- The Constituents of the Divine Assignment
- /
- The third constituent
Allah has installed in mind and in the conscious a means that enables man to differentiate good conducts from bad ones. Thus, man has an inner detector to sense the bad deed and stay away from it, and to sense the good deed and feel comfortable upon doing it. Furthermore, this characteristic in man is what makes people praise the good doer and dispraise the evil doer. This inner detector in man's conscious is mentioned in so many Ayat in the Quran, and in some religious texts the believer is demanded to use his conscious in judging any behavior he might incline to. Allah says:
﴾And by Nafs (Adam or a person or a soul, etc.), and Him Who perfected him in proportion* Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him* Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds)* And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, etc. or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds).﴿
Accordingly, the human soul since it has been created and molded perfectly has been (Divinely) inspired (in its Fitrah [an inborn natural predisposition which cannot change, and which exists at birth in all human beings. It is inclined towards right action and submission to Allah, the One Deity]) to be able to know the Right Path and the wrong one, and this is what we call the "instinct" with which the soul realizes good and evil. Man also owns an insight with which he reckons himself for all his deeds and intentions even if he tries to cover them up by eloquent defense or by different excuses, pointing the finger of blame towards sh3er. Allah says:
﴾Nay! Man will be a witness against himself [as his body parts (skin, hands, legs, etc.) will speak about his deeds]* Though he may put forth his excuses (to cover his evil deeds).﴿
((It was narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih that Nawwas bin Sam'an (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about virtue and sin, and he said, "Virtue is noble behaviour, and sin is that which creates doubt and you do not like people to know about it."))
This Hadith indicates that the human soul owns a morally edifying sense with which it detects sins, and for that reason the evil-doer usually hides his wrong deeds from people. In other words, he knows deep inside that people hate his bad deed the same way he hates it, and this sense is called by researchers "The conscious".
((On the authority of Wabisah bin Ma'bad (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he said, "You have come to ask about righteousness." I said, "Yes." He said, "Consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels at ease and the heart feels tranquil. And wrongdoing is that which wavers in the soul and causes uneasiness in the breast, even though people have repeatedly given their legal opinion [in its favour].))
This Hadith clearly denotes the moral sense (or the conscious) of man, and when this conscious is transparent, sound and flawless, it becomes an effective detector in differentiating between exalted morals and despicable ones. Al-Birr, as indicated in this Hadith, is the righteous deed the upright person does with a clear conscious, whereas Al-Ithm (sin) causes troubled conscious whenever this upright person considers doing it, and he gets distressed and confused. Therefore, having peace of mind marks Al-Birr, whereas reluctance, confusion and fearing that people know about the bad deed of someone mark Al-Ithm. Some deeds might confuse the mind and conscious, and man might not be able to know the right and the wrong, and in this case he needs guidance and enlightenment.
In some cases, desires, lusts, traditions and customs might mislead man due to the whisperers of evil amongst the misleading Shayateen (devils) of mankind and Jinn. Therefore, if man doubts a deed whether it is Haram or Halal, he should protect himself from falling in Haram by leaving this deed, but if he doubts a deed whether it is permissible or obligatory, he should do it, lest he errs in deserting an obligation. This is the process the Muslim should follow as it is proved in the following Hadith:
((On the authority of an-Nu'man ibn Basheer (May Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say, "That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regards to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters [eventually] falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly, every king has a sanctuary, and truly, Allah's sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly, in the body there is a morsel of flesh, which, if it be whole, all the body is whole, and which, if it is diseased, all of [the body] is diseased. Truly, it is the heart."))
This is a Sahih Hadith mentioned in the authenticated references of Prophetic Hadith about the fundamentals of man's behavior. These fundamentals are divided into three categories: The first one is the clear Halal (permissible) matters, which arise no doubts, and they are known as Halal by all people, so upon doing them the conscious of man is never troubled or embarrassed.
The second category is the clear Haram (forbidden) matters which are known by all people and which cause embarrassment, compunction and fear of bad destiny upon being done.
The third category is the Shubuhaat (doubted matters), and they are doubted because they might look like Halal or might look like Haram. Thus, they confuse the majority of people but not all of them, for those who have insights can detect doubted matters.
The word Shubuhaat is plural because these (doubted) matters differ from one to another depending on how close they are to Halal or Haram. The best way for the true submitted Muslim to his Lord to deal with them is to leave them in order to keep his faith sound in the Sight of Allah and his honor flawless in the sight of people.
((Al-Hasan bin 'Ali said: "I remember that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'Leave what makes you in doubt for what does not make you in doubt. The truth brings tranquility while falsehood sows doubt.'"))
((It was narrated also from 'Atiyyah As-Sa'di, who was one of the Companions, that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "A person will not reach the status of being one of those who have piety until he refrains from doing something in which there is no sin, for fear of falling into something in which there is sin.))
