OCCASION OF THE REVELATION (VERSE NO. 117 - 118)

      The immediate reference of the above two verses is to four of the believers who wavered in going to Tabuk due to their weakness of human nature, but the Grace of God came to their help to overcome their weakness.

      The lesson with their case is a general one, and for all ages. One of the said four men was named, ``ABUHASIMEH'' who stayed behind TABUK expedition,but after a delay of ten days, he at once came to himself, and set out as quick as possible, and fortunately reached in time and the prophet welcomed him.

      The second group consisted of three men, namely; KAAB, MARARAT and HELÄL, who did not join the expedition, but they were indeed believers. They wavered for lack of will, and when the prophet returned from the journey, they were excluded from the life of community. It became so difficult for them to live that the spacious earth seemed constrained to them, and even in their own souls they had a feeling of constraint!

      No late, when they realized that they could not flee from God, and that they could find no refuge any where else, except repentance, and showing it some how in their deeds.

      Due to the importance of the general lesson that can be taken from their affair in all ages, at the end of the comments you will read more about them in a translator's note.

 

SOCIAL BESIEGE OF THE SINNERS (VERSE NO. 117)

      Here is a mention of infinite Mercy of God, which has overshadowed, not only the prophet and the Emigrants and Helpers, but all the believers and generally all His creatures.

      Both the Emigrants and helpers were true supporters of Islam, and had proved their faith in the various battle fields, by great sacrifices. On the other hand, they were only mankind like any other, and were no exceptions of the weak points of human nature. So a few of them wavered for want of stanch will and were dismayed by dangers and difficulties that faced them. Therefore some of them practically faild in their duties, and naturally they had to answer for their condition of lagging behind.

      As per order of the prophet, the three were excluded from the life in community, and even their wives abandoned them, so that the earth inspite of its vastness, turned to a small prison in their sight, and they even found their very self and existence something like a small jail!

 

THE HOUR OF HARDSHIP

      The expedition of TABUK has been called that of the ``HARDSHIP'' and hence in the above verse, ©THE HOUR OF HARDSHIP¨. Muslims were never in so much difficulty and hardship as they were in the incident of TABUK:ِ

      It was a hot summer time and also a time of great famine. Besides that, it was the season of harvest for the little products that they could have produced. On the other hand, the distance of TABUK from Medina was a very long one, and they had not enough mounts to carry them, and had to use their animals alternately. Even some of them had no shoes to wear, and had to walk by bare feet upon the hot gravels of the desert! As for food, they could not even provide for few dates for daily meal! After all, this time the enemy was not a chief Arab tribe: He was the Roman Emperor, who was one of the two super power of the time in the world!

      TABUK was the farthest point that the prophet travelled to. There was a large fortified castle with very thick walls, towers, battlements, surrounded by a moat which was named TABUK, and the land around the castle was also named after the great building as TABUK.

      The land around TABUK was the common border of the Eastern Rome with Arabia. The Romans for the fear of Islam's daily progress, mobilized 40 thousands of forces to vanquish the new religious movement, or at least to stop its progress.

      Due to his inevitable long absence from Medina, and for fear of the hypocrite's plots and conspiracy, the prophet deputed HAZRAT Imam Ali (AS), as his successor in Medina, although he was indeed in need of such that veteran commander and warrior, as he was.

 

A MUSLIM IN COMFORT AND HIS PROPHET IN HARDSHIP!

      (One of those who sought excuses, and did not join the, ``ARMY OF HARDSHIP'' was a luxurious and reveller Muslim with wives and concubines, and many palm groves and farm lands. He was named, ``ABU KHAISAMIH''.

      When the prophet and his army left Medina, ABU KHAISAMIH was busy with his farm lands and palm groves. Some ten days had elapsed from the prophet's journey towards TABUK, when ABU KHAISAMIH was busy in his farm. He perspired a lot, by hard work, and being tired he went home to have a rest. At home he was entertained by his two beautiful young wives, under the shadow of green trees. The delicate fruit and cold silvery water, and the beauties entertaining him turned his thought upon the prophet and his Muslim brothers who were by now amid the deserts in that hot Arabian summer, with their lack of food and even a glass of pure water. They were to confront with Roman Empire only for the cause of God. ABU KHAISAMIH, after a while in his deep thought; suddenly jumped up, without touching the food and drink that was in front of him, and said to his wives:ِ ``What sort of a believer am I? The apostle of God, in that hardship, and I in so much ease and entertainment! I, among you pretty ones, and the Messenger of God, among his thirsty and hungry followers in that awfully hot desert! Upon my God! I will sit besides none of you, and I will drink no cold water until I join the prophet and share his troubles and hardship.'' He then mounted his swift horse and rode away at a gallop until he reached the prophet and declared his repentance and begged his pardon. The prophet welcomed him with a meaningful smile and embrace.

