|
Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 37:
The Book Pertaining to Repentance and
Exhortation to Repentance (Kitab Al-Tauba)
Chapter 1: EXHORTATION FOR REPENTANCE
Book 037, Number 6610:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: I live in the thought of My servant
and I am with him as he remembers Me. (The Holy Prophet) further said: By Allah, Allah is
more pleased wth the repentance of His servant than what one of you would do on finding
the lost camel in the waterless desert. When he draws near Me by the span of his hand. I
draw near him by the length of a cubit and when he draws near Me by the length of a cubit.
I draw near him by the length of a fathom and when he draws near Me walking I draw close
to him hurriedly.
Book 037, Number 6611:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns
penitently towards Him than one of you would be on finding the lost camel.
Book 037, Number 6612:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu
Huraira through another chain of transmitters.
Book 037, Number 6613:
Harith b. Suwaid said: I went to see 'Abdullah to inquire
about his health as he was sick and he narrated to us a hadith of Allahs Messenger (may
peace be upon him). He heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Allah is
more pleased with the repentance of His believing servant than a person who loses his
riding beast carrying food and drink. He sleeps (being disappointed of its recovery) and
then gets up and goes in search for that, until he is stricken with thirst. then comes
back to the place where he had been before and goes to sleep completely exhausted placing
his head upon his hands waiting for death. And when he gets up, lot there is before him
his riding beast and his provisions of food and drink. Allah is more pleased with the
repentance of His servant than the recovery of this riding beast along with the provisions
(of food and drink).
Book 037, Number 6614:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash
through another chain of transmitters.
Book 037, Number 6615:
'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a believing man. The rest of
the hadith is the same.
Book 037, Number 6616:
Nu'man b. Bashir reported: Allah is more pleased with the
repentance of a believing servant than of a person who set out on a journey with a
provision of food and drink on the back of his camel. He went on until he came to a
waterless desert and he felt like sleeping. So he got down under the shade of a tree and
was overcome by sleep and his camel ran away. As he got up he tried to see (the camel)
standing upon a mound. but did not find it. He then got upon the other mound, but could
not see anything. He then climbed upon the third mound but did not see anything until he
came back to the place where he had been previously. And as he was sitting (in utter
disappointment) there came to him the camel, till that (camel) placed its nosestring in
his hand. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the person who
found (his lost camel) in this very state. Simak reported that Sha'bi was of the opinion
that Nu'min traced it to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). Simak, however, did not
hear that himself.
Book 037, Number 6617:
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: What is your
opinion about the delight of a person whose camel loaded with the provisions of food and
drink is lost and that moves about with its nosestring trailing upon the waterless desert
in which there is neither food nor drink, and lie wanders about in search of that until he
is completely exhausted and then accidentally it happens to pass by the trunk of a tree
and its nosestring gets entangled in that and he finds it entangled therein? He (in
response to the question of the Holy Prophet) said: Allah's Messenger, he would feel
highly delighted. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said. By Allah,
Allah is more delighted at the repentance of His servant than that person (as he finds his
lost) camel.
Book 037, Number 6618:
Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) said: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant as he turns towards
Him for repentance than this that one amongst you is upon the camel in a waterless desert
and there is upon (that camel) his provision of food and drink also and it is lost by him,
and he having lost all hope (to get tbat) lies down in the shadow and is disappointed
about his camel and there he finds that camel standing before him. He takes hold of his
nosestring and then out of boundless joy says: 0 Lord, Thou art my servant and I am Thine
Lord. He commits this mistake out of extreme delight.
Book 037, Number 6619:
Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) said: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than if one of
you gets up and he finds his camel missing in a waterless desert (and then he accidentally
finds it). This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik through another
chain of transmitters.
Chapter 2: THE OBLITERATION OF SINS WITH THE HELP
OF SEEKING FORGIVENESS PROM ALLAH
Book 037, Number 6620:
Abu Sirma reported that when the time of the death of Abu
Ayyub Ansari drew near, he said: I used to conceal from you a thing which I heard from
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as sayirig: Had you not committed sins, Allah would have brought into existence a
creation that would have committed sin (and Allah) would have forgiven them.
Book 037, Number 6621:
Abu Ayyub Ansari reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) said: If you were not to commit sins, Allah would have swept you out of
existence and would have replaced you by another people who have committed sin, and then
asked forgiveness from Allah, and He would have granted them pardon.
Book 037, Number 6622:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) having said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah
would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would
commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.
