05-06-2004, 01:27 PM
As-Salam Alaikom. This is not my article.... I have got it via email from some1 on 28.07.1997
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THE THREE WHO STOOD BEHIND
I studies this story in Sirah (Biography of the prophet SAAWS). It is a real beautiful and impressing story that took place in year 9-Hijri (9 years after the migration).
In year 9, a great battle (ghaswa) with the Empire of Rome was to take place after the prophet SAAWS heard that Rome has gathered big forces to invade them. At that time Muslims were suffering from very hot weather and dry land. It was a real pleasure for a man in Medina to sit in the shadow of his garden with his wife and to eat from his garden's fruits.
The prophet SAAWS made his call for Jihad and asked Muslims to fully prepare for it, as they expected a hard time with the enemy. The prophet had to spread the news to all the Arabs and other tribes in and outside Mecca to get their help too. And (as usual) the honoured companions RAA gave allot of money for the sake of preparing and equipping soldiers who had no money to spend for this purpose. The prophet left Al Medina with an army of 30.000 Muslims.
Because of the horrible fear for meeting such a great enemy, and because of the tough weather at that time, some of the people did not answer the call for Jihad! And as usual this was a great chance for hypocrites (the real enemies of Islam) to hit Islam in the back, in this very critical time. On the top of them was "Abdullah Ibn Obay". The group of hypocrites went on spreading fear among Muslims and said that Mohammed SAAWS must have gone out of his mind to think of fighting such an enemy, with this little equipment and soldiers in comparison with the enemy's, and to travel to such a far place in this tough hot weather. They went on saying many things to let Muslims down. And so came many hypocrites to the prophet to ask him excuses for not going with Muslims to attend the battle. Other weak poor Muslims also came to him SAAWS asking for excuses, so he gave them all his permission. And this is why Allah SWT blamed him in (Surat Al Tawbah 9: Ayah 43). He SWT said: "God gave you (forgiveness), why did you grant them exemption until those who told the truth were seen by you in a clear light, and thou hadst prove the lies (until you know who tells lies and who tells truth)". And in the verses (no. 45 & 46 of the same Surah), God said: "Only those who ask you for exemption who believe not in God and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, and so they are tossed (hesitated) in their doubts --- If they have intended to come out (for Jihad), they would have certainly made some preparation for it, but Allah hated to let them be sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said; sit ye among those who sit"!
Subehana Allah! If we are to go further in the details of the story (that are not our point now), we would find that it has been a great Mercy for Muslims that those hypocrites who let them down did not go out with them for Jihad. They would have caused more kayos to the army, and so Allah SWT said in (the verse no. 46 of the same Surah): "If they had come out with you, they would have added nothing but *(disorder/disappointment), and would have hurry among you with trials and sedition, and there would have been some among you who would have listened to them. but God knoweth well those who do wrong (suppression)".
Among the people who stood behind and did not share in Jihad, were four Muslims who were known of their strong Faith. They are "Kaab Ibn Malek", "Hilal Ibn Omayyah", "Morarah Ibn Rabee" and "Abu Khothaymah", may Allah be pleased with them!
By the time prophet Mohammed SAAWS and his army reached a place called "Tebook", where the battle was named after, "Abu Khothaymah" (one of the four Muslims who stood behind in Medina) was about to enter his garden in a very hot day. He found his two wives sitting under their trellis/arbours in his garden. Each has prepared food, fruits and cooled some water for him! When he was just about to take his place in the garden, he suddenly said: "Abu Khothaymah sits here in the shadow with a beautiful wife and cold water, while the prophet of Allah fighting in this heat?! This is certainly not fair!" Then said to his wives: "I swear (by Allah) I will never enter any of your arbours until I reach with Mohammed and fight with him! Prepare for my journey"! And so they did. He climbed his camel, and took his sword and lance. Then afterwards met the prophet SAAWS and the Muslims troops at "Tebook".
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After the whole thing was over and the prophet came back safely to Medina along with the army, many people who stood behind without his permission came to apologise and say fake excuses. The prophet accepted what their words have told him and left their real intentions to God, and (at the same
time) asked forgiveness for them!
Then here comes the real impressing part of the story.. The other three Muslim companions who stood behind without the prophet's permission knew that the best way for them in order to run away with their guilt (in this
life) was to tell the prophet fake excuses just like all the others, cause they knew that the prophet does not judge according to the real hidden intentions inside them, even if he had doubts, but only judges according to what they testify! It was according to them to decide what their fate would be......... But they had Faith!..... Even if they have succeeded in convincing the prophet with fake excuses, they were certain that they would have never been able to run away with it thereafter! They knew that there is no shelter from God but to Him!!
One of them, Kaab Ibn Omayyah, entered to the prophet. The prophet gave him a little smile mixed with anger/blame, and said: "what have stopped you?"
Kaab said: "prophet of Allah, if I were to approach any other person in this life, I certainly would have came out of his anger with a good excuse. I am a man with good speech and convincing talent! But by Allah, I knew that if I would tell you lies in order to please you of me I would have gained Allah's anger. And if I am to tell the truth which would sure un-please you, I might gain Allah's forgiveness! I swear by Allah, I have no excuse"
The prophet SAAWS said: "Now, this was the one to be honest!" Then told
him: "Go until Allah's judgement"...
The other two companions did the same, and so the prophet SAAWS replied to them as he did with "Kaab".
As we might all know that staying behind the troops and not answering the call for Jihad is a great sin in Islam, and that's why all the other people who stood behind said fake excuses to the prophet. Regarding our fellow three Muslims, the prophet ordered them to leave, stay all alone, not to live with their wives, and ordered all the people to stay away from them, not to talk with them or trade them. The three men had very hard time, as they were completely deserted. They were lost in the lands. The earth seemed so narrow for them in spite of it's width. They felt very tightened and strained inside..................
Then comes the great gospel and news from Allah... The prophet SAAWS send for them, telling them of the great grace from Allah SWT one can ever dream of! People celebrated their coming and were waiting for them in big groups, congratulating them for Allah's forgiveness. When "Kaab" entered to the prophet, the prophet was very happy at his reception. He SAAWS told him: "Be happy Kaab, for this is to be the best day that you can ever pass by
since your mother gave birth to you!" Kaab said: "A gospel from you,
prophet of Allah, or from God?" The prophet said: "It sure is from God!" Kaab said: "I have promised if Allah will forgive me, I would give a way all my money as a Sadaqa (charity/almsgiving) for the sake of Allah" The prophet said: "Keep some of the money for you as you might be in need of it"
Then he SAAWS read this verse of the Quran for him (Surat Al Tawbah: Ayah
118): "(He also turned in Mercy) to the three who were left behind, (they left guilty to such a degree) that the earth seemed constrained to them, for all it's speciousness, and their (very) souls seemed strained, and they perceived that there is no shelter from Allah but to Himself, then He turned to them, that to (allow them to) repent; for God is oft returning (Most Forgiving), Most Merciful".
"O ye who believe, fear God and be with those who are true (in word deed)". Al Tawbah: 119.
A true story!
P.S.
* Please read the Quranic texts (as possible as you can) from the original Arabic verses, as I see that the translator (may Allah accept his good
deeds) failed to give the actual meanings of some of the words, and therefore missed the beauty of the text.
** I translated this story from the book titled "Noor Al Yaqeen, Fee Sirat Sayyed Al Morsaleen", and would very much appreciate any grammar or composition corrections as this would help the general purpose of this work.