Translation: " And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, that He may requite those who do evil with that which they have done (i.e. punish them in Hell), and reward those who do good, with what is best (i.e. Paradise) * Those who avoid the major sins and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse and the like) except the small faults, Verily, your Lord is of Vast Forgiveness. He knows you well when He created you (your father Adam) from the earth and when you were fetuses in your mothers ' wombs. So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He (Allah) knows best him who fears Allah and he that keeps his duty to Him * (53: 31-32)
Translation: Consequently, man is liable to go astray. In the Islamic perspective, all human being are liable to go astray, apart from the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them).
Translation: This concept (i.e. there is no human free of sin apart from the Prophets and the Messengers of Allah) was clearly understood by the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) for, when the verse: " It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with zolm (wrongdoing i.e. by worshipping others besides Allah), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided * " (6: 82) was revealed, the companions exclaimed: " Who of us has not committed a misdeed? " The Messenger of Allah put them at ease by explaining the real meaning of the verse, saying that zolm (wrongdoing) refers to polytheism. This is supported by Allah's statement:
Translation: " And (remember) when Loqman said to his son when he was advising him: " O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily joining others in worship with Allah is a great zolm (wrongdoing) indeed * " (31 " 13)
Translation: Islam does not impose penalties on people who flee to their Creator seeking His forgiveness. It does not oblige its followers to buy ' indulgences ' as was prevalent in Europe nor does it compel them to offer sacrifices to atone for sins. If one commits a misdeed or wrongs himself, he should hurry to Allah, without any mediation whatsoever.
Translation: The Noble Koran encourages man not to despair of Allah's mercy. It states that some people had committed some major sins and it criticizes them for not turning to Allah in repentance, take as examples the People of the Book who had killed some of their Prophets, ascribed sons and partners to
Allah, dealt in usury, defamed Mary the chaste Virgin, etc. Having mentioned these crimes and major sins, the Noble Koran reminds man that had they turned in repentance to Allah, they would find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. So let us read what the Noble Koran says:
Translation: " And the Jews say: ' Ozair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, ' and the Christians say: ' Messiah is the son of Allah. ' These are the words from their mouths, resembling the sayings of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded and away from the truth! They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their Lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful, according to their own desires, without being ordered so by Allah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Mary, while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded (in the Torah and Al-Injeel) to worship none but One God La Ilaha Illa Howa (None has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him from having 6 We use the term Al Injeel here, not the Gospels or the New Testament, because they are totally different from Al Injeel that was revealed to Jesus ال any partners they associate (with Him). * They (the disbelievers, the Jews and the Christians) want to extinguish Allah's Light (with which Muhammad ﷺ has been sent-Islamic Monotheism) with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected, even though the disbelievers hate (it). * It is He (Allah) Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it superior over all religions even though the polytheists, (pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) hate (it) * " (9 ": 30-33) And
Translation: " Because of breaking the covenant, because of their rejecting the signs of Allah, because of killing the Prophets unjustly, and because of their saying: ' Our hearts are wrapped (with coverings, i.e. we do not understand what the Messengers say). Allah has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, so they believe not but a little. * And because of their (the Jews) disbelief and uttering against Mary a grave false charge (that she had committed fornication) * and because of their saying (in boast): ' We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah. ' They killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ about this are full of doubts. They have no (certain)
Translation: knowledge. They follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him not. * But Allah raised him (Jesus)) up (with his body and soul) unto Himself. And Allah is Ever All- Powerful, All-Wise (4: 155-158). And
Translation: " Verily, We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent Messengers to them. Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not, a group of them they called them liars, and others who among them they killed. * They thought there would be no Fitna (trial or punishment), so they became blind and deaf, after that Allah turned to them (with Forgiveness), yet again many of them became blind and deaf. And Allah is the All-Seer of what they do. * Surely, they have disbelieved those who say: Allah is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary. ' But the Messiah (Jesus)) s aid: ' O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. ' Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers. * Surely, those who said: ' Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity), ' are disbelievers. But there is no god save One God. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them *.Will they not turn with repentance to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful * " (5: 70-74)