Chapter 3: THE EXCELLENCE OF CONSTANT REMEMBRANCE
OF ALLAH AND MEDITATION IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE HEREAFTER AND PERMISSION OF ABANDONING IT AT
TIMES AND ATTENDING TO THE AFFAIRS OF THE WORLD
Book 037, Number 6623:
Hanzala Usayyidi, who was amongst the scribes of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him). reported: I met Abu Bakr. He said: Who are you? He
(Hanzala) said: Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. He (Abu Bakr) said: Hallowed be
Allah, what are you saying? Thereupon he said: I say that when we are in the company of
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) we ponder over Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we
are seeing them with our very eyes and when we are away from Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) we attend to our wives, our children, our business; most of these things
(pertaining to After-life) slip out of our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I also
experience the same. So I and Abu Bakr went to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
and said to him: Allah's Messenger, Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. Thereupon
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: What has happened to you? I said: Allah's
Messenger, when we are in your company, we are reminded of Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we
are seeing them with our own eyes, but whenever we go away from you and attend to our
wives, children and business, much of these things go out of our minds. Thereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if your state of
mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in remembrance (of
Allah), the Angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths but, Hanzala,
time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and time (should be devoted to prayer and
meditation). He (the Holy Prophet) said this thrice.
Book 037, Number 6624:
Hanzala reported: We were in the company of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) and he delivered to us a sermon and made a mention of
Hell-Fire. Then I came to my house and began to laugh with my children and sport with my
wife. (Hanzala) further reported: I went out and met Abu Bakr and made a mention of that
to him. Thereupon he said: I have done the same as you have mentioned. So we went to see
Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) and said to him: Allah's Messenger, Hanzala has
turned to he a hypocrite. And he (the Holy Prophet) said Show respite. And then I narrated
to him the story, and Abu Bakr said: I have done the same as he has done. Thereupon he
(the Holy Prophet) said: Hanzala, there is a time for worldly affairs and a time for
(worship and devotion), and if your state of mind is always the same as it is at the time
of remembrance of Allah, the Angels would shake hands with you and would greet you on the
path by saying: As-Salamu-Alaikum.
Book 037, Number 6625:
Hanzala Taimi Ufayyidi, the scribe of Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him), reported: We were in the presence of Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) and he brought to our minds the problems pertaining to Paradise and
Hell-Fire. The rest of the hadith is the same.
Chapter 4: THE MERCY OF ALLAH PREDOMINATES HIS
WRATH
Book 037, Number 6626:
Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) said: When Allah created the creation as He was upon the Throne, He put down in
His Book: Verily, My mercy predominates My wrath.
Book 037, Number 6627:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: My mercy excels My wrath.
Book 037, Number 6628:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: When Allah created the creation, He ordained for Himself and this document
is with Him: Verily, My mercy predominates Mv wrath.
Book 037, Number 6629:
Abu Huraira reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) as saying: Allah created mercy in one hundred parts and He retained with Him
ninety-nine parts, and He has sent down upon the earth one part, and it is because of this
one part that there is mutual love among the creation so much so that the animal lifts up
its hoof from its younc, one, fearing that it might harm it.
Book 037, Number 6630:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Allah created one hundred (parts of mercy) and He distributed one amongst
His creation and kept this one hundred excepting one with Himself (for the Day of
Resurrection).
Book 037, Number 6631:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: There are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah and He has sent down out
of these one part of mercy upon the jinn and human beings and the insects and it is
because of this (one part) that they love one another, show kindness to one another and
even the beast treats its young one with affection, and Allah has reserved ninetynine
parts of mercy with which He would treat His servants on the Day of Resurrection.
Book 037, Number 6632:
Salman Farisi reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Verily, there are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah, and it is one
part of this mercy by virtue of which there is mutual love between the people and
ninety-nine reserved for the Day of Resurrection.
Book 037, Number 6633:
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of
Mu'tamir, reported on the authority of his father.
Book 037, Number 6634:
Salman reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) said: Verily, Allah created, on the same very day when He created the heavens and the
earth, one hundred parts of mercy. Every part of mercy is coextensive with the space
between the heavens. and the earth and He out of this mercy endowed one part to the earth
and it is because of this that the mother shows affection to her child and even the beasts
and birds show kindness to one another and when there would be the Day of Resurrection,
Allah would make full (use of Mercy).
Book 037, Number 6635:
'Umar b. Khattab reported that there were brought some
prisoners to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) amongst whom there was also a
woman, who was searching (for someone) and when she found a child amongst the prisoners,
she took hold of it, pressed it against her chest and provided it suck. Thereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Do you think this woman would ever afford to throw
her child in the Fire? We said: By Allah, so far as it lies in her power, she would never
throw the child in Fire. ' Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Allah
is more kind to His servants than this woman is to her child.
Book 037, Number 6636:
'Ala' reported on the authority of his father who reported
on the authority of Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: If a
believer were to know the punishment (in Hell) none would have the audacity to aspire for
Paradise (but he would earnestly desire to be rescued from Hell), and if a non-believer
were to know what is there with Allah as a mercy. none would have been disappointed in
regard to Paradise.
