حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبَانٍ، ثنا عَمْرُو بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَنْقَزِيُّ، ثنا خَلَّادُ الصَّفَّارُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ وَأَمَرَ بِالْغَزْوِ إِلَى تَبُوكٍ، وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ مُؤْمِنٌ بِاللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّ نَفْسِي تَتَوقُ إِلَى الظِّلِّ وَالرُّطَبِ، وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ شَابٌّ قَوِيٌّ وَنَفْسِي تَقُولُ لِي، وَعِنْدِي بَعِيرَانِ: سَوْفَ تَعْتَذِرُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَنَفْسِي تَقُولُ لِي: تَخَلَّفْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَنَا كَذَلِكَ وَأَصْبَحَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَادِيًا، وَخَرَجْتُ إِلَى السُّوقِ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَجَهَّزَ، وَكَأَنَّمَا أُمْسِكَ بِيَدِيَّ، وَسَارَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَدْرَ فَرْسَخَيْنِ وَقَفَ، فَإِذَا هُوَ بِرَاكِبٍ يَلْحَقُ بِهِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «كُنْ أَبَا خَيْثَمَةَ» ، فَإِذَا هُوَ بِأَبِي خَيْثَمَةَ، قَالَ: وَفِي الْمَدِينَةِ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَمَانُونَ مِنَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ، وَأَنَا، وَهِلَالُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ، وَمَرَارَةُ، فَسَأَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَبَا خَيْثَمَةَ: «مَا فَعَلَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ؟» ، قَالَ: تَرَكْتُهُ يَمْشِي فِي أَزِقَّةِ الْمَدِينَةِ، فَقَالَ مُعَاذٌ: هُوَ وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُهُ يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ، قَالَ : وَنَزَلَ نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي جَانِبِنَا، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: وَاللهِ إِنَّهُمْ أَرْغَبُنَا بُطُونًا، وَأَخْشَانَا عِنْدَ اللِّقَاءِ، وَأَضْعَفُنَا قُلُوبًا، فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَمَّارَ بْنَ يَاسِرٍ، فَقَالَ: " اذْهَبْ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطِ، فَقُلْ لَهُمْ مَا نَقِسْتُمْ؟، فَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ: إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ "، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: احْتَرَقْتُمْ أَحْرَقَكُمُ اللهُ، وَنَزَلَتْ {وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ} ، قَالَ: وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْهُمْ وَلَكِنَّهُ كَانَ يَسْمَعُ، فَتَعَلَّقَ بِرِجْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَاللهِ مَا مَالَيْتُهُمْ، وَلَكِنِّي قَدْ سَمِعْتُ مَقَالَتَهُمْ، فَسَارَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَعَلَ يَتَعَلَّقُ بِالرَّجُلِ وَيَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْهِ وَيَسِيرُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى سَالَ مِنْ عَقِبَيْهِ الدَّمُ، وَرَجَعَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِهِ فَأَتَاهُ هِلَالُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ، وَمَرَارَةُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ فَأَجْلَسَنَا فِي نَاحِيَةٍ، فَقِيلَ لِكَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ: إِنَّهُ وَاللهِ مَا رَضِيَ عَنْ صَاحِبَيْكَ، فَانْظُرْ بِمَ تَعْتَذِرُ، قُلْتُ: أَسْتَعِينُ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتُ بِالْكَذِبِ، وَمَا أَجِدُ شَيْئًا خَيْرًا مِنَ الصِّدْقِ، فَأَتَيْتُهُ، فَقُلْتُ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، قَالَ: «وَعَلَيْكَ، مَا خَلَفَكَ يَا كَعْبُ؟» ، قُلْتُ: وَاللهِ مَا تَخَلَّفْتُ مِنْ ضِعْفٍ وَلَا حَاجَةٍ، وَلَكِنِ الْبَلَاءُ، قَالَ: «اجْلِسْ مَعَ صَاحِبَيْكَ» ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: «لَا تُجَالِسُوا هَؤُلَاءِ النَّفْرَ، وَلَا تُكَلِّمُوهُمْ، وَلَا تُبَايعُوهُمْ» ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى نِسَائِهِمْ: «لَا يَقْرَبُونَكُمْ» ، فَأَرْسَلَتِ امْرَأَةُ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ هِلَالًا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ فَتَأْذَنَ لَهَا أَنْ تُعْطِيَهُ الشَّيْءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تُكَلِّمَهُ، فَأَذِنَ لَهَا، فَأَرْسَلَتِ امْرَأَةُ كَعْبٍ أَنَّ امْرَأَةَ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ قَدِ اسْتَأْذَنَتْ أَنْ تُنَاوِلَهُ الشَّيْءَ فَتَسْتَأْذِنَهُ فِيكَ، فَقُلْتُ: بِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ تَعْتَذِرِينَ، تَقُولِينَ إِنِّي شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ؟ فَوَاللهِ إِنِّي لَشَابٌّ، أَتَقُولِينَ إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ؟، فَوَاللهِ إِنِّي لَصَحِيحٌ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا أَلَّا تَفْعَلِي، وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ نِعْمَ الشَّفِيعُ إِذْ كَانَتْ لَيْلَتَهَا، قَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ هِلَالُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ، تُكَلِّمُهُ فِينَا، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتْ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ، قَالَ: «أَشَعَرْتِ أَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ تَابَ عَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ؟» ، قَالَتْ: أَلَا أُرْسِلُ إِلَى أَهْلِيهِمْ فَأُبَشِّرَهُمْ، قَالَ: «إِذَنْ لَا يَذَرُنَا النَّاسُ نَنَامُ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ، وَلَكِنْ أَصْبِحِي» ، فَأَصْبَحَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَصَلَّى الْغَدَاةَ، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ: «أَشَعَرْتُمْ أَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ تَابَ عَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ؟» ، فَاسْتَبَقَ إِلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَجُلَانِ، رَجُلٌ رَكِبَ فَرَسًا فَأَخَذَ بَطْنَ الْوَادِي، وَرَجُلٌ مَشَى عَلَى رِجْلَيْهِ حَتَّى صَعِدَ الْجَبَلَ، قَالَ: يَا كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَشَعَرْتَ أَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ تَابَ عَلَيْكَ؟، فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِدًا حَتَّى إِذَا دَنَا مِنِّي رَمَيْتُ إِلَيْهِ بِرِدَائِي، ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَتُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْتُ: مِنْكَ أَوْ مِنَ اللهِ؟، فَقَالَ: «مِنَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ»
