(43) The keys to mistakes…
Dealing with mistakes is an art. Every door has a key, and all hearts have ways to them.
When a person falls into a huge error and news of it spreads amongst the people and they start to monitor what he would do next, get them busy with something else, so you may acquire enough time to think over the situation, to make sure no one else has the audacity to make the same mistake, and so that people do not become accustomed to this type of error.
The Prophet Peace be upon him marched forth with his companions on the expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq. On their way back, they stopped over to rest. Meanwhile, the Muhajirun sent a boy called Jahjah bin Mas’ud to fetch some water from the well, whilst the Ansaar also sent a boy called Sinan bin Wabar al-Juhani to fetch water for them. The two boys started to fight over water, and one of them kicked the other on the back.
Al-Juhani cried out, ‘O Ansaar!’
Jahjah also cried out, ‘O Muhajirun!’
The Ansaar rushed to the scene as did the Muhajirun and began to quarrel. They had just come from a battle and were still carrying their weapons!
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The Prophet Peace be upon him went out to them and settled the dispute.
But then trouble arose. ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, who was the leader of the hypocrites, became angry. There were a group of Ansaar with him.
He said, “Did they really do this? They have turned against us and outnumbered us in our own land! As they say: If you fatten your dog, it will eat you, and if you starve it, it would chase you!”
Then the wretched person said, “By Allah! When we return to Madinah, the most honourable will expel the meanest out of Madinah!”
He then turned to those who were present with him and said, “This is what you have done to yourselves. You have given them your land and your property! By Allah! If only you were to keep what you have instead of giving it to them, they would go to a different city!” This evil man continued to threaten and make promises, whilst those around him from the hypocrites showed their agreement and began to encourage him more.
In the same gathering, there was a small boy called Zayd bin Arqam. He went to the Prophet Peace be upon him and told him the news. ‘Umar bin al-Khattab at the time was sitting next to the Prophet Peace be upon him.
Upon hearing this he became enraged and said, “How dare this hypocrite speak about the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him in this despicable manner!”
‘Umar viewed that killing the viper is better than cutting off its tail. He saw that killing Ibn Salul would nip the discord in the bud. However, he should only be killed by a person from his own people, from the Ansaar, for that would have been safer than for him to be killed by a Muhajir.
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‘Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah! Order ‘Ubbad bin Bishr al-Ansari to kill him!”
However, the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him was wiser. He realised that they had just returned from a battle and the people were still carrying their weapons. People were overwhelmed. It was not appropriate to create more disorder.
The Prophet Peace be upon him said, “What would we do, O ‘Umar, when people start saying that Muhammad kills his own Companions?
No, O ‘Umar! Order the people to depart!”
The people had just stopped over and sat in the shade. How could the Prophet Peace be upon him order them to depart in the severe heat of the sun? It was never the habit of the Prophet Peace be upon him to depart in severe heat. But the people departed, anyway. Meanwhile, it reached ‘Abdullah bin Salul that the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him had been informed by Zayd bin Arqam of what he heard from him.
So he went to the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him and began to swear by Allah that he didn’t say or speak a word. But the young boy belied him. Ibn Salul was the leader of his people and held in great esteem.
An Ansari said, “O Messenger of Allah! Perhaps the young boy misheard and does not remember what the man said.” They began to defend Ibn Salul, but the Prophet Peace be upon him kept moving forward on his camel without paying attention to anyone.
Then one of the leaders of Ansar, Usayd bin Hudhyar came to the Prophet Peace be upon him, greeted him and said, “O Messenger of Allah!
By Allah you have decided to depart at a wrong time! You never set off in such conditions!”
The Prophet Peace be upon him turned to him and said, “Has it not reached you what your Companion has said?”
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He said, “Which companion, O Messenger of Allah?”
The Prophet said, ‘‘Abdullah bin Ubayy”.
“What did he say?” He asked.
The Prophet said, “He claims that when he returns to Madinah, the most honourable one would expel the meanest.”
Usayd upon hearing this became enraged and said, “In that case, you, O Messenger of Allah, would expel him if you like! He is, by Allah, the mean person and you are honourable!”
Then Usayd attempted to lighten the Prophet’s mood and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Be gentle with him. When Allah brought you to us, his people were decorating the pearls to crown him. He now sees that you have usurped his kingdom.”
The Prophet Peace be upon him kept silent and carried on with the journey, whilst some people were still collecting their belongings and others were mounting their rides. The news began to spread until it became the subject of discussion amongst the entire army.
“Why are we setting off at this time? What did he say? How should we deal with him? Ibn Salul spoke the truth! No he lied!”
were the rumours spreading among the people like Chinese whispers.
The army was left confused as they were on their way back from the battle. Moreover some hostile tribes lay in wait for them. The Prophet Peace be upon him felt that the army was about to divide, thus he decided to keep them busy with something else to divert their attention away from the crisis or argumentation, as they continued to inflame the matter and create trouble between the Muhajirin and the Ansar. The people began to wait for the moment they would stop over, get together and discuss the matter.
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Thus, the Prophet Peace be upon him continued to march with the army for the whole day in the sun. He continued until the sun set and the people thought that now they would stop over to pray and rest.
But the Prophet Peace be upon him stopped over very briefly, during which they prayed and then moved on again.
They continued with their journey throughout the night until they reached the next morning. He stopped over to pray the Fajr prayer and ordered everyone to continue with the journey.
