Hayatus Sahabah - The Lives of the Sahabah - Part 1 of 3

412 THE LIVES OF THE SRHABAH @g!@%5 (Vol-I)
When he reached Tabook, Rasulullaah @@ dispatched Hadhrat Alqama bin
Mujazzar %X%%j to Palestine and Hadhrat ~haalid bin Waleed %'I@% to
Dowmatul Jandal. Rasulullaah @@ said to Hadhrat Khaalid %%%%&&, "Move
quickly for you may find him (the ruler of Dowmatul Jandal) out hunting and will
be able to capture him." Hadhrat Khaalid 3- found the ruler out hunting and
captured him.
In the meantime, the Munaafiqeen in Madinah were anxious to hear bad news
(about the Muslims). Consequently, when they heard that the Muslims were
suffering great hardships and difficulties, they rejoiced and said, ''We expected
this and therefore steered clear from it." On the other hand, when they heard that
the Muslims were safe and sound, they grew very depressed. Every enemy of the
Munaafiqeen in Madinah could clearly see this (enmity towards the Muslims) in
the Munaafiqeen. Every Bedouin and non-Bedouin Munaafiq was engaging in
some clandestine act, which was eventually exposed.
Every indisposed Muslim was anxiously awaiting for Allaah to reveal verses of the
Qur'aan that would excuse them. As Surah Baraa'ah was being revealed bit by bit,
the Muslims started entertaining all types of thoughts about themselves. Until the
entire Surah was revealed, they feared that some punishment would be cited
about every major and minor sin that they ever committed. Eventually, (once the
revelation was complete) the position of every person became clear. It was then
apparent who was rightly guided and who was wandering astray. ('1
The Response of Rasulullaah @%?! when Jadd bin Qais Sought Exemption from
the Expedition and the Verses of Qur'aan Revealed in this Regard
Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abu Bakr bin Hazam Bw narrates that whenever
Rasulullaah &?i%
intended to leave on a military expedition, he made it seem as
if he was going in another direction. However, when he intended leaving for
Tabook, he made it clear to the people and announced that he intended fighting
the Romans. This happened at a time when people were experiencing difficulty,
when the heat was intense, the land was drought-stricken and the crops were
ripe and ready for harvesting. The people therefore preferred to stay behind to
tend to their crops and sit in the shade. They were very reluctant to separate
(from their comforts).
As Rasulullaah was busy with preparations one day, he asked jadd bin Qais
(one of the Munaafiqeen), "0 Jadd! Are you ready to fight the Romans?" jadd
replied, "0 Rasulullaah @%! Excuse me (from the expedition) and do not expose
me to temptation. My people know well that there is none so obsessed with
women as 1 am. 1 therefore fear that I may be cast into temptation when I see the
Roman women. Do exempt me, 0 Rasulullaah &%%." Rasulullaah turned
away from him saying, "I exempt you." It was then that Allaah revealed the
following verse:
(I) Ibn Asaakir (Vo!. 1 Pg. 105). Kanzul Ummaal (Vol. l Pg.249) has also reported the narration in detail
from Ibn Asaakir and Ibn Aa'idh.