The Life Of Muhammad ﷺ, Madinan Period Volume 2
By Imam Anwar Al_Awlaki,
اَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنَّ الشِّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ ۝ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمَ۝
اَلْحَمْدُ لله ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلى سَيِّدِنَا محمد وَعَلَى اَلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْمًا كَثِيْرا
Dear brothers and sisters,
السلام وعليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
We have one topic left from the topic of the Battle of Tabook(تبوك),
and this is the, what is known as the Hadith(حديث) of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك).
It's an authentic narration from him, narrated by Al-Bukhari(البخاريْ)
and by other books of Hadith(حديث) and books of Seerah(سيرة).
This Hadith(حديث) has special significance
because it represents a bad moment in the life of an exemplary man, special man, the companion of Rasool Allah ﷺ,
and it's loaded with lessons for us.
Because it is a story of someone, who struggled to do good,
and then being a human being, he went through a moment of weakness
but was able to get out of it because of his good deeds,
because of his Tarbiyyah(تربية), because of his Eeman(إيمان).
And I want you to contemplate on this Hadith(حديث), deeply
and derive the lessons that are relevant to you, as a Mo'min(مؤمن),
we'll go In Sha Allah(إن شاء الله) through some of these lessons, but I'm sure that I would miss many.
And therefore you need to have Tadabbur(تدبر), contemplation on these words of the great companion Ka'ab Ibn Malik رضي الله عنه.
I'm going to read the narration of Bukhari(بخاريْ)
and this was narrated by the grandson of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) from his father,
who was the guide of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك), when he grew old and became blind
and the father is narrating his story to the son.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) says;
لَمْ أَتَخَلَّفْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا إِلَّا فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ
Ka'ab(كعب) says: I've never stayed behind any Battle of Rasool Allah ﷺ
with the exception of the Battle of Tabook(تبوك).
غَيْرَ أَنِّي كُنْتُ تَخَلَّفْتُ فِي غَزْوَةِ بَدْرٍ
But I also missed the Battle of Badr(بدر).
However,
وَلَمْ يُعَاتِبْ أَحَدًا تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا
Rasool Allah ﷺ did not censor anybody who stayed behind.
And he gives the reason why, Rasool Allah ﷺ did not hold anybody accountable for missing Badr(بدر).?
إِنَّمَا خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُرِيدُ عِيرَ قُرَيْشٍ
Rasool Allah ﷺ went out in the Battle of Badr(بدر) with a different intention.
I mean, it wasn't intended as a Battle with the Mushrikeen(مشركين) of Quraish(قُرَيْشْ),
but it was intended as an attack on the Tijarah(تجارة), on the caravan that was led by Abu Sufiyan(ابو سفيان),
they missed the caravan and then they ended up meeting the army of Quraish(قُرَيْشْ).
حَتَّى جَمَعَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ عَدُوِّهِمْ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِيعَادٍ
And then, they ended up meeting the enemy without an appointment, a prior appointment.
وَلَقَدْ شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ
حِينَ تَوَاثَقْنَا عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِهَا
مَشْهَدَ بَدْرٍ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ بَدْرٌ أَذْكَرَ فِي النَّاسِ مِنْهَا
He says: However, I have attended with Rasool Allah ﷺ the night of Al-Aqabah(ألعقبه).
Remember, we have talked about Al-Aqabah(ألعقبه) towards the end of the series on Makkah.
And this is when the Ansaar(أنْصَار) gave Rasool Allah ﷺ the Pledge of Allegiance
and they promised him support.
Ka'ab(كعب) says: I attended that, he was one of the Nuqaba'a(نقباء),
he was one of the 12 leaders of Al-Ansaar(أنْصَار),
who represented the Ansaar(أنْصَار) in giving the pledge to Rasool Allah ﷺ.
Ka'ab(كعب) says, that I would not want to have attended Badr(بدر) instead of Al-Aqabah(ألعقبه),
even though Badr(بدر) is more famous.
What Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is saying,
that they consider the night of Al-Aqabah(العقبه) to be such an important and special event
that he would not exchange it, with attending Badr(بدر).
But then he says, that Badr(بدر) is very famous and it has such a high reputation.
However, the Laila-Tul-Aqabah(ليلة العقبه) was also a very important event and he attended that, he was there.
And then he says;
كَانَ مِنْ خَبَرِي أَنِّي لَمْ أَكُنْ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلَا أَيْسَرَ حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْهُ فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزَاةِ
وَاللَّهِ مَا اجْتَمَعَتْ عِنْدِي قَبْلَهُ رَاحِلَتَانِ قَطُّ حَتَّى جَمَعْتُهُمَا فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ
He said: And now he's starting to narrate the story of what happened on Tabook(تبوك).
He said: I was never before stronger or better off,
then that time when I missed the Battle of Tabook(تبوك).
He said: Never before, did I own two riding camels.
But I did own them during the Battle of Tabook(تبوك).
So, Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) here is admitting that he has no excuse,
he's strong, and he has a financial capability,
which is represented in having a mount to ride, not only did he have one but he had two.
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُرِيدُ غَزْوَةً إِلَّا وَرَّى بِغَيْرِهَا
حَتَّى كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةُ غَزَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ
وَاسْتَقْبَلَ سَفَرًا بَعِيدًا وَمَفَازًا وَعَدُوًّا كَثِيرًا
فَجَلَّى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَمْرَهُمْ لِيَتَأَهَّبُوا أُهْبَةَ غَزْوِهِمْ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِوَجْهِهِ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ
Rasool Allah ﷺ would never send out an army to fight a particular enemy.
But he would talk about a different destination.
Rasool Allah ﷺ does this to mislead the enemy,
so he would never have, his destination exposed.
And he would do that in order to surprise the enemy and catch them, off guard.
That was the habit of Rasool Allah ﷺ.
However, with the Battle of Tabook(تبوك), it was different.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) says; Because it was in a time of extreme heat,
and it was a long journey and it was a numerous enemy,
therefore, Rasool Allah ﷺ made the announcement public to the Muslims,
that we are going to such and such place, and we are facing the Romans.
And he did that so that they will take appropriate measures and preparations for this battle.
So, this shows you that Tabook(تبوك) was different and special.
وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَثِيرٌ، وَلَا يَجْمَعُهُمْ كِتَابٌ حَافِظٌ يُرِيدُ الدِّيوَانَ
The Muslims were numerous and the books of Seerah(سيرة) say that they were 30,000.
That is the most authentic narration that the number of Muslims was 30,000.
So, you can see that it surpasses any other battle before it.
I mean, in Fattah-e-Makkah(فتح مكه), they were 10, and in Hawazin(هوازن), they were 12,000.
And now suddenly, we have a jump to 30,000 even though it's just a few months after the Battle of Hawazin(هوازن),
but Rasool Allah ﷺ made a full mobilization for the Battle of Tabook(تبوك),
and all of the tribes were called to, and summoned to attend,
because again, of the special circumstances.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) says: But there is no Deewan(ديوان).
Deewan(ديوان) is a register, meaning the names, there was no role, the names were not written.
And therefore he says;
فَمَا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَغَيَّبَ إِلَّا ظَنَّ أَنْ سَيَخْفَى
So, if a person wants to stay behind, he might assume that he would be undisclosed.
مَا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ فِيهِ وَحْيُ مِنَّ اللَّهِ
As long as there will be no revelation coming from Allah, exposing him.
Because of the huge numbers a person could assume that Rasool Allah ﷺ would not miss that person.
Because we're talking about 30,000 it's difficult to keep track of who's there and who's not.
وَغَزَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةَ حِينَ طَابَتْ الثِّمَارُ وَالظِّلَالُ
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) says;
And Rasool Allah ﷺ went out in that battle, in a time when the fruits were ripe, and the shade was alluring.