Since man is given a mind when he is created, using this mind will lead him to believe in the Existence of Allah as the Creator, the Educator, the Disposer of affairs, the One and the Perfect. Also, since sensing morals is installed in man's Fitrah to be his detector in knowing right and wrong and good and evil without the need to a mentor, a teacher or a guide, man is able to know the Right Path. Hence, man's mind leads him to Allah, and Man's Fitrah makes him know the Right Path. Thus, the mind and the conscious are enough means to lead man to the Greatness of Allah and to maintenance of his soul. It will be said to man when he receives the record of the deeds he has done in the worldly life:
﴾(It will be said to him): "Read your book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day."﴿
This means you are able to judge your own deeds, because you have two references which are the mind and the Fitrah, and you have the sense of morals installed in your conscious. Accordingly, there are rules by following which the insight (of man) will be guided to good morals. The Prophet PBUH referred to these rules, and among them is "Treat people the same way you like to be treated by them." This rule is mentioned in a long Hadith reported by Imam Muslim:
(('Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (may Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who desires to be rescued from the fire of Hell and to enter Jannah, should die in a state of complete belief in Allah and the Last Day, and should do unto sh3er what he wishes to be done unto him."))
Whenever you doubt your behavior towards someone, put yourself in his place and consider the case; if you accept it, then do it as long as it is not a sin. Thus, the believer should love for his brother that which he loves for himself as reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the following Hadith:
((On the authority of Abu Hamzah, Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) — the servant of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) — that the Prophet (PBUH) said: None of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.))
- This rule motivates the Muslim to be honest with his brother as he likes sh3er to be honest with him if they speak, and he hates lying.
- This rule also motivates the believer to be trustworthy on his brother's money, honor and reputation, because he likes people to be trustworthy on his money, honor and reputation, and he hates to be betrayed by them.
- This rule motivates the believer to help his brother and to offer aid whether in offering money, knowledge, services, pieces of advice, supplication or good intercession, because he likes these things to be offered to him by his brother.
- This rule motivates the believer to call his brother to adopt the true faith and to offer good deeds, because he likes his brother to call him to them.
- This motivates the Muslim to be forbearing, forgiving and pardoning. Moreover, he does his best to cover his brother's flaws instead of exposing them, and he advises him secretly as much as he can. He does these things, because he likes to be treated the same way by his brother.
Let me ask you these questions: What is the purpose of adhering to the best morals that comfort man's Fitrah and are encouraged (to be done) and ordered by Islam? What is the purpose of avoiding despicable manners that are rejected by Fitrah and are discouraged and forbidden by Islam? The purposes in both cases is to acquire a pure happy heart, to be rewarded in the worldly life, to avoid the prompt punishment in the worldly life and to earn the absolute eternal happiness and prosperity in the Hereafter.
Verify, physical pleasures and pains belong to the least level of painful or happy feelings in man's life, and they are included in the small units which make man taste happiness (or pain) since these physical pleasures are like a spray which dries quickly, so they are not enough to fill the vacant place of man's heart and mind. In the second place come the psychological pleasures or pains which are deeper and longer. In the third place come the spiritual pleasures which are related to the Hereafter, and these sentiments penetrate deeply inside man's soul and embrace his entire life, activities, moves and stills. Let alone, they are imperishable and eternal, for they start with believing in Allah, and they never come to an end, as they grow by the passage of time. These spiritual pleasures make man bear the physical pain, and the happiness caused by them makes man bear the physiological pains. On the other hands, the psychological pains put an end to any physical pleasures, making them worthless.
To sum up this point, when man adheres to good morality due to which his Fitrah is in peace and his heart acquires tranquility, he will achieve the purpose, the safety, the perfection and the continuity of his existence. In the heart there is a void that cannot be filled but with drawing close to Allah, there is an estrangement that will not go away but through being intimate with Allah, there is melancholy that will not vanish without getting acquainted with Allah, there are worries that will not disappear without resorting to Allah, there are flames of remorse that cannot be put out without accepting Allah's Orders and Bans and His Qada' and Qadar (the Divine Preordainment and Predestination) by being patient on abiding by them until the day man meets Allah, and there is a need that cannot be met without submitting to Allah, remembering Him all the time and being devoted entirely to Him.
In concise, faith is the foundation of virtues, the rein of vices and the backbone of conscious. The Prophet PBUH said:
((The believers who show the most perfect Faith are those who have the best behavior))
((The perfect believer in respect of faith is he who is best of them in manners.))
((The most beloved to Allah amongst His servants are those with the best conducts))
((It was narrated that Usamah bin Sharik said: "I saw the Bedouins asking the Prophet (PBUH): 'Is there any harm in such and such, is there any harm in such and such?' He said to them: 'O slaves of Allah! Allah has only made harm in that which transgresses the honor of one's brother. That is what is sinful.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Is there any sin if we do not seek treatment?' He said: 'Seek treatment, O slaves of Allah! For Allah does not create any disease but He also creates with it the cure, except for old age.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what is the best thing that a person may be given?' He said: 'Good manners.'"))
((The heaviest thing which will be put on the believer's scale (on the Day of Resurrection) will be good morals.))
((A believer will attain by his good behavior the rank of one who prays during the night and observes fasting during the day.))
The believer might reach the highest rank in Paradise because of his exalted morals.
((Good character will expiate sins just as the sun melts ice. Indeed, bad character corrupts deeds just as vinegar spoils honey.))
