I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "Three men from among those who were before you, set out together till they reached a cave at night and entered it. A big rock rolled down the mountain and closed the mouth of the cave. They said (to each other), Nothing could save you from this rock but to invoke Allah by giving reference to the righteous deed which you have done (for Allah's sake only).'"

"So, one of them said, 'O Allah! I had old parents and I never provided my family (wife, children, etc.) with milk before them. One day, by chance I was delayed, and I came late (at night) while they had slept. I milked the sheep for them and took the milk to them, but I found them sleeping. I disliked providing my family with the milk before them. I waited for them and the bowl of milk was in my hand and I kept on waiting for them to get up till the day dawned. Then they got up and drank the milk. O Allah! If I did that for Your Sake only, please relieve us from our critical situation caused by this rock.' So, the rock shifted a little but they could not get out."

The Prophet ﷺ added, "The second man said, 'O Allah! I had a cousin who was the dearest of all people to me and I wanted to have sexual relations with her but she refused. Later she had a hard time in a famine year and she came to me and I gave her one-hundred-and-twenty Dinars on the condition that she would not resist my desire, and she agreed. When I was about to fulfill my desire, she said: It is illegal for you to outrage my chastity except by legitimate marriage. So, I thought it a sin to have sexual intercourse with her and left her though she was the dearest of all the people to me, and also I left the gold I had given her. O Allah! If I did that for Your Sake only, please relieve us from the present calamity.' So, the rock shifted a little more but still they could not get out from there."

The Prophet ﷺ added, "Then the third man said, 'O Allah! I employed few laborers and I paid them their wages with the exception of one man who did not take his wages and went away. I invested his wages and I got much property thereby. (Then after some time) he came and said to me: O Allah's slave! Pay me my wages. I said to him: All the camels, cows, sheep, and slaves you see, are yours. He said: O Allah's slave! Don't mock me. I said: I am not mocking you. So, he took all the herd and drove them away and left nothing. O Allah! If I did that for Your Sake only, please relieve us from the present suffering.' So, that rock shifted completely and they got out walking."  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «انْطَلَقَ ثَلاَثَةُ رَهْطٍ مِمَّنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَتَّى أَوَوُا الْمَبِيتَ إِلَى غَارٍ فَدَخَلُوهُ فَانْحَدَرَتْ صَخْرَةٌ مِنَ الْجَبَلِ فَسَدَّتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَارَ فَقَالُوا إِنَّهُ لاَ يُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ هَذِهِ الصَّخْرَةِ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَدْعُوا اللَّهَ بِصَالِحِ أَعْمَالِكُمْ۔»

«فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمُ: اللَّهُمَّ كَانَ لِي أَبَوَانِ شَيْخَانِ كَبِيرَانِ وَكُنْتُ لاَ أَغْبِقُ قَبْلَهُمَا أَهْلاً وَلاَ مَالاً فَنَأَى بِي فِي طَلَبِ شَىْءٍ يَوْمًا فَلَمْ أُرِحْ عَلَيْهِمَا حَتَّى نَامَا فَحَلَبْتُ لَهُمَا غَبُوقَهُمَا فَوَجَدْتُهُمَا نَائِمَيْنِ وَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَغْبِقَ قَبْلَهُمَا أَهْلاً أَوْ مَالاً فَلَبِثْتُ وَالْقَدَحُ عَلَى يَدَىَّ أَنْتَظِرُ اسْتِيقَاظَهُمَا حَتَّى بَرَقَ الْفَجْرُ فَاسْتَيْقَظَا فَشَرِبَا غَبُوقَهُمَا۔ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتُ فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِكَ فَفَرِّجْ عَنَّا مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الصَّخْرَةِ۔ فَانْفَرَجَتْ شَيْئًا لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الْخُرُوجَ۔»

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «وَقَالَ الآخَرُ اللَّهُمَّ كَانَتْ لِي بِنْتُ عَمٍّ كَانَتْ أَحَبَّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ فَأَرَدْتُهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهَا فَامْتَنَعَتْ مِنِّي حَتَّى أَلَمَّتْ بِهَا سَنَةٌ مِنَ السِّنِينَ فَجَاءَتْنِي فَأَعْطَيْتُهَا عِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةَ دِينَارٍ عَلَى أَنْ تُخَلِّيَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ نَفْسِهَا فَفَعَلَتْ حَتَّى إِذَا قَدَرْتُ عَلَيْهَا قَالَتْ لاَ أُحِلُّ لَكَ أَنْ تَفُضَّ الْخَاتَمَ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهِ فَتَحَرَّجْتُ مِنَ الْوُقُوعِ عَلَيْهَا فَانْصَرَفْتُ عَنْهَا وَهْىَ أَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ وَتَرَكْتُ الذَّهَبَ الَّذِي أَعْطَيْتُهَا۔ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتُ فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِكَ فَافْرُجْ عَنَّا مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ۔ فَانْفَرَجَتِ الصَّخْرَةُ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الْخُرُوجَ مِنْهَا۔»

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «وَقَالَ الثَّالِثُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي اسْتَأْجَرْتُ أُجَرَاءَ فَأَعْطَيْتُهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ غَيْرَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ تَرَكَ الَّذِي لَهُ وَذَهَبَ فَثَمَّرْتُ أَجْرَهُ حَتَّى كَثُرَتْ مِنْهُ الأَمْوَالُ فَجَاءَنِي بَعْدَ حِينٍ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ أَدِّ إِلَىَّ أَجْرِي فَقُلْتُ لَهُ كُلُّ مَا تَرَى مِنْ أَجْرِكَ مِنَ الإِبِلِ وَالْبَقَرِ وَالْغَنَمِ وَالرَّقِيقِ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لاَ تَسْتَهْزِئْ بِي فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي لاَ أَسْتَهْزِئُ بِكَ فَأَخَذَهُ كُلَّهُ فَاسْتَاقَهُ فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا اللَّهُمَّ فَإِنْ كُنْتُ فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِكَ فَافْرُجْ عَنَّا مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ فَانْفَرَجَتِ الصَّخْرَةُ فَخَرَجُوا يَمْشُونَ۔»  

that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Shām (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan), at the time when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a truce with Abū Sufyān and the Quraysh. So Abū Sufyān and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilyāʾ (Jerusalem).

Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's question said to them, "Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abū Sufyān replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group)." Heraclius said, "Bring him (Abū Sufyān) close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (the Prophet ﷺ) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet.

(1) The first question he asked me about him was: 'What is his family status among you?' I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.'

(2) Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?' I replied, 'No.'

(3) He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?' I replied, 'No.'

(4) Heraclius asked, 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?' I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.'

(5) He said, 'Are his followers increasing or decreasing (day by day)?' I replied, 'They are increasing.'

(6) He then asked, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterward?' I replied, 'No.'

(7) Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?' I replied, 'No. '

(8) Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?' I replied, 'No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.' I could not find an opportunity to say anything against him except that.

(9) Heraclius asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?' I replied, 'Yes.'

(10) Then he said, 'What was the outcome of the battles?' I replied, 'Sometimes he was victorious, and sometimes we.'

(11) Heraclius said, 'What does he order you to do?' I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste, and to keep good relations with our kith and kin.'

Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following:

(1) I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact, all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective peoples.

(2) I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man's statement.

(3) Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.

(7) I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah.

(4) I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact, all the Apostles have been followed by this very class of people.

(5) Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact, this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects.

(6) I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact, this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely.

(8) I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise, the Apostles never betray.

(11) Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth, and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.'

Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Diḥyah to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows: "In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful. (This letter is) from Muḥammad, the servant of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius, the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore, I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin of Arisiyin (tillers, farmers i.e. your people). And (Allah's Statement:) 'O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).' (Āl ʿImrān 3:64).

Abū Sufyān then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn Abī Kabshah (the Prophet ﷺ Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Banū al-Aṣfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it)."

The sub-narrator adds, "Ibn al-Natur was the Governor of llyāʾ (Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Sham. Ibn al-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was visiting ilya' (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning in a sad mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood. Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, 'At night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who are they who practice circumcision?' The people replied, 'Except for the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be afraid of them (Jews). 'Just issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.' While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of Ghassān to convey the news of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Heraclius was brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassān was circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The messenger replied, 'Arabs also practice circumcision.' (After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that the sovereignty of the 'Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in Rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then left for Homs (a town in Syria) and stayed there till he received the reply to his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his opinion about the emergence of the Prophet ﷺ and the fact that he was a Prophet. On that, Heraclius invited all the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace in Homs. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed. Then he came out and said, 'O Byzantines! If success is your desire and if you seek the right guidance and want your empire to remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet.' (On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be brought back in audience. (When they returned) he said, 'What was already said was just to test the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.' The people prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was the end of Heraclius's story.