And this is a very important statement of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك).
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) here is being honest, in this narration,
and he is speaking to us about the true reasons, and the hidden reasons
that are going within the mind and the heart.
He is saying that, at that time,
it was a time when the shade was very alluring because it was very hot,
and the fruit are ripening on the trees.
And these are temptations for a person to stay behind.
And then he says;
وَتَجَهَّزَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ
فَطَفِقْتُ أَغْدُو لِكَيْ أَتَجَهَّزَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَرْجِعُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَا قَادِرٌ عَلَيْهِ
He said: The Messenger of Allah and the Muslims started making their preparations.
And I began hurrying to prepare, but I would retire without accomplishing anything.
He had the intention to prepare, but he would not do anything.
Procrastination, a human habit, something that is usual, if you don't commit yourself,
if you don't discipline yourself to do something, you're not going to do it.
And you're going to delay the work of today to tomorrow.
And that is what Ka'ab Ibn Malik رضي الله عنه was doing.
And then he tells us something, he said;
فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَا قَادِرٌ عَلَيْهِ
I would tell myself that I'm able to do it.
Nafs(نفس), the self could drag you down.
If you don't discipline it.
If you leave your affairs to your whims, and just let it go with the flow,
you're not going to get anything done.
And Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) was speaking to himself and saying I can do it.
Eventually he didn't do it.
So, we need to be very careful from the Nafs(نفس)
because the Nafs(نفس) is lazy, the Nafs(نفس) is afraid, the Nafs(نفس) is weak, the Nafs(نفس) loves Duniyah(دنيا).
And if you don't force it, and discipline it and tame it to follow the orders of Allahعَزّوجَلّ,
it will wonder with you and take you astray.
You have to be very careful. Your Nafs(نفس) could be your worst enemy, if you don't pay attention.
فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَتَمَادَى بِي حَتَّى اشْتَدَّ بِالنَّاسِ الْجِدُّ
فَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ مِنْ جَهَازِي شَيْئًا
He said: ِ And time was passing by.
And people were deep in their preparation.
And then suddenly, the next morning Rasool Allah ﷺ, and the Muslims were ready.
That's it, they're set to go.
وَلَمْ أَقْضِ مِنْ جَهَازِي شَيْئًا
And I have done nothing to prepare myself.
He is at the initial stage, he has done nothing and the Muslims are ready to leave this morning.
فَقُلْتُ أَتَجَهَّزُ بَعْدَهُ بِيَوْمٍ أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ ثُمَّ أَلْحَقُهُمْ
I said: I'm gonna prepare, get ready within a day or two, and then I'm going to catch up with them.
فَغَدَوْتُ بَعْدَ أَنْ فَصَلُوا لِأَتَجَهَّزَ فَرَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا
They left and I decided to get myself ready and I didn't.
ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ
The next day, the same thing, I would come back and I would do nothing.
فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِي حَتَّى أَسْرَعُوا وَتَفَارَطَ الْغَزْوُ
And that was the case, until the army has left and it was over.
And here brothers and sisters, if you think that you could hasten a thing, so you procrastinate.
And then you think that you can combine it and hasten it,
many times what happens is, you end up doing nothing,
because the issue piles up and piles up, until it becomes too much to manage.
And it ends up causing you, when you look at the amount of work that you have to do, you just end up giving up.
So, it's a trick from yourself to tell you to procastinate and then its another trick from yourself when yourself that's it, it's too late,
and you end up, giving up.
Also brothers and sisters, this is another indication because here
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is talking about of the context of going out Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله).
Going out Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله) is a caravan and this caravan is moving and it's going on continuously
because Rasool Allah ﷺ says,
That this will continue until the day of judgment.
There will be an enemy that is fought at any point of time.
According to the Ahadith(احاديث) of Rasool Allah ﷺ,
the Ahadith(احاديث) of At-Taefa Al-Mansoorah(طائفه المنصورة) Rasool Allah ﷺ says;
They are fighting, until the end of time, until Dajjal(دجال) comes out.
And they will be fighting Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله).
There was fighting Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله) yesterday,
there is fighting Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله) today,
and they will be fighting Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله) tomorrow
and the caravan is moving,
and the more you delay joining it, the further it will be and the more difficult it will be for you to catch up.
And this is exactly what happened with Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك).
If Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) was not able and he failed to catch up.
Who do you think, you are to be able to catch up, if you wait for too long.?
And then he says;
وَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَرْتَحِلَ فَأُدْرِكَهُمْ وَلَيْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ
He said: And I was still thinking about setting out and catching up with them.
And I wish that I did.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) wishes that he did and one day, you will wish that you did,
if not in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا) than in Aakhira(آخرة)
when you see the great rewards that are given to these special people
whom Allahعَزّوجَلّ has bestowed his favor upon
and guided them to the straight path and showed them the best of deeds, the peak and pinnacle of Islam.
You will desire that you did Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is saying; Laiytaani(لَيْتَنِي) I wish,
I wish, that I did.
فَلَمْ يُقَدَّرْ لِي ذَلِكَ
It was not destined for me to do so.
فَكُنْتُ إِذَا خَرَجْتُ فِي النَّاسِ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
فَطُفْتُ فِيهِمْ أَحْزَنَنِي أَنِّي لَا أَرَى إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَغْمُوصًا عَلَيْهِ النِّفَاقُ أَوْ رَجُلًا مِمَّنْ عَذَرَ اللَّهُ مِنْ الضُّعَفَاءِ
When the army left and he was left behind in Madina,
he would go out, walk around, go to the marketplaces.
He said: Whenever I went out and mixed with people,
after the departure of the Messenger of Allah, it grieved me
that the only man I saw were persons suspected of hypocrisy,
or those excused by the Messenger of Allah because they were in poor health.
So, these are the ones, who stay behind the Munafiqeen(منافقين) and the ones, who are excused.
These are the ones who stay behind.
وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ تَبُوكَ
The Messenger of Allah made no mention of me, until after he reached Tabook(تبوك).
Rasool Allah remembered him, when he was at Tabook(تبوك).
فَقَالَ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْقَوْمِ بِتَبُوكَ مَا فَعَلَ كَعْبٌ
Rasool Allah ﷺ said: When he was in a gathering. What did Ka'ab(كعب) do?
فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ
A man from Banni Salamah(بني سلمه) said;
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ حَبَسَهُ بُرْدَاهُ وَنَظَرُهُ فِي عِطْفِهِ
This man from Bannu Salamah(بنو سلمه), the same clan of Ka'ab(كعب) from Al-Khazraj(الخزرج),
he said: O Messenger of Allah, he was detained by his two cloaks
and looking at the beauty of his clothes.
Now, brothers and sisters, this is such a degrading statement that was made.
I mean, here you're talking about men.
They are True men, and they know what is shameful
and such a statement is such a degrading statement against Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك)
and to say that he was held behind because of his clothes and staring at them.
I mean, he's like saying that, he is a woman,
who just is enjoying her clothes and looking at how beautiful these clothes are.
It's not a manly thing to be concerned with how cute the clothes are
and how handsome a man looks in the mirror when people are fighting, when people are in the battlefield.
So, it is a very shameful thing
and Muadh Ibn Jabal(معاذ ابن جبل), who's also from Al-Ansaar(أنْصَار)
and from the people of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك), he responded to that statement and said;
فَقَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتَ
What a bad thing you have said.
وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا
O Messenger of Allah. We know nothing about him but good.
فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Rasool Allah ﷺ was quiet.
Now, when Rasool Allah ﷺ is silent, that means that he is approving of what was mentioned
otherwise, Rasool Allah ﷺ would answer back and let's take a look at this for a moment.
Who is Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك).?