Book 037, Number 6637:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying that a person who had never done any good deed asked the members of his
family to burn his dead body when he would die and to scatter half of its ashes over the
land and half in the ocean. By Allah, if Allah finds him in His grip, He would torment him
with a torment with which He did not afflict anyone amongst the people of the world; and
when the person died, it was done to him as he had commanded (his family) to do. Allah
commanded the land to collect (the ashes scattered on it) and He commanded the ocean and
that collected (ashes) contained in it. Allah questioned him why he had done. that He
said: My Lord, it is out of Thine fear that I have done it and Thou art well aware of it,
and Allah granted him pardon:.
Book 037, Number 6638:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying that a person committed sin beyond measure and when he was going to die, he
left this will: (When I die), bum my dead body and then cast them (the ashes) to the wind
and in the ocean. By Allah, if my Lord takes hold of me, He would torment me as He has not
tormented anyone else. They did as he had asked them to do. He (the Lord) said to the
earth: Return what you have taken. And he was thus restored to his (original form). He
(Allah) said to him: What prompted you to do this? He said: My Lord, it was Thine fear or
Thine awe, and Allah pardoned him because of this. Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) as saying that a woman was thrown into Hell-Fire because of a cat
whom she had tied and did not provide it with food. nor did she set it free to cat insects
of the euth until it died inch by inch. Zuhri said: (These two ahidith) show that a person
rhould neither feel confident (of getting into Paradise) because of his deeds, nor should
he lose (all hopes) of getting into Paradise.
Book 037, Number 6639:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying that a servant transgressed the litnit in committing sins. The rest of the
hadith is the same but there is no mention of the story of the cat in it and in the hadith
transmitted on the authority of Ziibaidl (the words are):" Allah, the Exalted and
Glorious, said to everything which had taken a part of lies ashes to return what it had
taken."
Book 037, Number 6640:
Abu Sa'id Khudri reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) said that a person amongst the earlier nations before you was conferred
property and children by Allah, He said to his children: 'You must do as I command you to
do, otherwise I will make others besides you as my inheritors. As I die, burn my body and
blow my ashes in the wind as I do not find any merit of mine which would please Allah, and
if Allah were to take hold of me, He would punish me. He took a pledge from them and they
did as he commanded thein to do. Allah said: What prompted you to do this? He said: My
Lord. Thine fear, and Allah did not punish him at all.
Book 037, Number 6641:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba
with the chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording and Qatada explained
the word" lam yasiru" as:" I find no good in store for rxie in the eye of
Allah."
Chapter 5: REPENTANCE IS ACCEPTED SO LONG AS ONE
REPENTS AFTER COMMITTING SINS
Book 037, Number 6642:
Abu Huraira reported from Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) that his Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, thus said. A servant committed a sin
and he said: O Allah, forgive me my sins, and Allah (the Exalted and Glorious) said: My
servant commited a sin and then he came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the
sins and takes to account (the sinner) for the sin. He then again committed a sin and
said: My Lord, forgive me my sin, and Allah, the Exalted and High, said: My servant
committed a sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who would forgive his sin or
would take (him) to account for the sin. He again committed a sin and said: My Lord,
forgive me for my sin, and Allah (the Exalted and High) said: My servant sas committed a
sin and then came to realise that he has a Lord Who forgives the sins or takes (him) to
account for sin. 0 servant, do what you like. I have granted you forgiveness.
'Abd al-A'la said: I do not know whether he said thrice or
four times to do" what you desire". The hadlth has been narrated on the
authority of 'Abd al-A'la b. Hammad with the same chain of transmitters.
Book 037, Number 6643:
Abu Huraira reported lie heard Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) as saying that a servant committed a sin. The rest of the hadith is the same,
but there is a slight variation of wording.
Book 037, Number 6644:
Abu Mu'sa reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, Stretches out His Hand during the
night so that the people repent for the fault committed from dawn till dusk and He
stretches out His Hand daring the day so that the people may reprint for the fault
committed from dusk to dawn. (He would accept repentance) before the sun rises in the west
(before the Day of Resurrection). A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of
Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.
Chapter 6: ALLAH'S SENSE OF HONOUR, AND HIS
PROHIBITION OF THE ABOMINABLE ACTS
Book 037, Number 6645:
'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Nothing is more loveable to Allah than His praise as He has praised
Himself and no one is more self-respecting than Allah Himself and it As because of this
that He has prohibited abominable acts.
Book 037, Number 6646:
'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: None is more self-respectidg than Allah and it is because of this that He
has prohibited abominable acts-both visible and invisible-and none loves His praise more
than Allah Himself.
Book 037, Number 6647:
'Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported it directly from Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) that he said: None is more self-respecting than Allah
and it is because of this that He has prohibited abominable acts-both visible and
invisible and nothing is loved by Allah more than the praise of His Ownself and it is
because of this that He has praised Himself.
