Gardens of the Righteous — Page 7
RIYADH AS-SALIHIN 7 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. . When I learnt that the Messenger of Allah was on his way back from Tabuk I was much distressed and began to revolve false excuses in my mind that might serve to shield me from his anger. I also consulted such 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 wont that when he returned from a journey he first entered the mosque and offered two raka'as 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. They were well over eighty in number. The Holy. Prophet accepted their verbal declarations, renewed their covenants, prayed for forgiveness for them and committed to Allah whatever was in their minds. . When it came to my turn and I saluted him, he smiled, but it was the smile of one angry and said: Come forward. So, I stepped forward and sat down before him. He asked: What kept you back? Had you not purchased your mount? I replied: Messenger of Allah, were I confronted by someone other than yourself, a man of the world, I could easily escape his displeasure by some excuse, for I am gifted with skill in argument, but I know that if I were to spin before you a false tale today, which might even convince you, most certainly will Allah soon rouse your anger against me over something. On the other hand, if I tell you the truth and you are wroth with me, I might still hope for a good end from Allah, the Exalted, the Glorious. I have no excuse. I was never stronger and more affluent than when I held back from accompanying you. The Holy Prophet said:. This one has told the truth. Now withdraw, till Allah issues His decree concerning you. Some men of Bani Salimah followed me out of the mosque and said: We have not known you to commit a fault before this, then why did you not put forward an excuse before the Holy Prophet like the others who had held back from the campaign? Your fault would have found its forgiveness through the prayer of the Holy Prophet for your forgiveness. They kept on reproaching me so severely that I made up my mind to go back to the Holy Prophet and to retract my confession. Then I asked them: Is anyone else in similar case to mine?. They said: Murarah ibn Rabi'a ‘Amiri and Hilal ibn Umayyah Waqifi. When they mentioned two such persons who were righteous, had participated in the battle of Badr, and possessed many good qualities, I was confirmed in my original resolve. . The Holy Prophet directed the Muslims to stop speaking to the three of us. . People kept away from us, as if they were strangers, and it seemed to me that I was in a strange land which I could not recognize. This continued for fifty days. . My two companions in misery were resigned and took to keeping inside their homes. But I being the youngest of the three and the toughest used to go out and join the Muslims in Prayer and walked the streets but nobody would talk to me.