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is a man, who was with Rasool Allah ﷺ from day one.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is a man, who is from among the Al-Ansaar(أنْصَار),
who came to Rasool Allah ﷺ and invited him to Madina
and they knew very well the consequences of such an act.
They knew that the Arabs are going to fight them.
They knew that they will sacrifice their selves, and their wealth for Rasool Allah ﷺ.
And he is one of the 12 men, who put their hands in the hand of Rasool Allah ﷺ
and gave him the Pledge of Allegiance.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is a man, who was in the trench with Rasool Allah ﷺ in every day of battle,
he was there in Uhud(احد),
he was there in Al-Khandaq(ألخندق),
he was there in Fath-E-Makkah(فتح مكه),
he was there Khaybar(خيبر),
he was there Hudaybiyyah(حديبيه),
he was there in every single important moment in the history of Islam,
and he just missed out on that single day.
Nevertheless, this man from Bannu Salamah(بنوسلمه)
made that statement against him that he's staring at his clothes.
So, brothers and sisters, the action of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) made him a target, to these words.
I mean, he has put himself in a vulnerable position because of his actions.
He did something that brought and drew these statements against him,
even though he's such a good and great companion of Rasool Allah ﷺ
but because what he did was wrong, he got himself into that situation.
Regardless of whether the statement of this man is right or wrong.
He, Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is the one, who put himself in this situation to start with
and Muadh Ibn Jabal(معاذ ابن جبل) spoke in defense of Ka'ab Ibn Malik رضي الله عنه
and Rasool Allah ﷺ was silent
because Rasool Ullah صلوات الله وسلام عليه is taking by what is apparent.
And what is apparent is that Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) did not show up.
And then Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) says;
قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَنِي أَنَّهُ تَوَجَّهَ قَافِلًا حَضَرَنِي هَمِّي
وَطَفِقْتُ أَتَذَكَّرُ الْكَذِبَ وَأَقُولُ بِمَاذَا أَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ غَدًا
وَاسْتَعَنْتُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بِكُلِّ ذِي رَأْيٍ مِنْ أَهْلِي
And then when I heard the news that Rasool Allah ﷺ is on his way back.
I became very anxious.
And then I was thinking about lying and trying to fabricate an excuse
to get out of the anger of Rasool Allah ﷺ, when I meet him.
And then he said, and I was seeking counsel, from all of those from my family,
whom have an opinion that, I trust.
فَلَمَّا قِيلَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ أَظَلَّ قَادِمًا
زَاحَ عَلَّيَّ الْبَاطِلُ وَعَرَفْتُ أَنِّي لَنْ أَخْرُجَ مِنْهُ أَبَدًا بِشَيْءٍ فِيهِ كَذِبٌ فَأَجْمَعْتُ صِدْقَهُ
And then when I told that Rasool Allah ﷺ is almost here,
all of the falsehood and those thoughts left my mind.
And I knew that I'm not going to get out of this trouble at all, if I lie.
And I decided that I'm going to speak the truth.
And here you can see Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك), this righteous and great companion,
falling into deep trouble and committing a serious mistake,
but because of his Eeman(إيمان), and because of the Tarbiyyah(تربيعة) that his Eeman(إيمان) gave him,
he was able to pull himself out of this hole that he made for himself through his good deeds.
The decision that Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) made to speak the truth and not to lie,
as we will see is what saved him, from this big problem that he got himself into.
I mean, you will see how serious staying behind is.?
وَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَادِمًا
وَكَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ بَدَأَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَيَرْكَعُ فِيهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِلنَّاسِ
Rasool Allah ﷺ arrived in the morning and when he would arrive from traveling
he would first go to the Masjid(مسجد) and pray two Rak'ah(ركعة)
and then Rasool Allah ﷺ sat down for the people
because the people would come and meet Rasool Allah ﷺ.
So he would sit in the Masjid(مسجد) and they would come and meet him in the Masjid(مسجد).
That was the congregation place for the people, the Masjid(مسجد).
فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ جَاءَهُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فَطَفِقُوا يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ
And when he did that, the ones who stayed behind came to Rasool Allah ﷺ giving their excuses
and swearing, making an oath in the name of Allah that we're speaking the truth.
وَكَانُوا بِضْعَةً وَثَمَانِينَ رَجُلًا
And they were above 80 men.
فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَانِيَتَهُمْ وَبَايَعَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ وَوَكَلَ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ
So, Rasool Allah ﷺ accepted their excuses,
and took what is apparent, took their words at face value.
And he took their pledge of allegiance, their Bay'ayah(بيعه).
And he asked Allah to forgive them and he left the insides of their hearts to Allah.
And this is a general rule that Rasool Allah ﷺ applied that he would go by what is the apparent.
اَلْاَخَذُ بِاالظَّاهِرْ
And this is a very important rule that has a lot of implications.
We judge people according to what we see, if we see Eeman(ايمان) outwardly,
we judge that they are believers, even if they are disbelievers in their heart,
if what we see from them, or acts of disbelief, Kuffr(كفر),
then we judge them according to that even, if they are believers in their heart.
That is the rule.
And then we leave what is inside the hearts to Allah on the Day of Judgment.
But the rules that apply in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا), apply to what is apparent and not what is hidden.
And this is both for Islam(اسلام) and Kuffr(كفر).
فَجِئْتُهُ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ
ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى فَجِئْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِي مَا خَلَّفَكَ
So, I came to Rasool Allah ﷺ and I gave him Salaam(سلام), and he smiled to me
but it was a smile, of one, who was angry.
And then he said: Come here, so I came walking to him.
And then I sat in front of him and he asked me and said: Why did you stay behind?
Rasool Allah ﷺ is asking Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك), Why did you stay behind?
And we will be asked why did we stay behind?
Not by Rasool Allah ﷺ, but by Allahعَزّ وجَلّ on the Day of Judgment.
Rasool Allah ﷺ was there to ask Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك), and that question still holds true today.
And it holds true in every time, when fighting Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(في سبيل الله) is a duty upon the Muslims.
Why did you stay behind, what is your answer?
Prepare an answer for Allahعَزّوجَلّ.
Prepare an answer for this question.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) has thought about this question deeply.
And he decided that he's going to speak the truth.
And then Rasool Allah ﷺ told him.
أَلَمْ تَكُنْ قَدْ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرَكَ
Didn't you buy your mount?
So, this shows us that Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) was not completely ignoring his duty.
He actually tried to prepare and he went as far as buying a mount.
I mean, it's not like he was completely oblivious to the situation.
No, he was thinking about it, and as we have seen, that he was so concerned
and he would make the Niyyah(نية) everyday that he is going to get ready but he didn't.
Rasool Allah ﷺ told him: Didn't to buy your mount?
He said: Balaa(بلى), Yes.
And then he said;
إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا
لَرَأَيْتُ أَنْ سَأَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ بِعُذْرٍ وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا
He said: In the name of Allah, if I sat with someone else from the people of Duniyah(دُنِيَّا),
I would have assumed that I will be able to get out of his anger with an excuse.
وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا
He said: And I have the eloquence and I have the ability to argue.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) was a poet,
and he was one of the famous and important poets of Madina,
who defended Islam and Rasool Allah ﷺ with their poetry.
I mean, the most famous poets of Madina were
Hassan Bin Thabit(حسان بن ثابت), Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) and Abdullah Bin Rawaha(عبدالله بن رواحة).
So, he was one of the three top poets of Rasool Allah صلوات الله وسلام عليه.
So, he's saying;
وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا
I have been gifted with the ability to debate and argue.
I mean, he's a man who could convince you, with his point of view.
In other words, he's saying;
that I could, O Messenger of Allah, give excuses that will sound valid and convincing.
But I realized that speaking this to you, would eventually be exposed because you are the Messenger of Allah,
my lie will not go that far and I will be exposed.
