Musnad Ahmad

Hajjaj narrated to us, he said: Laith ibn Sa'd narrated to us, he said: 'Uqayl ibn Khalid narrated to me, from Ibn Shihab, that he said: 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Ka'b ibn Malik informed me, that 'Abd Allah ibn Ka'b ibn Malik, who was the guide of Ka'b from among his sons when he became blind, said: I heard Ka'b ibn Malik narrating his story when he stayed behind from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the expedition of Tabuk. Ka'b ibn Malik said: I never stayed behind from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in any expedition he undertook except in the expedition of Tabuk, except that I had also stayed behind from the expedition of Badr, but he did not blame anyone who stayed behind from it, because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had only gone out intending the caravan of Quraysh, in which was Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and a group from Quraysh. Then he said: "Come," so I came walking until I sat before him. He said: "What kept you back? Did you not buy your mount?" I said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. By Allah, if I were sitting before anyone else from the people of this world, I would think that I could escape his anger with an excuse, and I have indeed been given eloquence. Then he mentioned the hadith, and he said in it: Indeed, I hope for Allah's pardon. And he said: So I said to my wife: Go to your family, and stay with them until Allah decides concerning this matter. And he said: I heard the voice of a caller who had ascended the top of Mount Sal‘ shouting at the top of his voice: O Ka'b ibn Malik, rejoice! He said: So I fell down in prostration, and I knew that relief had come. And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, informed the people of our repentance when he prayed the dawn prayer. Then he mentioned the meaning of the hadith of the nephew of Ibn Shihab, and he said in it: And I said to myself: Did he move his lips in returning the greeting?