُ بَدَارَ هَوَانٍ، وَلَا مَضْيَعَةً، فَالْحَقْ بِنَا نُوَاسِكَ، فَقُلْتُ حِينَ قَرَأْتُهَا: هَذَا أَيْضًا مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ، قَدْ بَلَغَ بِي مَا قَدْ وَقَعَتُ فِيهِ أَنْ طَمَعَ فِيَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ، فَعَمَدْتُ بِهَا إِلَى تَنُّورٍ فَسَجَرْتُهُ بِهَا، فَأَقَمْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَتَّى مَضَتْ أَرْبَعُونَ لَيْلَةً، إِذَا رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْتِينِي، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَعْتَزِلَ امْرَأَتَكَ، قُلْتُ: أَطَلَاقًا أَمْ مَاذَا؟، قَالَ: بَلِ اعْتَزِلْهَا وَلَا تَقْرَبْهَا، وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى صَاحِبَيَّ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ، فَقُلْتُ لِامْرَأَتِي: الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ، وَكُونِي عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللهُ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ مَا هُوَ قَاضٍ، قَالَ: فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةُ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ هِلَالَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ ضَائِعٌ لَا خَادِمَ لَهُ، أَفَتَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَخْدُمَهُ؟، قَالَ: «لَا، وَلَكِنْ لَا يَقْرَبَنَّكِ» ، فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا بِهِ مِنْ حَرَكَةٍ إِلَيَّ، وَاللهِ مَا زَالَ يَبْكِي مُنْذُ كَانَ أَمْرُهُ مَا كَانَ إِلَى يَوْمِهِ هَذَا، وَلَقَدْ تَخَوَّفْتُ عَلَى بَصَرَهِ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ لِي بَعْضُ أَهْلِي: لَوِ اسْتَأْذَنْتَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِامْرَأَتِكَ، فَقَدْ أَذِنَ لِامْرَأَةِ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ أَنْ تَخْدُمَهُ، قُلْتُ: لَا وَاللهِ، لَا أَسْتَأْذِنَهُ فِيهَا، مَا يُدْرَى مَا يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي ذَلِكَ إِنِ اسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِيهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ، قَالَ: فَبِتْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ عَشْرَ لَيَالٍ، فَكَمُلَ لَنَا خَمْسُونَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ حِينِ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ كَلَامِنَا، حَتَّى صَلَّيْتُ الصُّبْحَ صُبْحَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةٍ عَلَى ظَهْرِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ، وَقَدْ ضَاقَتْ عَلِيَّ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ، وَضَاقَتْ عَلِيَّ نَفْسِي، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ ابْتَنَيْتُ خَيْمَةً فِي ظَهْرِ سَلْعٍ، فَكُنْتُ أَكُونُ فِيهَا، إِذْ سَمِعْتُ صَارِخًا بِأَعْلَى سَلْعٍ، يَقُولُ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ: يَا كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَبْشِرْ، فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِدًا، وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ قَدْ جَاءَ الْفَرَجُ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ النَّاسَ بِتَوْبَةِ اللهِ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ اطَّلَعَ الْفَجْرُ، وَقَدْ ذَهَبَتْ أُنَاسٌ يُبَشِّرُونَنَا، فَذَهَبَ نَحْوَ صَاحِبَيَّ مُبَشِّرٌ، وَرَكَضَ رَجُلٌ إِلَيَّ فَرَسًا، وَسَعَى سَاعٍ مِنْ أَسْلَمَ حَتَّى أَوْفَى عَلَى الْجَبَلِ، وَكَانَ الصَّوْتُ أَسْرَعَ مِنَ الْفَارِسِ ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَنِي الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَهُ يُبَشِّرُنِي، نَزَعَتُ ثَوْبَيَّ فَكَسَوْتُهُ إِيَّاهُمَا بِشَارَةً، وَاللهِ مَا أَمْلِكُ غَيْرَهُمَا يَوْمَئِذٍ، وَاسْتَعَرْتُ ثَوْبَيْنِ فَلَبِسْتُهُمَا، وَانْطَلَقْتُ أَتَيَمَّمُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَتَلَقَّانِي النَّاسُ يُهَنِّئُونَنِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ وَيَقُولُونَ: لِيَهْنَئْكَ تَوْبَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْكَ، حَتَّى دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ، وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَالِسٌ وَحَوْلَهُ النَّاسُ، فَقَامَ إِلَيَّ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ فَحَيَّانِي وَهَنَّأَنِي، وَاللهِ مَا قَامَ إِلَيَّ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ غَيْرُهُ، قَالَ: فَكَانَ كَعْبٌ لَا يَنْسَاهَا لَهُ، قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَوَجْهُهُ مُشْرِقٌ مِنَ السُّرُورِ، وَقَالَ: «أَبْشِرْ بِخَيْرِ يَوْمٍ مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ مُنْذُ يَوْمِ وَلَدَتْكَ أُمُّكَ» ، قُلْتُ: مِنْ عِنْدِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى؟، قَالَ: «بَلْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ» ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا سُرَّ اسْتَبْشَرَ حَتَّى كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ قِطْعَةٌ مِنْ قَمَرٍ، وَكُنَّا نَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ أَنْخَلِعَ مِنْ مَالِي صَدَقَةً إِلَى اللهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ بَعْضَ مَالِكَ، فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ» ، قُلْتُ: إِنِّي أُمْسِكُ سَهْمِي مِنْ خَيْبَرَ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ أَنْجَانِي بِالصِّدْقِ، وَإِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي إِلَى اللهِ أَنْ لَا أُحَدِّثَ إِلَّا صِدْقًا مَا بَقِيتُ، وَاللهِ مَا أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ أَبْلَاهُ اللهُ فِي صِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ مَا أَبْلَانِي مُنْذُ ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا، وَأَنَا أَرْجُو أَنْ يَحْفَظَنِي اللهُ فِيمَا بَقِيَ، وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {لَقَدْ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَؤُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ، وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّى إِذَا} [التوبة: ١١٨] ، إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: {وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ} [التوبة: ١١٩] ، قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَوَاللهِ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللهُ عَلِيَّ نِعْمَةً بَعْدَ أَنْ هَدَانِي لِلْإِسْلَامِ كَانَتْ أَعْظَمَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ صِدْقِي رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ، إِلَّا أَنْ أَكُونَ كَذَبْتُهُ فَأَهْلَكَ كَمَا هَلَكَ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوهُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ قَالَ فِي الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوهُ حِينَ أُنْزِلَ الْوَحْيُ شَرَّ مَا قَالَ لِأَحَدٍ، قَالَ: {سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا انْقَلَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لِتُعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمْ فَأَعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ رِجْسٌ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَإِنْ تَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَرْضَى عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ} [التوبة: ٩٥] ، قَالَ: وَكُنَّا خَلَفَنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلَاثَةُ عَنْ أَمَرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ قَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ حَلَفُوا لَهُ فَصَدَّقَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ، وَأَرْجَأَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَنَا حَتَّى قَضَى اللهُ فِيهِ مَا قَضَى، فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا} [التوبة: ١١٨] ، وَلَيْسَ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ لِتَخَلُّفِنَا عَنِ الْغَزْوِ، وَلَكِنْ لِتَخْلِيفِهِ إِيَّانَا وَإِرْجَائِهِ أَمَرَنَا عَنْ مَنْ حَلَفَ لَهُ وَاعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ.
Abdullah bin Ka'b (may Allah have mercy on him), who used to guide his father Sayyiduna Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) after he became blind, said: I heard my father Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) narrate his story of staying behind from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the expedition of Tabuk, and the story of his two companions. He said:
I never stayed behind from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in any expedition other than this one, except the expedition of Badr, and Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not blame anyone for staying behind from it, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had only set out intending the trade caravan of Quraysh, until Allah brought him (peace and blessings be upon him) and his (peace and blessings be upon him) enemy together without any appointment. And I was present with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on the night of al-Aqabah when we made a firm covenant upon Islam, and I would not like to have had presence at Badr in exchange for it, even though the expedition of Badr is more famous among people than it.
My story, when I stayed behind from that expedition, is this: whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on an expedition, it seldom happened that he (peace and blessings be upon him) disclosed its real objective; rather, he usually alluded to something else. Until this expedition came: he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook it in intense heat, and a large enemy had to be faced, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) explained their situation clearly to the people so that they could prepare fully for it, and he told them the direction he intended. The Muslims who went with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were so many that no written list gathered them (Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him, meant the military register (diwan), that is, no written register gathered them). For this reason there was seldom a man who wanted to stay behind and hide, except that he thought his hiding would remain concealed only as long as no revelation about him came down from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook this expedition when the fruits had ripened and the shade had become pleasant. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prepared, and the Muslims prepared along with him (peace and blessings be upon him). I too would go out in the morning to prepare with them, then come back without having accomplished anything, saying to myself: "I can do this whenever I want." This went on like that until the people were fully ready for the next day, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out early in the morning, and the Muslims with him (peace and blessings be upon him), and I had not accomplished anything. Then I went out the next morning and came back without accomplishing anything. It remained like that until the army had moved on quickly, and I intended to set off and catch up with them (if only I had done so!), but I did not do it. Whenever I went out among the people after the departure of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), it grieved me that I saw no one except someone accused of hypocrisy, or someone who had been excused by being counted among the weak. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not mention me until he reached Tabuk. While sitting among the people, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know what Ka'b bin Malik has done?" A man from Banu Salimah said: "Yes, his two cloaks and his looking at his own side have held him back." Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do you know what you have said? By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we know nothing of him but good." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. When news reached me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had set out on the return journey from Tabuk, an evil thought came to me, and I began to think up lies, saying: "With what will I get out of the displeasure of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) tomorrow?" And I sought help in that from everyone I saw of my family. When it was said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was about to arrive, falsehood left me, and I became certain that there was no escape from it except through the truth, so I firmly resolved to tell him (peace and blessings be upon him) the truth. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reached Madinah early in the morning. It was his (peace and blessings be upon him) practice that when he returned from a journey, he would first go to the mosque and pray two rak'ahs in it, and then sit for the people. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) did so, those who had stayed behind began coming to him (peace and blessings be upon him), making excuses to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and swearing oaths; they were some eighty-odd men. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted their outward state and their (profession of) faith, sought forgiveness for them, and left their inner states to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, until I came and greeted him (peace and blessings be upon him). When I greeted him, he (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled the smile of an angry person, then said: "Come here." So I walked up and sat in front of him (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "What held you back? Had you not bought a mount?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah! By Allah, if I had been sitting before anyone of the people of this world other than you, I would have thought that I could get out of his displeasure with some excuse, for I have been given skill (in argument). But by Allah, I know that if today I tell you a lie to please you, then soon Allah will make you displeased with me; and if today I tell you the truth for which you become displeased with me, I hope for Allah's pardon in it. By Allah, I had no excuse. By Allah, I was never so strong or so well off as I was when I stayed behind from you." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "As for this man, he has spoken the truth. Get up until Allah decides your matter." So I got up, and some men of Banu Salimah stood up with me and followed me, saying: "By Allah! We do not know that you ever committed a sin before this. You could not even manage to offer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the same excuse that the hypocrites offered! The seeking of forgiveness by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for you would have sufficed." By Allah, they kept reproaching me until I wanted to go back to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and belie myself. Then I said to them: "Has anyone besides me met with this matter?" They said: "Yes, two men said something like what you said, and they were told the same as you were told." I asked: "Who are they?" They said: "Murarah bin al-Rabi' and Hilal bin Umayyah al-Waqifi." They mentioned two righteous men in whom there was an example (for me). When they named these two to me, I stood firm (on my truthfulness). And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade (people) from speaking to the three of us (only the three of us out of all those who had stayed behind). So the people avoided us and changed towards us, until my own self and the land felt strange to me, and it was no longer the land I knew. We remained in that state for fifty nights. As for my two companions, they became dejected and sat in their homes, but I was the strongest and boldest of the group, so I would go out, attend the prayer with the Muslims and walk around the markets, but no one would speak to me. I would come to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in his gathering after the prayer and greet him (peace and blessings be upon him), then think to myself: "Did he (peace and blessings be upon him) move his lips in reply to the greeting or not?" Then I would pray near him (peace and blessings be upon him) and steal glances at him (peace and blessings be upon him). When I turned to my prayer, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would look at me, and when I turned towards him (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) would turn his face away. Then, when this period of the Muslims' harshness towards me became prolonged, I walked and climbed over the wall of my paternal cousin Abu Qatadah, who was the dearest of people to me, and greeted him; by Allah, he did not return my greeting. I said: "O Abu Qatadah! I ask you by Allah, do you know that I love Allah and His Messenger?" He remained silent. I asked him by Allah again, and he again remained silent. I asked him by Allah once more, and he said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." My eyes overflowed with tears, and I turned back and climbed over the wall. Then in the morning I went to the market. While I was walking in the market, suddenly a Nabatean from the Nabateans of Syria, who had come to Madinah to sell grain, began asking about me: "Who will direct me to Ka'b bin Malik?" The people began pointing to me, until he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of Ghassan; he had written the letter on a piece of silk. In it was: "To proceed: News has reached us that your companion has treated you harshly, and Allah has not made you for a place of humiliation and loss, so come to us, and we will console you." When I read it, I said: "This too is another trial. That a man from the people of disbelief should have hopes in me shows what state I have reached." So I took it to the oven and burned it in it. We remained in that state until forty nights had passed, when suddenly the messenger of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) orders you to keep away from your wife." I asked: "Should I divorce her, or what?" He said: "Rather, keep away from her and do not go near her." And a similar message was sent to my two companions. So I said to my wife: "Go to your family and stay with them until Allah decides in this matter whatever He wills." (Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the wife of Hilal bin Umayyah came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Hilal bin Umayyah is a very old, helpless man who has no servant; would you dislike it if I served him?