So, here, he's saying that I'm going to speak the truth.
Now, with this statement of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك),
when he says;
وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا
I have been given the ability to argue or convince.
Nowadays, many arguments are made for excusing oneself, of fulfilling their duties towards Allah, and religion of Allahعَزّوجَلّ.
And the most convincing arguments come from people who have a background in knowledge,
the people who are well versed with the evidences,
so they have the ability to pull out some Ayaat(آيات) of Qur'an and to pull out some Ahadith(احاديث)
and to pull out some statements and then bring them together in a way,
that may sound convincing as presenting an argument that gives them an excuse.
For example, you would have people say that we are in Makkah
and you would have others say that we are in the weak stage.
So, we need to apply the rules that apply to the weak stage.
Now, the thing here is, yes, there was a situation once upon a time 1400 years ago, when Rasool Allah ﷺ was in Makkah,
that they applied rules of weakness before they went to Madina.
So, a person may come today and say that we are in Makkah.
So, you go to that brother and tell him;
Well fine, if you are in Makkah, then why don't you go to Madina,
Rasool Allah ﷺ when he was in Makkah, he struggled to go to Madina.
So, if you are now in Makkah stage, why don't you struggle to go to the Madina stage.
The thing is that, he wouldn't want to.
Why?
Because the pay in Madina is less than the pay in Makkah.
The life in Makkah is more comfortable than it is going to be in Madina.
And therefore this person is not willing to make the move.
The person would say that we are in the stage of weakness,
well fine, if you're in the stage of weakness, then prepare yourself to get out of it.
But the thing is, you would find that person unwilling to prepare to get out of it,
because he knows very well that the path to strength is a path that is paved with difficulty and sacrifice.
Rasool Allah ﷺ, Yes at one point of time, he was in Makkah and the Muslims were in Makkah,
but they did all, what was humanly capable for them to do in order to get out of that situation.
If you look at the Seerah(سيرة) of Rasool Allah ﷺ you see that it is fascinating.
How Rasool Allah ﷺ would knock on every door possible to find a way out of Makkah.
I mean, Rasool Allah ﷺ would meet with the tribes, in every season of Hajj(حج),
asking them to give him support, so that he can make Hijrah(هجرة) to them.
And when you do something once and twice and three times
and everytime you get the same answer of rejection, you end up giving up.
Rasool Allah ﷺ, never gave up and he would do that year in and year out.
And he will do that with first tribe, second tribe, third tribe, fourth tribe, fifth tribe and never give up
until, eventually he met with Al-Ansaar(أنْصَار),
and they are the ones who provided him with a base to spread the Daw'ah(دعوة) .
So, Rasool Allah ﷺ was trying every avenue possible to get out of Makkah and go to Madina.
He tried every avenue possible to get out of the stage of weakness into the stage of strength.
So, whoever today is saying that we are in Makkah, that person needs to get out of Makkah,
and whoever is in a state of weakness needs to struggle to get out of that state of weakness.
Otherwise, the Ayah(آية) of Allahعَزّوجَلّ that applies, would apply to them.
Where Allahعَزّوجَلّ saysl;
وَلَوْ أَرَادُوا الْخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّةً
If they want to go out, they would have prepared to do so.
But without any preparation.
That means that the person is just paying lip service and it is not true.
So, Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is saying that I'm not going to use my argumentative abilities and debating abilities here.
He said;
وَلَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَ صِدْقٍ تَجِدُ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو فِيهِ عَفْوَ اللَّهِ
He said: And if I speak the truth to you, even though it might make you angry,
but I am expecting that in the truth, will be the forgiveness of Allah.
لَا وَاللَّهِ مَا كَانَ لِي مِنْ عُذْرٍ
I have no excuse.
He made it clear to Rasool Allah ﷺ that he has no excuse in staying behind.
وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلَا أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْكَ
I was never stronger and more able to go out when I stayed behind.
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَ فَقُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ
Rasool Allah ﷺ said: This man has spoken the truth,
so leave until Allah judges in your situation.
فَقُمْتُ وَثَارَ رِجَالٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَاتَّبَعُونِي فَقَالُوا لِي وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَاكَ كُنْتَ أَذْنَبْتَ ذَنْبًا قَبْلَ هَذَا
وَلَقَدْ عَجَزْتَ أَنْ لَا تَكُونَ اعْتَذَرْتَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَا اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُتَخَلِّفُونَ
قَدْ كَانَ كَافِيَكَ ذَنْبَكَ اسْتِغْفَارُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَكَ
فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَالُوا يُؤَنِّبُونِي حَتَّى أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ فَأُكَذِّبَ نَفْسِي
He said: So I left and some men from my clan followed me and they told me;
We never know that you have committed a sin before this, this is the first time.
Why didn't you give an excuse to Rasool Allah ﷺ just like everybody else did
and it would have been sufficient for you, the Istaghfaar(إستغفار) of Rasool Allah ﷺ.
Because the ones, who came before Rasool Allah ﷺ ask Allah to forgive them.
So, they told him: If you have came up with an excuse,
Rasool Allah ﷺ would ask Allah for your forgiveness, and that would be sufficient enough to wipe out your sin.
And he said: And they were blaming me, until I thought about going back to Rasool Allah ﷺ, and making up an excuse.
But then I asked them.
ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ هَلْ لَقِيَ هَذَا مَعِي أَحَدٌ
Did anybody else say the same thing and get the same response.
قَالُوا نَعَمْ رَجُلَانِ قَالَا مِثْلَ مَا قُلْتَ
They said: Yes, Two men.
They said: Like what you have said.
فَقِيلَ لَهُمَا مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ لَكَ
And they were told similar answer to what was told to you.
فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هُمَا
I said: Who are they?
قَالُوا مُرَارَةُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ الْعَمْرِيُّ وَهِلَالُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ الْوَاقِفِيُّ
They said: Mirarah(مرارة) and Hillal(هلال).
فَذَكَرُوا لِي رَجُلَيْنِ صَالِحَيْنِ قَدْ شَهِدَا بَدْرًا فِيهِمَا أُسْوَةٌ
They mentioned to me two righteous men.
And I saw them as examples for me or these were two men.
So, therefore there's somebody else who did the same thing that I have did,
and therefore he decided that he's not going to go back.
And this shows you that, we find when we will see company that gives us support.
So, when he saw that he has company in the action that he did, in telling the truth that encouraged him to carry on.
And this shows us the importance of having good company around you.
Because of the pressure of the society, see he was pressured to go back and make up a lie.
And he was almost going to do that.
So, the pressure of the society is very strong.
And therefore you need to surround yourself with like minded people,
who will support you to do good, especially for those who are living in rotten environments,
in environments that are environments of disbelief and environments of Fitnah(فِتْنَه).
It's very important that you don't trust your abilities in survival,
and you realize that you are weak human being.
خُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا
A man has been created in a weak state, we are weak.
And therefore we need to have good company, it's very important to have likeminded people
who would support you and advise you and Deenan Naseeha( دين النصيحه).
Rasool Allah ﷺ says, that Religion is advice.
So, you need to have people around you, who would encourage you to do good.
I would strongly advise anybody who is not in such an environment to change their environment immediately.
Because if you are strong today, you might become vulnerable and weak tomorrow.
And you never know how deep you would fall.
And in a time like this, there's no end to how low a person could get.
I mean, some people can keep on descending and descending and descending,
getting deeper and deeperand deeper until, they become a disbeliever
until, they become Murtadd(مرتد).
So, it's very dangerous thing.
Don't underestimate the effect of your environment on you.
