قالَ العُلَماءُ: التَّوْبَةُ وَاجِبَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْب، فَإِنْ كَانَتِ الْمَعْصِيَةُ بَيْنَ الْعَبْدِ وَبَيْنَ الله تَعَالَىٰ ــ لا تَتَعَلَّقُ بِحَقِّ آدَمِيّ ــ فَلَهَا ثَلاثَةُ شُرُوطٍ:
The scholars said that repentance is obligatory from every sin. If the sin is between the servant and Allah Almighty with no human involved, it has three conditions:
أَحَدُهَا: أَنْ يُقْلعَ عَنْ المَعْصِيَةِ.
First: One must give up the sin;
والثَّانِي: أَنْ يَنْدَمَ عَلَىٰ فِعْلِهَا.
Second: One must show remorse for committing it;
والثالث: أَنْ يَعْزِمَ أَنْ لا يَعُودَ إِلَيْهَا أَبَداً. فَإِنْ فُقِدَ أَحَدُ الثَّلاَثَةِ لَمْ تَصِحَّ تَوْبَتُهُ.
Third: One must resolve never to do it again. If any of these conditions is missing, one’s repentance is invalid.
وإِنْ كَانَتِ المَعْصِيَةُ تَتَعَلَّقُ بآدَمِي فَشُرُوطُهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ: هذِهِ الثَّلاَثَةُ، وَأَنْ يَبْرَأَ مِنْ حَقِّ صَاحِبِها، فَإنْ كَانَتْ مَالاً أَو نَحْوَهُ رَدَّهُ إِلَيْه، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ حَدَّ قَذْفٍ وَنَحْوَهُ مَكَّنَهُ مِنْهُ أَوْ طَلَبَ عَفْوَهُ، وَإنْ كَانَتْ غِيبَةً اسْتَحَلَّهُ مِنْهَا. وَيجِبُ أَنْ يَتُوبَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الذُّنُوبِ، فإنْ تَابَ مِنْ بَعْضِهَا صَحَّتْ تَوْبَتُهُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الحَقِّ مِنْ ذلِكَ الذَّنْبِ، وَبقِي عَلَيْهِ البَاقي. وَقَدْ تَظَاهَرَتْ دَلائِلُ الكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وإجْمَاعُ الأُمَّةِ عَلىٰ وُجُوبِ التَّوْبَةِ:
If the sin involves the right of a human, the above three conditions for repentance apply in addition to clearing one’s liability from the right of that human. For example, if one owes money or so, he must pay it back; if it is defamation or so, one should let him reciprocate or ask for his pardon; and if it is backbiting, he should ask for forgiveness, and he must repent from all sins. If he repents from some sins, his repentance is valid according to the scholars of Sunnah, but he is still held accountable for the remaining sins. There is a considerable amount of evidence from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of Muslims on the obligation of repentance:
قَالَ الله تَعَالَى: {وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ} [النور: 31 ] ، وقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَأَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ} [هود: 3] ، وَقَالَ تَعَالَىٰ: {يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوۡبَةٗ نَّصُوحًا} [التحريم: 8 ].
Allah Almighty says: {And turn to Allah in repentance all together, O believers, so that you may be successful.} [Surat an-Nūr: 31] He also says: {And seek your Lord’s forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance} [Surat Hūd: 3] Allah Almighty also says: {O you who believe, turn to Allah in sincere repentance.} [Surat at-Tahrīm: 8]
يُضاف إلىٰ شروط التوبة الثلاثة التي ذكرها المصنف ــ رحمه الله تعالىٰ ــ:
In addition to the three conditions of repentance that the author (may Allah have mercy upon him) mentioned, the following are added:
أن تكون التوبة في زمن تُقبل فيه، وذلك نوعان:
Repentance should take place in its proper time; and this is of two types:
النوع الأول: باعتبار كل إنسان بحسبه، فلابد أن تكون قبل حلول الموت.
The first type: the time related to each person individually; it must be done before death.
النوع الثاني: باعتبار عموم الناس، فإن الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام قال: «لا تنقطعُ الهجرةُ حتىٰ تنقطعَ التوبةُ، ولا تنقطعُ التوبةُ حتىٰ تَطلعَ الشَّمسُ من مَغربِهَا» رواه أحمد. فإذا طلعت الشمس من مغربها لم تنفع التوبة.
The second type: the time related to people in general, based on the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): "Hijrah (migration) is acceptable as long as repentance is acceptable, and repentance is acceptable until the sun rises from the west." [Narrated by Ahmad] As soon as the sun rises from the west, repentance becomes worthless.
1) وجوب التوبة من المعاصي، وبيان فضلها وأجرها، فالله يحب التوّابين.
1) The verse shows the obligation of repenting from sins, the excellence and reward of repentance, for Allah loves the repentants.
2) التوبة سبب للفلاح، والموفْق من عباد الله من سعىٰ إلىٰ باب من أبواب الفلاح فلزمه.
2) Repentance is a cause for success, which is why a true successful person is the one seeking and committing to a means leading to success.
1/13ــ وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: سَمعتُ رَسُولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: «واللهِ إِنِّي لأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي اليَوْمِ أكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً». رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ.
13/1 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “By Allah! I ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
2/14 ــ وَعَنْ الأَغَرِّ بْنِ يَسَارٍ المُزَنيِّ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «يا أيّها النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَىٰ الله واستغفروه، فَإنِّي أتُوبُ إليه فِي الْيَوْمِ مائَةَ مَرَّةٍ». رَوَاهُ مُسْلِم.
14/2 - Al-Agharr ibn Yasār al-Muzani (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O people, seek repentance from Allah and seek His forgiveness. Verily, I seek repentance from Him one hundred times a day.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) وجوب التوبة؛ لأن النَّبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر بها، فَقَالَ: «يا أيها الناس توبوا إلىٰ الله »، وكان يبادر إلىٰ التوبة دوماً، وهذا فيه امتثال أمر الله تعالىٰ وأمر رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، والتأسي به.
1) The obligation of repentance because the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it: “O people, seek repentance from Allah,” and he always hastened to repentance. Doing so reflects compliance with the command of Allah Almighty and the command of His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), in addition to following the Messenger’s example.
2) بيان عظم تعبد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم لربِّه، وإخلاصه التوبة له.
2) It shows the tremendous dedication of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to worship his Lord and make sincere repentance to Him.
3) من هدي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه يعلم الناس بلسان مقاله، ولسان حاله.
3) An aspect of the Prophet’s guidance is to teach people both verbally and in practice.
4) من آداب الداعي إذا أمر الناس بأمر أن يكون أول من يمتثل هذا الأمر، وإذا نهاهم عن شيء فليكن أول من ينتهي عَنْهُ.
4) One of the etiquettes of the preacher is to be the first to comply with the very command he is preaching people about as well as to be the first to refrain from what he advises people to abandon.
3/15ــ وعَنْ أَبي حَمْزةَ أَنسِ بن مَالكٍ الأنصَارِيِّ ــ خَادِمِ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ــ رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «لَلهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أحَدِكُمْ سَقَطَ عَلَىٰ بَعِيرِهِ وقد أضَلَّهُ في أَرضٍ فَلاةٍ». متفقٌ عليه.
15/3- Abu Hamzah Anas ibn Mālik al-Ansārī (may Allah be pleased with him), the servant of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah is happier with the repentance of His servant than one of you is with finding his riding camel after having lost it in a desert.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
وفي رواية لمُسْلمٍ: « للهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحاً بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ، حِينَ يَتُوبُ إلَيهِ، مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ كان علىٰ رَاحِلَتهِ بأَرْضٍ فَلاةٍ، فَانفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ وعَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وشَرَابُهُ فأَيِسَ مِنْهَا، فَأَتَىٰ شَجَرَةً فَاضْطَجَعَ في ظِلِّهَا، وقد أَيِسَ مِنْ رَاحِلَتِهِ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذلكَ إذا هُوَ بِها قَائِمَةً عِنْدَهُ، فَأَخَذَ بِخطَامِهَا، ثُمَّ قَالَ مِن شِدَّةِ الفَرَحِ: اللهم أنتَ عَبدِي وأَنا رَبُّكَ، أَخطَأَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الفَرَحِ».
In a version narrated by Muslim: “Allah is happier with the repentance of His servant when he repents to Him than one of you who was on his camel in a waterless desert and then it broke away from him whilst carrying his provision of food and drink and he lost hope of finding it. So he went to a tree and lay down in its shade, hopeless of finding his camel. While in that state, he all of a sudden finds it standing before him, so he takes hold of its rein and then out of intense joy he says: ‘O Allah, You are my servant and I am your Lord.’ He makes this mistake out of intense joy.”
فلاة : الصحراء الواسعة لا ماء فيها.
--
الخطام: الحبل الذي يُقاد به البعير.
rein: the rope used to lead the camel.
1) الحث علىٰ التوبة؛ لأن الله يحبها من عبده ويرضاها.
1) Encouraging repentance because Allah loves it and is pleased with His servant when he repents.
2) محبة الله تعالىٰ لتوبة عبده من مصلحة العبد، فإنه سبحانه يحب أن يعفو ويغفر، والعفو أحب إليه من العقوبة، ولهذا يفرح بتوبة عبده.
