أَخْبَرَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ وَأَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ کَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِکٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ کَعْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ کَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِکٍ يُحَدِّثُ حَدِيثَهُ حِينَ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوکَ قَالَ وَصَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَادِمًا وَکَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ مِنْ سَفَرٍ بَدَأَ بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَرَکَعَ فِيهِ رَکْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ لِلنَّاسِ فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ ذَلِکَ جَائَهُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ فَطَفِقُوا يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ وَکَانُوا بِضْعًا وَثَمَانِينَ رَجُلًا فَقَبِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَانِيَتَهُمْ وَبَايَعَهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمْ وَوَکَلَ سَرَائِرَهُمْ إِلَی اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَتَّی جِئْتُ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَ فَجِئْتُ حَتَّی جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لِي مَا خَلَّفَکَ أَلَمْ تَکُنِ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرَکَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِکَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا لَرَأَيْتُ أَنِّي سَأَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا وَلَکِنْ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُکَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيثَ کَذِبٍ لِتَرْضَی بِهِ عَنِّي لَيُوشَکُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُسْخِطُکَ عَلَيَّ وَلَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُکَ حَدِيثَ صِدْقٍ تَجِدُ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو فِيهِ عَفْوَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا کُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَی وَلَا أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْکَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَ فَقُمْ حَتَّی يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِيکَ فَقُمْتُ فَمَضَيْتُ مُخْتَصَرٌصَلَاةُ الَّذِي يَمُرُّ عَلَی الْمَسْجِدِ
سنن نسائی · Hadith 735
‘Abdullah bin Ka’b said: “I heard Ka’b bin Malik telling the story of when he stayed behind from going out on the campaign of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم.He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم came back in the morning, and when he came back from a journey he would go to the Masjid first and pray two Rak’ahs there, then he would sit to (meet with) the people. When he did that, those who had stayed behind came to him and started giving their excuses, swearing by Allah. There were eighty-odd men, and the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم accepted what they declared and accepted their oaths of allegiance; he prayed for forgiveness for them and left whatever was in their hearts to Allah. Then when I came and greeted him, he smiled as one who is angry, then he said: ‘Come here.’ So I came and sat in front of him, and he said: ‘What kept you behind? Did you not buy a mount?’ I said: ‘Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم, if I were to sit before anyone other than you of those who hold high positions in this world, I would find a way to avoid his anger. I am an eloquent man but, by Allah, I know that if I were to tell you a lie today to make you pleased with me, Allah would soon make you angry with me, but if I tell you the truth, it will make you angry with me, but I will still have the hope that Allah may forgive me. I have never been in a better position, physically or financially, than the time when I stayed behind and did not join you.’ The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم : said: ‘This man has spoken the truth. Go away until Allah decides concerning you.’ So I got up and went away.” This is an abridged version of narration. (Sahih)
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020