Chief of the Prophets — Page 218
Chapter Nine 218 again and again with various excuses to stay behind. A few Companions, who were no doubt sincere, stayed behind out of negligence. They included Ka‘b bin Mālik, Marārah bin ar-Rabī‘, and Hilāl bin Umayyah ra. On return of Muḥammad sa to Madīnah, they appeared in the court of Muḥammad sa and clearly confessed their mistake. Muḥammad sa ruled the Companions to excommunicate them. History proves that they spent the next 50 days in such anxiety and pain that is beyond imagination. Because of their utmost sincerity, every moment of their life appeared unbearable to them. As a result of their incessant plea for forgiveness and repentance, the command about the acceptance of their repentance came from Allah the Exalted on the 50 th day. 1 Muḥammad sa and all the Companions congratulated them. These Companions’ true sincerity could be judged from one incident. When the news of their boycott (over the 50-day period) reached the Ghassānid ruler, he sent a messenger to Ka‘b bin Mālik and conveyed, “Muḥammad has mistreated a noble and respectable chieftain like you. I have full sympathy with you at this time of distress. If you move here, you will be honoured and well recognized. ” Ka‘b was enraged when he read this letter. He threw the letter in a burning oven and told the messenger to leave, and that this action of his was his response to the letter. 2 The Delegation of Ṭā’if When the people of Ṭā’if heard about the events of the Ghazwah of Tabūk, they were convinced that Muḥammad sa could not have achieved such great victory without Divine support. They sent their chieftain, ‘Abd Yalail bin ‘Amr as their representative to Madīnah. Muḥammad sa treated him with great respect, and set up a tent for him in the courtyard of the mosque. He took the Bai‘at at the 1 Al-Taubah 9: 118. 2 Bukhārī (Account of the Ghazwah of Tabūk).