2) The love of Allah Almighty for the repentance of His servant is in the servant’s interest, because Allah loves to forgive and pardon. To Him, pardoning is more pleasing than punishment, thus He is happy with the repentance of His servant.
3) إثبات الفرح لله سبحانه وتعالىٰ ــ فهو سبحانه يفرح ويغضب ويحب ويكره {لَيۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَيۡءٞۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ} [الشورى: 11] ــ فهو فرح يليق بعظمته وجلاله، لا يماثل فرح المخلوقين.
3) Establishing the attribute of happiness to Allah, the Exalted; for indeed He shows happiness, anger, love, and hate. But: {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.} [Surat ash-Shūra: 11] It is a happiness that befits His Majesty and Glory, and it does not resemble the happiness of creatures.
لا يؤاخذ الإنسان بالقول الذي هو كفر إذا صدر منه عن خطأ أو سبق لسان، ولم يقصد معناه، بخلاف القاصد أو المستهزئ إذا قال كلمة الكفر، وهذا من رحمة الله سبحانه بعباده، كحال الرجل الذي قال: «اللهم أنت عبدي وأنا ربك».
Unlike the individual who intentionally or mockingly utters a word of disbelief, the individual who inadvertently or mistakenly utters it is not to be held accountable for it; which is a reflection of the mercy of Allah Almighty. This is similar to the situation of the man who said: “O Lord! You are my servant and I am Your lord.”
4/16 ــ وعَن أبي مُوسىٰ عَبدِ الله بنِ قَيس الأشعَرِيِّ رضي الله عنه عن النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إنَّ اللهَ تعالىٰ يَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ باللَّيْلِ ليَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ النَّهَارِ، ويَبْسُط يَدَهُ بالنَّهَارِ ليَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ اللَيْلِ، حَتَىٰ تَطْلُع الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِها». رواه مسلم.
16/4 Abu Mūsa Abdullah ibn Qays al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah Almighty stretches His hand during the night so that the sinners of the day may repent, and He stretches His hand in the day so that the sinners of the night may repent. He keeps doing so until the sun rises from the west.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) الله تعالىٰ يقبل التوبة من العبد وإن تأخرت، وهذا من رحمة الله تعالىٰ بعبده المذنب.
1) Allah Almighty accepts repentance from the servant even if it came late (not immediately after committing the sin), which is a reflection of the mercy of Allah Almighty towards His sinning servant.
2) محبة الله تعالىٰ للتوبة، ولهذا قبلها من العبد، وبسط يده لها.
2) Allah Almighty loves repentance, and therefore He accepts it from the servant and stretches His hands for it.
3) إن المبادرة إلىٰ التوبة والتعجيل بها من أسباب رضا الله عن عبده.
3) Hastening to repentance is one of the causes to earning the pleasure of Allah with His servant.
5/17ــ وعَنْ أَبي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «مَنْ تَابَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِها تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ». رواه مسلم.
17/5 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) من شروط التوبة أن تقع في وقتها الشرعي العام؛ لحديث: «لا تنقطع التوبة حتىٰ تطلع الشمس من مغربها». رواه أحمد.
1) One of the conditions of repentance requires its occurrence within its general legitimate time frame, based on the Hadīth: “(The time for) Repentance does not end until the sun rises from the west.” [Narrated by Ahmad]
2) طلوع الشمس من مغربها من أشراط الساعة الكبرى، وبعدها لا ينفع نفساً إيمانها لم تكن آمنت من قبل، أو كسبت في إيمانها خيراً.
2) The sun rising from the west is one of the major signs of the Final Hour, following which no soul will benefit from its faith if it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good.
3) الإيمان النافع هو الإيمان الاختياري، أما الإيمان الصادر بعد مجيء الآيات المنذرة فإنه لا ينفع؛ لأنه إيمان اضطراري، كما قال تعالىٰ عن فرعون: {ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِيٓ ءَامَنَتۡ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓاْ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ} [يونس: 90].
3) The faith that benefits the believer is voluntary faith, whereas the faith expressed after the advent of the warning signs is of no benefit because it is generated by dire need. An example is what Allah Almighty said about Pharaoh: {... until when he was drowning, he said, “I believe that none has the right to be worshiped except He in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am one of those who submit to Allah.”} [Surat Yūnus: 90]
6/18 ــ وعَنْ أَبي عَبْدِ الرحمْن عَبْدِ الله بن عُمَرَ بن الخَطَّاب رضي الله عنهما عن النَّبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «إنَّ اللهَ يقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ العَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يُغَرْغِرْ». رواه الترمذي وقَال: حديثٌ حسن.
18/6- Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah accepts the servant’s repentance as long as the death rattle has not yet reached his throat.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; and he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
يغرغر: تبلغ روحه الحلقوم.
--
1) حضور الموت هو الوقت الذي لا تنفع التوبة معه، ولهذا لابد أن تقع التوبة في وقتها الشرعي الخاص بالعبد قبل حضور الأجل.
1) Repentance is worthless at one’s deathbed, thereby, on an individual level, it must be made before the time of death.
2) الإيمان الاضطراري عند حضور الموت لا ينفع العبد، لأنه شاهد الموت أمامه. فَلْيحرصِ المؤمن علىٰ اغتنام حياته قبل أن يفجأه الموت.
2) Faith due to dire need at one’s deathbed is worthless because the servant is witnessing death already. So, the believer should take advantage of his life before death takes him by surprises.
7/19ــ وَعَنْ زِرِّ بْن حُبـَيْشٍ قَالَ: أَتيْتُ صَفْوَانَ بْنَ عَسَّالٍ رضي الله عنه أَسْأَلُهُ عَن الْمَسْحِ عَلَىٰ الْخُفَّيْنِ، فَقَالَ: مَا جَاءَ بِكَ يَا زِرُّ؟ فَقُلْتُ: ابْتغَاء الْعِلْمِ، فقالَ: إنَّ الْمَلائكَةَ تَضَعُ أجْنِحَتَهَا لِطَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ رِضىٰ بمَا يَطْلُبُ، فَقُلْتُ: إنَّه قَدْ حَكَّ في صَدْرِي الْمَسْحُ عَلَىٰ الْخُفَّيْنِ بَعْدَ الْغَائِطِ وَالْبَوْلِ، وَكُنْتَ امْرَءاً مِنْ أصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فَجِئْتُ أَسْألُكَ: هَلْ سَمعتَهُ يَذْكُرُ في ذلِكَ شَيْئاً؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، كَانَ يَأمُرنَا إذَا كُنَّا سَفْراً ـ أَوْ مُسَافِرِينَ ـ أنْ لا نَنْزِعَ خِفَافَنَا ثَلاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيهنَّ إلَّا مِنْ جَنابَةٍ، لكِنْ مِنْ غَائطٍ وَبَوْلٍ وَنَوْمٍ، فَقُلْتُ: هَلْ سَمِعْتَهُ يَذْكُر في الْهَوَىٰ شَيْئاً؟ قالَ: نَعَمْ، كُنَّا مَعَ رسول الله في سَفَرٍ، فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَهُ إذْ نَادَاهُ أعْرَابيّ بصَوْت لَهُ جَهْوَريٍّ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، فأَجَابَهُ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْواً مِنْ صَوْتِهِ: (هَاؤُمُ)، فَقُلتُ لَهُ: وَيْحَكَ اغْضُضْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ فَإنَّكَ عِنْدَ النَّبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وَقَدْ نُهِيتَ عَنْ هذا، فقالَ: وَالله لا أغْضُضُ، قَالَ الأَعْرَابيُّ: الْمَرْءُ يُحِبُّ الْقَوْمَ وَلَمَّا يَلْحَقْ بِهِمْ ؟ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم : «الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ». فَمَا زَالَ يُحَدِّثنا حَتَّىٰ ذَكَرَ بَاباً مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ مَسِيرَةُ عَرْضِه أَوْ يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ في عَرْضِهِ أَرْبَعِينَ أوْ سَبْعِينَ عَاماً. قَالَ سُفْيَانُ أحَدُ الرُّوَاةِ: قِبَلَ الشَّامِ، خَلَقَهُ الله تَعَالَىٰ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّماوَات وَالأَرْضَ مَفْتُوحاً لِلتَّوْبَةِ ، لا يُغْلَقُ حَتَىٰ تَطْلُعَ الشَمْسُ مِنْهُ. رواه الترمذي وغيره وقال: حديث حسن صحيح.
