Shahih Bukhari - 4066

Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Yahya bin Bukair] Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Al Laits] dari ['Uqail] dari [Ibnu Syihab] dari ['Abdur Rahman bin 'Abdullah bin Ka'ab bin Malik] bahwa ['Abdullah bin Ka'ab bin Malik] -Abdullah bin Ka'ab adalah salah seorang putra Ka'ab yang mendampingi Ka'ab ketika ia buta- berkata; 'Saya pernah mendengar [Ka'ab bin Malik] menceritakan peristiwa tentang dirinya ketika ia tertinggal dari Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam dalam perang Tabuk.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Saya tidak pernah tertinggal menyertai Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam dalam peperangan yang beliau ikuti kecuali perang Tabuk, akan tetapi saya juga pernah tertinggal dalam perang Badar. Hanya Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam tidak pernah mencela seorang muslim yang tidak turut dalam perang Badar. Yang demikian karena pada awalmulanya Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam dan kaum muslimin hanya ingin mencegat kaum kafir Quraisy yang sedang berada dalam perjalanan dengan mengendarai unta hingga Allah mempertemukan kaum muslimin dengan musuh mereka tanpa waktu yang di sepakati sebelumnya. Saat itu saya ikut serta bersama Rasulullah pada malam Aqabah ketika kami berjanji untuk membela Islam. Menurut saya, turut serta dalam perang Badar tidak sebanding dengan turut serta dalam malam Aqabah, meskipun perang Badar lebih populer kebanyakan orang. Di antara cerita ketika saya tidak turut serta bersama Rasulullah dalam perang Tabuk adalah sebagai berikut; 'Belum pernah stamina saya betul-betul fit dan mempunyai keluasan harta daripada ketika saya tidak ikut serta dalam perang Tabuk tersebut. Demi Allah, sebelumnya saya tidak menyiapkan dua ekor hewan tunggangan sama sekali dalam pelbagai peperangan. Tetapi dalam perang Tabuk ini, saya bisa menyiapkan dua ekor hewan tunggangan. Adalah sudah menjadi tradisi beliau Shallallahu'alaihiwasallam, beliau tidak pernah melakukan sebuah peperangan selain beliau merahasiakan tujuan peperangannya, hingga saat terjadilah perang tabuk ini, yang beliau nyatakan tujuan perangnya secara vulgar (terang-terangan). Akhirnya Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam pergi berangkat ke perang Tabuk pada saat cuaca sangat panas. Dapat di katakan bahwasanya beliau menempuh perjalanan yang amat jauh dan penuh resiko serta menghadapi musuh yang berjumlah besar. Lalu Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam menjelaskan kepada kaum muslimin apa yang akan mereka hadapi bersamanya. Oleh karena itu, beliau memerintahkan kaum muslimin untuk mempersiapkan perbekalan perang yang cukup. Pada saat itu, kaum muslimin yang menyertai Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam banyak sekali tanpa ditunjuk melalui surat tugas untuk berperang. Ka'ab berkata; 'Ada seorang laki-laki yang tidak muncul karena ia ingin tidak turut serta berperang. Ia menduga bahwa ketidak turutannya itu tidak akan di ketahui oleh Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam -selama tidak ada wahyu yang turun mengenai dirinya dari Allah Azza Wa Jalla -. Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam pergi berperang ke perang tabuk ketika hasil panen buah sangat memuaskan, hingga saya harus memalingkan perhatian dari hasil panen tersebut. Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam dan kaum muslimin yang ikut serta sudah bersiap-siap dan saya pun segera pergi untuk mencari perbekalan bersama mereka. Lalu saya pulang tanpa memperoleh perbekalan sama sekali. Saya berkata dalam hati; 'Ahh, saya dapat mempersiapkan perbekalan sewaktu-waktu. Saya selalu dalam teka-teki antara iya (berangkat) dan tidak hingga orang-orang semakin siap.' Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam berangkat bersama kaum muslimin, sedangkan saya belum mempersiapkan perbekalan sama sekali. Akhirnya saya pergi, lalu saya pulang tanpa mempersiapkan sesuatu. Saya senantiasa berada dalam kebimbangan seperti itu antara turut serta berperang ataupun tidak, hingga pasukan kaum muslimin telah bergegas berangkat dan perang pun berkecamuk sudah. Kemudian saya ingin menyusul ke medan pertempuran -tetapi hal itu hanyalah angan-angan belaka- dan akhirnya saya ditakdirkan untuk tidak ikut serta ke medan perang. Setelah Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam pergi ke medan perang tabuk, maka mulailah rasa sedih menyelimuti diri saya. Ketika keluar ke tengah-tengah masyarakat sekitar. Saya menyadari bahwasanya tidak ada yang dapat saya temui kecuali orang-orang yang dalam kemunafikan atau orang-orang yang lemah yang diberikan uzur oleh Allah Azza Wa Jalla. Sementara