أَنَّ هِرَقْلَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ فِي رَكْبٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ۔ وَكَانُوا تُجَّارًا بِالشَّأْمِ فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَادَّ فِيهَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ وَكُفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ۔ فَأَتَوْهُ وَهُمْ بِإِيلِيَاءَ۔

فَدَعَاهُمْ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ وَحَوْلَهُ عُظَمَاءُ الرُّومِ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُمْ، وَدَعَا بِتَرْجُمَانِهِ۔ فَقَالَ: أَيُّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا بِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ؟ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقُلْتُ: أَنَا أَقْرَبُهُمْ نَسَبًا۔ فَقَالَ: أَدْنُوهُ مِنِّي وَقَرِّبُوا أَصْحَابَهُ فَاجْعَلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ ظَهْرِهِ۔ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ: قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنِّي سَائِلٌ هَذَا عَنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ، فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِي فَكَذِّبُوهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْلاَ الْحَيَاءُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْثِرُوا عَلَىَّ كَذِبًا لَكَذَبْتُ عَنْهُ۔ ثُمَّ كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا سَأَلَنِي عَنْهُ أَنْ

(١) قَالَ: كَيْفَ نَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ؟ قُلْتُ: هُوَ فِينَا ذُو نَسَبٍ۔

(٢) قَالَ: فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ قَطُّ قَبْلَهُ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٣) قَالَ: فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٤) قَالَ: فَأَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ يَتَّبِعُونَهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ؟ فَقُلْتُ: بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ۔

(٥) قَالَ: أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ۔

(٦) قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٧) قَالَ: فَهَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ۔

(٨) قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ؟ قُلْتُ: لاَ، وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ فِي مُدَّةٍ لاَ نَدْرِي مَا هُوَ فَاعِلٌ فِيهَا۔ قَالَ: وَلَمْ تُمْكِنِّي كَلِمَةٌ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرُ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ۔

(٩) قَالَ: فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ۔

(١٠) قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيَّاهُ؟ قُلْتُ: الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالٌ يَنَالُ مِنَّا وَنَنَالُ مِنْهُ۔

(١١) قَالَ: مَاذَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ؟ قُلْتُ: يَقُولُ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَاتْرُكُوا مَا يَقُولُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَيَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالصِّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ وَالصِّلَةِ۔

فَقَالَ لِلتَّرْجُمَانِ قُلْ لَهُ:

(١) سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ نَسَبِهِ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو نَسَبٍ، فَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي نَسَبِ قَوْمِهَا۔

(٢) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ لَقُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَأْتَسِي بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ۔

(٣) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، قُلْتُ فَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ أَبِيهِ۔

(٧) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، فَقَدْ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَذَرَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ۔

(٤) وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ اتَّبَعُوهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّ ضُعَفَاءَهُمُ اتَّبَعُوهُ، وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ۔

(٥) وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ، وَكَذَلِكَ أَمْرُ الإِيمَانِ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ۔

(٦) وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَيَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حِينَ تُخَالِطُ بَشَاشَتُهُ الْقُلُوبَ۔

(٨) وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ، وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لاَ تَغْدِرُ۔

(١١) وَسَأَلْتُكَ بِمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَيَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ الأَوْثَانِ وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالصِّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مَا تَقُولُ حَقًّا فَسَيَمْلِكُ مَوْضِعَ قَدَمَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ لَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ مِنْكُمْ، فَلَوْ أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ لَتَجَشَّمْتُ لِقَاءَهُ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ عَنْ قَدَمِهِ۔

ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الَّذِي بَعَثَ بِهِ دِحْيَةُ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ فَقَرَأَهُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَ{يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ}

قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَلَمَّا قَالَ مَا قَالَ وَفَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ كَثُرَ عِنْدَهُ الصَّخَبُ وَارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ وَأُخْرِجْنَا فَقُلْتُ لأَصْحَابِي حِينَ أُخْرِجْنَا لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ إِنَّهُ يَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِي الأَصْفَرِ فَمَا زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ الإِسْلاَمَ۔وَكَانَ ابْنُ النَّاظُورِ صَاحِبُ إِيلِيَاءَ وَهِرَقْلَ سُقُفًّا عَلَى نَصَارَى الشَّأْمِ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ هِرَقْلَ حِينَ قَدِمَ إِيلِيَاءَ أَصْبَحَ يَوْمًا خَبِيثَ النَّفْسِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ بَطَارِقَتِهِ قَدِ اسْتَنْكَرْنَا هَيْئَتَكَ قَالَ ابْنُ النَّاظُورِ وَكَانَ هِرَقْلُ حَزَّاءً يَنْظُرُ فِي النُّجُومِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ حِينَ سَأَلُوهُ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَةَ حِينَ نَظَرْتُ فِي النُّجُومِ مَلِكَ الْخِتَانِ قَدْ ظَهَرَ فَمَنْ يَخْتَتِنُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ قَالُوا لَيْسَ يَخْتَتِنُ إِلاَّ الْيَهُودُ فَلاَ يُهِمَّنَّكَ شَأْنُهُمْ وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى مَدَايِنِ مُلْكِكَ فَيَقْتُلُوا مَنْ فِيهِمْ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِهِمْ أُتِيَ هِرَقْلُ بِرَجُلٍ أَرْسَلَ بِهِ مَلِكُ غَسَّانَ يُخْبِرُ عَنْ خَبَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا اسْتَخْبَرَهُ هِرَقْلُ قَالَ اذْهَبُوا فَانْظُرُوا أَمُخْتَتِنٌ هُوَ أَمْ لاَ فَنَظَرُوا إِلَيْهِ فَحَدَّثُوهُ أَنَّهُ مُخْتَتِنٌ وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْعَرَبِ فَقَالَ هُمْ يَخْتَتِنُونَ فَقَالَ هِرَقْلُ هَذَا مَلِكُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ قَدْ ظَهَرَ ثُمَّ كَتَبَ هِرَقْلُ إِلَى صَاحِبٍ لَهُ بِرُومِيَةَ وَكَانَ نَظِيرَهُ فِي الْعِلْمِ وَسَارَ هِرَقْلُ إِلَى حِمْصَ فَلَمْ يَرِمْ حِمْصَ حَتَّى أَتَاهُ كِتَابٌ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ يُوَافِقُ رَأْىَ هِرَقْلَ عَلَى خُرُوجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَأَذِنَ هِرَقْلُ لِعُظَمَاءِ الرُّومِ فِي دَسْكَرَةٍ لَهُ بِحِمْصَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِأَبْوَابِهَا فَغُلِّقَتْ ثُمَّ اطَّلَعَ فَقَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ الرُّومِ هَلْ لَكُمْ فِي الْفَلاَحِ وَالرُّشْدِ وَأَنْ يَثْبُتَ مُلْكُكُمْ فَتُبَايِعُوا هَذَا النَّبِيَّ فَحَاصُوا حَيْصَةَ حُمُرِ الْوَحْشِ إِلَى الأَبْوَابِ فَوَجَدُوهَا قَدْ غُلِّقَتْ فَلَمَّا رَأَى هِرَقْلُ نَفْرَتَهُمْ وَأَيِسَ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ قَالَ رُدُّوهُمْ عَلَىَّ وَقَالَ إِنِّي قُلْتُ مَقَالَتِي آنِفًا أَخْتَبِرُ بِهَا شِدَّتَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ فَسَجَدُوا لَهُ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ آخِرَ شَأْنِ هِرَقْلَ رَوَاهُ صَالِحُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ وَيُونُسُ وَمَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "An army will invade the Kaʿba and when the invaders reach al-Baidāʾ, all the ground will sink and swallow the whole army." I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! How will they sink into the ground while amongst them will be their markets (the people who worked in business and not invaders) and the people not belonging to them?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "all of those people will sink but they will be resurrected and judged according to their intentions."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «يَغْزُو جَيْشٌ الْكَعْبَةَ فَإِذَا كَانُوا بِبَيْدَاءَ مِنَ الأَرْضِ، يُخْسَفُ بِأَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ۔» قَالَتْ قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُخْسَفُ بِأَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ وَفِيهِمْ أَسْوَاقُهُمْ؟ وَمَنْ لَيْسَ مِنْهُمْ؟ قَالَ: «يُخْسَفُ بِأَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ ثُمَّ يُبْعَثُونَ عَلَى نِيَّاتِهِمْ۔»  

The Prophet ﷺ said, "A prophet amongst the prophets carried out a holy military expedition, so he said to his followers, 'Anyone who has married a woman and wants to consummate the marriage, and has not done so yet, should not accompany me; nor should a man who has built a house but has not completed its roof; nor a man who has sheep or shecamels and is waiting for the birth of their young ones.'"