19/7- Zirr ibn Hubaysh reported: “I went to Safwān ibn ‘Assāl (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about wiping over the leather socks. Safwān asked me: ‘What brought you, Zirr?’ I replied: ‘To seek knowledge.’ He said: ‘Indeed, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of pleasure with what he seeks.’ So I said: ‘There is some doubt in my heart concerning wiping over the leather socks after defecation and urination, and you were one of the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), so I came to you to ask you: Did you hear him mention anything concerning that?’ He said: ‘Yes, he used to order us when we were traveling to not take off our leather socks for three days and nights except from Janābah (major ritual impurity), but not from defecation, urination, and sleep.’ I said: ‘Did you hear him mention anything concerning love?’ He said: ‘Yes. We were traveling with the Messenger of Allah when a Bedouin man called him with a very loud voice: “O Muhammad!” So the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) answered him in a similar voice: ‘Here!’ So we said to him: ‘Lower your voice for you are in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and you have been forbidden from this.’ He said: ‘By Allah, I will not lower (it).’ The Bedouin said: ‘A person loves a people but he is not on the same level with them (in terms of deeds)?’ The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘A person is with whomever he loves on the Day of Judgment.’” He continued to speak to us until he mentioned a gate in the direction of the west whose width is traveled – or a rider would travel its width – in forty or seventy years.” Sufyān (one of the sub-narrators) said: “(It is) in the direction of the Levant (west of Madīnah), Allah created it the Day He created the heavens and the earth, open for repentance. It shall not be closed until the sun rises through it.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
هاؤم: بمعنىٰ خذ، والمراد: الإجابة لمن ناداه.
--
1) فضيلة العلم وطلبه، والعلم النافع: هو علم ما جاء في الكتاب والسنة النبوية، وطلبه من الجهاد في سبيل الله تعالىٰ.
1) The excellence of knowledge as well as seeking it. The beneficial knowledge is what is contained in the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah, and seeking it is considered a form of Jihad for the sake of Allah Almighty.
2) «وضع الملائكة أجنحتها لطالب العلم رضىٰ بما يصنع»: نؤمن به علىٰ ظاهره؛ لأنه إذا صح الخبر عن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم فإنه علىٰ الرأس والعين، نؤمن به، ونصدّق دون تردد أو شك، وكثيراً ما تأتي السنن ووجوه الحق، علىٰ خلاف الآراء والأهواء.
2) As for the statement that “the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, out of pleasure with what he does,” we believe in its literal meaning because any statement reported from the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and has been verified as authentic must merit our compliance. We are to believe in it without skepticism or hesitation. It is quite often that the Prophet’s practice and the truth do not conform to personal opinions and desires.
3) المسح علىٰ الخفين من شعار أهل السنة، وهو ثابت بالسنة المتواترة عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم .
3) Wiping over the leather socks is one of the distinctive practices of Ahl-us-Sunnah, as it is established by the concurrence of multiple Hadīths reported form the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
4) المؤمن إذا أحب قوماً من أهل الإيمان صار معهم، وإن قصّر به عمله.
4) A believer who loves a people of faith becomes one of them even if his deeds are comparatively less.
5) الترغيب في الوصية العظيمة: «المرء مَعَ من أحب»، فواجبٌ محبة أهل العلم والإيمان، وبغض أهل الكفر والعدوان.
5) The encouragement in the great testament that “a person is with whomever he loves on the Day of Judgment.” It is obligatory to love people of knowledge and faith and to dislike people of disbelief and aggression.
6) من بركة أرض الشام أن باب التوبة خلقه الله تعالىٰ قِبَل الشام.
6) An indication of the blessedness of the land of the Levant is that Allah Almighty created the gate of repentance in the direction of the Levant.
8/20 ــ وَعَنْ أَبي سَعِيدٍ سَعْدِ بْنِ مالكِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ رضي الله عنه عن نَبِيِّ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «كَانَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعينَ نَفْساً، فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أعْلَم أهْلِ الأَرْضِ، فَدُلَّ عَلَىٰ رَاهِبٍ، فَأَتَاهُ فقال: إنَّهُ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وتسْعِينَ نَفْساً، فهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبةٍ ؟ فقالَ: لا، فَقَتَلَهُ فَكَمَّلَ بِهِ مَائَةً. ثُمَّ سَألَ عَنْ أَعْلَم أهْلِ الأرْضِ، فَدُلَّ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ عَالِمٍ فقالَ: إنَّهُ قَتَلَ مَائَةَ نَفْسٍ، فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبةٍ ؟ فقالَ: نَعَمْ، وَمَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَة؟ انْطَلِقْ إِلَىٰ أَرْضِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَإنَّ بهَا أناساً يَعْبُدُونَ الله تعالىٰ فَاعْبُدِ الله مَعَهُمْ، وَلا تَرْجِعْ إِلَىٰ أَرْضِكَ فَإنَّهَا أَرْضُ سُوءٍ، فانْطَلَقَ حَتَّىٰ إذَا نَصَفَ الطَّريقُ أتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ، فاخْتَصَمَتْ فيهِ مَلائكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ ومَلائكَةُ الْعَذَابِ، فقالَتْ مَلائكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ: جَاءَ تَائِباً مُقْبِلاً بِقَلْبِهِ إلَىٰ الله تعالىٰ، وقالَتْ مَلائكَةُ الْعَذَابِ: إنَهُ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ خَيْراً قَطُّ، فَـأَتَاهُمْ مَلَكٌ في صُورَةِ آدَمِيِّ فَجَعَلُوهُ بَيْنَهُمْ فقالَ: قيسُوا ما بَيْن الأَرْضَيْنِ فَإلَىٰ أَيَّتِهمَا كَانَ أَدْنَىٰ فَهْو لَهُ، فَقَاسُوا فَوَجَدُوهُ أَدْنَىٰ إلىٰ الأرْضِ الَّتِي أَرَادَ، فَقَبَضَتْهُ مَلائكَةُ الرَّحْمَة». متفق عليه.
20/8 - Abu Sa‘īd Sa‘d ibn Mālik ibn Sinān al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Among those who lived before you, there was a man who had killed ninety-nine people. He asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth and was guided to a monk. When he went to him, he informed him that he had killed ninety-nine people and asked if his repentance could be accepted. The monk said, ‘No,’ so he killed him and made him the hundredth. Then he asked again about the most knowledgeable person on earth and was guided to a scholar. He informed him of his hundred murders and asked if there was a chance for his repentance to be accepted. The scholar said, ‘Yes, and who could place a barrier between him and repentance? Set out to such-and-such for there are people who worship Allah, the Almighty, so join them in their worship, and do not return to your land, for it is a land of evil.’ The man set out and when he was halfway there, death came to him. The angels of mercy and the angels of torment disputed over him. The angels of mercy said: ‘He came with a repenting heart to Allah, the Almighty.’ The angels of torment said: 'He has never done anything good in his life.’ An angel then came in the form of a human being and they agreed to take him as an arbitrator. He said: ‘Measure the distance between the two lands and see to which one he was closer.’ They did that and found him closer to the land he was traveling to, so the angels of mercy took his soul.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
وفي روايةٍ في الصحيح: «فَكَانَ إلَىٰ الْقَرْيَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ أَقْرَبَ بشِبْرٍ، فَجُعِلَ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا» وفي رِواية في الصحيح: «فَأَوْحَىٰ اللهُ تَعَالَىٰ إلَىٰ هذِهِ أنْ تَبَاعَدِي، وإلَىٰ هذِهِ أَنْ تَقَرَّبِي، وقَالَ: قِيسُوا مَا بَيْنَهُمَا، فَوَجَدُوهُ إلَىٰ هذِه أَقْرَبَ بِشِبْرٍ، فَغُفِرَ لَهُ». وفي روايةٍ: «فَنَأىٰ بِصدْرِهِ نَحْوهَا».
In another authentic narration: “He was one span closer to the land of piety, so he was considered one of its people.” In yet a third authentic narration: “Allah, the Almighty, ordered this land (evil place) to move away and this land (good place) to move closer and said: ‘Measure the distance between them,’ so they found him to be one span closer to this one (the good land), so he was forgiven.” In another narration: “He directed his chest towards it (the good land).”
1) فضيلة العلم وأهله، فالعالِم يرشد الناس؛ ولا يقنّطهم من رحمة الله تعالىٰ، بخلاف العابد الراهب الذي لا علم عنده.
1) The excellence of knowledge and its holders. Unlike the devout worshiper who lacks knowledge, a scholar guides people and does not make them despair of Allah’s mercy.
2) أثر المكان علىٰ الإنسان صلاحاً وفساداً، فأرض الطاعة تحضّ المؤمن علىٰ الخير، وأرض السوء تضعف المؤمن أو تُقْعِده عن فعل الخير.
2) It shows how a person’s environment affects him in terms of being righteous or corrupt. An environment of righteousness encourages the believer to do good whereas an evil environment weakens the believer or discourages him from doing good altogether.
3) النية الصادقة تكمل عمل المؤمن، وإن لم يباشره.
3) A sincere intention complements the deed of the believer even if he had not done it.
4) سعة رحمة الله بعباده؛ فقد فتح للمسرفين باب التوبة، وقَـبِل توبتهم.
4) It shows the vastness of the mercy of Allah towards His servants as He opened the gate of repentance to excessive sinners and accepted their repentance.
5) من فعل ذنباً ثُمَّ ندم علىٰ ارتكابه، فندمه دليل علىٰ صحة توبته، لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «الندم توبة» رواه أحمد.
5) Whoever sins then feels remorseful for what he committed, his remorse is proof of the validity of his repentance, based on the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): “Remorse is repentance.” [Narrated by Ahmad]
إذا قَتَل القاتلُ تعلق به ثلاثة حقوق:
A killer is liable for three rights:
الحق الأول: لله، والثاني: للمقتول، والثالث: لأولياء المقتول.