Book 037, Number 6648:
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) said: None loves one's own praise more than Allah, the Exalted and
Glurious, does. It is because of this that He has praised Himself, and none is more
self-respecting than Allah and it is because of this that He has prohibited abominable
acts and there is none who is more anxious to accept the apologies of the people than
Allah Himself and it is because of this that He has revealed the Book and sent the
Messengers.
Book 037, Number 6649:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Allah is self-respecting and a believer is also self-respecting and the
respect of Allah is injured if a believer does what He has forbidden him to do.
Book 037, Number 6650:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Asma'
daughter of Abu Bakr, through another chain of transmitters.
Book 037, Number 6651:
Abu Salama reported from Abu Huraira that he narrated that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon hin) said: There is none more self-respecting than
Allah, the Exalted and Glorious There is no mention of the narration of Asma'.
Book 037, Number 6652:
Asma' reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him)
said: There is none more self-respecting than Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.
Book 037, Number 6653:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him ) as saying: A believer is self-respecting and Allah is extremely self-respecting.
Book 037, Number 6654:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba
through another chain of transmitters.
Chapter 7: THE WORDS OF ALLAH" THE GOOD DEEDS
TAKE AWAY THE EVIL DEEDS"
Book 037, Number 6655:
'Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that a person kissed a woman
and he came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and made a mention of that to him.
It was (on this occasion) that this verse was revealed:" And observe prayer at the
(two) ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Surely, good deeds take away
evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful" (xi. 115). That person said: Allah's
Messenger, does it concern me only? He (the Holy Prophet) said: It concerns every one of
my Unimah, who acts according to it.
Book 037, Number 6656:
Ibn Mas'ud reported that a person came to Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) and told him that he had kissed a woman or touched her with his
hand or did something like this. He inquired of him about its expiation. It was (on this
occasion) that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse (as mentioned above).
Book 037, Number 6657:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sulaiman
Taimi with the same chain of transmitters that a person had taken liberty with a woman
less than fomication. He came to 'Umar b. Khattab and he took it to be a serious offence.
Then he came to Abu Bakr and he also took it to be a serious offence. Then he came the
Allahs Apostle (may peace be upon him) and he made a mention of this to him. The rest of
the hadith is the same.
Book 037, Number 6658:
'Abdullah reported that a person came to Allah's Apostle
(may peace be upon him) and said: Allah's Messenger, I sported with a woman in the
outskirts of Medina, and I have committed an offence short of fornication. Here I am
(before you), kindly deliver verdict about me which you deem fit. Unar said: Allah
concealed your fault. You had better conceal it yourself also. Allah's Apostle (may peace
be upon him), however, gave no reply to him. The man stood up and went away and Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) sent a person after him to call him and be recited this
verse:" And observe prayer at the ends of the day and in the first hours of the
night. Surely, good deeds take away evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful"
(xi. 115). A person amongst the people said: Allah's Apostle, does it concern this marn
only? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: No, but the people at large.
Book 037, Number 6659:
This hadith has been transmitted by Abu al-Ahwas and in
this (these words are) also found: Mu'adh said: Allah's Messenger, does it concern this
particular case or to all of us? And he (the Holy Prophet) said: Of course, to all of you.
Book 037, Number 6660:
Anas reported that a person came to Allah's Apostle (may
peace be upon him) said: Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves
imposition of haad, so impose it upon me according to the Book of Allah. Thereupon he
said: Were you not present with us at the time of prayer? He said: Yes. Thereupon he said:
You have been granted pardon.
Book 037, Number 6661:
Abu Umama reported: We were sitting in the mosque in the
company of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). A person came there and said:
Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves the imposition of hadd upon
me, so impose it upon me. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) kept silent. He
repeated it and said: Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence which deserves the
imposition of hadd upon me, so impose it upon me. He (the Holy Prophet) kept silent, and
it was at this time that Iqama was pronounced for prayer (and the prayer was observed).
And when Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) had concluded the payer that person
followed Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). Abu Umama said: I too followed Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) after he had concluded the prayer, so that I should know
what answer he would give to that person. That person remained attached to Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Allah's Messenger, I have committed an offence
which deserves imposition of hadd upon me, so impose it upon me. Abu Umama reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to him: Didn't you see that as you got out
of the house, you performed ablution perfectly well. He said: Allah's Messenger, of
course. I did it. He again said to him: Then you observed prayer along with us. He said:
Allah's Messenger, yes, it is so. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said
to him: Verily, Allah has exempted you from the imposition of hadd, or he said. From your
sin.
Book 037, Number 6662:
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) as saying: 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 the 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 penitant 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.