Translation: Let us study the case of another wrongdoer, Pharaoh, who claimed to be the highest lord of his people. Overlooking the oppression he afflicted on the weak subjects among his people, we should remind you of his evil end, he was drowned in the Red Sea. His body was the only body that was destined to be a sign. Minutes before his death (at the time when repentance is not accepted) he haughtily declared his belief in ' the god in whom the children of Israel have believed. ' The Noble Koran narrates this incident, in the chapter titled Yunus (Jonah), in a way that one would not but hesitate in saying: " Had he turned in repentance earlier, his repentance would have been accepted. "
Translation: “ And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh with his hosts followed them in oppression and enmity, until when drowning overtook him, he said: ' I believe that La Ilah illa alazi Amanat Bihee Bano Israel and I am one of the Muslims (None has the right to be worshipped but the god in Whom the Children of Israel have believed, and I am one of the Muslims. ' * Now (you believe)! While you refused to believe before (death overtook you) and you were one of the evil doers. * So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you! And verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs. * " (10: 90-92)
Translation: It is worth mentioning here to remind you, my dear reader, of the false claim of Pharaoh. It is mentioned in many places of the Noble Koran. For brevity, we mention only two places:
Translation: " (Pharaoh) said: ' O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me. So kindle for me (a fire), O Hâmân (his prime minister), to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a lofty tower so I could look at the God of (Moses); and verily, I think that he ((Moses)) is one of the liars. * " (28: 38). And
Translation: " Has there come to you the story of (Moses)? * When his Lord called him out in the sacred valley of Towa * (ordering him): ' Go to (Pharaoh); verily he has transgressed all bounds (in crimes, sins, polytheism, disbelief, etc.) * And say to him: " Would you purify yourself (from the sin of disbelief by reverting to Islam? * And I would guide you to your Lord, so you should fear Him? * Then (Moses) showed him the great sign (miracles), * But (Pharaoh) belied him and disobeyed. * Then he turned his back, striving (against Allah). * Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud, * Saying: " I am your lord, most high ” * So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last (i.e. his saying: I am your lord, most high) and first (i.e. his saying, O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than I). * Verily in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah. * " (79: 15-26)
Translation: The third category of such criminals is the Ashab Al- Okhdood (literally, the owners of the trench). They were arrogant people who dug a huge trench, cast the believers in it, and then they set them on fire.
Translation: The Muslim thinker Abdullah Yusuf Ali, may Allah reward him bountifully, commented on this incident saying that the scholars say that these words do not refer to a specific people. In ancient history, in Mediev al Europe, many lives were sacrificed at the stake because the victims did not conform with the current overwhelming doctrines. In the days of Abraham, the father of monotheism, Abraham was cast in fire by the unbelieving ruler of his time, but Allah ordered that the fire be moderately cool, as a sign to dignify Abraham ال
In brief, the Noble Koran mentions the story of Ashab Al- Okhdood, and clarifies that had they turned in repentance, even after that heinous crime, they would have been saved from the Fire. Allah says:
Translation: " Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and then they did not turn in repentance (to Allah), then they will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire. ** (85 " 10)
Translation: In the light of the aforementioned verses, a believer who commits a misdeed should direct his face towards heaven seeking Allah's Forgiveness, having a firm belief that Allah will be pleased with his words of repentance. He should not despair of seeking Forgiveness and turning in repentance for, this is the real disaster.
Translation: Now, let us read what Imam Al-Nawawi compiled regarding this topic.]
The people of knowledge say that repentance is mandatory for every sin. If the act of disobedience does not involve taking people's rights, it has three conditions:
1. One should abstain from committing that deed.
2. One should regret having committed that deed.
3. One should determine not to return to that deed.
If the act of disobedience involves taking people's rights, it has four conditions. The conditions mentioned above, and in addition, repaying what one has illegally taken. If the act entails the enactment of a Hadd (a prescribed penalty), he should allow the other party to enact it. One should repent from all sins. The Koran, Sunna, and the unanimous agreement of the Muslims impose the ruling of turning in repentance from sins. Allah says:
Translation: " And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at the non-Mahram ' men) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer sides of the hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigor, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And let all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. * " (24: 31) And 7 [ i.e. those who are not within the prescribed group of men whom a woman could not marry and in front of whom she does not have to cover herself as listed below in this verse of the Qur'an.]