The first right pertains to Allah, the second to the killed, and the third to the relatives of the killed.
أما حق الله، فالله يغفره بالتوبة.
As for the right pertinent to Allah, He forgives it through repentance.
أما حق المقتول، فإن توبة القاتل لا تنفعه؛ لأنه لا يمكن الوصول إلىٰ استحلاله، فهذا الحق يبقىٰ القاتلُ مُطالَباً به، والله يفصل بينهم يوم القيامة.
As for the right pertinent to the killed, the repentance of the killer does not waive this right because it is no longer possible for the killer to obtain pardon from him. He will answer for it when Allah judges between him and the killed on the Day of Judgment.
وأما حق أولياء المقتول، فإنها لا تصح توبة القاتل حتىٰ يسلّم نفسه إلىٰ أولياء المقتول، فإما أن يعفوا عَنْهُ أو يطلبوا القصاص أو الدية.
As for the right of the relatives of the killed, the repentance of the killer is not valid until he surrenders himself to them, after which they either pardon him or ask for retribution or for bloodmoney.
9/21 ــ وعَنْ عَبْدِ الله بنِ كَعْبِ بنِ مَالكٍ، وكَانَ قائِدَ كَعْبٍ رضي الله عنه مِن بَنِيهِ حِينَ عَمِيَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ كَعْبَ بنَ مَالكٍ رضي الله عنه يُحَدِّثُ بحَدِيثِهِ حِينَ تَخَلَّفَ عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ. قَالَ كَعْبٌ: لَمْ أتَخَلَّف عَن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا قَطُّ إلَّا في غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ، غَيْرَ أنِّي قَدْ تَخَلَّفْتُ في غَزْوَةِ بَدْرٍ، وَلَمْ يُعَاتَبْ أحَدٌ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ، إنَّمَا خَرَجَ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم والمُسْلمُونَ يُريدُونَ عِيْرَ قرَيْشٍ حَتَّىٰ جَمَعَ الله تَعَالَىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ وبَيْنَ عَدُوّهِمْ عَلَىٰ غَيْرِ ميعَادٍ. ولَقَدْ شَهدْتُ مَعَ رسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيْلَةَ العَقَبَةِ حِينَ تَوَاثَقْنَا عَلَىٰ الإسْلامِ، ومَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِهَا مَشْهَدَ بَدْرٍ، وإنْ كانَتْ بَدْرٌ أذْكَرَ في النَّاسِ مِنْهَا. وكَانَ مِن خَبَرِي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْ رسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ؛ أنِّي لَمْ أَكُنْ قَطُّ أقْوىٰ وَلا أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْهُ في تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ، وَاللهِ مَا جَمَعْتُ قَبْلَهَا رَاحِلَتَيْنِ قَطُّ حَتَّىٰ جَمَعْتُهُمَا في تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يُرِيدُ غَزْوَةً إلَّا ورَّىٰ بِغَيْرِهَا، حَتَّىٰ كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةُ، فَغَزَاهَا رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَاسْتَقْبَلَ سَفَراً بَعِيداً وَمَفَازاً، وَاسْتَقْبَلَ عَدَداً كَثِيراً، فَجَلَّىٰ للْمُسْلِمِينَ أَمْرَهُمْ ليتَأهَّبُوا أُهْبَةَ غَزْوِهِمْ، فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بوَجْهِهِمُ الَّذي يُريدُ، وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَ رسولِ الله كثِيرٌ وَلا يَجْمَعُهُمْ كِتَابٌ حَافِظٌ (يُريدُ بذلِكَ الدِّيوَانَ). قالَ كَعْبٌ: فَقَلَّ رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَغَيَّبَ إلَّا ظَنَّ أَنَّ ذلِكَ سَيَخْفَىٰ بِهِ مَا لَمْ يَنْزِل فيهِ وَحْيٌ مِنَ الله ، وَغَزَا رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةَ حِينَ طَابَت الثَمَارُ والظِّلالُ، فَأنَا إِلَيْهَا أصْعَرُ. فَتَجَهَّزَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ، وَطَفِقْتُ أَغْدُو لِكَيْ أَتَجَهَّز مَعَهُ، فأَرْجعُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئاً، وَأَقُولُ في نَفْسي: أنَا قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰ ذلكَ إذَا أرَدْتُ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَتَمَادَىٰ بي حَتَّىٰ اسْتَمَرَّ بالنَّاسِ الْجِدُّ، فأَصْبَحَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم غَادِياً وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ، وَلَمْ أقْضِ مِنْ جِهَازِي شَيْئاً، ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ فَرَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أقْضِ شَيْئاً، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَتَمَادَىٰ بي حَتّىٰ أسْرَعُوا وَتَفَارَطَ الْغَزْوُ، فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أرْتَحِلَ فَأُدْرِكَهُمْ، فَيَالَيْتَني فَعَلْتُ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يُقَدَّرْ ذَلِكَ لِي، فَطَفِقْتُ إذَا خَرَجْتُ في النَّاسِ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَحْزُنُنِي أَنِّي لا أرَىٰ لِي أُسْوَةً، إلا رَجُلاً مَغْمُوصاً عَلَيْه في النِّفَاقِ، أوْ رَجُلاً مِمَّنْ عَذَرَ اللهُ تعالَىٰ مِنَ الضُّعَفَاءِ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْني رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّىٰ بَلَغَ تَبُوكَ، فقالَ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ في القَوْمِ بِتَبُوكَ: «ما فَعَلَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالكٍ؟» فقالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ: يا رسولَ الله حَبَسَهُ بُرْدَاهُ، وَالنَّظَرُ في عِطْفَيْهِ، فقالَ لَهُ مُعَاذُ ابْنُ جَبَلٍ رضي الله عنه: بِئْسَ ما قُلْتَ! وَاللهِ يا رسولَ الله مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ إلَّا خَيْراً، فَسَكَتَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَبَيْنَا هُوَ عَلَىٰ ذلِكَ رَأىٰ رجُلاً مُبْيِضاً يَزُولُ بهِ السَّرَابُ، فقالَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «كُنْ أبَا خَيْثَمَةَ»، فَإذَا هُوَ أبُو خَيْثَمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، وَهُوَ الَّذي تَصَدَّقَ بِصَاعِ التَّمْرِ حِينَ لَمَزهُ المنَافِقُونَ، قَالَ كَعْبٌ: فَلَمَّا بَلَغَنِي أنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ تَوَجَّهَ قَافِلاً مِنْ تَبُوكَ حَضَرَني بَثِّي، فَطَفِقْتُ أَتَذَكَّرُ الْكَذِبَ وَأقُولُ: بِمَ أَخرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ غَداً؟ وَأَسْتَعِينُ عَلَىٰ ذلكَ بِكُلِّ ذِي رَأْيٍ مِنْ أَهْلِي، فَلَمَّا قِيلَ: إنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ أَظَلَّ قادِماً زَاحَ عَنِّي الْبَاطِلُ، حَتَّىٰ عَـرَفْتُ أنِّي لَم أَنْجُ مِنْهُ بِشَيْءٍ أَبَداً، فَأَجْمَعْتُ صِدْقَهُ، وَأَصْبَحَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قَادِماً، وكَانَ إذا قَدِمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ بَدَأَ بالْمَسْجِدِ فَرَكَعَ فِيهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِلنَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ ذلِكَ جَاءَهُ الْمُخَلَّفُون يَعْتَذِرُونَ إلَيْهِ وَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ، وَكَانُوا بِضْعَاً وَثَمَانِينَ رَجُلاً، فَقبِلَ مِنْهُمْ عَلانِيَتَهُمْ، وَبَايَعَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ، وَوَكَلَ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إلَىٰ الله تَعَالَىٰ حَتَّىٰ جِئْتُ. فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: تَعَالَ، فَجِئْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّىٰ جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فقالَ لِي: «مَا خَلَّفَكَ؟ ألمْ تكُنْ قَدِ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرَكَ!» قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رسولَ الله إنِّي واللهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْركَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا لَرَأَيْتُ أَنِّي سَأَخْرُجُ منْ سَخَطِهِ بِعُذْرٍ ؟ لَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلاً، وَلكِنَّنِي وَاللهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيثُ كَذبٍ تَرْضَىٰ بِه عَنِّي لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللهُ يُسْخِطُكَ عَلَيَّ، وَإنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَ صِدْقٍ تَجِدُ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ إنِّي لأَرْجُو فِيهِ عُقْبَىٰ الله _عز وجل_، وَاللهِ مَا كَانَ لِي مِنْ عُذْرٍ، وَاللهِ مَا كُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَىٰ وَلا أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْكَ.