فَمَضَيْتُ حِينَ ذَكَرُوهُمَا لِي
وَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَنْ كَلَامِنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلَاثَةُ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ
Out of all of the people who stayed behind, and remember that, they were over 80,
the three of us, Rasool Allah ﷺ has given orders that we should be boycotted
in terms of speaking, it's not an economical boycott against them.
It is a boycott of not speaking to them, not interacting with them.
So, Subhaan Allah(سبحان الله), the ones who spoke the truth, end up getting boycotted,
while the ones, who lied, their excuse was accepted and they're fine.
But you will see that this is only a short term thing and it's short lived.
And this is a test from Allahعَزّوجَلّ, sometimes a lie gives you an instant gratification
and gives you an instant, very short lived solution.
But after that things began to unravel.
While truth in the long term is always good.
فَاجْتَنَبَنَا النَّاسُ وَتَغَيَّرُوا لَنَا حَتَّى تَنَكَّرَتْ فِي نَفْسِي الْأَرْضُ فَمَا هِيَ الَّتِي أَعْرِفُ
He said: People boycotted us, stayed away from us and their treatment changed.
He said: It was so bad,
حَتَّى تَنَكَّرَتْ فِي نَفْسِي الْأَرْضُ
Until the land has become like unknown to me.
I mean, it's not, Subhaan Allah(سبحان الله)
He's in Madina, he is from Madina.
That's his home, he lived there all of his life, that's where he was born.
But because the people changed, he even felt that the ground, he's standing upon is different.
It's like an unknown land to him.
You feel homesick in your own home, you feel like a foreigner in your own land.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) is saying that even the land was different to me.
Why? Because the people are boycotting him.
فَلَبِثْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً
That carried on for 50 days.
فَأَمَّا صَاحِبَايَ فَاسْتَكَانَا وَقَعَدَا فِي بُيُوتِهِمَا يَبْكِيَانِ
He said: My two companions, they just gave up and sat at home weeping.
وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَكُنْتُ أَشَبَّ الْقَوْمِ وَأَجْلَدَهُمْ
فَكُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ فَأَشْهَدُ الصَّلَاةَ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَأَطُوفُ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يُكَلِّمُنِي أَحَدٌ
He said: But me, I was the youngest among them, and the toughest.
So, I would go out and I would pray in Jama'ah(جماعة) and I would go in the markets,
but nobody would speak to me.
So, the other two, they just gave up, they couldn't handle walking around with people ignoring them.
And they just sat at home and they were crying, devastated.
But Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) he was strong, so he would go out and pray Jama'ah(جماعة)
and go in the market, even though he would be completely ignored.
And this also shows us how strong, the society, the community was.
I mean, an order from Rasool Allah ﷺ to boycott them, that's it, it was final.
Nobody would speak, you go to the marketplace nobody is speaking,
go to the Masjid(مسجد) nobody speaking, total obedience to Rasool Allah ﷺ.
And this is why Hajar(هجر) was powerful, boycotting was powerful
because the whole society takes the command from Rasool Allah ﷺ and do what they're told.
وَآتِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ
فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي هَلْ حَرَّكَ شَفَتَيْهِ بِرَدِّ السَّلَامِ عَلَيَّ أَمْ لَا
And I would go to Rasool Allah ﷺ, when he was in his gathering
and I would give him salam(سلام)
and I would ask myself did he move his lips in responding to my Salam(سلام).
So, Rasool Allah ﷺ would not answer him,
so he'd tried to stare at the lips and see if Rasool Allah ﷺ is doing it quietly.
ثُمَّ أُصَلِّي قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ فَأُسَارِقُهُ النَّظَرَ فَإِذَا أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَى صَلَاتِي أَقْبَلَ إِلَيَّ وَإِذَا الْتَفَتُّ نَحْوَهُ أَعْرَضَ عَنِّي
And when I would be Salah(صلاة), I would look at him
and when I would be concentrating on my Salah(صلاة) and looking down, Rasool Allah ﷺ would stare at me
and when I would, then move my eyes towards him and look at him, Rasool Allah ﷺ would turn away.
So, Rasool Ullah would only look at him
when Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) was not looking at the Rasool Allah ﷺ.
حَتَّى إِذَا طَالَ عَلَيَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ جَفْوَةِ النَّاسِ مَشَيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ جِدَارَ حَائِطِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ
وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّي وَأَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَيَّ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَدَّ عَلَيَّ السَّلَامَ
And when this has extended and became so long,
I went and climbed the wall of the house of Abu Qatadah(ابو قتاده), who was my cousin
and the most beloved person to me,
so I gave him Salam(سلام) and he didn't even respond back.
فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِاللَّهِ
هَلْ تَعْلَمُنِي أُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَسَكَتَ فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَشَدْتُهُ فَسَكَتَ
فَعُدْتُ لَهُ فَنَشَدْتُهُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ
فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَايَ وَتَوَلَّيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ الْجِدَارَ
I said: O Abu Qatadah(ابو قتاده)! I ask you in the name of Allah.
Do you know me, to be a person who loves Allah and His Messenger?
So, he was silent.
I asked him again, he was silent.
I Ask him again, he was silent.
And then, I asked him and he said: Allah and His Messenger know best.
So, my eyes were swelling with tears, and I walked out.
And even his cousin wouldn't speak to him.
قَالَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي بِسُوقِ الْمَدِينَةِ
إِذَا نَبَطِيٌّ مِنْ أَنْبَاطِ أَهْلِ الشَّأْمِ مِمَّنْ قَدِمَ بِالطَّعَامِ يَبِيعُهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ
يَقُولُ مَنْ يَدُلُّ عَلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ فَطَفِقَ النَّاسُ يُشِيرُونَ لَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَنِي دَفَعَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابًا مِنْ مَلِكِ غَسَّانَ
He said: While I was walking around in the market place of Madina.
A Nabati(نبتي), the people of Nabatah(نبته) are from Jordan, in Ash-Shaam(الشام)
and he was a merchant, who had some food to sell in Madina.
He was asking the people to point out to him, Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك).
So, they guided him towards me.
And then he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of Ghassaan(غسان).
The kingdom of Ghassaan(غسان) is a Christian, who hated the Muslims and hated the Rasool Allah ﷺ.
It says in the books of Seerah(سيرة) that he wanted to draw an army
and ask Heraculus for support, because he was a proxy of Heracul(هراقل).
I mean, these were kings, who have had big titles and names but they were traitors and agents for Heracul(هراقل).
So, he wanted to ask permission from Heracul(هراقل) to attack Madina.
It was actually Heracul(هراقل), who told him to stop and hold tight and not to attack Muhammadﷺ
because Heracul(هراقل) knew that Muhammadﷺ was the Messenger of Allah.
And he didn't want to start the confrontation with him.
So, Subhaan Allah(سبحان الله), Heracul(هراقل) was wiser than the king of Ghassaan(غسان),
who's an Arab and should have some sympathy towards Muhammadﷺ
but it shows you how the traitors sometimes are worse than their masters.
The King of Ghassaan(غسان) sent a letter to Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك).
So this shows you that there were some information gathering going on
and there was interest, with what was happening in Madina.
And the King of Ghassaan(غسان) caught word about what happened with Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك)
and he sent him this letter.
فَإِذَا فِيهِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ صَاحِبَكَ قَدْ جَفَاكَ
وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْكَ اللَّهُ بِدَارِ هَوَانٍ وَلَا مَضْيَعَةٍ فَالْحَقْ بِنَا نُوَاسِكَ
The letter stated that, I have heard that your friend has forsaken you, meaning Muhammadﷺ.
And Allah, has not left you in a place where you would be humiliated and where you will be forsaken.
So, come to us, and we will take care of you.
And here brothers and sisters, you see a characteristic of the Kuffar(كفار).