"So, the prophet carried out the expedition and when he reached that town at the time or nearly at the time of the ʿAsr prayer, he said to the sun, 'O sun! You are under Allah's Order and I am under Allah's Order O Allah! Stop it (i.e. the sun) from setting.' It was stopped till Allah made him victorious. Then he collected the booty and the fire came to burn it, but it did not burn it. He said (to his men), 'Some of you have stolen something from the booty. So one man from every tribe should give me a pledge of allegiance by shaking hands with me.' (They did so and) the hand of a man got stuck over the hand of their prophet. Then that prophet said (to the man), 'The theft has been committed by your people. So all the persons of your tribe should give me the pledge of allegiance by shaking hands with me.' The hands of two or three men got stuck over the hand of their prophet and he said, "You have committed the theft.' Then they brought a head of gold like the head of a cow and put it there, and the fire came and consumed the booty. The Prophet ﷺ added: Then Allah saw our weakness and disability, so he made booty legal for us."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «غَزَا نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ فَقَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ: لاَ يَتْبَعْنِي رَجُلٌ مَلَكَ بُضْعَ امْرَأَةٍ وَهْوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَبْنِيَ بِهَا وَلَمَّا يَبْنِ بِهَا، وَلاَ أَحَدٌ بَنَى بُيُوتًا وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْ سُقُوفَهَا، وَلاَ أَحَدٌ اشْتَرَى غَنَمًا أَوْ خَلِفَاتٍ وَهْوَ يَنْتَظِرُ وِلاَدَهَا۔»

«فَغَزَا فَدَنَا مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ صَلاَةَ الْعَصْرِ أَوْ قَرِيبًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لِلشَّمْسِ إِنَّكِ مَأْمُورَةٌ وَأَنَا مَأْمُورٌ اللَّهُمَّ احْبِسْهَا عَلَيْنَا فَحُبِسَتْ۔ حَتَّى فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَمَعَ الْغَنَائِمَ فَجَاءَتْ يَعْنِي النَّارَ لِتَأْكُلَهَا فَلَمْ تَطْعَمْهَا۔ فَقَالَ إِنَّ فِيكُمْ غُلُولاً فَلْيُبَايِعْنِي مِنْ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ رَجُلٌ۔ فَلَزِقَتْ يَدُ رَجُلٍ بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ فِيكُمُ الْغُلُولُ فَلْتُبَايِعْنِي قَبِيلَتُكَ۔ فَلَزِقَتْ يَدُ رَجُلَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثَةٍ بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ فِيكُمُ الْغُلُولُ فَجَاءُوا بِرَأْسٍ مِثْلِ رَأْسِ بَقَرَةٍ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ فَوَضَعُوهَا فَجَاءَتِ النَّارُ فَأَكَلَتْهَا ثُمَّ أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَنَا الْغَنَائِمَ رَأَى ضَعْفَنَا وَعَجْزَنَا فَأَحَلَّهَا لَنَا۔»  

that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say, "There were three persons in Bani Isra'il, one suffering from leprosy, the other bald-headed and the third one blind. Allah decided to test them. So He sent an angel."

"He came to the one who was suffering from leprosy and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful color and fine skin and removal of that which makes me detestable in the eye of people. He wiped him and his illness was no more and he was conferred upon beautiful colour and beautiful skin. He (the angel) again said: Which property do you like most? He said: Camels, or he said: The cow. – The narrator is, however, doubtful about it, but (out of the persons) suffering from leprosy or baldness one of them definitely said: The camel. And the other one said: Cow. – And he (one who demanded camel) was bestowed upon a she-camel, in an advanced stage of pregnancy, and while giving he said: May Allah bless you in this."

"Then he came to the bald-headed person and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful hair and that (this baldness) may be removed from me because of which people hate me. He wiped his body and his illness was removed and he was bestowed upon beautiful hair, and the angel said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The cow. And he was given a pregnant cow and while handing it over to him he (the angel) said: May Allah bless you in this."

"Then he came to the blind man and he said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Allah should restore my eyesight so that I should be able to see people with the help of that. He wiped his body and Allah restored to him his eyesight, and he (the angel) also said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The flock of sheep. And he was given a pregnant goat and that gave birth to young ones."

"And it so happened that one valley abounded in camels and the other one in cows and the third one in sheep."

"He then came to the one who had suffered from leprosy in an (old) form and shape and he said: I am a poor person and my provision has run short in my journey and there is none to take me to my destination except with the help of Allah and your favor. I beg of you in His name Who gave you fine color and fine skin, and the camel in the shape of wealth (to confer upon me) a camel which should carry me in my journey. He said: I have many responsibilities to discharge. Thereupon he said: I perceive as if I recognize you. Were you not suffering from leprosy whom people hated and you were destitute and Allah conferred upon you (wealth)? He said: I have inherited this property from my forefathers. Thereupon he said: If you are a liar may Allah change you to that very position in which you had been."

"He then came to the one who was bald-headed in his (old) form and said to him the same what he had said to him (one suffering from leprosy) and he gave him the same reply as he had given him and he said: If you are a liar, may Allah turn you to your previous position in which you had been."

"And then he came to the blind man in his (old) form and shape and he said: I am a destitute person and a wayfarer. My provisions have run short and today there is no way to reach the destination but with the help of Allah and then with your help and I beg of you in the (name) of One Who restored your eyesight and gave you the flock of sheep to give me a sheep by which I should be able to make my provisions for the journey. He said: I was blind and Allah restored to me my eyesight; you take whatever you like and leave whatever you like. By Allah, I shall not stand in your way today for what you take in the name of God. Thereupon, he said: You keep with you what you have (in your possession). The fact is that you three were put to the test and Allah is well pleased with you and He is angered with your companions."  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ ثَلاَثَةً فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَبْرَصَ، وَأَقْرَعَ، وَأَعْمَى۔ فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيَهُمْ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَلَكًا۔»

«فَأَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فَقَالَ: أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: لَوْنٌ حَسَنٌ، وَجِلْدٌ حَسَنٌ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي الَّذِي قَدْ قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ۔ قَالَ: فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ قَذَرُهُ، وَأُعْطِيَ لَوْنًا حَسَنًا، وَجِلْدًا حَسَنًا۔ قَالَ: فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الإِبِلُ» أَوْ قَالَ «الْبَقَرُ۔» - شَكَّ إِسْحَاقُ إِلاَّ أَنَّ الأَبْرَصَ أَوِ الأَقْرَعَ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا الإِبِلُ وَقَالَ الآخَرُ الْبَقَرُ - قَالَ «فَأُعْطِيَ نَاقَةً عُشَرَاءَ، فَقَالَ: بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا۔»

قَالَ «فَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ، فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: شَعَرٌ حَسَنٌ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي هَذَا الَّذِي قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ۔ قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ وَأُعْطِيَ شَعَرًا حَسَنًا۔ قَالَ: فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الْبَقَرُ۔ فَأُعْطِيَ بَقَرَةً حَامِلاً۔ فَقَالَ: بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا۔»

قَالَ «فَأَتَى الأَعْمَى، فَقَالَ: أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ أَنْ يَرُدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَىَّ بَصَرِي فَأُبْصِرَ بِهِ النَّاسَ۔ قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ بَصَرَهُ۔ قَالَ فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الْغَنَمُ۔ فَأُعْطِيَ شَاةً وَالِدًا۔»

«فَأُنْتِجَ هَذَانِ وَوَلَّدَ هَذَا قَالَ فَكَانَ لِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الإِبِلِ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ۔»

قَالَ «ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ قَدِ انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ، ثُمَّ بِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي أَعْطَاكَ اللَّوْنَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْجِلْدَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْمَالَ بَعِيرًا أَتَبَلَّغُ عَلَيْهِ فِي سَفَرِي؟ فَقَالَ: الْحُقُوقُ كَثِيرَةٌ۔ فَقَالَ لَهُ: كَأَنِّي أَعْرِفُكَ، أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَبْرَصَ يَقْذَرُكَ النَّاسُ فَقِيرًا فَأَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا وَرِثْتُ هَذَا الْمَالَ كَابِرًا عَنْ كَابِرٍ۔ فَقَالَ: إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ۔»

قَالَ «وَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فِي صُورَتِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ لِهَذَا، وَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ مَا رَدَّ عَلَى هَذَا۔ فَقَالَ: إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ۔»

قَالَ «وَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ فَقَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ وَابْنُ سَبِيلٍ انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي رَدَّ عَلَيْكَ بَصَرَكَ شَاةً، أَتَبَلَّغُ بِهَا فِي سَفَرِي؟ فَقَالَ: قَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْمَى فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَىَّ بَصَرِي، فَخُذْ مَا شِئْتَ وَدَعْ مَا شِئْتَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَجْهَدُكَ الْيَوْمَ شَيْئًا أَخَذْتَهُ لِلَّهِ۔ فَقَالَ: أَمْسِكْ مَالَكَ فَإِنَّمَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ فَقَدْ رُضِيَ عَنْكَ وَسُخِطَ عَلَى صَاحِبَيْكَ۔»  

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ˹fought˺ the Battle of Tabūk and he wanted Rome while the Arab Christians were in Shām. Ibn Shihāb said that ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿAbdullāh b. Kaʿb b. Mālik told me that ʿAbdullāh b. Kaʿb was the leader of one of Banū Kaʿb's children when he became blind. He said: I heard Kaʿb b. Malik narrate when he stayed behind from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the Battle of Tabūk.