21/9- ‘Abdullah ibn Ka'b ibn Mālik, who was his father’s guide after Ka'b lost his sight, reported that he heard Ka‘b ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrating the story when he failed to accompany the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in the battle of Tabūk. Ka‘b said: “I never stayed behind in any expedition that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) undertook except the battle of Tabūk and the battle of Badr. As for the battle of Badr, nobody was blamed for remaining behind as the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims, when they set out, had in mind only to intercept the caravan of the Quraysh. Allah made them confront their enemies unexpectedly. I witnessed with the Messenger of Allah the night of ‘Aqabah when we pledged our allegiance to Islam, and it was dearer to me than participating in the battle of Badr, although Badr was more well-known among the people than that. And this is the account of my staying behind in the battle of Tabūk. I was never stronger or with better means than at the time of this expedition, and, by Allah, I had never before possessed two riding-camels until the time of this expedition. Whenever the Messenger of Allah decided to go on a campaign, he would not disclose his real destination till the last moment (of departure). But on this expedition, he set out in extremely hot weather; the journey was long and the terrain was waterless desert; and he had to face a large army, so he informed the Muslims about the actual situation so that they should make full preparation for the campaign. The Muslims who accompanied the Messenger of Allah were large in number but no proper record of them was maintained (meaning a written record). Ka‘b (further) said: Few were the persons who chose to remain absent believing that they could easily remain undetected unless revelation came from Allah relating to them. The Messenger of Allah set out on this expedition when the fruit were ripe and their shade was sought. I had a weakness for them. The Messenger of Allah and the Muslims made preparations. I also would set out in the morning to make preparations along with them but would come back having done nothing and would say to myself: ‘I have means enough (to make preparations) as soon as I like’. And I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) till the time of departure came and it was in the morning that the Messenger of Allah set out along with the Muslims, but I had made no preparations. I would go early in the morning and come back, but with no decision. I went on doing so until they (the Muslims) hastened and covered a good deal of distance. Then I was about to march on and join them. I wish I had done that! But it was not destined for me. After the departure of the Messenger of Allah, whenever I went out, I was grieved to find no one like me (who stayed behind) except confirmed hypocrites or weak men whom Allah had exempted (from marching forth for Jihad). The Messenger of Allah made no mention of me until he reached Tabūk. While he was sitting with the people in Tabūk, he said, ‘What happened to Ka‘b ibn Mālik?’ A man from Banu Salimah said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, (the beauty of) his cloak and an appreciation of his finery have detained him.’ Upon this Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, ‘What a bad thing you have said! By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we know nothing about him but good.’ The Messenger of Allah kept quiet. At that time, he (the Messenger of Allah) saw a man in white in the distant mirage and said, ‘Be Abu Khaythamah,’ and it was Abu Khaythamah al-Ansāri. He was the one who had given in charity a small measure of dates and was ridiculed by the hypocrites. Ka‘b continued: When the news reached me that the Messenger of Allah was on his way back from Tabūk, I was greatly distressed. I thought of fabricating an excuse and asked myself how I would save myself from his anger the next day. In this connection, I sought the counsels of every prudent member of my family. When I was told that the Messenger of Allah was about to arrive, all the wicked ideas vanished (from my mind) and I came to the conclusion that nothing but the truth could save me. So I decided to tell him the truth. It was in the morning that the Messenger of Allah arrived in Madīnah. It was his habit that whenever he came back from a journey, he would first go to the mosque and perform two Rak‘ahs (of optional prayer) and would then sit with the people. When he sat, those who had remained behind came to him to present their excuses and take an oath before him. They were eighty-something men. The Messenger of Allah accepted their excuses at face value and accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them and left the true intentions in their hearts for Allah to judge, until I appeared before him. When I greeted him, he smiled a smile of an angry person then said, ‘Come forward.’ I went forward and sat in front of him. He said to me, ‘What kept you behind? Had you not purchased a riding animal?’ Ka‘b said: I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I were to sit before anybody else, a man of the world, I would have definitely saved myself from his anger on one pretext or the other as I have a gifted skill in argumentation, but, by Allah, I am fully aware that if I were to put forward before you a lame excuse to please you, Allah would definitely provoke your wrath upon me. If I speak the truth, you may be angry with me, but I hope that Allah would be pleased with me (and accept my repentance). By Allah, there is no valid excuse for me. By Allah, I had never been stronger or wealthier than I was when I stayed behind.’
قالَ: فقالَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «أَمَّا هذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَ، فَقُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَقْضيَ اللهُ فيكَ» وَسَارَ رجالٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمةَ فاتَّبَعُوني، فَقَالُوا لِي: وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْنَاكَ أَذْنَبْتَ ذَنْباً قَبْلَ هذَا، لَقَدْ عَجَزْتَ في أَنْ لا تَكُونَ اعتَذَرْتَ إلَىٰ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بمَا اعْتَذَرَ إليهِ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فقَدْ كانَ كَافيَكَ ذَنْبَكَ اسْتِغْفَارُ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لَكَ. قَالَ: فَواللهِ ما زَالُوا يُؤَنِّبُونَنِي حَتَّىٰ أرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ إلَىٰ رسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأُكَذِّبَ نَفْسِي، ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ: هَلْ لَقِيَ هذَا مَعِيَ مِنْ أَحَدٍ ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ لَقِيَهُ مَعَكَ رَجُلاَنِ قَالا مِثْلَ مَا قُلْتَ، وَقيلَ لَهُمَا مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ لَكَ، قَالَ قُلْتُ: مَنْ هُمَا؟ قَالُوا: مُرَارَةُ بْنُ ربيعَة الْعُمْرِيُّ، وهِلالُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ الْوَاقِفِيُّ. قالَ: فَذَكَروا لِي رَجُلَيْنِ صَالِحَيْنِ قَدْ شَهِدَا بَدْراً فِيهِمَا أُسْوَةٌ. قالَ: فَمَضَيْت حِينَ ذَكَروهُمَا لِي. وَنَهَىٰ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ كَلامِنَا ـ أَيُّها الثَّلاثَةُ ـ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ، قالَ: فاجْتَنبَنَا النَّاسُ ـ أوْ قالَ: تَغَيَّرُوا لَنَا ـ حَتَّىٰ تَنكّرَتْ لي في نَفْسِيَ الأَرْضُ، فَمَا هيَ بالأَرْضِ الَّتي أَعْرِفُ، فَلَبثْنَا عَلَىٰ ذَلِكَ خَمْسين لَيْلَةً. فَأمَّا صَاحبَايَ فَاسْتكَانَا وَقَعَدَا في بُيُوتهمَا يَبْكيَانِ، وَأَمَّا أنا فَكُنْتُ أَشَبَّ الْقَوْمِ وَأَجْلَدَهُمْ، فَكُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ فَأَشْهَدُ الصَّلاَةَ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمينَ، وَأَطُوفُ في الأَسْوَاقِ وَلا يُكَلِّمُنِي أَحَدٌ، وَآتِي رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ في مَجْلِسِهِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاةِ، فَأَقُولُ في نَفْسِي: هَلْ حَرَّكَ شَفَتَيْه بَرَدِّ السَّلامِ أَمْ لا ؟ ثُمَّ أُصَلِّي قَريباً مِنْهُ وَأُسَارِقُهُ النَّظَرَ، فَإذَا أقْبَلْتُ عَلَىٰ صَلاتِي نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ، وَإذَا الْتَفتُّ نَحْوَهُ أَعْرَضَ عَنِّي، حَتَّىٰ إذَا طَال ذلكَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ جَفْوَةِ الْمُسْلِمينَ مَشَيْت حَتَّىٰ تَسَوَّرْت جدَارَ حَائط أبي قَتَادةَ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّي وَأحَبُّ النَّاسِ إلَيَّ، فَسَلَّمْت عَلَيْهِ فَوَاللهِ مَا رَدَّ عَلَيَّ السَّلامَ، فَقُلت لَه: يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ أنْشُدكَ بالله هَلْ تَعْلَمُني أُحبُّ اللهَ وَرسُولَه صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟ فَسَكَتَ، فَعُدْت فَنَاشَدْتُه فَسَكَتَ، فَعُدْت فَنَاشَدْته، فَقَالَ: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَايَ، وَتَوَلَّيْتُ حَتَّىٰ تَسَوَّرتُ الْجدَارَ، فَبَيْنَما أَنَا أَمْشِي في سُوقِ الْمَدِينَة إذَا نَبَطيٌّ منْ نَبَطِ أهْل الشَّام مِمَّن قَدِمَ بالطَّعَامِ يَبيعُهُ بالْمَدِينَةِ يقُولُ: مَنْ يَدُلُّ عَلَىٰ كَعْبِ ابنِ مالكٍ ؟ فَطَفِقَ النَّاسُ يُشيرُونَ لَهُ إلَيَّ، حَتَّىٰ جَاءني فَدَفَعَ إلَيَّ كتَاباً منْ مَلِكِ غَسَّانَ، وكُنْتُ كَاتِباً فَقَرَأْتُهُ فَإذَا فيهِ: أمَّا بَعْدُ فَإنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ صَاحِبَكَ قَدْ جَفَاكَ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْكَ اللهُ بدَارِ هَوَانٍ وَلاَ مَضْيَعَةٍ، فَالْحَقْ بِنَا نُوَاسِكَ، فَقُلْتُ حِينَ قَرَأتُهَا: وَهذِهِ أيْضاً مِنَ الْبَلاءِ فَتَيَمَّمْتُ بِهَا التَّـنُّورَ فَسَجَرْتُهَا، حَتَّىٰ إذَا مَضَتْ أرْبَعُونَ مِنَ الْخَمْسِينَ وَاسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْيُ إذَا رسولُ رَسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْتِينِي، فَقَالَ: إنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْمُرُكَ أَن تَعْتزِلَ امْرَأَتَكَ، فَقُلْتُ: أُطَلِّقُهَا، أَمْ مَاذَا أفْعَلُ ؟ قَالَ: لا، بَل اعْتَزِلْهَا فَلاَ تَقْرَبَنَّهَا، وَأرْسَلَ إلَىٰ صَاحِبَيَّ بِمِثْلِ ذلِكَ، فَقُلْتُ لامْرَأَتِي: الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ، فَكُوني عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَىٰ يَقْضِيَ اللهُ في هذَا الأَمْرِ، فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةُ هِلالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ:يا رسولَ الله إنَّ هِلالَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ شَيْخٌ ضَائِعٌ لَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ، فَهَلْ تَكْرَهُ أنْ أخْدُمَهُ؟ قَالَ: «لا، وَلكِنْ لا يَقْرَبَنَّكِ»، فَقَالَتْ: إنَّهُ وَاللهِ مَا بِهِ مِنْ حَرَكَةٍ إلَىٰ شَيْءٍ، وَوَاللهِ مَا زَالَ يَبْكِي مُنْذُ كَانَ مِنْ أمْرِهِ مَا كَانَ إلَىٰ يَوْمِهِ هذَا. فَقَالَ لِي بَعْضُ أَهْلِي: لَوِ اسْتَأْذَنْتَ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في امْرَأَتِكَ، فَقَدْ أذنَ لاِمْرَأَةِ هِلالِ بْن أُمَيَّةَ أنْ تَخْدُمَهُ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: لا أَسْتَأذِنُ فِيهَا رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وَمَا يُدْريني مَاذَا يَقُولُ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذَا اسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِيهَا وَأنَا رَجُلٌ شَابٌ ! فَلَبِثْتُ بِذلِكَ عَشْرَ لَيَالٍ، فَكَمُلَ لَنَا خَمْسُونَ لَيْلَةً منْ حينَ نَهَىٰ عَنْ كَلامَنا.