The Kuffar(كفار) are going to try to draw in and strike deals with the Muslim leaders
whom they see, as willing, or in a situation, where they agree with the Kuffar(كفار) on certain issues,
it would show you that they will try to break in the Muslim ranks.
Here, they're trying to draw out one of the prominent members of the Muslim community.
They're trying to bring him in, not because they love him, not because they like him,
but because they have an agenda.
The King of Ghassaan(غسان) because of his hatred against Rasool Allah ﷺ and the Muslims.
That is why.? He wants to infiltrate the Muslim society and pull out of it, Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك).
This is something that they are doing today.
They are willing to fund and pump money and just pour it,
on any Muslims who are going to be sympathetic to their cause.
They are willing to sit behind the scenes with Muslims who are willing to promote a watered down version of Islam,
they are willing to sit and put hand in hand with the rand Muslims,
who are willing to spread the version of Islam that is appealing to them.
And they are willing to spend millions and millions of dollars for that.
And Shaytan(شيطان) can come to some people and say, well, let's take that money
and benefit the Daw'ah(دعوة) with it.
Let's take that money
and use it to build Masajid(مساجد) or to build schools or to do this or to do that.
And all of that is deception of Shaytan(شيطان) because
they are not going to give anything for free.
They are going to take in exchange of what they give,
they will definitely take from you something.
So, how did Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) respond,
so that we can learn, how to respond?
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) said;
فَقُلْتُ لَمَّا قَرَأْتُهَا وَهَذَا أَيْضًا مِنْ الْبَلَاءِ
When I read this, I said this is a trial from Allah.
فَتَيَمَّمْتُ بِهَا التَّنُّورَ فَسَجَرْتُهُ بِهَا
I took it and threw it in the fire.
That's how we should deal with their deals.
Take that deal and throw it in the fire
and don't let such things stay behind.
I mean, Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) could have kept this letter as a souvenir.
But he didn't he throw it in the fire because it's something dangerous.
It's something that has a temptation in it. So, get rid of it.
Don't let it sit behind, just throw it in the fire.
حَتَّى إِذَا مَضَتْ أَرْبَعُونَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ الْخَمْسِينَ
إِذَا رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْتِينِي
فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَعْتَزِلَ امْرَأَتَكَ
فَقُلْتُ أُطَلِّقُهَا أَمْ مَاذَا أَفْعَلُ قَالَ لَا بَلْ اعْتَزِلْهَا وَلَا تَقْرَبْهَا
وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى صَاحِبَيَّ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقُلْتُ لِامْرَأَتِي الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ
فَتَكُونِي عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) said: A Messenger from Rasool Allah ﷺ came to me
and said and this is after 40 days of the boycott.
This Messenger came to me and said that Rasool Allah ﷺ is ordering you to leave your wife.
He said: Shall I divorce her? He said: No.
But stay away from her, meaning he cannot touch her.
And he sent the same message to my other two companions.
So, I told my wife go and stay with your family,
go and stay with your parents, until Allah judges in this affair.
قَالَ كَعْبٌ فَجَاءَتْ امْرَأَةُ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ هِلَالَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ شَيْخٌ ضَائِعٌ
لَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ فَهَلْ تَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَخْدُمَهُ قَالَ لَا وَلَكِنْ لَا يَقْرَبْكِ
قَالَتْ إِنَّهُ وَاللَّهِ مَا بِهِ حَرَكَةٌ إِلَى شَيْءٍ
وَاللَّهِ مَا زَالَ يَبْكِي مُنْذُ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا كَانَ إِلَى يَوْمِهِ هَذَا
Ka'ab(كعب) said: The wife of Hilal Ibn Ummayyah(هلال ابن امية), one of the three came to Rasool Allah ﷺ and said;
O Messenger of Allah Hilal Ibn Ummayyah(هلال ابن امية) is a lost old man.
What does this strike you?
Hilal Ibn Ummayyah(هلال ابن اميه) is an old man, who's lost.
Does that strike you at all?
What are we talking about here?
We're talking about here, people who stayed behind from, what?
These are people who stayed behind from fighting, actual war, battle.
And she says that my husband is an old man, who's lost.
So, Subhaan Allah(سبحان الله) here you have an old man, who's lost
and nevertheless, Rasool Allah ﷺ boycotted him and ordered the Muslims to boycott him.
Because Rasool Allah ﷺ considered that this man does not have an excuse.
So, what excuse do the young fit, able, men have.
If Hilal Ibn Ummayyah(هلال ابن امية) was not excused.
What excuse does anybody else have?
So, Rasool Allah ﷺ was asked by this woman, she said: He's a lost old man.
Would you allow me to serve him?
He said: No, but don't let him touch you.
Meaning he cannot sleep with you.
She said: In the name of Allah, he has no desire for anything.
Since this issue began, he's been weeping until, this moment, until this day has been crying.
He's not thinking about speaking with his wife.
And this also shows us, that even though these men stayed behind, their hearts were alive
because the Munafiq(منافق), he stays behind and doesn't care about it, doesn't even think about it.
He thinks that he has done the right thing.
He believes that he has done the wise thing.
He thinks that he is intelligent and smart he didn't get himself into trouble.
That's how the Munafiq(منافق) thinks.
But the believer realizes the mistake because his heart is awake.
And even though he has committed the mistake it's burning him, deep inside
he's been weeping for 40 days.
فَقَالَ لِي بَعْضُ أَهْلِي لَوْ اسْتَأْذَنْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي امْرَأَتِكَ
كَمَا أَذِنَ لِامْرَأَةِ هِلَالِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ أَنْ تَخْدُمَهُ
فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لَا أَسْتَأْذِنُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَا يُدْرِينِي مَا يَقُولُ
رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِيهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ
Some of my family members was saying;
Why don't you ask Rasool Allah ﷺ to allow your wife to stay with you.
Just like he allowed the wife of Hilal Ibn Ummayyah(هلال ابن اميه).
He said: No, I'm not going to do that because I don't know what Rasool Ullah would tell me.
when I'm a young man.
فَلَبِثْتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ عَشْرَ لَيَالٍ
10 days after that
حَتَّى كَمَلَتْ لَنَا خَمْسُونَ لَيْلَةً
Until we reach total of 50 days,
from the time when Rasool Allah ﷺ, prevented everyone from speaking to us.
فَلَمَّا صَلَّيْتُ صَلَاةَ الْفَجْرِ صُبْحَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً
When I prayed Salaat Ul Fajr(صلاة الفجر) the morning of the 50th day.
وَأَنَا عَلَى ظَهْرِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا
I was on the roof of one of my houses.
فَبَيْنَ أَنَا جَالِسٌ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ
قَدْ ضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ نَفْسِي وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ
While I was sitting down in the situation, that was described by Allah in Qur'an
that my soul became constrained.
And the whole earth became constraint.
I mean, they were feeling that they're constrained, they were feeling the difficulty,
they are feeling sting of the situation.
I heard somebody yell out to me.
سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ صَارِخٍ أَوْفَى عَلَى جَبَلِ سَلْعٍ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ يَا كَعْبُ بْنَ مَالِكٍ أَبْشِرْ قَالَ فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِدًا
I heard somebody called me from the mountain of Sallah(سلع), with the peak of his voice.
O Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) rejoice.
I immediately made Sujood(سجود).
وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ قَدْ جَاءَ فَرَجٌ
And I knew that the problem has been solved.
وَآذَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِتَوْبَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا
And Rasool Allah ﷺ must have been given permission from Allahعَزّوجَلّ,
that he accepts our Taubah(توبة) after Salat-Ul-Fajr(صلاة الفجر).
فَذَهَبَ النَّاسُ يُبَشِّرُونَنَا وَذَهَبَ قِبَلَ صَاحِبَيَّ مُبَشِّرُونَ
So people went out to give us the good news.