itu, Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam tidak mengingat diri saya hingga beliau sampai di Tabuk. Kemudian, ketika beliau sedang duduk-duduk di tengah para sahabat, tiba-tiba beliau bertanya; 'Mengapa Ka'ab bin Malik tidak ikut serta bersama kita? ' Seorang sahabat dari Bani Salimah menjawab; 'Ya Rasulullah, sepertinya Ka'ab bin Malik lebih mementingkan dirinya sendiri daripada perjuangan ini? ' Mendengar ucapan sahabat tersebut, Muadz bin Jabal berkata; 'Hai sahabat, buruk sekali ucapanmu itu! Demi Allah ya Rasulullah, saya tahu bahwasanya Ka'ab bin Malik itu adalah orang yang baik.' Kemudian Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam diam. Ketika beliau terdiam seperti itu, tiba-tiba beliau melihat seorang laki-laki yang memakai helm besi yang sulit di kenali. Lalu Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam berkata: 'Kamu pasti Abu Khaitsamah? ' Ternyata orang tersebut adalah memang benar-benar Abu Khaitsamah Al Anshari, sahabat yang pernah menyedekahkan satu sha' kurma ketika ia dicaci maki oleh orang-orang munafik. Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Ketika saya mendengar bahwasanya Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam telah bersiap-siap kembali dari perang Tabuk, maka saya pun diliputi kesedihan. Lalu saya mulai merancang alasan untuk berdusta. Saya berkata dalam hati; 'Alasan apa yang dapat menyelamatkan diri saya dari amarah Rasulullah? ' Untuk menghadapi hal tersebut, saya meminta pertolongan kepada keluarga yang dapat memberikan saran. Ketika ada seseorang yang berkata kepada saya bahwasanya Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam hampir tiba di kota Madinah, hilanglah alasan untuk berdusta dari benak saya. Akhirnya saya menyadari bahwasanya saya tidak dapat berbohong sedikit pun kepada Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam. Oleh karena itu, saya pun harus berkata jujur kepada beliau. Tak lama kemudian Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam tiba di kota Madinah. Seperti biasa, beliau langsung menuju Masjid - sebagaimana tradisi beliau manakala tiba dari bepergian ke suatu daerah - untuk melakukan shalat. Setelah melakukan shalat sunnah, Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam langsung bercengkrama bersama para sahabat. Setelah itu, datanglah beberapa orang sahabat yang tidak sempat ikut serta bertempur bersama kaum muslimin seraya menyampaikan berbagai alasan kepada beliau dengan bersumpah. Diperkirakan mereka yang tidak turut serta bertempur itu sekitar delapan puluh orang lebih. Ternyata Rasulullah menerima keterus terangan mereka yang tidak ikut serta berperang, membai'at mereka, memohon ampun untuk mereka, dan menyerahkan apa yang mereka sembunyikan dalam hati mereka kepada Allah. Selang beberapa saat kemudian, saya datang menemui Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam. Setelah saya memberi salam, beliau tersenyum seperti senyuman orang yang marah. Kemudian beliau pun berkata; 'Kemarilah! ' Lalu saya berjalan mendekati beliau hingga saya duduk tepat di hadapan beliau. Setelah itu Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam bertanya: 'Mengapa kamu tidak ikut serta bertempur bersama kami hai Ka'ab? Bukankah kamu telah berjanji untuk menyerahkan jiwa ragamu untuk Islam? ' Saya menjawab; 'Ya Rasulullah, demi Allah seandainya saya duduk di dekat orang selain diri engkau, niscaya saya yakin bahwasanya saya akan terbebaskan dari kemurkaannya karena alasan dan argumentasi yang saya sampaikan. Tetapi, demi Allah, saya tahu jika sekarang saya menyampaikan kepada engkau alasan yang penuh dusta hingga membuat engkau tidak marah, tentunya Allah lah yang membuat engkau marah kepada saya. Apabila saya mengemukakan kepada engkau ya Rasulullah alasan saya yang benar dan jujur, lalu engkau akan memarahi saya dengan alasan tersebut, maka saya pun akan menerimanya dengan senang hati. Biarkanlah Allah memberi hukuman kepada saya dengan ucapan saya yang jujur tersebut. Demi Allah, sesungguhya tidak ada uzur yang membuat saya tidak ikut serta berperang. Demi Allah, saya tidak berdaya sama sekali kala itu meskipun saya mempunyai peluang yang sangat longgar sekali untuk ikut berjuang bersama kaum muslimin.' Mendengar pengakuan yang tulus itu, Rasulullah pun berkata: 'Orang ini telah berkata jujur dan benar. Oleh karena itu, berdirilah hingga Allah memberimu keputusan." Akhirnya saya pun berdiri dan beranjak dari sisi beliau. Tak lama kemudian, ada beberapa orang dari Bani Salimah beramai-ramai mengikuti saya seraya berkata; 'Hai Ka'ab, demi Allah, sebelumnya kami tidak mengetahui bahwasanya kamu telah berbuat suatu kesalahan/dosa. Kamu benar-benar tidak mengemukakan alasan kepada Rasulullah sebagaimana alasan yang dikemukakan para sahabat lain yang tidak turut berperang. Sesungguhnya, hanya istighfar Rasulullah untukmulah yang menghapus dosamu.