Here goes the story of a very notable companion, Ka'b Bin Malik who did not join Tabuk expedition although he had no excuse at the time, so what was his psychological state while he was dealing with his hardship? What stance he took in front of the Prophet PBUH? How did his hardship turn into a Divine Reward? How did his calamity become the means to draw him closer to Allah and to His Messenger PBUH? This story is a perfect manifestation of the topic of Fitrah.
Al-Bukhari reported the Hadith about the three companions who did not join Tabuk expedition with the Prophet PBUH. It was narrated that Ka'b B. Malik said:
((I never remained behind Allah's Messenger (PBUH) from any expedition which 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 honour to be with Allah's Messenger (PBUH) on the night of 'Aqaba when we pledged our allegiance to Islam, and it was more dear to me than my participation in the Battle of Badr, although Badr was more popular amongst people as compared with that (Tabuk). This is my story of remaining back from Allah's Messenger (PBUH) on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk.
Never did I possess means enough and (my circumstances) more favourable than at the occasion of this expedition. By Allah, I had never before this expedition simultaneously in my possession two rides. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) set out for this expedition in 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. The Muslims who accompanied Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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). Allah's Messenger (PBUH) set out on an expedition when the fruits were ripe and their shadows had been lengthened. I had weakness for them, and it was during this season that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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. I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) until people were about to depart, and it was in the morning that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) as I went out amongst people, I was shocked to find that I did not find anyone like me but people who were labelled as hypocrites or the people whom Allah granted exemption because of their incapacity and Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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: "Allah's Messenger, 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. Allah's Messenger, by Allah, we know nothing about him but good." Allah's Messenger (PBUH), however, kept quiet. It was during that time that he (the Holy Prophet) saw a person (dressed in all white (garment) shattering the illusion of eye (mirage). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 farther said: When this news reached me that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was about to arrive, all the false ideas banished (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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) arrived (in Medina). 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. 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. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 PBUH) 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: "Allah's Messenger, 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 favourable conditions for me as I had when I stayed behind you (failed to join the expedition)." Thereupon, Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 inability to put forward an excuse before Allah's Messenger (PBUH) as those who stayed behind him have put forward excuses. It would have been enough for the forgiveness of your sin that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) would have sought forgiveness for you." By Allah, they continued to inauthor me until I thought of going back to Allah's Messenger (PBUH) and contradict 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 sane 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. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 withen 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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. 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, are you not well aware of the fact that I love Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) the most." He kept quiet. I again repeated saying: "I adjure you by Allah. Are you not well aware of the fact that I love Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) the most." He kept quiet. I again adjured him, whereupon he said: "Allah and the Messenger (PBUH) are best aware of it." My eyes began to shed tears, and I came back climbing down from the wall, and 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 PBHU) 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) received no revelation, there came the messenger of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) to me and said: Verily, Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 do not 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) and said: "Allah's Messenger, 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH), 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. 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. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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. 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH), 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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: "Allah's Messenger, is this acceptance of repentance from you or from Allah?" He said: "No, (it is not from ma), it is from Allah", and it was common with Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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: "Allah's Messenger, am I allowed to give in charity my wealth for Allah's Sake and for the sake of His Messenger (PBUH)?" Thereupon Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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: "Allah's Messenger, 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 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, "Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirun (Muslim emigrants who left their homes and came to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (Muslims of Al-Madinah)" [At-Taubah, 117], to the Ayah, "and be with those who are true (in words and deeds) ." [At-Taubah, 119]. 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 Allah's Messenger (PBUH), 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 (Muslims) when you return to them ………. certainly Allah is not pleased with the people who are Al-Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)." [At-Taubah, 95-96]
K'ab said that the matter of us three persons was deferred as compared with those who took an oath in the presence of Allah's Messenger (PBUH), 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), "And (He did forgive also) the three [who did not join the Tabuk expedition (whom the Prophet PBUH)] left (i.e. he did not give his judgement in their case, and their case was suspended for Allah's Decision)" [At-Taubah, 118]. This does 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. ))
The last chapter of this story is mentioned in Surat At-Taubah in the Noble Quran where Allah says:
﴾Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirun (Muslim emigrants who left their homes and came to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (Muslims of Al-Madinah) who followed him (Muhammad ) in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition, etc.), 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 (whom the Prophet )] left (i.e. he did not give his judgement in their case, and their case was suspended for Allah's Decision) till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He accepted their repentance, that they might repent (unto Him). Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.﴿
Ka'b b. Malik was one of the three people who are mentioned in the Noble Quran. Allah says:
﴾Nay! Man will be a witness against himself [as his body parts (skin, hands, legs, etc.) will speak about his deeds]* Though he may put forth his excuses (to cover his evil deeds).﴿
Keep in your mind the following Hadith:
(('Abdullah reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "You must be truthful. Truthfulness leads to dutifulness and dutifulness leads to Paradise. A man continues to tell the truth until he is written as a siddiq (truthful) for Allah. Beware of lying. Lying leads to deviance and deviance leads to the Fire. A man continues to lie until he is written as a liar with Allah."))