Kaʿb b. Malik said: I never remained behind Messenger of Allah ﷺ from any expedition that he undertook except the Battle of Tabuk and that of the Battle of Badr. So far as the Battle of Badr is concerned, nobody was blamed for remaining behind as Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims (did not set out for attack but for waylaying) the caravan of the Quraish, but it was Allah Who made them confront their enemies without their intention (to do so). I had the honor to be with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the night of 'Aqaba when we pledged our allegiance to Islam and it was dearer to me than my participation in the Battle of Badr, although Badr was more popular amongst people as compared to with that (Tabَūk).

And this is my story of remaining back from Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk. Never did I possess means enough and (my circumstances) more favorable than at the occasion of this expedition. And, by Allah, I had never before this expedition simultaneously in my possession two rides. Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out for this expedition in the extremely hot season; the journey was long and the land (which he and his army had to cover) was waterless and he had to confront a large army, so he informed the Muslims about the actual situation (they had to face), so that they should adequately equip themselves for this expedition, and he also told them the destination where he intended to go. And the Muslims who accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at that time were large in numbers but there was no proper record of them.

Ka'b (further) said: Few were the persons who wanted to absent themselves, and were under the impression that they could easily conceal themselves (and thus remain undetected) until revelations from Allah, the Exalted and Glorious (descended in connection with them). And Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out on an expedition when the fruits were ripe and their shadows had been lengthened. I had a weakness for them and it was during this season that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made preparations and the Muslims too along with them. I also set out in the morning so that I should make preparations along with them but I came back and did nothing and said to myself: I have means enough (to make preparations) as soon as I like. And I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) until people were about to depart and it was in the morning that Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out and the Muslims too along with him, but I made no preparations. I went early in the morning and came back, but I made no decision. I continued to do so until they (the Muslims) hastened and covered a good deal of distance. I also made up my mind to march on and to meet them. Would that I had done that but perhaps it was not destined for me. After the departure of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as I went out amongst people, I was shocked to find that I did not find anyone like me but people who were labeled as hypocrites or the people whom Allah granted an exemption because of their incapacity and Messenger of Allah ﷺ took no notice of me until he had reached Tabuk.

One day as he was sitting amongst the people in Tabuk he said: What has happened to Ka'b b. Malik? A person from Banu' Salama said: Messenger of Allah, the (beauty) of his cloak and his appreciation of his sides have allured him and he was thus detained. Mua'dh b. Jabal said: Woe be upon that what you contend. Messenger of Allah, by Allah, we know nothing about him but good. Messenger of Allah ﷺ, however, kept quiet. It was during that time that he (the Holy Prophet) saw a person (dressed in an all-white (garment) shattering the illusion of eye (mirage). Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: May he be Abu Khaithama and, lo, it was Abu Khaithama al-Ansari and he was that person who contributed a sa' of dates and was scoffed at by the hypocrites. Ka'b b. Malik further said: When this news reached me that Messenger of Allah ﷺ was on his way back from Tabuk I was greatly perturbed. I thought of fabricating false stories and asked myself how I would save myself from his anger on the following day. In this connection, I sought the help of every prudent man from amongst the members of my family and when it was said to me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was about to arrive, all the false ideas vanished (from my mind) and I came to the conclusion that nothing could save me but the telling of truth, so I decided to speak the truth and it was in the morning that Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived (in Medina). And it was his habit that as he came back from a journey he first went to the mosque and observed two Rak'ahs of nafl prayer (as a mark of gratitude) and then sat amongst people.

And as he did that, those who had remained behind him began to put forward their excuses and take an oath before him and they were more than eighty persons. Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted their excuses on the very face of them and accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them and left their secret (intentions) to Allah, until I presented myself to him. I greeted him and he smiled and there was a tinge of anger in that. He (the Holy Prophet) then said to me: Come forward. I went forward until I sat in front of him. He said to me: What kept you back? Could you not afford to go in for a ride? I said: Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I were to sit in the presence of anybody else from amongst the worldly people I would have definitely saved myself from his anger on one pretext (or the other) and I have also the knack to fall into argumentation, but, by Allah, I am fully aware of the fact that if I were to put forward before you a false excuse to please you Allah would definitely provoke your wrath upon me, and if I speak the truth you may be annoyed with me, but I hope that Allah would make its end well and, by Allah, there is no valid excuse for me. By Allah, I never possessed so good means, and I never had such favorable conditions for me as I had when I stayed behind you (failed to join the expedition). Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: This man told the truth, so get up until Allah gives a decision in your case. I stood up and some people of Banu' Salama followed me in hot haste, and they said to me: By Allah, we do not know about you that you committed a sin prior to this. You, however, showed an inability to put forward an excuse before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as those who stayed behind him have put forward excuses. It would have been enough for the forgiveness of your sin that Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have sought forgiveness for you.

By Allah, they continued to incite me until I thought of going back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and contradicting myself. Then I said to them: Has anyone else also met the same fate? They said: Yes, two persons have met the same fate as has fallen to you and they have made the same statement as you have made, and the same verdict has been delivered in their case as it has been delivered in your case. I said: Who are they? They said: Murara b. ar-Rabi'a 'Amiri and Hilal b. Umayya al-Waqafi. They made a mention of these two pious persons to me who had participated in the Battle of Badr and there was an example for me in them. I went away when they named these two persons.

Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the Muslims to talk with three of us from amongst those (persons) who had stayed behind him. The people began to avoid us and their attitude towards us underwent a change and it seemed as if the whole atmosphere had turned (hostile) against us and it was in fact the same atmosphere of which I was fully aware and in which I had lived (for a fairly long time). We spent fifty nights in this very state and my two friends confined themselves within their houses and spent (most of the) time in weeping, but as I was young and strong amongst them I got (out of my house), participated in congregational prayers, moved about in the bazar; but none spoke to me. I came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ as he sat amongst (people) after the prayer, greeted him and asked myself whether his lips stirred in response to my greetings (or not). Then I observed prayer beside him and looked at him with stealing glances and when I attended to my prayer, he looked at me and when I cast a glance at him he turned away his eyes from me.

And when the harsh treatment of the Muslims towards me extended to a (considerable) length of time, I walked until I climbed upon the wall of the garden of Abu Qatada, and he was my cousin, and I had the greatest love for him. I greeted him but, by Allah, he did not respond to my greetings. I said to him: Abu Qatada, I adjure you by Allah, arn't you well aware of the fact that I love Allah and His Messenger ﷺ the most. He kept quiet. I again repeated saying: I adjure you by Allah. aren't you well aware of the fact that I love Allah and His Messenger ﷺ the most. He kept quiet. I again adjured him, whereupon he said: Allah and the Messenger ﷺ are best aware of it. My eyes began to shed tears and I came back climbing down from the wall.

As I was walking in the bazar of Medina a Nabatean from amongst the Nabateans of Syria, who had come to sell foodgrains in Medina, asked people to direct him to Ka'b b. Malik. People gave him the indication by pointing towards me. He came to me and delivered to me a letter of the King of Ghassan and as I was a scribe I read that letter and it was written like this: Coming to my point, it has been conveyed to us that your friend (the Holy Prophet) is subjecting you to cruelty and Allah has not created you for a place where you are to be degraded and where you cannot find your right place, so you come to us that we should accord you honour. As I read that letter I said: This is also a calamity, so I burnt it in the oven.

When out of the fifty days, forty days had passed and Messenger of Allah ﷺ received no revelation, there came the messenger of Messenger of Allah ﷺ to me and said: Verily, Messenger of Allah ﷺ has commanded you to remain separate from your wife. I said: Should I divorce her or what (else) should I do? He said: No, but only remain separate from her and don't have sexual contact with her. The same message was sent to my companions. So I said to my wife: You better go to your parents and stay there with them until Allah gives the decision in my case. The wife of Hilal b. Umayya came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: Messenger of Allah, Hilal b. Umayya is a senile person, he has no servant. Do you disapprove of my serving him? He said: No, but don't go near him. She said: By Allah, he has no such instinct in him. By Allah, he spends his time in weeping from that day to this day. Some of the members of my family said to me: Were you to seek permission from Messenger of Allah ﷺ in regard to your wife as he has granted permission to the wife of Hilal b. Umayya to serve him. I said: I would not seek permission from Messenger of Allah ﷺ, for I cannot say what Allah's Apostle may say in response to seeking my permission. Moreover, I am a young man.