Some went out to my two companions, while two men came to give me the glad tidings.
وَرَكَضَ إِلَيَّ رَجُلٌ فَرَسًا وَسَعَى سَاعٍ مِنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأَوْفَى عَلَى الْجَبَلِ
So, two men try to get the news to me.
One of them climb the mountain while the other one took a horse.
But the sound was faster to reach to me, then the man on horseback.
فَلَمَّا جَاءَنِي الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَهُ يُبَشِّرُنِي نَزَعْتُ لَهُ ثَوْبَيَّ فَكَسَوْتُهُ إِيَّاهُمَا بِبُشْرَاهُ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْلِكُ غَيْرَهُمَا يَوْمَئِذٍ
It was the tradition when somebody gives you a good news that you give him a gift.
So, Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) said: The one who, I heard him from the mountain he came to me.
So, I gave him my two cloaks and I had nothing but them
and then I had to borrow two other pieces of garment to go and meet Rasool Allah ﷺ.
وَاسْتَعَرْتُ ثَوْبَيْنِ فَلَبِسْتُهُمَا وَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
So, I borrowed two garments and I put them on, and went to Rasool Allah ﷺ and rushed to him.
فَيَتَلَقَّانِي النَّاسُ فَوْجًا فَوْجًا يُهَنُّونِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ يَقُولُونَ لِتَهْنِكَ تَوْبَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ
And then people were meeting me in groups,
all greeting me and congratulating me with the Taubah(توبه) of Allahعَزّوجَلّ.
لِتَهْنِكَ تَوْبَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ قَالَ كَعْبٌ حَتَّى دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَالِسٌ حَوْلَهُ النَّاسُ
فَقَامَ إِلَيَّ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ يُهَرْوِلُ حَتَّى صَافَحَنِي وَهَنَّانِي
وَاللَّهِ مَا قَامَ إِلَيَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ غَيْرَهُ وَلَا أَنْسَاهَا لِطَلْحَةَ
and then he went into the Masjid(مسجد), and then Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) says;
قَالَ كَعْبٌ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ يَبْرُقُ وَجْهُهُ مِنْ السُّرُورِ أَبْشِرْ بِخَيْرِ يَوْمٍ مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ مُنْذُ وَلَدَتْكَ أُمُّكَ
When I went to Rasool Allah ﷺ and gave him Salam(سلام),
Rasool Allah ﷺ told me while, his face was beaming with happiness,
rejoice with the best day ever since your mother gave birth to you.
Rasool Allah ﷺ was telling Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) today is the best day for you,
since the day you were born.
قَالَ قُلْتُ أَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
Is this from you, or from Allah?
قَالَ لَا بَلْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ
No, this is from Allah, this came down from Allahعَزّوجَلّ.
وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا سُرَّ اسْتَنَارَ وَجْهُهُ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُ قِطْعَةُ قَمَرٍ وَكُنَّا نَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ
When Rasool Allah ﷺ was happy, his face would be like the moon
so Subhaan Allah(سبحان الله) you can see how happy Rasool Allah ﷺ was,
because the acceptance of the Taubah(توبة) of Ka'ab Ibn Malik رضي الله عنه and his two companions.
فَلَمَّا جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ أَنْخَلِعَ مِنْ مَالِي صَدَقَةً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ بَعْضَ مَالِكَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ
قُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُمْسِكُ سَهْمِي الَّذِي بِخَيْبَرَ
And then, I told Rasool Allah ﷺ, part of my repentance would be
that I give away all of my money Sadaqah(صدقه), for Allah and for the Messenger of Allah.
Rasool Allah ﷺ said: Leave behind some of your wealth, it is better for you.
He said, I will hold on to my share of Khaybar(خيبر), the Battle of khaybar(خيبر).
فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّمَا نَجَّانِي بِالصِّدْقِ وَإِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ لَا أُحَدِّثَ إِلَّا صِدْقًا مَا بَقِيتُ
He said: O Messenger of Allah, Allah has saved me, because of my honesty,
because of speaking the truth.
And part of my repentance is I promise that I will only speak the truth as long as I live.
And when Ka'ab(كعب) is narrating this Hadith(حديث), he said;
And I have been blessed by Allah that since that time, I have not spoken any word but the truth.
Dear brothers and sisters Allahعَزّوجَلّ has revealed the following two Ayaat(آيات) of Surah Taubah(سورة التوبة),
the second Ayah(آية) is about Ka'ab(كعب) and his two companions.
Allahعَزّوجَلّ says;
لَقَدْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ
الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِ
مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ
إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ۝
Allah has already forgiven the Prophet, and the Muhajireen(مهاجرين) and the Ansaar(انصار),
who followed him in the hour of difficulty,
after the hearts of a party of them had almost inclined to doubt and then he forgave them.
Indeed, he was to them kind and merciful.
We talked about this Ayah(آية) before, that it represents the peak of the Muslim community,
and towards the end of the life of Rasool Allah ﷺ, Allahعَزّوجَلّ is accepting their Toba(توبة)
and then Allahعَزّوجَلّ says;
وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ
ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ
وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لَا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ
ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ۝
And he also forgave, the three, who were left behind and regretted their error,
to the point that the earth closed in, on them, in spite of its vastness, and their souls confined them
and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him.
Look at the description, and their souls confined them,
as it, was like they were prisoners, even though they were free.
Allah says, Then He turned to them, so they could repent.
Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
So Allahعَزّوجَلّ has accepted the Toubah(توبة) of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) and his two companions.
While, let's see what Allah said about the ones, who gave convincing excuses and lied.
Allah says about them, in verse 95, and 96, of Surah Taubah(سورة التوبة).
سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا انْقَلَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لِتُعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمْ
فَأَعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ رِجْسٌ
وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ۝
يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ
فَإِنْ تَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَرْضَىٰ عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ۝
They will swear by Allah to you, when you returned to them, that you would leave them alone.
So, leave them alone, indeed, they are evil,
and their refuge is hell as recompense for what they have been earning,
they swear to you, so that you might be satisfied with them.
But if you should be satisfied with them,
indeed Allah is not satisfied with a defiantly disobedient, people.
You can see the consequences of truth and the consequences of lying.
We will close with some benefits mentioned by Ibn-Al-Qayyim(إبن القيم), in his book Zaad Al Ma'ad(زاد المعاد),
He says;
جَوَازُ إخْبَارِ الرّجُلِ عَنْ تَفْرِيطِهِ
It is allowed for a person to speak about his shortcomings
because we know that in Islam, you're not supposed to speak about your sins.
As long as Allah has given you Sitr(ستر), as long as they are concealed,
you should keep them concealed.
However, here we see that Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) spoke about some of his shortcomings.
Why? Because there is a benefit in that, because they were known.
And there's a benefit, there are lessons to be learned.
So, he spoke about and he was honest about it, in this narration, and second.
جَوَازُ مَدْحِ الرّجُلِ نَفْسَهُ
It is allowed for a person to praise himself or speak about some good things about himself.
However, this is restricted, this is not open ended because we know that
a person is not supposed to praise themselves or speak about their good,
however, we see here that Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) did speak about some of the good that he has done.
For example, when he mentioned that he has been in every battle of Rasool Ullah, with the exception of Badr(بدر)
and that he attended Al-Aqabah(العقبة), Bay'ah Tul Aqabah(بيعةالعقبة), but Ibn Qayyim(ابن القيم) says;
جَوَازُ مَدْحِ الْإِنْسَانِ نَفْسَهُ بِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ الْخَيْرِ إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَى سَبِيلِ الْفَخْرِ وَالتّرَفّعِ
It is allowed, as long as it's not done out of pride and elevating the status of oneself.
بَيْعَةُ الْعَقَبَةِ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ مَشَاهِدِ الصّحَابَةِ
That the pledge of Al-Aqabah(العقبة) is one of the best events of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم
because he used to see it equal to Badr(بدر).