Translation: " (Hud said to his people And I was ordered that you) seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance to Him, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves the needy and deserving physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). * " (11: 3) And
Translation: " O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will expiate from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) - the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad and those who believed with him. Their Light will run forward before them and (with their Records, i.e. Books of deeds) in their right hands, they will say: ' Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us (and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirât (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely) and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things. " " " (66: 8)
Translation: 13. Narrated Abu-Huraira: ' I heard Allah's Messenger saying: " By Allah! I seek Allah's Forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day. " (Bukhari).
Translation: 14. Narrated Ibn Omar: ' The Messenger of Allah said: " O people! Turn in repentance to Allah. For, I turn in repentance to Allah one hundred times a day. " " "
Translation: 15. Narrated Abu-Shihab: ' Abdullah ibn Mas'oud Narrated two narrations, one from the Prophet and the other from his own. He said: " The believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain, which he is afraid may fall on him; whereas the evildoer considers his sins as flies passing over his nose and he just drove them away like this. " (Abu-Shihab, the sub-narrator, moved his hand over his nose in illustration). (Ibn Mas'oud added: " Allah's Messenger said: ' Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant, than a man who encamped at a place where his life was jeopardized. He then rested his head and slept for a short while, and woke to find his mount gone. (He started looking for (it) and suffered from severe heat and thirst, as Allah had wished (him to suffer from). He then said: ' I will go back to my place. He returned and slept again. When he got up and raised his head he found his mount standing beside him. " (Bukhari).
Translation: 16 - The narration of At-Termizi says: (As to the Hadith of the Prophet) Abdullah said: ' The Messenger of Allah said: " Indeed, Allah becomes more p-leased than a (traveling) man in a desert when his mount that carried his food, drink, and all that benefits him, is lost, until he was near death. He then said to himself: " I should return to my starting place to die there. " He returned to it and was overtaken by sleep. When he woke up he found his mount at his head carrying his food, drink, and all that benefits him. "
Translation: 17. Narrated Abu-Musa: ' The Prophet said: " Certainly, Allah stretches His Hand by night that the one who has committed a misdeed during the day could turn in repentance. He stretches His Hand by day that the one that has committed a misdeed during the night could turn in repentance until the sun rises in the west. "
Translation: 18. Narrated Abu-Huraira: ' The Messenger of Allah said: “ He that turns in repentance to Allah before the sun rises in the West, Allah would accept his repentance. "
Translation: 19. Narrated Ibn Omar: ' The Prophet said: " Allah accepts the repentance of man as long as he has not experienced the death rattle. " (At-Termizi).