Sayyiduna Ka'b bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out in intense heat and ordered the expedition to Tabuk. At that time I believed in Allah and His Messenger, but my soul longed for shade and fresh dates. At that time I was a strong young man, and I had two camels. My soul would say to me: You will make an excuse to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); and my soul would say to me: Stay behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I was in this state when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set off early in the morning. I went out to the market intending to get my provisions ready, but it was as if my hands had been seized. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept travelling until, when he was about two farsakhs from Madinah, he stopped. Suddenly a rider appeared coming towards them, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Be Abu Khaythamah." And it turned out to be Abu Khaythamah. The narrator said: In Madinah there were eighty-seven hypocrites, and I (Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him), Hilal bin Umayyah and Mararah (may Allah be pleased with them) had also (stayed behind). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked Abu Khaythamah (may Allah be pleased with him): "What has Ka'b bin Malik done?" He said: I left him walking in the alleys of Madinah. Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah, as far as I know, he loves Allah and His Messenger. The narrator said: Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) camped near us, and one of them said: By Allah! These people are the greediest of us in their bellies, the most cowardly of us on the battlefield, and the weakest of us in heart. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Go to these people and say to them: What was it that you said? If you ask them, they will certainly say: We were only chatting and joking." Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: You have burned yourselves; may Allah burn you! And this verse was revealed: "And if you ask them, they will surely say: We were only chatting and amusing ourselves. Say: Was it Allah, His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?" The narrator said: A man who was not one of them, but had been listening, came and clung to the foot of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and said: O Messenger of Allah! By Allah, I did not side with them, but I heard what they said. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set off, and the man kept clinging to him (peace and blessings be upon him), apologising and walking with him (peace and blessings be upon him), until blood flowed from his heels. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned from his expedition, Hilal bin Umayyah and Mararah bin Rabi'ah (may Allah be pleased with them both) came to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and we were made to sit to one side. It was said to Ka'b bin Malik: By Allah, he was not pleased with your two companions, so consider what excuse you will present. I said to myself: I will not seek help with lies for what I have done, and I find nothing better than the truth. So I came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: 'As-salamu alayka ayyuha al-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh' (Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "And upon you. O Ka'b! What kept you behind?" I said: By Allah, I did not stay behind because of any weakness or any need; rather, it was a trial. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sit with your two companions." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions: "Do not sit with these three, do not speak to them, and do not trade with them." And he sent word to their wives: "They are not to come near you." The wife of Hilal bin Umayyah sent a message to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that Hilal was an old man, asking whether he would permit her to give him things without speaking to him, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave her permission. Then Ka'b's wife also sent a message saying that the wife of Hilal bin Umayyah had asked permission to hand him things, so should she ask permission concerning you as well? I said: What excuse will you present? Will you say that I am an old man? By Allah, I am a young man. Will you say that I am sick? By Allah, I am healthy. So I sent word to her not to do so. Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) was the best of intercessors; when it was her night, she would say: O Messenger of Allah! Say something regarding Hilal bin Umayyah. Until one night he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know that Allah has accepted the repentance of the three?" She said: Shall I send word to their families and give them the glad tidings? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then the people will not let us sleep tonight; rather, wait until morning." So in the morning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the Fajr prayer, then turned to his Companions and said: "Do you know that Allah has accepted the repentance of the three?" Two men raced towards Ka'b bin Malik: one rode a horse through the bed of the valley, and the other went on foot until he climbed the mountain. He said: O Ka'b bin Malik! Do you know that Allah has accepted your repentance? I fell down in prostration, and when he came near me I gave him my cloak. Then I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: Is this from you or from Allah? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "From Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."