Holy Prophet of Islam - Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa — Page 217
The Holy Prophet of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa. Sa state of indecision, without settling anything, while the Muslims continued on the march. I thought I would go forth alone and overtake them. How I wish I had done it, but it was not to be. Now when I went about in the town it grieved me to observe that among those who were still at home like me were only those who were either suspected of hypocrisy or were excused on account of age or the like. sa sa. The Holy Prophet" made no mention of me till after he had arrived at Tabuk. There while sitting among the people he inquired, 'What had happened to Ka'b?' Someone from among the Bani. Salimah said: 'Messenger" of Allah, he has been hindered by his two cloaks and his habit of admiring his finery. ' On this Mu'adh bin Jabal admonished him. The Holy Prophet" said nothing. At this time he observed someone at a distance in the desert clad in white and exclaimed: May it be Abu Khaisamah; and so he proved to be. . He was the one who was taunted by the hypocrites when he gave away a quantity of dates in charity. sa sa. When I learned that the Messenger of Allāh was on his way back from Tabūk I was much distressed and began to condider false excuses in my mind that might serve to shield me from his anger. I also consulted those members of my family whose judgment I trusted. When I heard that the Holy Prophet* was approaching I realized that no false excuse would avail me and I resolved to stick to the truth. He arrived the next morning. It was his custom that when he returned from a journey he first entered the mosque and offered two rak'at of Prayer and then sat facing the people. He did the same on this occasion and those who had remained behind from the campaign came up and began to put forward their excuses on oath. There were well over eighty. The. Holy Prophet accepted their verbal declarations, renewed their covenants, prayed for forgiveness for them and committed to Allāh whatever was in their minds. When it came to my turn and I saluted him, he smiled, but it was the smile of someone angry, and said: 'Come forward. ' So, I stepped forward and sat down before him. He sa 217