Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (15/225)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

nights, while the people boycotted them and would not speak to them. During this period, a letter came to Ka‘b ibn Malik from the king of Ghassan—a tremendous trial. He wrote to him: “We have heard that your companion has treated you harshly,” and requested that he come to him, so that he might honor and show him esteem. When Ka‘b read the letter, he did not keep it; rather, he immediately put it into the oven and burned it, lest his own soul deceive him into accepting the offer.

Then, one night, after fifty nights had passed, Allah accepted their repentance. Relief came from Allah—Allah is Most Great!

“And [He also turned in mercy] to the three who were left behind, until, when the earth closed in upon them despite its vastness, and their own souls became constrained, and they were certain that there was no refuge from Allah except with Him, He turned to them in mercy so that they might repent. Indeed, Allah alone is the Accepter of repentance, the Most Merciful.” [al-Tawbah 9:118]

When morning came, the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, informed the people that Allah had accepted their repentance—Allah is Most Great! Ka‘b had not been praying with the congregation because he was being boycotted. So a Muslim went to Sal‘—a well-known mountain in Madinah—and called out at the top of his voice, “Rejoice, Ka‘b, in the best day that has come upon you since your mother gave birth to you! Rejoice that Allah has accepted your repentance!” Another man went to bring him the good news on horseback.

See how the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, rejoiced at Allah’s acceptance of the repentance of their brothers and companions. But the man whose voice was heard arrived first; thus, the reward for bearing the good news went to him. Ka‘b ibn Malik gave him his two-piece garment. When Ka‘b came to the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and entered the mosque, Talhah ibn ‘Ubayd Allah, may Allah be pleased with him, rose to greet him and congratulate him upon Allah’s acceptance of his repentance. Ka‘b said, “I never forgot Talhah’s kindness to me, for he was the first of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to congratulate me.”

As for the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, when Ka‘b saw him, he found his face beaming, as though it were

ليلة، والناس هاجرون لهم، ولا يتكلمون معهم، وفي أثناء هذه المدة جاء خطاب من ملك غسان إلى كعب بن مالك ـ فتنة عظيمة ـ قال له: إنه بلغنا أن صاحبك قد جفاك، وطلب حضوره إليه حتى يكرمه ويعزه، فلما قرأ الكتاب لم يحتفظ به، بل مباشرة جعله في التنور وأوقد به؛ لئلا تخدعه نفسه فيستجيب، فنزلت توبتهم من الله ﷿ في ليلة من الليالي وبعد خمسين ليلة، جاء الفرج من الله ﷿ الله أكبر ﴿وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّى إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لَا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ *﴾ [التوبة: ١١٨]. فلما أصبح النبي ﷺ أخبر الناس بتوبة الله عليهم ـ الله أكبر ـ وكان كعب لا يصلي مع الجماعة؛ لأنه مهجور، فذهب رجل من المسلمين إلى سلع ـ جبل في المدينة معروف ـ ونادى بأعلى صوته: أبشر يا كعب بخيرِ يومٍ مَرَّ عليك منذ ولدتك أمك! أبشر بتوبة الله عليك! وذهب رجل على فرس يبشره، وانظر إلى الصحابة ﵃ كيف فرحهم بتوبة الله تعالى على إخوانهم، وعلى أصحابهم، لكن كان صاحب الصوت أسرع، فصارت البشارة لصاحب الصوت، فأعطاه كعب بن مالك حلته، فلما جاء إلى النبي ﷺ ودخل المسجد قام إليه طلحة بن عبد الله ﵁ يهنئه بتوبة الله عليه، قال: فكنت لا أنساها لطلحة أن كان أول الصحابة يهنئه ﵃، أما النبي ﵊ فإنه لما رآه كعب وجد وجهه يتهلل، كأنه