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata setelah itu; 'Demi Allah, mereka selalu mencerca saya hingga saya ingin kembali lagi kepada Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam lalu saya dustakan diri saya.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Apakah ada orang lain yang telah menghadap Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam seperti diri saya ini? ' Orang-orang Bani Salimah menjawab; 'Ya. Ada dua orang lagi seperti dirimu. Kedua orang tersebut mengatakan kepada Rasulullah seperti apa yang telah kamu utarakan dan Rasulullah pun menjawabnya seperti jawaban kepadamu.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Lalu saya pun bertanya; 'Siapakah kedua orang tersebut hai para sahabat? ' Mereka, kaum Bani Salimah, menjawab; 'Kedua orang tersebut adalah Murarah bin Rabi'ah Al Amin dan Hilal bin Ummayah Al Waqifi.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Kemudian mereka menyebutkan dua orang sahabat yang shalih yang ikut serta dalam perang Badar dan keduanya layak dijadikan suri tauladan yang baik. Setelah itu, saya pun berlalu ketika mereka menyebutkan dua orang tersebut kepada saya.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Beberapa hari kemudian, Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam melarang kaum muslimin untuk berbicara dengan kami bertiga yang tidak ikut serta dalam perang Tabuk. Sejak saat itu, kaum muslimin mulai menjauhi dan berubah sikap terhadap kami bertiga hingga bumi ini terasa asing bagi kami. Sepertinya, bumi ini bukanlah bumi yang pernah saya huni sebelumnya dan hal itu berlangsung lima puluh malam lamanya.' Dua orang teman saya yang tidak ikut serta dalam perang Tabuk itu kini bersimpuh sedih di rumahnya sambil menangis, sedangkan saya adalah seorang anak muda yang tangguh dan tegar. Saya tetap bersikap wajar dan menjalankan aktivitas sehari-hari seperti biasanya. Saya tetap keluar dari rumah, pergi ke masjid untuk menghadiri shalat jama'ah bersama kaum muslimin lainnya, dan berjalan-jalan di pasar meskipun tidak ada seorang pun yang sudi berbicara dengan saya. Hingga pada suatu ketika saya menghampiri Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam sambil memberikan salam kepadanya ketika beliau berada di tempat duduknya usai shalat. Saya bertanya dalam hati; 'Apakah Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam akan menggerakkan bibirnya untuk menjawab salam ataukah tidak? Kemudian saya melaksanakan shalat di dekat Rasulullah sambil mencuri pandangan kepada beliau. Ketika saya telah bersiap untuk melaksanakan shalat, beliau memandang kepada saya. Dan ketika saya menoleh kepadanya, beliaupun mengalihkan pandangannya dari saya.' Setelah lama terisolisir dari pergaulan kaum muslimin, saya pun pergi berjalan-jalan hingga sampai di pagar kebun Abu Qatadah. Abu Qatadah adalah putera paman saya (sepupu saya) dan ia adalah orang yang saya sukai. Sesampainya di sana, saya pun mengucapkan salam kepadanya. Tetapi, demi Allah, sama sekali ia tidak menjawab salam saya. Akhirnya saya memberanikan diri untuk bertanya kepadanya; 'Hai Abu Qatadah, saya bersumpah kepadamu dengan nama Allah, apakah kamu tidak mengetahui bahwasanya saya sangat mencintai Allah dan Rasul-Nya? ' Ternyata Abu Qatadah hanya terdiam saja. Lalu saya ulangi lagi ucapan saya dengan bersumpah seperti yang pertama kali. Namun ia tetap saja terdiam. Kemudian saya ulangi ucapan saya dan ia pun menjawab; 'Sesungguhnya Allah dan Rasul-Nya lebih mengetahui tentang hal ini.' Mendengar ucapannya itu, berlinanglah air mata saya dan saya pun kembali ke rumah sambil menyusuri kebun tersebut. Ketika saya sedang berjalan-jalan di pasar Madinah, ada seorang laki-laki dari negeri Syam yang berjualan makanan di kota Madinah bertanya; 'Siapakah yang dapat menunjukkan kepada saya di mana Ka'ab bin Malik? ' Lalu orang-orang pun menunjukkan kepada saya hingga orang tersebut datang kepada saya sambil menyerahkan sepucuk surat kepada saya dari raja Ghassan. Karena saya dapat membaca dan menulis, maka saya pun memahami isi surat tersebut. Ternyata isi surat tersebut sebagai berikut; 'Kami mendengar bahwasanya temanmu (maksudnya adalah Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) telah mengisolirmu dari pergaulan umum, sementara Tuhanmu sendiri tidaklah menyia-nyiakanmu seperti itu. Oleh karena itu, bergabunglah dengan kami, niscaya kami akan menolongmu.' Selesai membaca surat itu, saya pun berkata; 'Sebenarnya surat ini juga merupakan sebuah bencana bagi saya.' Lalu saya memasukkannya ke dalam pembakaran dan membakarnya hingga musnah. Setelah empat puluh hari lamanya dari