Book 037, Number 6663:
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) as saying that a man killed ninety-nine persons and then he began to make an
inquiry whether there was any way left for him for repentance. He came to a monk and asked
him about that, and he said: There is no chance for repentance for you. He killed the monk
also and then began to make an inquiry and moved from one village to another village where
there lived pious persons, and as he had covered some distance, he was overtaken by death,
but he managed to crawl upon his chest (to the side nearer to the place where the pious
men lived). He died and then there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the
angels of punishment and (when it was measured) he was found to be nearer to the village
where pious persons were living equal to the Space of a span and he was thus included
among them.
Book 037, Number 6664:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Qatida
with the same chain of transmitters but (with this variation of wording):" Allah
commanded the earth (from where) he wanted to come out to move itself away and to the
other earth (where he wanted to go) to draw nearer."
Chapter 8: THROWING OF NON-BELIEVERS IN HELL-FIRE
FOR BELIEVERS AS DIVINE GRACE AND MERCY
Book 037, Number 6665:
Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every
Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your rescue from Hell-Fire.
Book 037, Number 6666:
Abu Burda reported on the authority of his father that
Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: No Muslim would die but Allah would admit in
his stead a Jew or a Christian in Hell-Fire. 'Umar b. Abd al-'Aziz took an oath: By One
besides Whom there is no god but He, thrice that his father had narrated that to him from
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).
Book 037, Number 6667:
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of 'Aun
b. Utba.
Book 037, Number 6668:
Abu Burda reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) as saying: There would come people amongst the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection
with as heavy sins as a mountain, and Allah would forgive them and He would place in their
stead the Jews and the Christians. (As far as I think), Abu Raub said: I do not know as to
who is in doubt. Abu Burda said: I narrated it to 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz, whereupon he
said: Was it your father who narrated it to you from Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
him)? I said: Yes.
Book 037, Number 6669:
Safwan b. Muhriz reported that a person said to Ibn 'Umar:
How did you hear Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying something about
intimate conversation? He said: I heard him say: A believer will be brought to his Lord,
the Exalted and Glorious, on the Day of Resurrection and He would place upon him His veil
(of Light) and make him confess his faults and say: Do you recognise (your faults)? He
would say: My Lord, I do recognise (them). He (the Lord) would say: I concealed them for
you in the world. And today I forgive them. And he would then be given the Book containing
(the account of his) good deeds. And so far as the non-believers and hypocrites are
concerned, there would be general announcement about them before all creation telling them
that these (people, i. e. non-believers and hypocrites) told a lie about Allah.
Chapter 9: PERTAINING TO THE REPENTANCE OF KA'B B.
MALIK AND HIS COMPANIONS
Book 037, Number 6670:
Ibn Shihab reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) made an expedition to Tabuk and he (the Holy Prophet) had in his mind (the idea
of threatening the) Christians of Arabia in Syria and those of Rome. Ibn Shihab (further)
reported that 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Abdullah b. Ka'b informed him that Abdullah b. Ka'b who
served as the guide of Ka'b b. 'Malik as he became blind that he heard Ka'b b. Malik
narrate the story of his remaining behind Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) from
the Battle of Tabuk. Ka'b b. Malik said: I never remained behind Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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). And
this is my story of remaining back from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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. And, by Allah, I had never before
this expedition simultaneously in my possession two rides. Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) 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. And the Muslims who accompanied Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) 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 Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace
be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him), 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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. Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) 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: 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) would have sought
forgiveness for you. By Allah, they continued to incite me until I thought of going back
to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) forbade the Nluslims 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 ot 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) the most. He kept quiet. I again repeated saying: I
adjure you by Allah. arn't you well aware of the fact that I love Allah and His Messenger
(may peace be upon him) the most. He kept quiet. I again adjured him, whereupon he said:
Allah and the Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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) 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 (may peace be upon him)
received no revelation, there came the messenger of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) to me and said: Verily, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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 Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him), 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.
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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 Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be
upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him)? Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) 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 (may peace be upon him) 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 Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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). K'ab said that the matter of
us three persons was deferred as compared with those who took an oath in the presence of
Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon him) 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. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri
with the same chain of transmitters.
Book 037, Number 6671:
'Abdullah b. K'ab, who was his (Ka'b's) guide as he became
blind, reported that he heard from Ka'b b. Malik the story of his staying behind Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) from the expedition of Tabuk. The rest of the hadith is
the same (but with this variation) that in the narration transmitted on the authority of
Yunus (the words are): When Allah's Messenger (may. peace be upon him) intended to set on
an expedition he kept It as a secret, but. be did not do so in thic. expedition. And in
the narration transmitted on the authority of Muhammad b. Abdullah b. Muslim, there is no
mention of Abu Khaithana (Allah be pleased with him) and no mention of his meeting with
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).