It was in this state that I spent ten more nights and thus fifty nights had passed that (people) had observed boycott with us. It was on the morning of the fiftieth night that I observed my dawn prayer and was sitting on one of the roofs of our houses. And I was in fact sitting in that very state which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has described about us in these words:" Life had become hard for myself and the earth had compressed despite its vastness," that I heard the noise of an announcer from the peak of the hill of Sal' saying at the top of his voice: Ka'b b. Malik, there is glad tidings for you. I fell down in prostration and came to realise that there was (a message of) relief for me. Messenger of Allah ﷺ had informed the people of the acceptance of our repentance by Allah as he offered the dawn prayer. So the people went on to give us glad tidings and some of them went to my friends in order to give them the glad tidings and a person galloped his horse and came from the tribe of Aslam and his horse reached me more quickly than his voice. And when he came to me whose sound I heard, he gave me the glad tidings. I took off my clothes and clothed him with them because of his bringing good news to me and, by Allah, I possessed nothing else (in the form of clothes) than these two on that occasion, and I asked one to lend me two clothes and dressed myself in them.

I came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and on my way I met groups of people who greeted me because of (the acceptance of) repentance and they said: Here is a greeting for you for your repentance being accepted by Allah. (I moved on) until I came to the mosque and Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been sitting there amongst persons. So Talha b. 'Ubaidullah got up and rushed towards me and he shook hands with me and greeted me and, by Allah, no person stood up (to greet me) from amongst the emigrants except he. Ka'b said that he never forgot (this good gesture of) Talha. Ka'b further said: I greeted Messenger of Allah ﷺ with Assalam-o-'Alaikam and his face was glistening because of delight, and he said: Let there be glad tidings and blessings for you, the like of which (you have neither found nor you will find, as you find today) since your mother gave your birth. I said: Messenger of Allah. is this acceptance of repentance from you or from Allah? He said: No, (it is not from me), it is from Allah, and it was common with Messenger of Allah ﷺ that as he was happy his face brightened up and it looked like a part of the moon and it was from this that we recognised it (his delight). As I sat before him, I said: Messenger of Allah, am I allowed to give in charity my wealth for Allah's sake and for the sake of His Messenger ﷺ? Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Keep some property with you as it is better for you. I said: I shall keep with me that part (of my property) which fell to my lot (on the occasion of the expedition of) Khaibar. I said: Messenger of Allah, verily, Allah has granted me salvation because of truth and, therefore, (I think) that repentance implies that I should not speak anything but truth as long as I live.

He said: By Allah, I do not know whether anyone amongst the Muslims was put to more severe trial than I by Allah because of telling the truth. And since I made a mention of this to Messenger of Allah ﷺ up to this day I have not told any lie and, by Allah, I have decided not to tell a lie and I hope that Allah would save me (from trials) for the rest of my life and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed these verses:" Certainly, Allah has turned in Mercy to the Prophet and the emigrants and the helpers who followed him in the hour of hardship after the hearts of a part of them were about to deviate; then He turned to them in mercy. Surely, to them He is Compassionate, Merciful and (He turned in Mercy) to the three who were left behind until the earth despite its vastness became strait for them and their souls were also straitened to them." And this revelation reached up to the (words):" O you who believe, develop God consciousness, and be with the truthful" (ix. 117-118). Ka'b said: By Allah, since Allah directed me to Islam there has been no blessing more significant for me than this truth of mine which I spoke to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and if I were to tell a lie I would have been ruined as were ruined those who told lies, for in regard to those who told lies Allah used harshest words used for anyone as He descended revelation (and the words of Allah are):" They will swear by Allah to you when you return to them so that you may leave them alone. So leave them alone. Surely, they are unclean and their resort is Hell, recompense for what they earned. They will swear to you that you may be pleased with them but if you are pleased with them, yet surely Allah is not pleased with the transgressing people" (ix. 95-96).

Kaʿb said that the matter of us three persons was deferred as compared with those who took an oath in the presence of Allahs Messenger ﷺ and he accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them and Allah did not give any decision in regard to us. It was Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, Who gave decisions in our case, three who remained behind. (The words of the Qur'an)" the three who were left behind" do not mean that we remained back from Jihad but these imply that He kept our matter behind them who took oath and presented excuse before Him.  

ثُمَّ غَزَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ غَزْوَةَ تَبُوكَ وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ الرُّومَ وَنَصَارَى الْعَرَبِ بِالشَّامِ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ فَأَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ كَعْبٍ كَانَ قَائِدَ كَعْبٍ مِنْ بَنِيهِ حِينَ عَمِيَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يُحَدِّثُ حَدِيثَهُ حِينَ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ۔

قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: لَمْ أَتَخَلَّفْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا قَطُّ إِلاَّ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ غَيْرَ أَنِّي قَدْ تَخَلَّفْتُ فِي غَزْوَةِ بَدْرٍ۔ وَلَمْ يُعَاتِبْ أَحَدًا تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ إِنَّمَا خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ يُرِيدُونَ عِيرَ قُرَيْشٍ حَتَّى جَمَعَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ عَدُوِّهُمْ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِيعَادٍ۔ وَلَقَدْ شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ حِينَ تَوَاثَقْنَا عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ لِي بِهَا مَشْهَدَ بَدْرٍ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ بَدْرٌ أَذْكَرَ فِي النَّاسِ مِنْهَا۔

وَكَانَ مِنْ خَبَرِي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ أَنِّي لَمْ أَكُنْ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلاَ أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْهُ فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ۔ وَاللَّهِ مَا جَمَعْتُ قَبْلَهَا رَاحِلَتَيْنِ قَطُّ حَتَّى جَمَعْتُهُمَا فِي تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةِ۔ فَغَزَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ سَفَرًا بَعِيدًا وَمَفَازًا وَاسْتَقْبَلَ عَدُوًّا كَثِيرًا۔ فَجَلاَ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَمْرَهُمْ لِيَتَأَهَّبُوا أُهْبَةَ غَزْوِهِمْ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِوَجْهِهِمُ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَثِيرٌ وَلاَ يَجْمَعُهُمْ كِتَابُ حَافِظٍ يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ الدِّيوَانَ۔

قَالَ كَعْبٌ فَقَلَّ رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَغَيَّبَ يَظُنُّ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ سَيَخْفَى لَهُ مَا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ فِيهِ وَحْىٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ ﷻ وَغَزَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةَ حِينَ طَابَتِ الثِّمَارُ وَالظِّلاَلُ فَأَنَا إِلَيْهَا أَصْعَرُ فَتَجَهَّزَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ وَطَفِقْتُ أَغْدُو لِكَىْ أَتَجَهَّزَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَرْجِعُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا وَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَا قَادِرٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ ذَلِكَ يَتَمَادَى بِي حَتَّى اسْتَمَرَّ بِالنَّاسِ الْجِدُّ فَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ غَادِيًا وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ مِنْ جَهَازِي شَيْئًا ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ فَرَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا فَلَمْ يَزَلْ ذَلِكَ يَتَمَادَى بِي حَتَّى أَسْرَعُوا وَتَفَارَطَ الْغَزْوُ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَرْتَحِلَ فَأُدْرِكَهُمْ فَيَا لَيْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُقَدَّرْ ذَلِكَ لِي فَطَفِقْتُ إِذَا خَرَجْتُ فِي النَّاسِ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَحْزُنُنِي أَنِّي لاَ أَرَى لِي أُسْوَةً إِلاَّ رَجُلاً مَغْمُوصًا عَلَيْهِ فِي النِّفَاقِ أَوْ رَجُلاً مِمَّنْ عَذَرَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الضُّعَفَاءِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى بَلَغَ تَبُوكًا۔

فَقَالَ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْقَوْمِ بِتَبُوكَ: «مَا فَعَلَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ؟» قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ: حَبَسَهُ بُرْدَاهُ وَالنَّظَرُ فِي عِطْفَيْهِ۔ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ: بِئْسَ مَا قُلْتَ، وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا۔ فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ۔ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ رَأَى رَجُلاً مُبَيِّضًا يَزُولُ بِهِ السَّرَابُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «كُنْ أَبَا خَيْثَمَةَ،» فَإِذَا هُو أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ وَهُوَ الَّذِي تَصَدَّقَ بِصَاعِ التَّمْرِ حِينَ لَمَزَهُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ۔

فَقَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: فَلَمَّا بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ تَوَجَّهَ قَافِلاً مِنْ تَبُوكَ حَضَرَنِي بَثِّي فَطَفِقْتُ أَتَذَكَّرُ الْكَذِبَ وَأَقُولُ بِمَ أَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ غَدًا وَأَسْتَعِينُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ كُلَّ ذِي رَأْىٍ مِنْ أَهْلِي فَلَمَّا قِيلَ لِي إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ أَظَلَّ قَادِمًا زَاحَ عَنِّي الْبَاطِلُ حَتَّى عَرَفْتُ أَنِّي لَنْ أَنْجُوَ مِنْهُ بِشَىْءٍ أَبَدًا فَأَجْمَعْتُ صِدْقَهُ وَصَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَادِمًا وَكَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ بَدَأَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَرَكَعَ فِيهِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِلنَّاسِ۔

فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ جَاءَهُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فَطَفِقُوا يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ وَكَانُوا بِضْعَةً وَثَمَانِينَ رَجُلاً فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلاَنِيَتَهُمْ وَبَايَعَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ وَوَكَلَ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ حَتَّى جِئْتُ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَ فَجِئْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِي مَا خَلَّفَكَ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ قَدِ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرَكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا لَرَأَيْتُ أَنِّي سَأَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ بِعُذْرٍ وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلاً وَلَكِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيثَ كَذِبٍ تَرْضَى بِهِ عَنِّي لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُسْخِطَكَ عَلَىَّ وَلَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَ صِدْقٍ تَجِدُ عَلَىَّ فِيهِ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو فِيهِ عُقْبَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا كَانَ لِي عُذْرٌ وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلاَ أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْكَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَ فَقُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ فَقُمْتُ وَثَارَ رِجَالٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَاتَّبَعُونِي فَقَالُوا لِي وَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَاكَ أَذْنَبْتَ ذَنْبًا قَبْلَ هَذَا لَقَدْ عَجَزْتَ فِي أَنْ لاَ تَكُونَ اعْتَذَرْتَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَا اعْتَذَرَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فَقَدْ كَانَ كَافِيَكَ ذَنْبَكَ اسْتِغْفَارُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَكَ۔

قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَالُوا يُؤَنِّبُونَنِي حَتَّى أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَرْجِعَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأُكَذِّبَ نَفْسِي قَالَ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ هَلْ لَقِيَ هَذَا مَعِي مِنْ أَحَدٍ قَالُوا نَعَمْ لَقِيَهُ مَعَكَ رَجُلاَنِ قَالاَ مِثْلَ مَا قُلْتَ فَقِيلَ لَهُمَا مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ لَكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ مَنْ هُمَا قَالُوا مُرَارَةُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ الْعَامِرِيُّ وَهِلاَلُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ الْوَاقِفِيُّ قَالَ فَذَكَرُوا لِي رَجُلَيْنِ صَالِحَيْنِ قَدْ شِهِدَا بَدْرًا فِيهِمَا أُسْوَةٌ قَالَ فَمَضَيْتُ حِينَ ذَكَرُوهُمَا لِي۔

قَالَ وَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَنْ كَلاَمِنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلاَثَةُ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ قَالَ فَاجْتَنَبَنَا النَّاسُ وَقَالَ تَغَيَّرُوا لَنَا حَتَّى تَنَكَّرَتْ لِي فِي نَفْسِيَ الأَرْضُ فَمَا هِيَ بِالأَرْضِ الَّتِي أَعْرِفُ فَلَبِثْنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً فَأَمَّا صَاحِبَاىَ فَاسْتَكَانَا وَقَعَدَا فِي بُيُوتِهِمَا يَبْكِيَانِ وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَكُنْتُ أَشَبَّ الْقَوْمِ وَأَجْلَدَهُمْ فَكُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ فَأَشْهَدُ الصَّلاَةَ وَأَطُوفُ فِي الأَسْوَاقِ وَلاَ يُكَلِّمُنِي أَحَدٌ وَآتِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي هَلْ حَرَّكَ شَفَتَيْهِ بِرَدِّ السَّلاَمِ أَمْ لاَ ثُمَّ أُصَلِّي قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَأُسَارِقُهُ النَّظَرَ فَإِذَا أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَى صَلاَتِي نَظَرَ إِلَىَّ وَإِذَا الْتَفَتُّ نَحْوَهُ أَعْرَضَ عَنِّي۔

حَتَّى إِذَا طَالَ ذَلِكَ عَلَىَّ مِنْ جَفْوَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَشَيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ جِدَارَ حَائِطِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّي وَأَحَبُّ النَّاسِ إِلَىَّ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا رَدَّ عَلَىَّ السَّلاَمَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَبَا قَتَادَةَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِاللَّهِ هَلْ تَعْلَمَنَّ أَنِّي أُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ قَالَ فَسَكَتَ فَعُدْتُ فَنَاشَدْتُهُ فَسَكَتَ فَعُدْتُ فَنَاشَدْتُهُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاىَ وَتَوَلَّيْتُ حَتَّى تَسَوَّرْتُ الْجِدَارَ۔

فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي فِي سُوقِ الْمَدِينَةِ إِذَا نَبَطِيٌّ مِنْ نَبَطِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ مِمَّنْ قَدِمَ بِالطَّعَامِ يَبِيعُهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ يَقُولُ مَنْ يَدُلُّ عَلَى كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ فَطَفِقَ النَّاسُ يُشِيرُونَ لَهُ إِلَىَّ حَتَّى جَاءَنِي فَدَفَعَ إِلَىَّ كِتَابًا مِنْ مَلِكِ غَسَّانَ وَكُنْتُ كَاتِبًا فَقَرَأْتُهُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ صَاحِبَكَ قَدْ جَفَاكَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْكَ اللَّهُ بِدَارِ هَوَانٍ وَلاَ مَضْيَعَةٍ فَالْحَقْ بِنَا نُوَاسِكَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ حِينَ قَرَأْتُهَا وَهَذِهِ أَيْضًا مِنَ الْبَلاَءِ فَتَيَامَمْتُ بِهَا التَّنُّورَ فَسَجَرْتُهَا بِهَا۔

حَتَّى إِذَا مَضَتْ أَرْبَعُونَ مِنَ الْخَمْسِينَ وَاسْتَلْبَثَ الْوَحْىُ إِذَا رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَأْتِينِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَعْتَزِلَ امْرَأَتَكَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ أُطَلِّقُهَا أَمْ مَاذَا أَفْعَلُ قَالَ لاَ بَلِ اعْتَزِلْهَا فَلاَ تَقْرَبَنَّهَا قَالَ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى صَاحِبَىَّ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لاِمْرَأَتِي الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ فَكُونِي عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِي هَذَا الأَمْرِ قَالَ فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةُ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ هِلاَلَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ شَيْخٌ ضَائِعٌ لَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ فَهَلْ تَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَخْدُمَهُ قَالَ لاَ وَلَكِنْ لاَ يَقْرَبَنَّكِ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّهُ وَاللَّهِ مَا بِهِ حَرَكَةٌ إِلَى شَىْءٍ وَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَالَ يَبْكِي مُنْذُ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ مَا كَانَ إِلَى يَوْمِهِ هَذَا قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي بَعْضُ أَهْلِي لَوِ اسْتَأْذَنْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي امْرَأَتِكَ فَقَدْ أَذِنَ لاِمْرَأَةِ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ أَنْ تَخْدُمَهُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَسْتَأْذِنُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَا يُدْرِينِي مَاذَا يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِيهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ۔

قَالَ فَلَبِثْتُ بِذَلِكَ عَشْرَ لَيَالٍ فَكَمُلَ لَنَا خَمْسُونَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ حِينَ نُهِيَ عَنْ كَلاَمِنَا قَالَ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ صَلاَةَ الْفَجْرِ صَبَاحَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً عَلَى ظَهْرِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ ﷻ مِنَّا قَدْ ضَاقَتْ عَلَىَّ نَفْسِي وَضَاقَتْ عَلَىَّ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ صَارِخٍ أَوْفَى عَلَى سَلْعٍ يَقُولُ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ يَا كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ أَبْشِرْ قَالَ فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِدًا وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ قَدْ جَاءَ فَرَجٌ قَالَ فَآذَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ النَّاسَ بِتَوْبَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ صَلَّى صَلاَةَ الْفَجْرِ فَذَهَبَ النَّاسُ يُبَشِّرُونَنَا فَذَهَبَ قِبَلَ صَاحِبَىَّ مُبَشِّرُونَ وَرَكَضَ رَجُلٌ إِلَىَّ فَرَسًا وَسَعَى سَاعٍ مِنْ أَسْلَمَ قِبَلِي وَأَوْفَى الْجَبَلَ فَكَانَ الصَّوْتُ أَسْرَعَ مِنَ الْفَرَسِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَنِي الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَهُ يُبَشِّرُنِي فَنَزَعْتُ لَهُ ثَوْبَىَّ فَكَسَوْتُهُمَا إِيَّاهُ بِبِشَارَتِهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْلِكُ غَيْرَهُمَا يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاسْتَعَرْتُ ثَوْبَيْنِ فَلَبِسْتُهُمَا۔

فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَتَأَمَّمُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَتَلَقَّانِي النَّاسُ فَوْجًا فَوْجًا يُهَنِّئُونِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِتَهْنِئْكَ تَوْبَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ حَتَّى دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَحَوْلَهُ النَّاسُ فَقَامَ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ يُهَرْوِلُ حَتَّى صَافَحَنِي وَهَنَّأَنِي وَاللَّهِ مَا قَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ غَيْرُهُ قَالَ فَكَانَ كَعْبٌ لاَ يَنْسَاهَا لِطَلْحَةَ قَالَ كَعْبٌ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَهُوَ يَبْرُقُ وَجْهُهُ مِنَ السُّرُورِ وَيَقُولُ أَبْشِرْ بِخَيْرِ يَوْمٍ مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ مُنْذُ وَلَدَتْكَ أُمُّكَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ أَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ لاَ بَلْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا سُرَّ اسْتَنَارَ وَجْهُهُ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ قِطْعَةُ قَمَرٍ قَالَ وَكُنَّا نَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَلَمَّا جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ أَنْخَلِعَ مِنْ مَالِي صَدَقَةً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمْسِكْ بَعْضَ مَالِكَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ فَإِنِّي أُمْسِكُ سَهْمِيَ الَّذِي بِخَيْبَرَ قَالَ وَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّمَا أَنْجَانِي بِالصِّدْقِ وَإِنَّ مِنْ تَوْبَتِي أَنْ لاَ أُحَدِّثَ إِلاَّ صِدْقًا مَا بَقِيتُ۔

قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَبْلاَهُ اللَّهُ فِي صِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ مُنْذُ ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا أَحْسَنَ مِمَّا أَبْلاَنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا تَعَمَّدْتُ كَذْبَةً مُنْذُ قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ يَحْفَظَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِيمَا بَقِيَ قَالَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { لَقَدْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ * وَعَلَى الثَّلاَثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّى إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ} قَالَ كَعْبٌ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ قَطُّ بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانِي اللَّهُ لِلإِسْلاَمِ أَعْظَمَ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ صِدْقِي رَسُولَ اللَّهُ ﷺ أَنْ لاَ أَكُونَ كَذَبْتُهُ فَأَهْلِكَ كَمَا هَلَكَ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ لِلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا حِينَ أَنْزَلَ الْوَحْىَ شَرَّ مَا قَالَ لأَحَدٍ وَقَالَ اللَّهُ { 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 لاَ يَرْضَى عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ}۔

قَالَ كَعْبٌ كُنَّا خُلِّفْنَا أَيُّهَا الثَّلاَثَةُ عَنْ أَمْرِ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ قَبِلَ مِنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ حَلَفُوا لَهُ فَبَايَعَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ وَأَرْجَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمْرَنَا حَتَّى قَضَى اللَّهُ فِيهِ فَبِذَلِكَ قَالَ اللَّهُ ﷻ { وَعَلَى الثَّلاَثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا} وَلَيْسَ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ مِمَّا خُلِّفْنَا تَخَلُّفَنَا عَنِ الْغَزْوِ وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ تَخْلِيفُهُ إِيَّانَا وَإِرْجَاؤُهُ أَمْرَنَا عَمَّنْ حَلَفَ لَهُ وَاعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُ۔  

There was a person before you who had killed ninety-nine persons and then made an inquiry about the learned persons of the world (who could show him the way to salvation). He was directed to a monk. He came to him and told him that he had killed ninety-nine persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: No. He killed him also and thus completed one hundred. He then asked about the learned persons of the earth and he was directed to a scholar, and he told him that he had killed one hundred persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: Yes; what stands between you and repentance? You better go to such and such land; there are people devoted to prayer and worship and you also worship along with them and do not come to the land of yours since it was an evil land (for you).

So he went away and he had hardly covered half the distance when death came to him and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment. The angels of mercy said: This man has come as a penitent and remorseful to Allah and the angels of punishment said: He has done no good at all. Then there came another angel in the form of a human being in order to decide between them. He said: You measure the land to which he has drawn near. They measured it and found him nearer to the land where he intended to go (the land of piety), and so the angels of mercy took possession of it. Qatada said that Hasan told him that it was said to them that as death approached him, he crawled upon his chest (and managed) to slip in the land of mercy.  

أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: «كَانَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا۔ فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ، فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَاهِبٍ۔ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنَ تَوْبَةٍ۔ فَقَالَ لاَ، فَقَتَلَهُ فَكَمَّلَ بِهِ مِائَةً۔ ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ، فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ عَالِمٍ۔ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ مِائَةَ نَفْسٍ فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ۔ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَمَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ؟ انْطَلِقْ إِلَى أَرْضِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِنَّ بِهَا أُنَاسًا يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ، فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مَعَهُمْ وَلاَ تَرْجِعْ إِلَى أَرْضِكَ فَإِنَّهَا أَرْضُ سَوْءٍ۔

فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى إِذَا نَصَفَ الطَّرِيقَ أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ، فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلاَئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ۔ فَقَالَتْ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ: جَاءَ تَائِبًا مُقْبِلاً بِقَلْبِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ۔ وَقَالَتْ مَلاَئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ: إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ خَيْرًا قَطُّ۔ فَأَتَاهُمْ مَلَكٌ فِي صُورَةِ آدَمِيٍّ فَجَعَلُوهُ بَيْنَهُمْ۔ فَقَالَ: قِيسُوا مَا بَيْنَ الأَرْضَيْنِ فَإِلَى أَيَّتِهِمَا كَانَ أَدْنَى فَهُوَ لَهُ۔ فَقَاسُوهُ فَوَجَدُوهُ أَدْنَى إِلَى الأَرْضِ الَّتِي أَرَادَ، فَقَبَضَتْهُ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ۔

قَالَ قَتَادَةُ فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ ذُكِرَ لَنَا أَنَّهُ لَمَّا أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ نَأَى بِصَدْرِهِ  

There lived a king before you and he had a (court) magician. As he (the magician) grew old, he said to the king: I have grown old, send some young boy to me so that I should teach him magic. He (the king) sent to him a young man so that he should train him (in magic). And on his way (to the magician) he (the young man) found a monk sitting there. He (the young man) listened to his (the monk's) talk and was impressed by it. It became his habit that on his way to the magician he met the monk and set there and he came to the magician (late). He (the magician) beat him because of delay. He made a complaint of that to the monk and he said to him: When you feel afraid of the magician, say: Members of my family had detained me. And when you feel afraid of your family you should say: The magician had detained me.

It so happened that there came a huge beast (of prey) and it blocked the way of the people, and he (the young boy) said: I will come to know today whether the magician is superior or the monk is superior. He picked up a stone and said: O Allah, if the affair of the monk is dearer to Thee than the affair of the magician, cause death to this animal so that the people should be able to move about freely. He threw that stone towards it and killed it and the people began to move about (on the path freely). He (the young man) then came to that monk and Informed him and the monk said: Sonny, today you are superior to me. Your affair has come to a stage where I find that you would be soon put to a trial, and in case you are put to a trial don't give my clue.

That young man began to treat the blind and those suffering from leprosy and he in fact began to cure people from (all kinds) of illness. When a companion of the king who had gone blind heard about him, he came to him with numerous gifts and said: If you cure me all these things collected together here would be yours. He said: I myself do not cure anyone. It is Allah Who cures and if you affirm faith in Allah, I shall also supplicate Allah to cure you. He affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him.

He came to the king and sat by his side as he used to sit before. The king said to him: Who restored your eyesight? He said: My Lord. Thereupon he said: It means that your Lord is One besides me. He said: My Lord and your Lord is Allah, so he (the king) took hold of him and tormented him till he gave a clue of that boy. The young man was thus summoned and the king said to him: O boy, it has been conveyed to me that you have become so much proficient in your magic that you cure the blind and those suffering from leprosy and you do such and such things. Thereupon he said: I do not cure anyone; it is Allah Who cures, and he (the king) took hold of him and began to torment him. So he gave a clue of the monk. The monk was thus summoned and it was said to him: You should turn back from your religion. He, however, refused to do so. He (ordered) for a saw to be brought (and when it was done) he (the king) placed it in the middle of his head and tore it into parts till a part fell down. Then the courtier of the king was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. Arid he refused to do so, and the saw was placed in the midst of his head and it was torn till a part fell down.

Then that young boy was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. He refused to do so and he was handed over to a group of his courtiers. And he 'said to them: Take him to such and such mountain; make him climb up that mountain and when you reach its top (ask him to renounce his faith) but if he refuses to do so, then throw him (down the mountain). So they took him and made him climb up the mountain and he said: O Allah, save me from them (in any way) Thou likest and the mountain began to quake and they all fell down and that person came walking to the king. The king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them.

He again handed him to some of his courtiers and said: Take him and carry him in a small boat and when you reach the middle of the ocean (ask him to renounce) his religion, but if he does not renounce his religion throw him (into the water). So they took him and he said: O Allah, save me from them and what they want to do. It was quite soon that the boat turned over and they were drowned and he came walking to the king, and the king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them.

He said to the king: You cannot kill me until you do what I ask you to do. And he said: What is that? He said: You should gather people in a plain and hang me by the trunk (of a tree). Then take hold of an arrow from the quiver and say: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; then shoot an arrow and if you do that then you would be able to kill me. So he (the king) called the people in an open plain and tied him (the boy) to the trunk of a tree, then he took hold of an arrow from his quiver and then placed the arrow in the bow and then said: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; he then shot an arrow and it bit his temple. He (the boy) placed his hands upon the temple where the arrow had bit him and he died and the people said: We affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man. The courtiers came to the king and it was said to him: Do you see that Allah has actually done what you aimed at averting?