الْمُبَادَرَةُ إلَى انْتِهَازِ فُرْصَةِ الطّاعَةِ
And this is one of the most important lessons that Ibn Qayyim(ابن القيم) mentions,
hasten, and take advantage of opportunities of good that open up for you.
Brothers and sisters, Allahعَزّوجَلّ at some moments of your life
would open up for you doors of opportunity to do good.
These doors of opportunity come and go and sometimes if they go, they go for good.
And if you don't take advantage of them, you missed them forever.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) had an opportunity that opened up for him
to participate in the Tabook(تبوك) and he missed it.
So, one of the important lessons is because he says,
يَالَيْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ
I wished that I have done so.
Do not sit behind and then say, I wish that I have done so.
Take advantage of the good that comes to you, from Allah.
And sometimes, if you reject these opportunities, the consequences could be very bad.
Allahعَزّوجَلّ says in verse 24 Surah Al-Anfaal(سورة الانفال)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ۝
O you, who have believed respond to Allah and His Messenger
when he calls you to that which gives you life.
And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart
and that to Him you will be gathered.
Allah may intervene between you and your heart and prevent you from joining the next time.
Don't delay, don't stay behind.
Take advantage of the opportunities that open up for you.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ ۖ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ
And Allahعَزّوجَلّ says in Surah Al-An'aam(سورة ألانعام) verse 110.
وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ۝
And we will turn away their hearts and their eyes,
just as they refused to believe in it, the first time,
the first time they refused, Allah is turning away their hearts and their eyes.
Subhaan Allah(سبحان الله), we need to be very careful.
And Allahعَزّوجَلّ says;
فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ۝
And when they deviated, an opportunity of truth opened up, and they deviated,
when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.
In verse 115, Surah Taubah(سورة التوبة).
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ حَتَّىٰ
حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ مَا يَتَّقُونَ ۚ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ۝
And Allah would not let the people stray,
after He has guided them, until He makes clear to them, what they should avoid.?
So, Allah makes clear to them what they should avoid, they were given the opportunity of good
indeed Allah is knowing of all things.
So, they were given the opportunity of good, they turned away from it
and then Allah would lead them astray.
Next lesson;
لَمْ يَكُنْ يَتَخَلّفُ عَنْهُ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلّمَ إلّا مُنَافِقٌ أَوْ مَعْذُورٌ أَوْ مَنْ خَلّفَهُ النّبِيّ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلّمَ
Ibn Qayyim(ابن القيم) says; The only ones who stayed behind are the Munafiqeen(منافقين)
or the ones, who are excused or the ones who are appointed to stay behind by Rasool Allah ﷺ.
So it's a sign of Nifaaq(نفاق) not to participate, in fighting Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله).
جَوَازُ الطّعْنِ فِي الرّجُلِ بِمَا يَغْلِبُ عَلَى اجْتِهَادِ الطّاعِنِ حَمِيّةً أَوْ ذَبّا عَنْ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ
It's allowed to speak against the person if it is out of Ijtihaad(إجتحاد)
for the sake of defending Allah and His Messenger.
And this is what the scholars of Hadith(حديث) used to do,
when they would speak about some of the narrator's,
it is because they want to protect the religion of Allah, protect the Hadith(حديث) of Rasool Allah ﷺ.
So, the man of Bannu Salamah(بنو سلمه), when he spoke against Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك), that was the intention.
And it is also allowed to respond back when you think that the person is good,
like Muadh Ibn Jabal(معاذ ابن جبل) did.
الْحُكْمُ بِالظّاهِرِ
We judged according to what is apparent.
تَرْكُ رَدّ السّلَامِ عَلَى مَنْ أَحْدَثَ حَدَثًا
It is allowed to refuse to answer back Salam(سلام) for a person, who has committed Hadaf(حدف),
if a person, who has done a Bid'ah(بدعة) or great sin and you're refusing to answer back his Salaam(سلام).
In order to reprimand the person as a Naseeha(نصيحه) for them.
Then it is allowed because the Muslims, and Rasool Allah ﷺ would not responding back to Salam(سلام) of Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك),
now this should not be carried too far.
Whenever you have a disagreement with the person,
you start finding out what mistakes they did and then
you use that as a scapegoat to not speaking to the person, and not giving Salaam(سلام),
this is obviously, there are some rules and regulations that govern this.
.تَوْفِيقُ اللّهِ لِكَعْبٍ وَصَاحِبَيْهِ
Allah has guided Ka'ab(كعب) and his two companions and that is because of their truth.
جَوَازُ الْهَجْرِ لِلتّأْدِيبِ
It is allowed to boycott a person if it is done as a Naseeha(نصيحه), as an advice for them
to leave a particular sin or particular Bid'ah(بدعة).
التّنَكّرُ وَالْوَحْشَةُ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى حَيَاةِ الْقَلْبِ
When you feel pain in your heart
and when you feel forsaken, that is a sign of a heart that is alive.
However, a person, who is a Munafiq(منافق) he doesn't feel that.
Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) and his companions, they felt the effect of the boycott
and they felt difference in the way people were treating them.
But with the Munafiq(منافق) they don't care, it doesn't matter to them.
دُخُولُ دَارِ الصّاحِبِ مِنْ غَيْرِ إذْن
You can enter the house of your friends without his permission
as long as you know that he does not mind that
because Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) climbed the wall, and entered the house of Abu Qatadah(ابو قتادة).
Obviously this is if, you're not going to end up seeing something that is Haraam, you know,
I mean, when Ka'ab(كعب) entered into the house of Abu Qatadah(ابو قتاده),
obviously there won't be any woman without their hijab(حجاب) or something.
So, we're talking about for example, your friend is a bachelor and
you know that he wouldn't mind you, entering into his house and he could do so.
كَانَ سُجُودُ الشّكْرِ مِنْ عَادَةِ الصّحَابَةِ
It was the habit of the Sahabah to make Sujood(سجود) of thanks,
when they would receive a good news, it is something that you're allowed to do,
when you receive good news to make a Sujood(سجود) to Allahعَزّوجَلّ.
.إتْلَافُ مَا يُخْشَى مِنْهُ الْمَضَرّةُ فِي الدّينِ
Destroyed the things that you believe are going to harm you in your religion.
And this is because Ka'ab Ibn Malik(كعب ابن مالك) destroyed the letter that he received from the king of Ghassan(غسَّان).
.يَوْمُ تَوْبَةِ الْمُسْلِمِ خَيْرُ الْأَيّامِ
The day of your repentance is your best day.
سُرُورُهُ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلّمَ بِتَوْبَةِ اللّهِ عَلَى الْمُخَلّفِينَ
The happiness that Rasool Allah ﷺ
and the pleasure that Rasool Allah ﷺ had when he knew that Allah has forgiven the ones who stayed behind,
and this shows you the care that Rasool Allah ﷺ had for the Ummah(امة).
اسْتِحْبَابُ الصّدَقَةِ عِنْدَ التّوْبَةِ
When you make repentance it is good to give out Sadaqah(صدقه) Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله),
so when you repent from a sin, give out Sadaqah(صدقه)
and then he finally closes with the virtues of truth and the virtues of Taubah(توبه).
This the end of the great, wonderful story of Ka'ab Ibn Malik رضي الله عنه.
I would suggest that you go back to Bukhari(بخاريْ) and read the Hadith(حديث) again,
and think about it and thinking about its implications.
We ask Allahعَزّوجَلّ to guide us to the truth and to show us the truth and make us, of the ones who follow it.
صَلَّى الله عَلى سَيَّدِنَا محمد وَعَلى اَلِهِ وَ صَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْمًا كَثِيْرًا
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمةُ الله وَبَرَكَاتُه’