Book 037, Number 6672:
It is reported on the authority of Abdullah b. K'ab and he
was the guide of Ka'b as he lost his eyesight and he was the greatest scholar amongst his
people and he retained in his mind many ahadith of the Companions of Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him). He said: I heard my father Ka'b b. Malik, and he fas one of those
three whose repentance was accepted (by Allah). He transmitted that He never lagged behind
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) from any expedition that he undertook except two
expeditions; the rest of the hadith is the same, and in the tradition narrated through
another chain of transmitters the words are:" That Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) set out on an expedition with a large number of persons more than ten thousand
and this could not be recorded in the census register."
Chapter 10: HADITH PERTAINING TO THE LIE ABOUT
(HADRAT) 'A'ISHA SIDDIQA (ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HER) AND ACCEPTING OF REPENTANCE OF THOSE
WHO BROUGHT FALSE ALLEGATION ABOUT HER
Book 037, Number 6673:
Sa'id b. Musayyib, 'Urwa b. Zubair, 'Alqama b. Waqqas and
'Ubaidullah b. Abdullah b. 'Utba b. Mas'ud--all of them reported the story of the false
allegation against 'A'isha, the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). And they
(the slanderers) said what they had to say, but Allah exonerated her of this charge and
all of them reported a part of the hadith and some of them who had better memories
reported more and with better retention, and I tried to retain this hadith (listening)
from every one of them that they reported to me and some of them attested the other. (The
sumaried substance of the false allegation is this): 'A'isha said: Whenever Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) intended to set out on a journey he cast lots amongst
his wives and he took one with him in whose favour the lot was cast. It so happened that
he cast lots amongst us while setting out on a battle and it was cast in my favour, so I
set out along with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). This relates to the period
when the revelation concerning the commands of veil had been made. I was carried in a
haudaj and I was brought down where we had to stay. In short, when we set out for return
journey from the expedition and our caravan was near Medina, Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) commanded one night to march forward. I also got up when the command for the
march was given and moved on until I went out of the encampments of the army and after
relieving myself I came to my place. I touched my chest and found that my necklace which
had been made of the stones of zafar had been broken. I retraced my steps and tried to
search my necklace and this detained me there. The group of people who saddled my ride and
placed my haudaj carrying me upon the camels marched on. They were under the impression
that I was in it. The women in those days were light of weight and they did not wear much
flesh, as they ate less food; so they did not perceive the weight of my haudaj as they
placed it upon the camel as I was a young girl at that time. So they drove the camel and
Eet out and I found my necklace after the army had marched. I came to my place and there
was none to call and none to respond (the call).
I waited at my place under the impression that when the
people would riot find me they would come back. So I kept sitting at my place. I was
overpowered by sleep and slept. Safwan b. Mu'attal Sulami Dhakwini, who had lagged behind
the army because of taking rest came to my place walking in the latter part of the night
and he saw the body of a person who was asleep. He came to me and recognised me as he had
seen rue before it was enjoined to observe purda. I got ap by his voice as he recited Inna
lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un [we are for Allah and to Him we have to return. ] and I
covered my head with my headdress. By Allah, he did not speak to me a word and I did not
hear a word from him except Inna lillahi. He made his camel kneel down and I amounted the
camel as he pressed tLe camel's foreleg and he moved on leaning the camel by the nose
string on which I was riding until we came to the army where it had encamped for rest
because of extreme heat. Woe be upon those who harboured doubts about me and the most
notorious among them was 'Abdullah b. Ubayy, the great hypocrite. We came to Medina and I
fell sick for a month. The people had been deliberating over the statements of those who
had brought these calumnies against me. I was absolutely unaware of anything concerning
that. This, however, caused doubt in my mind that I did not see Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him.) treating me with such kindness with which he treated me as I fell ill
before this. The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) would coome and greet me with
Assalam-o-'Alaikum and only ask me how I was. This caused doubt in my mind, but I was
unaware of the evil. I wept outside despite my failing health and there went along with me
Umm Mistah and she said the daughter of Abu Rhm b. Muttalib b. 'Abd Manaf and his mother
was the daughter of Sakhr b. 'Amir, the sister of the mother of Abu Bakr Sidiq and his son
was Mistah b. Uthatha b. 'Abbad b. Muttalib. I and the daughter of Abu Rahm set towards
the direction of my house. Something got into the head dress of Umm Mistah and she said:
Woe be upon Mistah. And I said. Woe be upon what you say. Do you curse people who had
participated in Badr? She said: Innocent woman, have you not heard what he said? I said:
What did he say? She conveyed to me the statement of those who had brought false
allegations against me. So my illness was aggravated.