Translation: 20. Narrated Zirr ibn Hobaysh: ' I came to Safwan ibn Assal Al-Moradi to ask him about wiping over the footwear. He said: " Why have you come Zirr? " I said: " To search for knowledge. " He said: " Really, the angels lay down their wings for the searcher of knowledge out of satisfaction for what he searches for. " I said: " I have some doubts about wiping over the footwear after urination and defecation and you are one of those who accompanied the Messenger of Allah, so I came to you to ask you: ' Have you heard him mentioning anything about that? " " He said:
Translation: " Whenever we were traveling the Prophet used to command us to wear our leather socks for three days and three nights, whether we had to answer the call of nature or sleep. However, in the situation of ejaculating semen, he commanded us to remove the leather socks. " I said: " Have you heard him saying anything about love (for the sake of Allah)? " He said: " Yes. Once we were traveling with the Prophet, a nomad called him out loudly: ' O Muhammad! ' The Messenger of Allah replied him: ' Here I am. ' We said to the nomad: ' Woe on you, lower your voice when calling out the Prophet. You are so ordered. ' The nomad said: ' By Allah, I will never lower my voice. ' He resumed: ' A man loves some people who did not join them? ' The Prophet said: ' On the Day of Judgment, a man will be with those he used to love in life. ' Zirr said: ' Safwan kept on talking to us until he mentioned a gate of seventy-years distance from the West (or he said a very wide gate in whose width a traveling person can march for forty or seventy years towards Greater Syria, that Allah created the same day that he created the heavens and the earth. This will be opened and it will never be closed until the sun rises in the West, meaning the door of repentance. '
Hadith 21: Hadith 21
۲۱- عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الله عَنِ النَّبِيََََُُِِّّّّّّّّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قال : كان فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ إِنََََّّّّْسَانًا ثُمَََّّّ خَرَجَ يَسْأَلُ فَأَتَى رَاهِبًا فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ : هَلْ مِنْ تَوْبَة قَالَ : لَا فَقَتَلَهُ فَجَعَلَ يَسْأَلُ ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ : انت قَرْيَةً كَذَا وَكَذَا فَأَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ فَنَاءَ بِصَدْرِهِ نَحْوَهَا فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ فَأَوْحَى إلى هذه أن تقربي وأوحى الله إلى هذه أَنَّ تَبَاعَدِي وَقَالَ : قِيسُوا ما بَيْنَهُمَا ، فَوُجِدَ إِلَى هذه أَقْرَبَ بِشَبْرِ ، فَغُفِرَ لَهُ . رواه البخاري
Translation: 21. Narrated Abu-Sa'eed Al-Khudri: ' The Prophet said: " There was a man from Bano Israel who murdered ninety-nine people. He then set out asking (whether his repentance could be accepted or not). He came upon a monk and asked him if his repentance could be accepted. The monk replied in the negative and so the man killed him. He kept on asking until a man advised him to go to such and such village. (So he left for it) but death overtook him on the way. While dying, he turned his chest towards that village (where he had hoped his repentance would be accepted), and so the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed amongst themselves regarding him. Allah ordered the village (towards which he was going) to come closer to him, and ordered the village (he had come from), to go far away, and then He ordered the angels to measure the distances between his body and the two villages. So he was found to be one span closer to the village (he was going to). So he was forgiven. " (Bukhari).
Translation: 22. Narrated Ka'ab ibn Malek: ' I did not leave Allah's Messenger in any Battle he fought except that of Tabuk and I failed to take part in the Battle of Badr, but Allah did not admonish anyone who had not participated at Badr, as Allah's Messenger had in fact gone out in search of a Qorayshi caravan until Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) and their enemy meet without any preplan. I was there on the night of Al-aqaba (pledge) with Allah's Messenger when we pledged allegiance to Islam, and I would not have exchanged that for the Battle of Badr although the Badr was more popular amongst the people than that (i.e. Al-aqaba Pledge).
Translation: As for my news (in this battle of Tabuk), I had never been stronger or wealthier than the time I could not accompany the Prophet in that Battle By Allah, I had never had two shecamels before then, but I had at the time of this Battle. Whenever Allah's Messenger wanted to go on a Battle he used to hide his intention by apparently referring to different Battle until it was the time for that Battle (of Tabuk) where Allah's Messenger fought under a very hot sun, suffering from a long journey in the desert, and the great number of enemy. So, the Prophet announced (their destination) to the Muslims clearly so that they might prepare for their Battle. Allah's Messenger was accompanied by a large number of Muslims, all of whom could not be listed in one register. Ka'ab added: " Any man who wanted to be absent would think that the matter would remain hidden, unless Allah revealed it through Divine Revelation. "
So Allah's Messenger fought that Battle at a time when the fruit had ripened and the shade appeared pleasant. Allah's Messenger and his companions prepared for the battle and I started to go to get myself ready along with them, but I returned without having done anything. I would say to myself, ' I can do that later. ' So I kept on delaying it time and again little until the people were ready and Allah's Messenger and the Muslims with him departed, and I still had not prepared anything for my departure, so I said: " I will prepare myself (for departure) in one or two days, and then join them. " In the morning following their departure, I went out to get myself ready, but returned having done nothing. Then again, the next morning I went out to get ready, but returned without doing anything. Such was the case with me until the army left and thus I missed the battle. Even then still I intended to depart to catch up with them. I wish I had done so! But it was not in my destiny.