He said: Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah said, ‘As to this one, he has spoken the truth, so get up (and wait) until Allah gives a decision about you.’ I left and some men from (the tribe of) Banu Salimah followed me. They said to me, ‘By Allah, we do not know that you committed a sin before. You, however, showed inability to put forward an excuse before the Messenger of Allah like those who stayed behind him. It would have been enough for the forgiveness of your sin that the Messenger of Allah would have sought forgiveness for you.’ By Allah, they kept on reproaching me until I thought of going back to the Messenger of Allah and retract my confession. Then I said to them, ‘Has anyone else met the same fate?’ They said, ‘Yes, two men have met the same fate. They said the same thing that you said and were given the same order that you were given.’ I asked, ‘Who are they?’ They said, ‘Murārah ibn Rabī‘ah al-‘Umri and Hilāl ibn Umayyah al-Wāqifi.’ They mentioned two pious men who had taken part in the battle of Badr and in whom there was an example for me. He said: So I did not change my mind when they mentioned them to me. The Messenger of Allah forbade the Muslims from talking to us, the three aforesaid persons, out of all those who remained behind from that battle. So the people avoided us, or he said: they changed their attitude towards us, until 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 for my two companions, they remained in their houses and kept on weeping, but I was the youngest and strongest of them. So I would go out and attend the prayer along with the Muslims and roam the markets, but none would talk to me. I would come to the Messenger of Allah and greet him while he was sitting in his gathering after the prayer, and I would wonder whether he even moved his lips in return of my greeting or not. Then I would perform prayer near him and look at him stealthily. When I was in prayer, he would look at me and when I would cast a glance at him he would turn away his eyes from me. When the harsh boycott of the Muslims to me continued for a (considerable) length of time, I walked and I climbed upon the wall of the garden of Abu Qatādah, who was my cousin and the most beloved of all people to me. I greeted him but, by Allah, he did not return my greeting. I said to him, ‘O Abu Qatādah, I adjure you in the Name of Allah, are you not aware that I love Allah and His Messenger?’ I asked him the same question again but he remained silent. I again adjured him, whereupon he said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ My eyes flowed with tears, and I came back climbing down the wall. As I was walking in the market of Madīnah, a man from the Syrian peasants, who had come to sell food grains in Madīnah, asked people to direct him to Ka‘b ibn Mālik. People pointed towards me. He came to me and delivered a letter from the King of Ghassān, and as I was a scribe, I read that letter whose purport was: ‘It has been conveyed to us that your friend (the Prophet) was treating you harshly. Allah does not make you live in a place where you feel inferior and your right is lost. So, join us, and we will console you.’ As I read that letter I said, ‘This too is a trial,’ so I put it in the furnace and made a fire burning it. When forty of the fifty days had elapsed and the Messenger of Allah received no Revelation, there came to me a messenger from the Messenger of Allah and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah commands you to keep away from your wife.’ I said, ‘Should I divorce her or what else should I do?’ He said, ‘No, but only keep away from her and don’t have sexual contact with her.’ The same message was sent to my two companions. So, I said to my wife: ‘Go to your parents and stay there with them until Allah gives the decision in my case.’ The wife of Hilāl ibn Umayyah came to the Messenger of Allah and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, Hilāl ibn Umayyah is a helpless old man who has no servant. Do you disapprove if I serve him?’ He said, ‘No, but he should not have any intimacy with you.’ She said, ‘By Allah, he has no such desire left in him. By Allah, he has been in tears since (this calamity) struck him.’ Some members of my family said to me, ‘Why don’t you seek permission from the Messenger of Allah in regard to your wife, for he has given permission to the wife of Hilāl ibn Umayyah to serve him?’ I said, ‘I would not seek permission from the Messenger of Allah regarding her for I do not know what the Messenger of Allah might say in response to that, as I am a young man.’ It was in this state that I spent ten more nights and thus fifty days had passed since he forbade people from talking to us.
ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ صَلاةَ الْفَجْرِ صَبَاحَ خَمْسينَ لَيْلَةً عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِ بَيتٍ منْ بُيُوتنَا، فَبَيْنَما أنَا جَالسٌ عَلَىٰ الْحَالِ الَّتي ذَكَرَ اللهُ تَعَالَىٰ منَّا، قَدْ ضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ نفْسِي وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ الأَرْضُ بمَا رَحُبَتْ، سَمعْتُ صَوْتَ صَارِخٍ أوْفَىٰ علىٰ سَلْعٍ يَقُولُ بأَعْلَىٰ صَوتِهِ: يَا كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ أَبْشِرْ، فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِداً، وَعَرَفْت أَنَّهُ قَدْ جَاءَ فَرَجٌ، فآذَنَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم النَّاسَ بِتَوْبـَةِ الله _عز وجل_ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ صَلَّىٰ صَلاةَ الْفَجْرِ، فَذَهَبَ النَّاسُ يُبَشِّرُونَنَا، فَذَهَبَ قِبَلَ صَاحِبَيَّ مُبَشِّرُونَ، وَرَكَضَ رَجُلٌ إلَيَّ فَرَساً، وَسَعَىٰ سَاعٍ مِنْ أَسْلَمَ قِبَلِي وَأَوْفَىٰ عَلَىٰ الْجَبَلِ، وَكَانَ الصَّوْتُ أَسْرَعَ مِنَ الْفَرَسِ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَنِي الَّذي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَهُ يُبَشِّرُني نَزَعْتُ لَهُ ثَوْبَيَّ فَكَسَوْتُهُمَا إيَّاهُ ببشارَتهِ، وَاللهِ مَا أَمْلِكُ غَيْرَهُمَا يَوْمَئِذٍ، وَاسْتَعَرْتُ ثَوْبَيْنِ فَلَبِسْتُهُمَا، وَانْطَلَقْتُ أَتَأَمَّمُ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَلَقَّانِي النَّاسُ فَوْجاً فَوْجاً يُهَنِّـئُونني بالتَّوْبَةِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِي: لِتَهْنِكَ تَوْبَةُ الله عَلَيْكَ، حَتَّىٰ دَخَلْتُ المَسْجِدَ فَإذَا رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جَالِسٌ حَوْلَهُ النَّاسُ، فَقَامَ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ الله رضي الله عنه يُهَرْوِلُ حَتَّىٰ صَافَحَنِي وَهَنَّأنِي، واللهِ مَا قَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ غَيْرُهُ، فَكَانَ كَعْبٌ لا يَنْسَاهَا لِطَلْحَةَ. قَالَ كَعبٌ: فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَىٰ رسولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قال وَهُوَ يَبْرُقُ وَجْهُهُ مِنَ السُرُور: أَبْشِرْ بخَيْرِ يَوْمٍ مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ مُذْ وَلَدَتْكَ أُمُّكَ، فَقُلْتُ أَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ يا رسولَ الله أَمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ الله؟ قَالَ: لا، بَلْ مِنْ عِنْد الله _عز وجل_، وَكَانَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذَا سُرَّ اسْتَنَارَ وَجْهُهُ حَتَّىٰ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ قِطْعَةُ قَمَرٍ، وَكُنَّا نَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قُلْتُ: يا رسولَ الله إنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أنْ أَنْخَلعَ مِنْ مَالِي صَدَقَةً إلَىٰ الله وَإلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ، فَقَالَ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : أَمْسِك عَلَيْكَ بَعْضَ مَالِكَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ، فقلتُ: إنِّي أُمْسِكُ سَهْمِي الَّذي بخَيْبَرَ، وَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ الله إنَّ الله تَعَالَىٰ إنَّمَا أَنْجَانِي بالصِّدْقِ، وإنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتي أَنْ لا أُحَدِّثَ إلَّا صدْقاً مَا بَقِيتُ. فَوَالله مَا عَلِمْتُ أحَداً مِنَ الْمُسلِمِينَ أبْلاهُ اللهُ تعالىٰ في صِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ مُنْذُ ذَكَرْتُ ذلِكَ لِرَسُولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحْسَنَ مِمَّا أَبْلانِي اللهُ تعالىٰ، وَاللهِ ما تَعَمَّدْتُ كِذْبةً منذُ قلتُ ذلِكَ لِرسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلَىٰ يَوْمِي هذَا، وإنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ يَحْفَظَنِيَ اللهُ تعالىٰ فيمَا بَقِيَ، قال: فأَنْزَلَ الله تعالىٰ: {لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِيِّ وَٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلۡأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ ٱلۡعُسۡرَةِ} حَتَّىٰ بَلَغَ: {إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمۡ رَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٞ * وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواْ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتۡ} حَتَّىٰ بَلَغَ: {ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ} [التوبة: 117ــ 119] قَالَ كَعْبٌ: واللهِ ما أَنْعَمَ اللهُ عَليَّ مِن نِعمَةٍ قَطُّ بَعْدَ إذْ هَدانِي اللهُ للإسْلام أَعْظَمَ في نَفْسِي مِنْ صِدْقِي رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ لا أَكُونَ كَذَبْتُهُ، فَأَهْلِكَ كما هلكَ الَّذينَ كَذَبُوا؛ إنَّ اللهَ تعالىٰ قال لِلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا حِينَ أَنْزَلَ الْوَحْي شَرَّ مَا قالَ لأَحَدٍ، فقالَ الله تعالىٰ: {سَيَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَكُمۡ إِذَا ٱنقَلَبۡتُمۡ إِلَيۡهِمۡ لِتُعۡرِضُواْ عَنۡهُمۡۖ فَأَعۡرِضُواْ عَنۡهُمۡۖ إِنَّهُمۡ رِجۡسٞۖ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ * يَحۡلِفُونَ لَكُمۡ لِتَرۡضَوۡاْ عَنۡهُمۡۖ فَإِن تَرۡضَوۡاْ عَنۡهُمۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَرۡضَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡفَٰسِقِينَ} [التوبة:95 ــ 96].
After I had offered my Fajr prayer on the early morning of the fiftieth day of this boycott on the roof of one of our houses, and had sat in the very state which Allah described us (in the Qur’an): ‘My very soul seemed constrained and the earth seemed constrained to me despite its vastness’, I heard the voice of a proclaimer from the peak of Mount Sal‘ shouting at the top of his voice: ‘O Ka‘b ibn Mālik, rejoice!’ I fell down in prostration and knew that there was (a message of) relief for me. The Messenger of Allah had informed the people that Allah accepted our repentance when he offered the Fajr prayer. So the people went on to give us glad tidings and some of them went to my companions in order to give them the glad tidings. A man spurred his horse towards me (to deliver the good news), and another one from the tribe of Aslam came running for the same purpose and went up the mount. His voice reached me before the rider did. When the one whose voice I had heard came to me to congratulate me, I took off my two garments and gave them to him for the good news he brought to me. By Allah, I possessed nothing else (of clothes) except these garments at that time. I borrowed two garments, dressed myself and went to the Messenger of Allah. On my way, the people were receiving me in batches and congratulating me saying: ‘Congratulations for Allah’s acceptance of your repentance.’ I entered the mosque where the Messenger of Allah was sitting amidst people. Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah got up and rushed towards me, shook hands with me and congratulated me. By Allah, no person stood up (to greet me) from amongst the Muhājirūn except him.” Ka‘b said that he never forgot this good gesture of Talhah. Ka‘b further said: I greeted the Messenger of Allah and he said with his face beaming with joy, ‘Rejoice with the best day you have ever seen since your mother gave birth to you.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is this (good news) from you or from Allah?’ He said, ‘No, it is from Allah.’ And it was common with the Messenger of Allah that whenever he was happy, his face would glow as if it were a part of the moon and it was from this that we recognized it (his delight). As I sat before him, I said, ‘As part of my repentance, I will give up all of my wealth in charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger.’ Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Keep some of your wealth with you, as it is better for you.’ I said, ‘I shall keep my share from Khaybar.’ I added: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Verily, Allah has granted me salvation because of my truthfulness, and therefore, repentance obliges me to speak nothing but the truth as long as I live.’" Ka‘b added: “By Allah, I do not know of any Muslim whom Allah has helped to tell the truth more than I since I said this to the Messenger of Allah. By Allah! Since the time I made a pledge of this to the Messenger of Allah, I have never intended to tell a lie, and I hope that Allah would protect me (against telling lies) for the rest of my life. I hope that Allah would save me (from trials) for the rest of my life.” He said: So Allah, the Exalted, revealed these verses: {Indeed, Allah has turned in mercy to the Prophet, the Emigrants and the Helpers who followed him in the hour of hardship [at Tabūk]... } he recited until: {... for He is All-Gracious, Most Merciful to them. And [Allah also turned in mercy] to the three who stayed behind, until the earth became constrained to them, despite its vastness... } until: {... fear Allah and be with those who are truthful.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 117-119] Ka‘b said: “By Allah, since Allah guided me to Islam, there has been no blessing more significant for me than this truth of mine which I spoke to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and if I were to tell a lie I would have been ruined as were ruined those who had told lies, for Allah described those who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else. Allah Almighty said: {When you return to them, they will swear to you by Allah so that you may leave them alone. So leave them alone, for they are evil. Their abode is Hell, as a recompense for what they used to do. They will swear to you in order to please you. Even if you are pleased with them, Allah will not be pleased with the rebellious people.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 95-96]
قالَ كَعْبٌ: كُنَّا خُلِّفْنَا ــ أَيُّهَا الثَّلاثَةُ ــ عَنْ أَمْرِ أُولئِكَ الَّذينَ قَبِلَ منْهُمْ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ حَلَفُوا لَهُ، فَبَايَعَهُمْ واسْتَغْفَرَ لهم، وأَرجَأَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أمْرَنَا حَتَّىٰ قضَىٰ اللهُ تعالَىٰ فيه بذلِكَ قال الله تعالىٰ: {وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواْ} وَلَيْسَ الَّذي ذكَرَ مِمَّا خُلِّفْنَا تخَلُّفَنَا عَنِ الغَزْوِ، وإنَّمَا هُوَ تَخْلِيفُهُ إيَّانَا، وإرْجاؤُهُ أمْرَنَا عَمَّنْ حَلَفَ له واعْتَذَرَ إلَيْهِ فَقبِلَ مِنْهُ. متفق عَليه.
K‘ab said: The matter of us three persons was deferred as compared with those who took an oath before the Messenger of Allah and he accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them. He deferred our case until Allah, the Exalted, gave the decision therein. Allah Almighty said: {And [Allah also turned in mercy] to the three who stayed behind} The verse does not mean by "left behind" our staying behind from Jihad, but that he left our case behind and deferred our matter as opposed to those who took oath and presented excuses to him so he accepted them. [Narrated by Al-Bukhārī and Muslim]
وفي روايةٍ «أنَّ النَّبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ في غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ يَوْمَ الخمِيسِ، وكانَ يُحِبُّ أنْ يَخْرُجَ يَوْمَ الخمِيسِ» وفي رواية: «وكانَ لا يقْدَمُ مِن سَفَرٍ إلَّا نَهَاراً في الضحَى، فإذَا قَدِمَ بَدَأَ بالمسْجِد فصَلَّىٰ فِيهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ جَلَس فِيهِ».
In another version: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) set out for the battle of Tabūk on Thursday, and he liked to set out for battle on Thursdays.” In another version: “He (the Messenger of Allah) used to come back from travel only during daytime in the forenoon. When he arrived, he would first go to the masjid and pray two Rak‘ahs then sit down.”
عِيْر: الإبل المحمّلَة. ورَّى: أوضح أنه يريد غيرها.
Caravan: camels loaded with supplies.
مفازاً: الأرض الطويلة البعيدة. أهبة: ما يتزود به المسافر.
--
أصعر: أميل. تفارط: فات وسبق.
--
مغموصاً: مطعوناً فيه.
Confirmed hypocrite: disparaged with hypocrisy.
حبسه برداه والنظر في عطفيه: التفاخر بالثياب والتباهي بها.
The beauty of his cloak and an appreciation of his finery have detained him: boasting with one’s clothes and showing them off.
مبيضاً: لابساً البياض. بثي: الحزن الشديد.