I went to my house and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) came to me and he greeted me and then said: How is that woman? I said: Do you permit
me to go to the (house) of my parents? She (further) said: I had at that time made up my
mind to confirm this news from them. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) permitted
me. So I came to (the house of) my parents and said to my mother: Mother, do you know what
the people are talking about? She said: My daughter, you should not worry. By Allah, if
there is a handsome woman who is loved by her husband and he has co-wives also they talk
many a thing about her. I said: Hallowed be Allah, what are the people talking about? I
wept during the whole night until it was morning and I did not have a wink of sleep and I
wept even in the morning. As the revelation was delayed (in regard to this matter), so
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) called 'Ali ibn Abi 'Talib and Usama b. Zaid in
order to seek their advice in regard to the separation of his wife. Usama b. Zaid told
Allah's Messenger (may peace be apen him) about the innocence of his wives and what he
knew about his love for them. He said: Allah's Messenger, they are your wives and we know
nothing else about thembut goodness. And as for 'Ali b. Abu Talib, he said: Allah has not
put any unnecessary burden upon you (in regard to your wives). There are a number of women
besides her and if you ask that maidservant (Barira) she will tell you the truth. So,
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) called Bailra and said: Barira, did you see
anything in 'A'isha which can cause doubt about her? Barira said: By Him Who sent thee
with the truth, I have seen nothing objectionable in her but only this much that she is a
young girl and she goes to sleep while kneading the flour and the lamb eats that.
Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) mounted the pulpit and sought
vindication against 'Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul, and he further said: Who would exonerate
me from imputations of that person who has troubled (me) in regard to my family? By Allah,
I find nothing in my wife but goodness and the person whom the people have mentioned in
this connection is, according to my knowledge, a thoroughly pious person, and he did never
get into my house but along with me. Sa'd b. Mu'adh stood up and said: Allah's Messenger,
I defend your honour against him. If he belong to the tribe of Aus we would strike his
neck and if he belongs to the tribe of our brother Khazraj and you order us we would
comply with your order.
Then Sa'd b. 'Ubada stood up. He was chief of the Khazraj
tribe. He was otherwise a pioas man but he had some what tribal partisanship in him and he
said to Sa'd b. Mu'adh: By the everlasting existence of Allah. you are not stating the
fact, you will not be able to kill him and you will not have the power to do so.
Thereupon, Usaid b. Hudair stood up, and he was the first cousin of Sa'd b. Mu'adh and
said to Sa'd b. 'Ubada: By the everlasting existence of Allah, you are not stating the
fact. We would kill him. You are a hypocrite and so you argue in defence of the
hypocrites, and thus both the tribes Aus and Khazraj were flared up, until they were about
to fall upon one another and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) kept standing upon
the pulpit and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) tried to subside their anger
until they became silent and thus there was silence. 'A'isha further reported: I spent the
whole day in weeping and even the night and could not have a wink of sleep even next
night. My parents thought that this constant weeping of mine would break my heart. I wept
and they sat beside me. In the meanwhile a woman of the Ansar came to see me. I permitted
her to see me and she also began to weep. And we were in this very state that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) came and he greeted me and then sat down. He had never
sat with me since a month when this rumour was afloat, and there was no revelation (to
clarity) my case. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) recited Tashahhud (there is no
god but Allah and Muhammad is His Apostle) and then said: Coming to the point, 'A'isha,
this is what has reached me about you and if you are innocent, Allah would Himself
vindicate your honour, and if accidentally there has been a lapse on your part sock
forgiveness of Allah; He will pardon thee for when a servant makes a confession of his
fault and turns (to Him) penitently, Allah also turns to him (mercifully) accepting his
repentance.
When Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) talked, my
tears dried up and not even a single drop of tear was perceived by me (rolling out of my
eyes). I said to my father: You give a reply to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
on my behalf. He said: By Allah, I do not know what I should say to Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him). I then said to my mother: Give a reply to Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) on my behalf, but she said: By Allah, I do not know what I should say to
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). I was a small girl at that time and I had not
read much of the Qur'an (but I said): By Allah, I perceive that you have heard about this
and it has settled down in your mind and you have taken it to be true, so if I say to you
that I am quite innocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would never believe me
to be true, and if I confess to (the alleged) lapse before you, whereas Allah knows that I
am completely innocent (and I have not committed this sin at all), in that case You will
take me to be true and, by Allah, I, therefore, find no other alternative for me and for
you except that what the father of Yousuf said:, (My course is) comely patience. And Allah
it is Whose help is to be sought for in that (predicament) which ye describe" (xii
18). After this I turned my face to the other side and lay down on my bed. By Allah, I was
fully aware of this fact that I was innocent but I did not expect that Allah would descend
Wahy Matlu (Qur'anic Wahy) in my case as I did not think myself so much important that
Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, would speak in this matter in words to be recited. I only
hoped that Allah would in vision give an indication of my innocence to Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) during his sleep. And, by Allah, Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) had not moved an inch from where he had been sitting and none from the members
of my family had gone that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, descended revelation upon
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) there and then and he felt the burden which he
used to feel at the time of receiving revelation. He began to perspire because of the
burden of words of Allah as they descended upon him even during the winter season and
there fell the drops of his sweat like silvery beads. When this state of receiving
revelation was over, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) smiled and the first
words which he spoke to me were that he said: 'A'isha, there is glad tidings for you.