After the departure of Allah's Messenger whenever I went out and walked amongst the people, it grieved me that I could see nobody around me, except someone who was accused of hypocrisy or one of the weak men whom Allah had excused. Allah's Messenger did not remember about me until he reached Tabuk. While he was sitting amongst the people in Tabuk, he said: " What did Ka'ab do? " A man from
Bano Salima said " O Allah's Messenger! He was detained by his two Bordas (i.e. garments) as he used to look at them proudly. ' Then Mo'az ibn Jabal said: " What a terrible thing you have just said! By Allah! O Allah's Messenger! All we know about him is but good. " Allah's Messenger kept silent. '
Ka'ab ibn Malek added: ' When I heard that he (i.e. the Prophet) was on his way back to Madina, I was preoccupied with the lie I told, and began to think of excuses, saying to myself: " How can I avoid his anger tomorrow? " so I took the advice of the wise members of my family in this matter. When it was said that Allah's Messenger was approaching (Madina) all the evil excuses abandoned my mind and I knew that I could never escape from this problem by creating a lie, so I made a firm decision to tell the truth.
Allah's Messenger arrived in the morning, and whenever he returned from a journey he used to visit the mosque first of all and offer a two-raka'a prayer there and then sit with the people. So when he had done all that (this time), those who had failed to join the battle (of Tabuk) came and started offering excuses and taking oaths before him. There were over eighty something men. Allah's Messenger accepted the excuses they gave him, took their Baya'a (pledge), asked for Allah's Forgiveness for them, and left the secrets of their hearts for Allah to judge. Then I came to him, and when I greeted him he smiled a smile of an angry person and then said: " Come on. " So I walked until I sat before him. He said to me: " What prevented you from joining us. Had you not purchased an animal to carry you? " I answered: " Yes, O Allah's Messenger! But by Allah, if I were sitting before any person from among the people of the world, other than you, I would have avoided his anger with an excuse. By Allah, I have been bestowed with the power of speaking fluently and eloquently, but by Allah, I knew well that if I tell you a lie today to seek your favor, Allah would surely make you angry with me in the near future; but if I tell you the truth, you will get angry because of it. I hope for Allah's Forgiveness. Really, by Allah, there was no excuse for me. By Allah, I had never been stronger or wealthier than I had been when I stayed behind after you left. ' Then Allah's Messenger said: " In regard to this man, he has surely told the truth, so get up [ and leave] until Allah judges your case. "
I got up and many men of Bano Salima followed me and said to me: " By Allah, we never witnessed you doing a sin before this. But you didn't give an excuse to Allah's Messenger as the others did who did not join him. The invocation of Allah's Messenger to Allah to forgive you would have been sufficient for you. " By Allah, they continued censure me so much that I wanted to return (to the Prophet) and accuse myself of having told a lie, but I said to them: " Is there anybody else who has met the same fate as I have? " They replied: " Yes, there were two men who said the same thing as you did, and both of them were given the same order as was given to you. " I said: " Who were they? " They replied: " Morara ibn Al-Rasbe'e Al-Amri and Hilal ibn Omayya Al-Waqifi. " With that they mentioned to me the names of two pious men who had attended the Battle of Badr, and in whom there had been an example for me. So I did not change my mind when they mentioned them to me.