They (the people) have affirmed their faith in the Lord. He (the king) commanded ditches to be dug at important points in the path. When these ditches were dug, and the fire was lit in them it was said (to the people): He who would not turn back from his (boy's) religion would be thrown in the fire or it would be said to them to jump in that. (The people courted death but did not renounce religion) till a woman came with her child and she felt hesitant in jumping into the fire and the child said to her: O mother, endure (this ordeal) for it is the Truth.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: «كَانَ مَلِكٌ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَكَانَ لَهُ سَاحِرٌ۔ فَلَمَّا كَبِرَ قَالَ لِلْمَلِكِ: إِنِّي قَدْ كَبِرْتُ فَابْعَثْ إِلَىَّ غُلاَمًا أُعَلِّمْهُ السِّحْرَ۔ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ غُلاَمًا يُعَلِّمُهُ۔ فَكَانَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ إِذَا سَلَكَ رَاهِبٌ فَقَعَدَ إِلَيْهِ وَسَمِعَ كَلاَمَهُ فَأَعْجَبَهُ۔ فَكَانَ إِذَا أَتَى السَّاحِرَ مَرَّ بِالرَّاهِبِ وَقَعَدَ إِلَيْهِ، فَإِذَا أَتَى السَّاحِرَ ضَرَبَهُ فَشَكَا ذَلِكَ إِلَى الرَّاهِبِ فَقَالَ: إِذَا خَشِيتَ السَّاحِرَ فَقُلْ حَبَسَنِي أَهْلِي، وَإِذَا خَشِيتَ أَهْلَكَ فَقُلْ حَبَسَنِي السَّاحِرُ۔

فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَتَى عَلَى دَابَّةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ قَدْ حَبَسَتِ النَّاسَ فَقَالَ: الْيَوْمَ أَعْلَمُ آلسَّاحِرُ أَفْضَلُ أَمِ الرَّاهِبُ أَفْضَلُ۔ فَأَخَذَ حَجَرًا فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ أَمْرُ الرَّاهِبِ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ أَمْرِ السَّاحِرِ فَاقْتُلْ هَذِهِ الدَّابَّةَ حَتَّى يَمْضِيَ النَّاسُ۔ فَرَمَاهَا فَقَتَلَهَا وَمَضَى النَّاسُ۔ فَأَتَى الرَّاهِبَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الرَّاهِبُ: أَىْ بُنَىَّ أَنْتَ الْيَوْمَ أَفْضَلُ مِنِّي، قَدْ بَلَغَ مِنْ أَمْرِكَ مَا أَرَى وَإِنَّكَ سَتُبْتَلَى فَإِنِ ابْتُلِيتَ فَلاَ تَدُلَّ عَلَىَّ۔

وَكَانَ الْغُلاَمُ يُبْرِئُ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأَبْرَصَ وَيُدَاوِي النَّاسَ مِنْ سَائِرِ الأَدْوَاءِ۔ فَسَمِعَ جَلِيسٌ لِلْمَلِكِ كَانَ قَدْ عَمِيَ۔ فَأَتَاهُ بِهَدَايَا كَثِيرَةٍ فَقَالَ: مَا هَا هُنَا لَكَ أَجْمَعُ إِنْ أَنْتَ شَفَيْتَنِي فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لاَ أَشْفِي أَحَدًا إِنَّمَا يَشْفِي اللَّهُ، فَإِنْ أَنْتَ آمَنْتَ بِاللَّهِ دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ فَشَفَاكَ فَآمَنَ بِاللَّهِ فَشَفَاهُ اللَّهُ۔

فَأَتَى الْمَلِكَ فَجَلَسَ إِلَيْهِ كَمَا كَانَ يَجْلِسُ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ: مَنْ رَدَّ عَلَيْكَ بَصَرَكَ؟ قَالَ: رَبِّي۔ قَالَ: وَلَكَ رَبٌّ غَيْرِي؟ قَالَ: رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ۔ فَأَخَذَهُ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُعَذِّبُهُ حَتَّى دَلَّ عَلَى الْغُلاَمِ۔ فَجِيءَ بِالْغُلاَمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ: أَىْ بُنَىَّ قَدْ بَلَغَ مِنْ سِحْرِكَ مَا تُبْرِئُ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأَبْرَصَ وَتَفْعَلُ وَتَفْعَلُ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لاَ أَشْفِي أَحَدًا إِنَّمَا يَشْفِي اللَّهُ۔ فَأَخَذَهُ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُعَذِّبُهُ حَتَّى دَلَّ عَلَى الرَّاهِبِ۔ فَجِيءَ بِالرَّاهِبِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكَ۔ فَأَبَى فَدَعَا بِالْمِئْشَارِ فَوَضَعَ الْمِئْشَارَ فِي مَفْرِقِ رَأْسِهِ فَشَقَّهُ حَتَّى وَقَعَ شِقَّاهُ۔ ثُمَّ جِيءَ بِجَلِيسِ الْمَلِكِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكَ۔ فَأَبَى فَوَضَعَ الْمِئْشَارَ فِي مَفْرِقِ رَأْسِهِ فَشَقَّهُ بِهِ حَتَّى وَقَعَ شِقَّاهُ۔

ثُمَّ جِيءَ بِالْغُلاَمِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: ارْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِكَ۔ فَأَبَى فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ: اذْهَبُوا بِهِ إِلَى جَبَلِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَاصْعَدُوا بِهِ الْجَبَلَ، فَإِذَا بَلَغْتُمْ ذُرْوَتَهُ فَإِنْ رَجَعَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَإِلاَّ فَاطْرَحُوهُ۔ فَذَهَبُوا بِهِ فَصَعِدُوا بِهِ الْجَبَلَ فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ۔ فَرَجَفَ بِهِمُ الْجَبَلُ فَسَقَطُوا وَجَاءَ يَمْشِي إِلَى الْمَلِكِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ: مَا فَعَلَ أَصْحَابُكَ؟ قَالَ: كَفَانِيهِمُ اللَّهُ۔

فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ: اذْهَبُوا بِهِ فَاحْمِلُوهُ فِي قُرْقُورٍ فَتَوَسَّطُوا بِهِ الْبَحْرَ، فَإِنْ رَجَعَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَإِلاَّ فَاقْذِفُوهُ۔ فَذَهَبُوا بِهِ فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ۔ فَانْكَفَأَتْ بِهِمُ السَّفِينَةُ فَغَرِقُوا۔ وَجَاءَ يَمْشِي إِلَى الْمَلِكِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ: مَا فَعَلَ أَصْحَابُكَ؟ قَالَ: كَفَانِيهِمُ اللَّهُ۔»

«فَقَالَ لِلْمَلِكِ: إِنَّكَ لَسْتَ بِقَاتِلِي حَتَّى تَفْعَلَ مَا آمُرُكَ بِهِ۔ قَالَ: وَمَا هُوَ؟ قَالَ: تَجْمَعُ النَّاسَ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ وَتَصْلُبُنِي عَلَى جِذْعٍ، ثُمَّ خُذْ سَهْمًا مِنْ كِنَانَتِي ثُمَّ ضَعِ السَّهْمَ فِي كَبِدِ الْقَوْسِ، ثُمَّ قُلْ بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْغُلاَمِ، ثُمَّ ارْمِنِي، فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ قَتَلْتَنِي۔»

«فَجَمَعَ النَّاسَ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ وَصَلَبَهُ عَلَى جِذْعٍ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ سَهْمًا مِنْ كِنَانَتِهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ السَّهْمَ فِي كَبِدِ الْقَوْسِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْغُلاَمِ۔ ثُمَّ رَمَاهُ، فَوَقَعَ السَّهْمُ فِي صُدْغِهِ، فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ فِي صُدْغِهِ فِي مَوْضِعِ السَّهْمِ فَمَاتَ۔ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ: آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْغُلاَمِ! آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْغُلاَمِ! آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْغُلاَمِ! فَأُتِيَ الْمَلِكُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: أَرَأَيْتَ مَا كُنْتَ تَحْذَرُ؟ قَدْ وَاللَّهِ نَزَلَ بِكَ حَذَرُكَ۔»

«قَدْ آمَنَ النَّاسُ، فَأَمَرَ بِالأُخْدُودِ فِي أَفْوَاهِ السِّكَكِ فَخُدَّتْ وَأَضْرَمَ النِّيرَانَ وَقَالَ: مَنْ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ عَنْ دِينِهِ؟ فَأَحْمُوهُ فِيهَا أَوْ قِيلَ لَهُ: اقْتَحِمْ! فَفَعَلُوا حَتَّى جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ وَمَعَهَا صَبِيٌّ لَهَا فَتَقَاعَسَتْ أَنْ تَقَعَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا الْغُلاَمُ: يَا أُمَّهِ، اصْبِرِي فَإِنَّكِ عَلَى الْحَقِّ۔»