Verily, Allah has vindicated your honour, and my mother who had been standing by me said:
Get up (and thank him, i. e. the Holy Prophet). I said: By Allah, I shall not thank him
and laud him but Allah Who has descended revelation vindicating my honour. She ('A'isha)
said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed:" 'Verily, those who spread the
slander are a gang among you" (and) ten (subsequent) verses in regard to my
innocence. She further said: Abu Bakr used to give to Mistah (some stipend) as a token of
kinship with him and for his poverty and he (Abu Bakr) said: By Allah, now I would not
spend anything for him. 'A'isha said: It was upon this that Allah the Exalted and Glorious
revealed this verse:" And let not those who possess dignity and ease among you swear
to give to the near of the kin" up to" Yearn ye not that Allah may forgive
you?" Hibban b. Musa' said that 'Abdullah b. Mubarak used to say: It is a verse
contained in the Book which most (eminently) brightens the hope.
Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I wish that Allah should pardon
me. I shall never stop this stipend. So he continued to give him the stipend which he had
withdrawn. 'A'isha said that Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) asked Zainab,
daughter of Jahsh, the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), about me what she
knew or what she had seen in me, and she said: Allah's Messenger, I shall not say anything
without hearing (with my ears) and seeing with my eyes. By Allah, I find nothing in her
but goodness. (And she stated this in spite of the fact) that she was the only lady who
amongst the wives of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) used to vie with me but Allah
saved her in bringing false allegation against me because of her God-consciousness. Her
sister Hamna bint Jahsh, however, opposed her and she was undone along with others.
Book 037, Number 6674:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri
through other chains of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording. In the hadith
transmitters on the authority of 'Urwa, there is an addition of these words:" 'A'isha
did not like that Hassan should be rebuked in her presence and she used to say: It was he
who wrote this verse also:" 'Verily, my father and my mother and my honour, those are
all meant for defending the honour of Muhammad against you." And 'Urwa further
reported that 'A'isha said: By Allah, the person, about whom the allegation was trade used
to say: Hallowed be Allah, by One, in Whose hand is my life, I have never unveiled any
woman, and then he die, & as a martyr in the cause of Allah, and in the narration
transmitted on the authority of Ya'qub b. Ibrahim., the word is Mu'irin and in the
narration transmitted on the'authority of 'Abd al-Razzaq it is Mughirin. 'Abd b. Humaid
said: I said to 'Abd al-Razzaq: What does this word Mughirin mean? And he said: Al- waghra
means intense heat.
Book 037, Number 6675:
'A'Isha reported: When I came under discussion what the
people had to say about me, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up for
delivering an address and he recited tashahhud (I bear witness to the fact that iheie is
no god but Allah) and praised Allah, lauded Him what He rightly deserves and then said:
Coming to the point. Give me an advice about them who have brought false charge about my
family. By Allah, I know no evil in the members of my family and the person in connection
with whom the false charge is being levelled, I know no evil in him too. And he never
entered my house but in my presence and when I was away on a journey, he remained with me
even in that. The rest of the hadith is the same but with this change that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to my house and asked my maidservant and she said:
By Allah, I know no fault in her but this that she sleeps, and goat comes and eats the
kneaded flour. Some of the Companions (of the Holy Prophet) scolded her and said: State
the fact before Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and they even made a pointed
reference (to this incident). She said: gallowed be Allah. By Allah, I know about her as
does the jeweller know about the pure piece of gold. And when this news reached the person
in connection with whom the allegation was made he said: Hallowed be Allah. By Allah, I
have never unveiled any woman. 'A'isha said: He fell as a martyr in the cause of Allah,
and there is this addition in this hadith that the people who had brought false allegation
amongst them were Mistah and Hamna and Hassan. And so far as the hypocrite 'Abdullah b.
Ubayy is concerned, he was one who tried his best to gather the false news and then gave
them the wind. And he was in fact a fabricator and there was Hamna, daughter of Jahsh with
him.
Chapter 11: THE EXONERATION OF THE SLAVEGIRL OF
ALLAH'S APOSTLE (MAY PEACE BE UPON HIM) FROM A FALSE CHARGE
Book 037, Number 6676:
Anas reported that a person was charged with fornication
with the slavegirl of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). Thereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to 'Ali: Go and strike his neck. 'Ali came to him
and he found him in a well making his body cool. 'Ali said to him: Come out, and as he
took hold of his hand and brought him out, he found that his sexual organ had been cut.
Hadrat 'Ali refrained from striking his neck. He came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) and said: Allah's Messenger, he has not even the sexual organ with him.
[
Index Page
]
|