pengucilan umum, ternyata wahyu Tuhan pun tidak juga turun. Hingga pada suatu ketika, seorang utusan Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam mendatangi saya sambil menyampaikan sebuah pesan; 'Hai Ka'ab, sesungguhnya Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam memerintahkanmu untuk menghindari istrimu.' Saya bertanya; 'Apakah saya harus menceraikan atau bagaimana? ' Utusan tersebut menjawab; 'Tidak usah kamu ceraikan. Tetapi, cukuplah kamu menghindarinya dan janganlah kamu mendekatinya.' Lalu saya katakan kepada istri saya; 'Wahai dinda, sebaiknya dinda pulang terlebih dahulu ke rumah orang tua dinda dan tinggallah bersama dengan mereka hingga Allah memberikan keputusan yang jelas dalam permasalahan ini.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Tak lama kemudian istri Hilal bin Umayyah pergi mendatangi Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam sambil bertanya; 'Ya Rasulullah, Hilal bin Umayyah itu sudah lanjut usia dan lemah serta tidak mempunyai pembantu. Oleh karena itu, izinkanlah saya merawatnya.' Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam pun menjawab: 'Jangan. Sebaiknya kamu tidak usah menemaninya terlebih dahulu dan ia tidak boleh dekat denganmu untuk beberapa saat.' Isteri Hilal tetap bersikeras dan berkata; 'Demi Allah ya Rasullah, sekarang ia itu tidak mempunyai semangat hidup lagi. Ia senantiasa menangis, sejak mendapatkan permasalahan ini sampai sekarang.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Beberapa orang dari keluarga saya berkata; 'Sebaiknya kamu meminta izin terlebih dahulu kepada Rasulullah dalam masalah istrimu ini. Karena Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam sendiri telah memberikan izin kepada Hilal bin Umayyah untuk merawat suaminya.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Saya tidak akan meminta izin kepada Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam dalam persoalan istri saya ini. Karena, bagaimanapun, saya tidak akan tahu bagaimana jawaban Rasulullah nanti jika saya meminta izin kepada beliau sedangkan saya masih muda belia.' Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Ternyata hal itu berlangsung selama sepuluh malam hingga dengan demikian lengkaplah sudah lima puluh malam bagi kami terhitung sejak kaum muslimin dilarang untuk berbicara kepada kami. Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Lalu saya melakukan shalat fajar pada malam yang ke lima puluh di bagian belakang rumah. Ketika saya sedang duduk dalam shalat tersebut, diri saya diliputi penyesalan dan kesedihan. Sepertinya bumi yang luas ini terasa sempit bagi diri saya. Tiba-tiba saya mendengar seseorang berteriak dengan lantangnya menembus cakrawala; 'Hai Ka'ab bin Malik, bergembiralah! ' Maka saya pun tersungkur sujud dan mengetahui bahwasanya saya telah terbebas dari persoalan saya. Ka'ab bin Malik berkata; 'Kemudian Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam mengumumkan kepada kaum muslimin usai shalat Shubuh bahwasanya Allah Subhanah (HR. Bukhari: 4066)

Narrated ʿAbdullah bin Kaʿb bin Malik: Who, from among Kab's sons, was the guide of Kaʿb when he became blind: I heard Kaʿb bin Malik narrating the story of (the Ghazwa of) Tabuk in which he failed to take part. Kaʿb said, "I did not remain behind Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in any Ghazwa that he fought except the Ghazwa of Tabuk, and I failed to take part in the Ghazwa of Badr, but Allah did not admonish anyone who had not participated in it, for in fact, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had gone out in search of the caravan of Quraish till Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) and their enemy meet without any appointment. I witnessed the night of Al-ʿAqaba (pledge) with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when we pledged for Islam, and I would not exchange it for the Badr battle although the Badr battle is more popular amongst the people than it (i.e. Al-ʿAqaba pledge). As for my news (in this battle of Tabuk), I had never been stronger or wealthier than I was when I remained behind the Prophet (ﷺ) in that Ghazwa. By Allah, never had I two she-camels before, but I had then at the time of this Ghazwa. Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) wanted to make a Ghazwa, he used to hide his intention by apparently referring to different Ghazwa till it was the time of that Ghazwa (of Tabuk) which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) fought in severe heat, facing, a long journey, desert, and the great number of enemy. So the Prophet (ﷺ) announced to the Muslims clearly (their destination) so that they might get prepared for their Ghazwa. So he informed them clearly of the destination he was going to. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was accompanied by a large number of Muslims who could not be listed in a book namely, a register." Kaʿb added, "Any man who intended to be absent would think that the matter would remain hidden unless Allah revealed it through Divine Revelation. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) fought that Ghazwa at the time when the fruits had ripened and the shade looked pleasant. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and his companions prepared for the battle and I started to go out in order to get myself ready along with them, but I returned without doing anything. I would say to myself, 'I can do that.' So I kept on delaying it every now and then till the people got ready and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the Muslims along with him departed, and I had not prepared anything for my departure, and I said, I will prepare myself (for departure) one or two days after him, and then join them.' In the morning following their departure, I went out to get myself ready but returned having done nothing. Then again in the next morning, I went out to get ready but returned without doing anything. Such was the case with me till they hurried away and the battle was missed (by me). Even then I intended to depart to take them over. I wish I had done so! But it was not in my luck. So, after the departure of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), whenever I went out and walked amongst the people (i.e, the remaining persons), it grieved me that I could see none around me, but one accused of hypocrisy or one of those weak men whom Allah had excused. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not remember me till he reached Tabuk. So while he was sitting amongst the people in Tabuk, he said, 'What did Kaʿb do?' A man from Banu Salama said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! He has been stopped by his two Burdas (i.e. garments) and his looking at his own flanks with pride.' Then Muʿadh bin Jabal said, 'What a bad thing you have said! By Allah! O Allahs Messenger (ﷺ)! We know nothing about him but good.' Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kept silent." Kaʿb bin Malik added, "When I heard that he (i.e. The Prophet (ﷺ) ) was on his way back to Medina. I got dipped in my concern, and began to think of false excuses, saying to myself, 'How can I avoid his anger tomorrow?' And I took the advice of wise member of my family in this matter. When it was said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), had come near all the evil false excuses abandoned from my mind and I knew well that I could never come out of this problem by forging a false statement. Then I decided firmly to speak the truth. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) arrived in the morning, and whenever he returned from a journey., he used to visit the Mosque first of all and offer a two-rakaʿat prayer therein and then sit for the people. So when he had done all that (this time), those who had failed to join the battle (of Tabuk) came and started offering (false) excuses and taking oaths before him. They were something over eighty men; Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) accepted the excuses they had expressed, took their pledge of allegiance asked for Allah's Forgiveness for them, and left the secrets of their hearts for Allah to judge. Then I came to him, and when I greeted him, he smiled a smile of an angry person and then said, 'Come on.' So I came walking till I sat before him. He said to me, 'What stopped you from joining us. Had you not purchased an animal For carrying you?' I answered, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! But by Allah, if I were sitting before any person from among the people of the world other than you, I would have avoided his anger with an excuse. By Allah, I have been bestowed with the power of speaking fluently and eloquently, but by Allah, I knew well that if today I tell you a lie to seek your favor, Allah would surely make you angry with me in the near future, but if I tell you the truth, though you will get angry because of it, I hope for Allah's Forgiveness. Really, by Allah, there was no excuse for me. By Allah, I had never been stronger or wealthier than I was when I remained behind you.' Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'As regards this man, he has surely told the truth. So get up till Allah decides your case.' I got up, and many men of Banu Salama followed me and said to me. 