Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | THE EARTH’S SUFFOCATING EXPANSEdevotion. I realized that the proper attitude for me was to be in theircompany. I therefore made no further move.The Prophet ordered all his Companions not to speak to us three. He madeno similar instruction concerning anybody else of those who stayed behind.All people were now evading us. Their attitude was changed. It was veryhard for me that I did not even know myself or the place I was in. This wasno longer the town I lived in. My world had changed. We continued in thiscondition for 50 days.My two Companions, Murārah ibn al-Rabī` and Hilāl ibn Umayyah, stayed athome. I was the youngest of the three. I continued to go out and attend thecongregational prayers with other Muslims. I frequented all the markets, butnobody would speak to me. I would also go to the Prophet and greet him ashe sat down after prayers. I would always think to myself: ‘Have I detectedany movement on his lips suggesting that he has answered my greeting?’ Iwould pray close to him and look at him stealthily. When I was preoccupiedwith my prayers, he would look at me, but when I looked towards him, hewould turn his face the other way.When this boycott by all the Muslim community seemed to have lasted toolong, I climbed the wall of an orchard which belonged to a cousin of minenamed Abū Qatādah, who was very close to me. I greeted him, but he did notanswer. I said to him: Abū Qatādah, I beseech you by God to answer me: doyou know that I love God and His Messenger?’ He did not answer. I repeatedmy question three times, but he still did not answer.I then beseeched him once again, and his answer came: ‘God and HisMessenger know better.’ Tears sprang to my eyes and I came down. I went tothe market and as I was walking I saw a man, apparently a stranger fromSyria, enquiring about me. People pointed me out to him. He came to me andhanded me a letter from the King of Ghassān, the Arab tribe in Syria. Theletter was written on a piece of silk and read: ‘We have learnt that your friendhas imposed a boycott on you. God has not placed you in a position ofhumiliation. If you join us, we will endeavour to alleviate all your troubles.’When I read it, I thought it to be yet another test of my sincerity. I havereached so low that an unbeliever hopes that I would willingly join him. I putthe letter in an oven and burnt it.When we had spent 40 nights in that situation, a messenger from the Prophetcame to me and said: ‘God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) commands youto stay away from your wife.’ I asked whether that meant that I shoulddivorce her and he answered in the negative. He told me only to stay away231