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No, but he must not come near you." She said: "O Messenger of Allah! He has no movement left towards me. By Allah, ever since this matter of his happened, he has been weeping constantly until this day, and I have come to fear for his eyesight." Then one of my family said to me: "If only you would also ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for permission regarding your wife, just as he (peace and blessings be upon him) has permitted the wife of Hilal bin Umayyah to serve him." I said: "No, by Allah, I will not ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for permission about this. How do I know what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would say if I asked him for permission about it, when I am a young man?" So we remained in that state for ten more nights, until fifty full nights were completed since the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had forbidden (people) from speaking to us. On the morning of the fiftieth night, I prayed Fajr on the roof of one of our houses, and I was in the very state that Allah has mentioned: the earth, despite its vastness, had become narrow for us, and our souls had become constricted for us. I had set up a tent for myself towards Mount Sal', and I was in it when I heard the voice of a caller on the top of Sal', saying at the top of his voice: "O Ka'b bin Malik! Rejoice!" So I fell down in prostration, and I became certain that relief had come. When dawn broke, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) informed the people of our repentance (having been accepted), and some people set out to give us the good news. Bearers of good news went to our two companions too; a man galloped his horse towards me, and a man from Aslam ran and climbed to the top of the mountain (and announced the good news), and the voice was faster than the rider. When the man whose voice I had heard came to me, I took off my two garments and clothed him with them in return for the good news; by Allah, I owned no other garments that day. I borrowed two other garments and put them on, then set out for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). People met me in crowds, congratulating me on Allah's acceptance of my repentance, until I entered the mosque, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting with the people around him (peace and blessings be upon him). Talhah bin Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) got up and came towards me, greeted me and congratulated me; by Allah, no one else from the Muhajirun stood up for me. And Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) never forgot this kindness of Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him). Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When I greeted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), his (peace and blessings be upon him) face was shining with joy, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rejoice at the best day that has passed over you since the day your mother gave birth to you." I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Is this from you or from Allah, the Blessed and Exalted?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No, rather from Allah." It was the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he was pleased with something, he would light up as though his (peace and blessings be upon him) face were a piece of the moon, and we used to recognise it by that. When I sat in front of him (peace and blessings be upon him), I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Part of my repentance is that I give away all my wealth as charity for Allah and His Messenger." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Keep some of your wealth with you; that is better for you." I said: "Then I will keep my share at Khaybar." Then I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Allah has saved me because of truthfulness, and part of my repentance to Allah is that as long as I live I will speak nothing but the truth." By Allah, I do not know of any person whom Allah has tested for speaking the truth as much as He has tested me, from the day I said that to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until today, and I hope that Allah will protect me for the rest of my life. And Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet, the Muhajirun and the Ansar, who followed him (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hour of hardship, after the hearts of a party of them had almost deviated; then He turned to them in mercy. Indeed, He is to them Most Kind, Most Merciful. And to the three who were left behind, until" [Surah al-Tawbah: 118] up to the words of Allah: "and be with the truthful" [Surah al-Tawbah: 119]. Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah, of all the blessings Allah bestowed on me after guiding me to Islam, none is greater in my eyes than that I spoke the truth to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that day; otherwise, had I lied to him (peace and blessings be upon him), I would have been destroyed as those who lied were destroyed. Indeed, when the revelation came down, Allah said about those who lied the worst thing He has said about anyone. He said: "They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them, so that you may leave them alone. So leave them alone; indeed, they are filth, and their refuge is Hell, as a recompense for what they used to earn. They swear to you so that you may be pleased with them; but even if you are pleased with them, Allah is not pleased with the defiantly disobedient people" [Surah al-Tawbah: 95]. (Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him) said: The three of us were kept apart from the matter of those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted when they swore oaths to him, believing them and seeking forgiveness for them, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) deferred our matter until Allah decided in it what He willed. That is the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: "And to the three who were left behind" [Surah al-Tawbah: 118]. Allah did not say this about our staying behind from the expedition, but about His leaving us behind and deferring our matter from the decision about those who swore oaths and made excuses, and whose excuses were accepted.
I never stayed behind from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in any expedition other than this one, except the expedition of Badr, and Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not blame anyone for staying behind from it, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had only set out intending the trade caravan of Quraysh, until Allah brought him (peace and blessings be upon him) and his (peace and blessings be upon him) enemy together without any appointment. And I was present with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on the night of al-Aqabah when we made a firm covenant upon Islam, and I would not like to have had presence at Badr in exchange for it, even though the expedition of Badr is more famous among people than it.
My story, when I stayed behind from that expedition, is this: whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on an expedition, it seldom happened that he (peace and blessings be upon him) disclosed its real objective; rather, he usually alluded to something else. Until this expedition came: he (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook it in intense heat, and a large enemy had to be faced, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) explained their situation clearly to the people so that they could prepare fully for it, and he told them the direction he intended. The Muslims who went with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were so many that no written list gathered them (Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him, meant the military register (diwan), that is, no written register gathered them). For this reason there was seldom a man who wanted to stay behind and hide, except that he thought his hiding would remain concealed only as long as no revelation about him came down from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook this expedition when the fruits had ripened and the shade had become pleasant. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prepared, and the Muslims prepared along with him (peace and blessings be upon him). I too would go out in the morning to prepare with them, then come back without having accomplished anything, saying to myself: "I can do this whenever I want." This went on like that until the people were fully ready for the next day, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out early in the morning, and the Muslims with him (peace and blessings be upon him), and I had not accomplished anything. Then I went out the next morning and came back without accomplishing anything. It remained like that until the army had moved on quickly, and I intended to set off and catch up with them (if only I had done so!), but I did not do it. Whenever I went out among the people after the departure of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), it grieved me that I saw no one except someone accused of hypocrisy, or someone who had been excused by being counted among the weak. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not mention me until he reached Tabuk. While sitting among the people, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know what Ka'b bin Malik has done?" A man from Banu Salimah said: "Yes, his two cloaks and his looking at his own side have held him back." Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do you know what you have said? By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we know nothing of him but good." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. When news reached me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had set out on the return journey from Tabuk, an evil thought came to me, and I began to think up lies, saying: "With what will I get out of the displeasure of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) tomorrow?" And I sought help in that from everyone I saw of my family. When it was said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was about to arrive, falsehood left me, and I became certain that there was no escape from it except through the truth, so I firmly resolved to tell him (peace and blessings be upon him) the truth. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reached Madinah early in the morning. It was his (peace and blessings be upon him) practice that when he returned from a journey, he would first go to the mosque and pray two rak'ahs in it, and then sit for the people. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) did so, those who had stayed behind began coming to him (peace and blessings be upon him), making excuses to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and swearing oaths; they were some eighty-odd men. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted their outward state and their (profession of) faith, sought forgiveness for them, and left their inner states to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, until I came and greeted him (peace and blessings be upon him). When I greeted him, he (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled the smile of an angry person, then said: "Come here." So I walked up and sat in front of him (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "What held you back? Had you not bought a mount?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah! By Allah, if I had been sitting before anyone of the people of this world other than you, I would have thought that I could get out of his displeasure with some excuse, for I have been given skill (in argument). But by Allah, I know that if today I tell you a lie to please you, then soon Allah will make you displeased with me; and if today I tell you the truth for which you become displeased with me, I hope for Allah's pardon in it. By Allah, I had no excuse. By Allah, I was never so strong or so well off as I was when I stayed behind from you." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "As for this man, he has spoken the truth. Get up until Allah decides your matter." So I got up, and some men of Banu Salimah stood up with me and followed me, saying: "By Allah! We do not know that you ever committed a sin before this. You could not even manage to offer the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the same excuse that the hypocrites offered! The seeking of forgiveness by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for you would have sufficed." By Allah, they kept reproaching me until I wanted to go back to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and belie myself. Then I said to them: "Has anyone besides me met with this matter?" They said: "Yes, two men said something like what you said, and they were told the same as you were told." I asked: "Who are they?" They said: "Murarah bin al-Rabi' and Hilal bin Umayyah al-Waqifi." They mentioned two righteous men in whom there was an example (for me). When they named these two to me, I stood firm (on my truthfulness). And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade (people) from speaking to the three of us (only the three of us out of all those who had stayed behind). So the people avoided us and changed towards us, until my own self and the land felt strange to me, and it was no longer the land I knew. We remained in that state for fifty nights. As for my two companions, they became dejected and sat in their homes, but I was the strongest and boldest of the group, so I would go out, attend the prayer with the Muslims and walk around the markets, but no one would speak to me. I would come to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in his gathering after the prayer and greet him (peace and blessings be upon him), then think to myself: "Did he (peace and blessings be upon him) move his lips in reply to the greeting or not?" Then I would pray near him (peace and blessings be upon him) and steal glances at him (peace and blessings be upon him). When I turned to my prayer, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would look at me, and when I turned towards him (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace and blessings be upon him) would turn his face away. Then, when this period of the Muslims' harshness towards me became prolonged, I walked and climbed over the wall of my paternal cousin Abu Qatadah, who was the dearest of people to me, and greeted him; by Allah, he did not return my greeting. I said: "O Abu Qatadah! I ask you by Allah, do you know that I love Allah and His Messenger?" He remained silent. I asked him by Allah again, and he again remained silent. I asked him by Allah once more, and he said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." My eyes overflowed with tears, and I turned back and climbed over the wall. Then in the morning I went to the market. While I was walking in the market, suddenly a Nabatean from the Nabateans of Syria, who had come to Madinah to sell grain, began asking about me: "Who will direct me to Ka'b bin Malik?" The people began pointing to me, until he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of Ghassan; he had written the letter on a piece of silk. In it was: "To proceed: News has reached us that your companion has treated you harshly, and Allah has not made you for a place of humiliation and loss, so come to us, and we will console you." When I read it, I said: "This too is another trial. That a man from the people of disbelief should have hopes in me shows what state I have reached." So I took it to the oven and burned it in it. We remained in that state until forty nights had passed, when suddenly the messenger of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to me and said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) orders you to keep away from your wife." I asked: "Should I divorce her, or what?" He said: "Rather, keep away from her and do not go near her." And a similar message was sent to my two companions. So I said to my wife: "Go to your family and stay with them until Allah decides in this matter whatever He wills." (Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the wife of Hilal bin Umayyah came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Hilal bin Umayyah is a very old, helpless man who has no servant; would you dislike it if I served him?