THE OCCASION OF REVELATION

A BEAUTIFUL PENITENCE

    Owing to the fact that the majority of our dear readers are most probably non- Muslims; and the incident of repentance, is one of the most beautiful sceneries of repentance; which occurred among the primal Muslims, I thought to describe the event with more detail than it is in the commentary; and of course through the traditions related by successive witnesses like that in the famous SEEREH IBN- HESHط:

      As per order of the prophet a siege was laid on the parish of the Jews of BANIGHORAIZEH for their dangerous betrayal in the Battle of Moat. The siege took 21 nights when the Jews asked for a peace treaty on condition that they would decamp from Medina and emigrate to Syria, taking all their properties with them. The prophet did not agree with that, and wanted them to yield unconditionally. They then asked the prophet to let them have consultation with ABULABBطBEH, who was respectable companion of the prophet and lived in the same parish with the Jews, and there he had a house, estate, and farm.

      Their request was accepted, and the consultant went among them. When ABULABBطBEH entered the fortress, the women and children gathered round him weeping and crying so much that ABULABBطBEH deeply sympathized with them in their affliction and misery. When their men came for consultation, they asked him: ``What will the prophet do with us if we surrender unconditionally?''

      In answer to their question, ABULABBطBEH, moved his finger across his neck, as a hint that he would kill them all. When he gave that hint to the Jews, he felt to be very guilty, and to have committed a major sin. He thought to have betrayed Allah and His Messenger, and his religious conscience began to trouble him. When he returned from among the Jews, he did not go to the prophet for reporting! He went directly to the mosque, and tied himself with a rope to the pillar there! He announced that he would not free himself unless God forgave him, and his repentance was accepted. He also vowed that he would never go to that parish of BANIGHORAIZEH in which he had sinned, in spite of having his house, estate, and farm lands, there!

      When the prophet was informed of that guilt and repentance of ABULABBطBEH, he said: ``Had he come directly to me, I would have prayed to God to forgive him. But now that he has referred directly to Allah, we have to wait for Allah to decide upon him, that Allah is Merciful and forgiving.

      For six days ABULABBطBEH was bound on that pillar of the prophet's mosque. Only during the prayers time his wife would have him untied to perform his prayers, and again she tied him up.

      OMMESALAMEH, the prophet's wife has said: ``It was about mid night when I saw the prophet preparing himself for his night prayer. He seemed to be very happy and smiling! I asked him what was the reason for his happiness? The apostle said that the repentance of ABULABBطBEH has been accepted and Allah Has forgiven him all his sins. I asked the prophet if I could give him the good news that very night and he agreed. I then opened the curtain which partitioned my room in the mosque and exclaimed; `ABULABBطBEH! Good News! Your repentance has been accepted and Allah has forgiven all your sins that you have committed so far!' `Some of the believers' continued she, `rushed to untie the rope and release him but he refused to let them doing it; saying he would wait for the prophet to come and free him.''

      Commentator's believe that the above two verses, and also the verse No. 102 of the chapter of REPENTANCE have been sent down to this effect. The latter verse is as follows:

      ``And others have acknowledged their sins. They have mixed good acts with another that was bad. May Allah turn unto them with Mercy for Allah is Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful.''   TRANSLATOR'S NOTE

BETRAYAL AND ITS SOURCES (VERSE NO. 27)

      ``O, you who believe! Betray not Allah and the Messenger, and betray not your trusts knowingly.''

      Here, trusts of God and His Messenger may mean confidences, secrets, and military plans; though it may also be property, goods, knowledge, talents, opportunities which we are expected be used for our fellow men.

      Men may betray the trust when plans for the protection of believers against annihilation are of special importance in military services, and he has not guarded them with the necessary care. Or when he leaves behind and ignores Divine Commandments. To this effect, IBN- ABBAS has said: ``He who abandoned or forsook any part of an Islamic programme has somehow betrayed Allah and His Messenger.''

      So also the trust of God is his religion, and the trust of the prophet is his methodical way, which have been deposited with us, and the trust of the believer is their secrets that we should not divulge.

      Even if a thing trusted to a Muslim belongs to a heathen, the Muslim must keep it safe and return it in due time to its owner.

      The next verse (No. 28), gives a warning to man; lest the secular affairs, and temporal worldly things, may throw dust upon their eyes, making them blindfold, so that they see not their dangerous errs and heinous sins. Our children and wealth are indeed trials and tests; and the extent to which one may have attachment and affection to them, is a measure of our success and failure in the test. True that children, properties, and possessions are a source of power and dignity, but they are also a means of test and trial, and a cause of anxiety and trouble. So they can even turn to a source of spiritual downfall, if we mishandle them, or love them more than we may love God and truth. Perhaps this is the reason why the verse ends in: ``With Allah is a great reward.''

      That is to say; whatever the profit and advantage of your children and your wealth might be, the reward which is with Allah is far better and much more.