Allah's Messenger forbade all the Muslims to talk to the three of us, out of all those who had stayed behind from that Battle So we kept away from the people and 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. The other two men remained in their houses and kept on weeping, but I was the youngest of them and the firmest of them, so I used to go out and perform the prayers along with the other Muslims and wander around in the markets, but no one would talk to me. I would come to Allah's Messenger and greet him while he was sitting in his gathering after the prayer, and I wondered whether he moved his lips in return to my greetings or not. I would offer my prayers near to him and look at him, stealthily. When I was busy with my prayer, he would turn his face towards me, but when I turned to face him, he would turn away from me. When this harsh attitude of the people lasted a long time, I walked until I scaled over the wall of the garden of Abu-Qatadah, who was my cousin and the dearest person to me, and I offered my greetings to him. By Allah, he did not return my greetings. I said: " O Abu-Qatada! I beseech you by Allah! Do you know that I love Allah and His Messenger? " He kept silent. I asked him again, beseeching him by Allah, but he remained silent. Then I asked him again in the Name of Allah. He said: " Allah and His Messenger know it better. " Thereupon my eyes flowed with tears and I returned and jumped over the wall. '
Ka'ab added: " While I was walking in the market of Madina, suddenly I saw a Nabati (a Christian farmer) from the Anbat (plural of Nabati) from Al-Sham (Greater Syria)) who had come to sell his grain in Madina, saying: " Who will lead me to Ka'ab ibn Malek? " The people began to point (me) out to him until he reached to me and handed me a letter from the King of Ghassan, in which the following was written: " To proceed, I have been informed that your friend (i.e. the Prophet) has treated you harshly. Allah does not allow you to live in a place where you feel inferior and your rights are lost, so come and join us and we will console you. "
When I read it, I said to myself: " This is also a sort of test. " Then I took the letter to the oven and made a fire inside by burning it.
When forty out of the fifty nights had elapsed, the courier of Allah's Messenger came to me and said: " Allah's Messenger orders you to keep away from your wife. " I said: " Should I divorce her or what else should I do? " He said: " No, only keep away from her and do not sleep with her. " The Prophet sent the same message to my two fellows. So I said to my wife: " Go to your parents and remain with them until Allah decrees this matter. " Ka'ab added: " The wife of Hilal ibn Omayya came to Allah's Messenger and said, " O Allah's Messenger! Hilal ibn Omayya is a helpless old man who has no servant to serve him. Do you dislike that I should serve him? " The Messenger of Allah said: " No (you can serve him), but he should not come near you. " She said: " By Allah, he has no desire for anything. By Allah, he has never ceased weeping since his case began until this day. ' At that, some of my family members said to me: " Will you also ask Allah's Messenger to permit your wife (to serve you) as he has permitted the wife of Hilal to serve him? " I said: " By Allah, I will not ask the permission of Allah's Messenger regarding her, for I do not know what Allah's Messenger would say if I asked him to permit her (to serve me) as I am still a young man. "
So I remained in that state for ten more nights after that until the period of fifty nights was completed from the time when Allah's Messenger prohibited the people from talking to us. When I had offered Al-fajr Prayer on the fiftieth morning on the roof of one of our houses and I was sitting in the condition that Allah had described (in the Koran), my very soul seemed straitened and even the earth seemed narrow, despite its spaciousness. From there I heard the voice of someone who had climbed the mountain of Sala ', calling in his loudest voice: " O Ka'ab ibn Malek! Be happy (for receiving good tidings). " I fell down in prostration before Allah, realizing that relief had come. Allah's Messenger had announced the acceptance of our repentance by Allah when he had offered Al-fajr Prayer.
The people then came out to congratulate us. Some people went to bring the good tidings to my two fellows and a horseman came hastily to me, and a man of Bano Aslam also came running and climbed the mountain and his voice was swifter than the horse. When he whose voice I had heard, came to me conveying the good tidings, I took off my garments and dressed him with them, and by Allah, I owned no other garments than them on that day. Then I borrowed two garments and wore them and went to Allah's Messenger
The people started receiving me in groups, congratulating me on Allah's Acceptance of my repentance, saying: " We congratulate you on Allah's Acceptance of your repentance. "
Ka'ab further said " " When I entered the mosque, I saw Allah's Messenger sitting surrounded by the people. Talha ibn Obaydullah quickly came to me, shook hands with me and congratulated me. By Allah, none of the emigrants got up for me except him, and I will never forget Talha for this. ' Ka'ab added: " When I greeted Allah's Messenger, whose face was beaming with joy, he said: " Be happy with the best day that you have had ever since your mother delivered you. " Ka'ab added: ' I said to the Prophet: " Is this forgiveness from you or from Allah? " He said: " No, it is from Allah. " Whenever Allah's Messenger became happy, his face would shine as if it was a piece of the moon, and we all knew that characteristic of him.