'By Allah, we never witnessed you doing any sin before this. Surely, you failed to offer excuse to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as the others who did not join him, have offered. The prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to Allah to forgive you would have been sufficient for you.' By Allah, they continued blaming me so much that I intended to return (to the Prophet (ﷺ)) and accuse myself of having told a lie, but I said to them, 'Is there anybody else who has met the same fate as I have?' They replied, 'Yes, there are two men who have said the same thing as you have, and to both of them was given the same order as given to you.' I said, 'Who are they?' They replied, Murara bin Ar-Rabi Al-Amri and Hilal bin Umaiya Al-Waqifi.' By that they mentioned to me two pious men who had attended the Ghazwa (Battle) of Badr, and in whom there was an example for me. So I did not change my mind when they mentioned them to me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade all the Muslims to talk to us, the three aforesaid persons out of all those who had remained behind in that Ghazwa. So we kept away from the people and they changed their attitude towards us till the very land (where I lived) appeared strange to me as if I did not know it. We remained in that condition for fifty nights. As regards my two fellows, they remained in their houses and kept on weeping, but I was the youngest of them and the firmest of them, so I used to go out and witness the prayers along with the Muslims and roam about in the markets, but none would talk to me, and I would come to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and greet him while he was sitting In his gathering after the prayer, and I would wonder whether the Prophet (ﷺ) did move his lips in return to my greetings or not. Then I would offer my prayer near to him and look at him stealthily. When I was busy with my prayer, he would turn his face towards me, but when I turned my face to him, he would turn his face away from me. When this harsh attitude of the people lasted long, I walked till I scaled the wall of the garden of Abu Qatada who was my cousin and dearest person to me, and I offered my greetings to him. By Allah, he did not return my greetings. I said, 'O Abu Qatada! I beseech you by Allah! Do you know that I love Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ)?' He kept quiet. I asked him again, beseeching him by Allah, but he remained silent. Then I asked him again in the Name of Allah. He said, "Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) know it better.' Thereupon my eyes flowed with tears and I returned and jumped over the wall." Kaʿb added, "While I was walking in the market of Medina, suddenly I saw a Nabati (i.e. a Christian farmer) from the Nabatis of Sham who came to sell his grains in Medina, saying, 'Who will lead me to Kaʿb bin Malik?' The people began to point (me) out for him till he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of Ghassan in which the following was written: "To proceed, I have been informed that your friend (i.e. The Prophet (ﷺ) ) has treated you harshly. Anyhow, Allah does not let you live at a place where you feel inferior and your right is lost. So join us, and we will console you." When I read it, I said to myself, 'This is also a sort of a test.' Then I took the letter to the oven and made a fire therein by burning it. When forty out of the fifty nights elapsed, behold ! There came to me the messenger of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, 'Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) orders you to keep away from your wife,' I said, 'Should I divorce her; or else! what should I do?' He said, 'No, only keep aloof from her and do not cohabit her.' the Prophet (ﷺ) sent the same message to my two fellows. Then I said to my wife. 'Go to your parents and remain with them till Allah gives His Verdict in this matter." Kaʿb added, "The wife of Hilal bin Umaiya came to Messenger (ﷺ) and said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Hilal bin Umaiya is a helpless old man who has no servant to attend on him. Do you dislike that I should serve him? ' He said, 'No (you can serve him) but he should not come near you.' She said, 'By Allah, he has no desire for anything. By, Allah, he has never ceased weeping till his case began till this day of his.' On that, some of my family members said to me, 'Will you also ask Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to permit your wife (to serve you) as he has permitted the wife of Hilal bin Umaiya to serve him?' I said, 'By Allah, I will not ask the permission of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) regarding her, for I do not know What Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would say if I asked him to permit her (to serve me) while I am a young man.' Then I remained in that state for ten more nights after that till the period of fifty nights was completed starting from the time when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prohibited the people from talking to us. When I had offered the Fajr prayer on the 50th morning on the roof of one of our houses and while I was sitting in the condition which Allah described (in the Qurʾan) i.e. my very soul seemed straitened to me and even the earth seemed narrow to me for all its spaciousness, there I heard the voice of one who had ascended the mountain of Sala' calling with his loudest voice, 'O Kaʿb bin Malik! Be happy (by receiving good tidings).' I fell down in prostration before Allah, realizing that relief has come. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had announced the acceptance of our repentance by Allah when he had offered the Fajr prayer. The people then went out to congratulate us. Some bringers of good tidings went out to my two fellows, and a horseman came to me in haste, and a man of Banu Aslam came running and ascended the mountain and his voice was swifter than the horse. When he (i.e. the man) whose voice I had heard, came to me conveying the good tidings, I took off my garments and dressed him with them; and by Allah, I owned no other garments than them on that day. Then I borrowed two garments and wore them and went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). The people started receiving me in batches, congratulating me on Allah's Acceptance of my repentance, saying, 'We congratulate you on Allah's Acceptance of your repentance." Kaʿb further said, "When I entered the Mosque. I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sitting with the people around him. Talha bin Ubaidullah swiftly came to me, shook hands with me and congratulated me. By Allah, none of the Muhajirin (i.e. Emigrants) got up for me except him (i.e. Talha), and I will never forget this for Talha." Kaʿb added, "When I greeted Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) he, his face being bright with joy, said "Be happy with the best day that you have got ever since your mother delivered you." Kaʿb added, "I said to the Prophet (ﷺ) 'Is this forgiveness from you or from Allah?' He said, 'No, it is from Allah.' Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became happy, his face would shine as if it were a piece of moon, and we all knew that characteristic of him. When I sat before him, I said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Because of the acceptance of my repentance I will give up all my wealth as alms for the Sake of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Keep some of your wealth, as it will be better for you.' I said, 'So I will keep my share from Khaibar with me,' and added, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allah has saved me for telling the truth; so it is a part of my repentance not to tell but the truth as long as I am alive. By Allah, I do not know anyone of the Muslims whom Allah has helped fortelling the truth more than me. Since I have mentioned that truth to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) till today, I have never intended to tell a lie. I hope that Allah will also save me (from telling lies) the rest of my life. So Allah revealed to His Messenger (ﷺ) the Verse:-- "Verily, Allah has forgiven the Prophet (ﷺ), the Muhajirin (i.e. Emigrants (up to His Saying) And be with those who are true (in word and deed)." (9.117-119) By Allah, Allah has never bestowed upon me, apart from His guiding me to Islam, a Greater blessing than the fact that I did not tell a lie to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which would have caused me to perish as those who have told a lie perished, for Allah described those who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else. Allah said:-- "They (i.e. the hypocrites) will swear by Allah to you when you return to them (up to His Saying) Certainly Allah is not pleased with the rebellious people--" (9.95-96) Kaʿb added, "We, the three persons, differed altogether from those whose excuses Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) accepted when they swore to him. He took their pledge of allegiance and asked Allah to forgive them, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) left our case pending till Allah gave His Judgment about it. As for that Allah said):-- And to the three (He did for give also) who remained behind." (9.118) What Allah said (in this Verse) does not indicate our failure to take part in the Ghazwa, but it refers to the deferment of making a decision by the Prophet (ﷺ) about our case in contrast to the case of those who had taken an oath before him and he excused them by accepting their excuses. (Bukhari: 4066)