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No, but he must not come near you." She said: "O Messenger of Allah! He has no movement left towards me. By Allah, ever since this matter of his happened, he has been weeping constantly until this day, and I have come to fear for his eyesight." Then one of my family said to me: "If only you would also ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for permission regarding your wife, just as he (peace and blessings be upon him) has permitted the wife of Hilal bin Umayyah to serve him." I said: "No, by Allah, I will not ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for permission about this. How do I know what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would say if I asked him for permission about it, when I am a young man?" So we remained in that state for ten more nights, until fifty full nights were completed since the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had forbidden (people) from speaking to us. On the morning of the fiftieth night, I prayed Fajr on the roof of one of our houses, and I was in the very state that Allah has mentioned: the earth, despite its vastness, had become narrow for us, and our souls had become constricted for us. I had set up a tent for myself towards Mount Sal', and I was in it when I heard the voice of a caller on the top of Sal', saying at the top of his voice: "O Ka'b bin Malik! Rejoice!" So I fell down in prostration, and I became certain that relief had come. When dawn broke, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) informed the people of our repentance (having been accepted), and some people set out to give us the good news. Bearers of good news went to our two companions too; a man galloped his horse towards me, and a man from Aslam ran and climbed to the top of the mountain (and announced the good news), and the voice was faster than the rider. When the man whose voice I had heard came to me, I took off my two garments and clothed him with them in return for the good news; by Allah, I owned no other garments that day. I borrowed two other garments and put them on, then set out for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). People met me in crowds, congratulating me on Allah's acceptance of my repentance, until I entered the mosque, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting with the people around him (peace and blessings be upon him). Talhah bin Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) got up and came towards me, greeted me and congratulated me; by Allah, no one else from the Muhajirun stood up for me. And Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) never forgot this kindness of Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him). Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When I greeted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), his (peace and blessings be upon him) face was shining with joy, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rejoice at the best day that has passed over you since the day your mother gave birth to you." I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Is this from you or from Allah, the Blessed and Exalted?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No, rather from Allah." It was the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he was pleased with something, he would light up as though his (peace and blessings be upon him) face were a piece of the moon, and we used to recognise it by that. When I sat in front of him (peace and blessings be upon him), I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Part of my repentance is that I give away all my wealth as charity for Allah and His Messenger." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Keep some of your wealth with you; that is better for you." I said: "Then I will keep my share at Khaybar." Then I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Allah has saved me because of truthfulness, and part of my repentance to Allah is that as long as I live I will speak nothing but the truth." By Allah, I do not know of any person whom Allah has tested for speaking the truth as much as He has tested me, from the day I said that to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until today, and I hope that Allah will protect me for the rest of my life. And Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse: "Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet, the Muhajirun and the Ansar, who followed him (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hour of hardship, after the hearts of a party of them had almost deviated; then He turned to them in mercy. Indeed, He is to them Most Kind, Most Merciful. And to the three who were left behind, until" [Surah al-Tawbah: 118] up to the words of Allah: "and be with the truthful" [Surah al-Tawbah: 119]. Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah, of all the blessings Allah bestowed on me after guiding me to Islam, none is greater in my eyes than that I spoke the truth to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that day; otherwise, had I lied to him (peace and blessings be upon him), I would have been destroyed as those who lied were destroyed. Indeed, when the revelation came down, Allah said about those who lied the worst thing He has said about anyone. He said: "They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them, so that you may leave them alone. So leave them alone; indeed, they are filth, and their refuge is Hell, as a recompense for what they used to earn. They swear to you so that you may be pleased with them; but even if you are pleased with them, Allah is not pleased with the defiantly disobedient people" [Surah al-Tawbah: 95]. (Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him) said: The three of us were kept apart from the matter of those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted when they swore oaths to him, believing them and seeking forgiveness for them, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) deferred our matter until Allah decided in it what He willed. That is the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: "And to the three who were left behind" [Surah al-Tawbah: 118]. Allah did not say this about our staying behind from the expedition, but about His leaving us behind and deferring our matter from the decision about those who swore oaths and made excuses, and whose excuses were accepted.