When I sat before him, I said: " O Allah's Messenger! Because of the acceptance of my repentance I will give up all my wealth in charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger
.Allah's Messenger said: " Keep some of your wealth, as it will be better for you. " I said " " So I will keep my share from Khaybar with me. " and I added: " O Allah's Messenger! Allah has saved me for telling the truth, so it is a part of my repentance not to tell anything but the truth as long as I am alive. " By Allah, I do not know anyone of the Muslims whom Allah has helped for telling the truth more than me. Since I confessed that to Allah's Messenger I have never intended to tell a lie until today. I hope that Allah will also save me (from telling lies) for the rest of my life. Allah had revealed to His Messenger the Verses:
" Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the emigrants, and Al- Ansar who followed him during the time of distress (Tabuk expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of Kindness, Most Merciful. * And (He did forgive also) the three (who did not join the Tabuk expedition) left (and whose cases were deferred) until for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their own selves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there was no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but in Him. Then, He accepted their repentance, that they might beg for His pardon. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful. * O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds). * " (9: 117-119)
Ka'ab said: ' By Allah, Allah has never bestowed upon me, apart from His guiding me to Islam, a greater blessing than the fact that I did not tell a lie to Allah's Messenger, as that would have caused me to perish as those who have lied perished. As Allah described those who lied with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else. Allah said about them:
" They will swear by Allah to you (the Muslims) when you return to them, that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them. Surely, they are impure (because of their evil deeds), and Hell is their dwelling place-a recompense for what they used to earn. * They (the hypocrites) will swear to you (the Muslims) that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, certainly Allah is not pleased with the people who are rebellious. * " (9: 95-96)
Ka'ab added: " We three differed altogether from those whose excuses were accepted by Allah's Messenger when they swore to him. He took their Baya'a (pledge) and asked Allah to forgive them, but Allah's Messenger left our case pending until Allah gave His Judgment about it. As for that Allah said:
" And (He did forgive also) the three (who did not join the Tabuk expedition whose case was deferred) until for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their own selves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there was no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but in Him. Then, He accepted their repentance that they might beg for His pardon. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful. * " (9: 118)
What Allah said (in this Verse) does not refer to our failure to take part in the Battle of Tabuk, but it refers to the deferment by the Prophet of making a decision about our case, in contrast to the cases of those who had taken an oath before him and he excused them by accepting their excuses. ' (Bukhari).
Translation: 23. Narrated Imran ibn Hosayn; ' A woman of Johayna tribe confessed adultery to the Prophet and said that she was pregnant. The Prophet summoned her guardian and said to him: " Treat her kindly, and when she delivers, inform me. " The man did as directed. The Prophet ordered that her clothes be tied and that she be stoned to death. He performed the Funeral Prayer for her. Omar ibn Al-Khattab said to him: " You have stoned her and performed the Funeral Prayer for her Messenger of Allah? " The Prophet said: " She has repented to Allah a repentance that if it were distributed among seventy people of Madina, it would suffice them. Have you found anything more precious than giving her soul willingly to Allah? " (At-Termizi).
Translation: 24. Narrated Ibn Abbas: ' I heard the Prophet saying: " If the son of Adam had two valleys full of money he would wish for a third, for nothing can fill the belly of Adam's son except dust, and Allah forgives him who (repents to Him) begs for His Forgiveness. " (Bukhari).
Translation: 25. Narrated Abu-Huraira Allah's Messenger said: " Allah welcomes two men with a smile; one of them killed the other and both of them entered Paradise. One fought in Allah's Cause and was killed. Later on Allah forgave the killer (as he embraced Islam) and he was martyred (in Allah's Cause). (Bukhari).