--
ابتعت: اشتريت. حائط: بستان.
--
نبطي: فلاح. فطفق: أصبح.
--
فسجرتها: أوقدتها بالنار. استلبث: تباطأ.
--
سلع: اسم جبل بالمدينة. أتأمم: أقصد.
Sal‘: the name of a mountain in Madīnah.
أنخلع: أخرج. أرجأ: أخَّرَ.
--
1) جواز إخبار الرجل عن تفريطه وتقصيره في طاعة الله ورسوله، وما آل إليه أمره، وفي ذلك التحذير والنصيحة، وبيان طرق الخير ليسلكها، وطرق الشر ليحذرها.
1) It is permissible that an individual informs others about his negligence and shortcomings in obeying Allah and His Messenger, and what he went through as a result. The purpose is to offer warning and advice, and to point out the ways of goodness to be followed and the ways of evil to be avoided.
2) الرجل إذا حضرت له فرصة الطاعة، فالحزم كل الحزم في اغتنامها والمبادرة إليها، لأن الله سبحانه قد يعاقب مَنْ فُتح له باب الخير فلم يدخله ألا يوفِّقه لغيره، بل قد يبتلىٰ بالاشتغال بما يضره.
2) The individual should firmly seize any opportunity to do good. If Allah Almighty opens a door to do good for a person and he does not go through it, Allah may punish him by not offering him another opportunity; or worse, he may become afflicted with preoccupation with what harms him.
3) مشروعية ترك السلام علىٰ من أحدث حدثاً؛ تأديباً له، بحسب المصلحة. وجواز معاتبة الرجل أصحابه بقصد تأديبهم.
3)The legitimacy of not greeting a sinner to discipline him if this would be of benefit (in reforming his condition). It is also permissible to reprimand one’s friends for the purpose of disciplining them.
4) المعاصي سبب للتنكر والوحشة في قلب العبد، ولكن بحسب مادة الحياة في قلب المؤمن يكون الإحساس بذلك.
4) Sins cause feelings of alienation in a person’s heart. However, the intensity of such feelings depends on how alive the believer’s heart is.
5) إتلاف ما يُخشىٰ منه المضرة في الدين، فالنصيحة للمؤمن أن يخرج ما عنده من المنكرات في بيته، لئلا تضعف نفسه فيواقعها.
5) Destroying what is feared to harm one’s religion. The advice for the believer is to remove from his house anything that might lead him to commit sin lest he weakens and commits it.
6) خير أيام العبد علىٰ الإطلاق وأفضلها يوم توبة الله عليه، وقبول توبته.
6) The absolute best day of a person’s life is the day Allah accepts his repentance and forgives him.
7) من ندم علىٰ الذنب وفقه الله للتوبة وأعانه عليها.
7) Whoever feels remorse for a sin, Allah will guide him to repentance and help him fulfill it.
10/22ــ وَعَنْ أبي نُجَيْدٍ ـ بضَمِّ النُّونِ وفتْحِ الجِيم ـ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ الحُصَيْنِ الْخُزَاعِيِّ رضي الله عنهما أنَّ امْرَأةً مِنْ جُهَيْنَةَ أتَتْ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهِيَ حُبْلَىٰ مِنَ الزِّنى، فقالَتْ: يا رسولَ الله أصَبْتُ حَدّاً فأقِمْهُ عَلَيَّ، فَدَعا نَبيُّ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وَليَّها، فقالَ: «أحْسِنْ إلَيْهَا، فإذَا وَضَعَتْ فَأْتِـنِي» فَفَعَلَ. فأمَرَ بهَا نَـبِيُّ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فَشُدَّتْ عَلَيْهَا ثِيَابُهَا، ثُمَّ أمَرَ بِهَا فَرُجِمَتْ، ثُمَّ صَلَّىٰ عَلَيْهَا، فقالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ: تُصَلِّي عَلَيْهَا يا رسول الله وقَدْ زَنَتْ؟ قالَ: «لَقَدْ تَابَتْ تَوْبَةً لَوْ قُسِمَتْ بَيْنَ سَبْعِينَ مِنْ أهْلِ المدينَةِ لَوَسِعَتْهُمْ، وَهَلْ وَجَدْتَ أَفضلَ مِن أن جَادَتْ بنَفْسِهَا لله _عز وجل_؟!». رواه مسلم.
22/10- Abu Nujayd ‘Imrān ibn al-Husayn al-Khuzā‘i (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “A woman from (the tribe of) Juhaynah came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and she was pregnant as a result of adultery. She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have done something that makes me liable to receive Hadd (a prescribed corporal punishment), so apply it on me.’ The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) called her guardian and said to him: ‘Be kind to her, and when she gives birth, come to me.’ He did so and the Prophet of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) commanded that her clothes be secured on her and that she be stoned to death. He then offered the funeral prayer over her. ‘Umar asked him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you pray over her even though she committed adultery?’ He said: ‘Indeed, she has made such a repentance that if it were to be divided among seventy people of Madīnah, it would be enough for them all. Has she found something better than offering her life to Allah, Glorified and Exalted?’” [Narrated by Muslim]
أصبت حدّاً: أي أصبت شيئاً يوجب الحدّ.
--
شُدّت: لُفت ثيابها وربطت.
--
1) الزاني إذا زنىٰ وهو مُحصن متزوّج، فإنه يُرجم وجوباً. وقد رجم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ورَجم الخلفاء الراشدون من بعده ، وهذا الحد رحمة من الله تعالىٰ بعبده ليطهره من الذنب.
1) It is obligatory to stone the married adulterer. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did this stoning and so did the rightfully guided Caliphs after him. This punishment is out of the mercy of Allah Almighty to purify his slave from the sin.
2) الجزاء من جنس العمل، لأن الزاني تلذذ جميع جسده بالحرام، فكان من الحكمة أن ينال هذا الجسد من العذاب بقدر ما نال من اللذة.
2) The recompense for a deed is of the same nature as the deed. Since the adulterer’s whole body indulged in sin, it is wise that the whole body suffers punishment for the sin just as it received pleasure from it.
3) جواز إقرار الإنسان علىٰ نفسه بالزنى، من أجل تطهيره بالحد، لا من أجل فضح نفسه والمجاهرة بالمعاصي.
3) It is permissible that a person admits committing adultery to be purified through the prescribed corporal punishment, not to expose himself or to brag about his sin.
11/23 ــ وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما أنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «لَوْ أَنَّ لاِبْنِ آدَمَ وَادِياً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَادِيَانِ، وَلَنْ يَمْلأَ فَاهُ إلَّا التُّرَابُ، وَيَتُوبُ اللهُ عَلَىٰ مَنْ تَابَ». متفقٌ عليه.
11/23 - Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If the son of Adam were to own a valley of gold, he would desire to have two valleys. Nothing can fill his mouth except dust (of the grave), and Allah accepts the repentance of whoever repents.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) طبيعة الإنسان أنه يحب التكاثر بالمال؛ إلا من زكّىٰ نفسه وذكّرها لقاء الله تعالىٰ.
1) The human nature cherishes piling up wealth, except the one who purifies himself and reminds it that it will meet Allah Almighty.
2) التوبة إلىٰ الله تعالىٰ سبب للانكفاف عن المحرمات، والرضا بما قسم الله للعبد من الرزق.
2) Repenting to Allah Almighty is a cause for quitting sins and for contentment with the provision that Allah alloted for His servant.
3) التوبة يمحو الله بها السيئات، ولو كانت متعلقة بالحقوق المالية، بشرط أن يؤديها إلىٰ أهلها.
3) Allah erases sins through repentance even if they are related to the financial rights of others, on condition that they are paid back to their rightful owners.
12/24ــ وَعَنْ أَبي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه أنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «يَضْحَكُ الُله سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ إلَىٰ رَجُـلَيْنِ يَقْتُلُ أحَدُهُمَا الآخَرَ يَدْخُلانِ الْجَنَّةَ؛ يُقَاتِلُ هذَا في سَبِيلِ الله فَيُقْتَلُ، ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ عَلَىٰ الْقَاتِلِ، فَيُسْلِم فَيُسْتَشْهَدُ». متفقٌ عليه.
24/12- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah, Glorified and Exalted, laughs at two men, one of them kills the other, yet both enter Paradise. This one fights in the cause of Allah and gets killed. Then Allah accepts the repentance of the killer, so he embraces Islam and dies as a martyr.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) أهل الجنة يطهرون من الغل والحقد، حتىٰ إن القاتل والمقتول كليهما يدخلان الجنة، من غير غل ولا حقد، وهذا هو وجه الضحك من هذين الرجلين.
1) The residents of Paradise are cleansed from spite and grudge to the extent that the killer and the one he killed both enter Paradise without harboring any grudge or hard feelings for each other, and it is in this respect that Allah Almighty laughs at them (in a way that befits His Majesty).
2) «الإسلام يهدم ما قبله»، و«التوبة تجبُّ ما قبلها»، فَلْيحرصِ المؤمن علىٰ تجديد توبته دوماً.
2) Just as "embracing Islam wipes out the sins that preceded it", so does "repentance abolishes the sin committed preceding it." Hence, the believer should always be keen on renewing his repentance.