 

AN APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT

      Those who had not gone in the expedition of TABUK, when saw that no harm was done, and Muslims returned with success, they became ashamed of themselves. They went to the prophet with various excuses that they really couldn't!

      Among them there were three whose case differed in the sight of the Messenger of God (AS). They were true believers and therefore no one had expected them to leave the prophet in that hardship. They had only followed Satanic Temptations and to some extent their laziness. They were named:ِ

      1- KAAB-IBN-MÄLIK 2- MA RÄRAT-IBN-RABIE and 3- HALÄL-IBN-OMAYEH. All the three were the prophet's friends, companions, and loved him sincerely.

      IBN-HESHÄM has narrated the incident from ABDULLAH the son of KAAB-IBN-MALIK as follows:ِ

      ``My father became very old and eventually blind, and I sometimes took his hand for a walk and having a chat. In one of these days he said to me:ِ Dear son! I had always been with the prophet, both at peace and at war. At the incident of TABUK, I was in the best of conditions, and for the first time in my life I had two horses to mount. I was willing to go in the journey of TABUK, but with not enough resolution. I could not make up my mind! Any day that I decided to join the army, I delayed for next day and when it was tomorrow, I again could not decide! So I procrastinated until it was too late to do anything at all! Then I knew at once that I had missed the opportunity and the army was gone too far to be reached to!

When I walked through the town, I saw only two groups of men who had not gone with the prophet:ِ 1- Those who were indeed weak or sick and could not afford it; and 2- Those who were unbelievers and hypocrites, and this made me more ashamed.

      When the prophet returned from TABUK, he went directly to his mosque as usual. When I went to see the prophet, he asked me:ِ KAAB! What did prevent you from joining us? I said to him:ِ To tell you the truth, I have not any excuse! I was in the best of modes and conditions. Even if I please you with creating excuses, how can I please Allah with that.

      The prophet said to me:ِ You are right. Now you go and wait for Allah to judge and decide upon you.

      Next day the prophet issued an order that no Muslims were allowed to associate with me and other two friends of mine with the same case! (HALÄL and MRÄRAT)

      Every body obeyed the order, and no one even spoke to us a word! The other two mates came not out of their houses, but I sometimes did go to the Mosque to perform my daily prayer behind the prophet, though no one spoke to me a word! I sometimes gazed at the prophet, and he too, did so; but no words uttered! Lovers can communicate a century of talks through a twinkle or a look! Then my eyes overflowed with tears, and I left the prophet's mosque.

      Thus fifty days elapsed, when from the top of the wall I called my neighbour whose name was, ``ABUQATÄBIH''; He was also my cousin. I said to him:ِ My cousin! Will you say the truth and testify how much I do love the Messenger of God!? He kept silent and I repeated my word! Then I swore him by prophet's life to break his silence and answer me. In a short sentence he said:ِ God and His Messenger know that better.

      Next day to my astonishment a page came to me and gave me a sealed letter from the king of OSFAN! In the letter it was written:ِ Report is given to me that Mohammad has oppressed you, and we know that your social position and good reputation among Arabs is higher to be despised by this and that! So, get up at once and come to us, and we shall respect you as you deserve it.

      When I read the letter and got out its containt, I exclaimed:ِ Woe is me! I am fallen in a misfortune and my Lord is examining me by that. Now a heretic king seduces me to leave my God and His Messenger, and go to him! I then burnt the king's letter in front of his Messenger, and said:ِ This is my answer to your king's invitation.

      Then an order was issued by the prophet that we had to leave our wives without giving them a divorce! Now my wife who was my only friend on the earth had to leave me alone and she did.

      After the new issue; me and my two mates went on the top of the mountain called SAALA, and lived there under a tent. After a few days of fast and prayer on top of the mountain, we said to each other:ِ

      Every one in our town has parted company with us. Why should we not do the same with each other and live alone with our Lord?''

      KAAB-IBN-MÄLIK continued his exciting story thus to his son ABDULLAH:ِ So we decided to keep apart from each other, and get on with our prayers and supplications separately. When we did so, our hearts broke out and our eyes overflowed with bitter tears. Our broken heart did well, because God contains not in the whole universe but may get room in a broken heart to live in there!

      Lo! There was a call from the foot of the mountain:ِ GLAD TIDINGS! GOOD NEWS! O,KAAB! O, SON OF RABIE! O, HALÄL! Allah has forgiven all of you three! You are now as sinless as a newly born child!

      We all prostrated to give our sincere thanks to our Lord! I then took out my garment and gave it to the herald as a present; and we all went down to the prophet who said:ِ GOOD TIDINGS FOR YOU ALL! God has forgiven all your sins ever since you were born from your mother!

      Kaab ended his story to his son saying:ِ When I saw that God forgave me for saying the truth, I vowed never to speak untrue words, and I think I have not failed so far in my vow:ِ And Allah turned in Mercy to the three after the earth with all its vastness became strait for them....''

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)