They continued to walk the entire morning until they became exhausted and irritated by the sun. When the Prophet Peace be upon him realised that they were completely exhausted and tired such that they were unable to speak, he ordered them to stop over. They had only touched the ground when they all fell asleep. The Prophet Peace be upon him had done this to divert their attention away from the crisis. He then woke them up and continued on the journey until they entered Madinah. The people dispersed and went to their families.
Allah then revealed Surat al-Munafiqoon:
“Those are they who say, ‘spend not on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disperse! whereas the treasures of the heavens and the earth are only for Allah, but the hypocrites understand not. They say, ‘if we return to Madinah, the one most honourable will surely expel therefrom the one most mean, whereas the honour is for Allah, and His Messenger and the Muslims, but the hypocrites know not.”
The Prophet Peace be upon him recited the verses, then took the young boy, Zayd bin Arqam by his ears and said, “He is the one who fulfilled his trust to Allah by his ears.”
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The people then began to insult and blame Ibn Salul. At this point, the Prophet Peace be upon him turned to ‘Umar and said, “Do you see, O ‘Umar? If I were to have killed him on the day you suggested, many would have come to his defence. If today you were to ask me to kill him, I would have killed him.” The Prophet Peace be upon him then remained silent and didn’t say anything further.
Sometimes, if a person makes a mistake publicly, then you may need to criticise him for it but in an appropriate manner, even if it be in public.
Once the Prophet Peace be upon him was sitting with his Companions, whilst the people were enduring famine, lack of rain and drought. There came a Bedouin and said, “‘O Messenger of Allah, people are being destroyed, the children are hungry, wealth has perished.
So ask Allah to send us rain, for we seek your intercession with Allah, and Allah’s intercession with you!”
The Prophet’s facial expressions changed upon hearing the man say, “We seek Allah’s intercession with you!” for intercession and mediation is only sought of someone of a lower status with one of a higher status. Hence, it is not permissible to say, “Allah intercedes on behalf of His creation”. Rather, He orders them because He is far superior to all else.
The Prophet Peace be upon him said, “Woe be to you! Do you know what you are saying?” The Prophet then began to glorify Allah and kept repeating, “SubhanAllah! SubhanAllah!” He continued to glorify Allah until the seriousness of the matter was noticed in the face of his Companions.
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He then said, “Woe be to you! Allah’s intercession is not sought with any of His creation! Allah is far more Sublime than that! Woe be to you! Do you know Allah? His Throne is above His Heavens like such”, he said this while forming a dome-shape with his fingers, and said, “The Throne groans as a saddle does because of the rider.” (Abu Dawud)
However, if a person makes a mistake in private, how should one deal with it?
Once, the Prophet Peace be upon him came to ‘A’ishah’s house – may Allah be pleased with her – to spend the night with her. He took his slippers and his upper garment off and lay down on his bed.
He remained liked that until he thought that ‘A’ishah had fallen asleep. Thereupon, he got up from his bed, quietly wore his garment and slippers, calmly opened up the door and exited, gently shutting the door behind him.
When ‘A’ishah noticed this, she became jealous fearing that perhaps he had gone to his other wives. She got up, wore her upper garment and khimar and went out to follow his footsteps.
She followed him without him realising.
The Prophet Peace be upon him continued walking in the darkness of the night, until he reached al-Baqi’ graveyard. He stood there looking at the graves of his Companions, those who lived as worshippers, died as warriors and were gathered together underground in their graves.
The Prophet Peace be upon him was gazing at their graves, recalling their memories. He then raised his hands and prayed for them. He then began to stare at the graves, and thereafter raised his hands and prayed for them once again. Thereafter, he stayed there for a while, and then raised his hands again praying for their forgive- ness.
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He stayed there for a while, as ‘A’ishah watched him from far away, and then decided to turn around and return. When ‘A’ishah saw this, she also turned around to return home before she would be spotted by the Prophet Peace be upon him. The Prophet Peace be upon him began to walk fast, and so did ‘A’ishah. The Prophet Peace be upon him hastened more as did she. The Prophet Peace be upon him began to walk even faster, as did she, until she arrived home first, took off her upper garment and her khimar, returned to her bed and lay down, as if she were asleep,
whilst she was still breathing heavily. The Prophet Peace be upon him entered the house and heard her breathe heavily.
He said, “What is wrong with you, O ‘A’ishah? Why are you breathing so heavily?”
She replied, “Nothing!”
He said, “Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware will inform me.”
She then told him the entire story; that she felt jealous over him and followed him to see where he went.
The Prophet Peace be upon him said, “Are you the one I saw in front of me?”
“Yes”, she said.
Upon hearing this, the Prophet Peace be upon him pushed her in the chest and said, “Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would deal unjustly with you?”
‘A’ishah said, “No matter how much people hide, will Allah know it?”
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He Peace be upon him said, “Yes!”
He then explained to her the reason he left and said, “Jibril came to me when you saw me. He did not come in since you had taken off your garment. Thus he called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you.
I thought that you had gone to sleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you may be frightened. He ordered me to go to those buried in al-Baqi and seek forgiveness for them.”
Yes! The Prophet Peace be upon him was easy going and gentle, such that he didn’t magnify the mistake. As a matter of fact, he often used to say to the people – as narrated by Muslim, “A believing man does not hate a believing woman. If he dislikes a trait in her, he likes another”; meaning, a man should not utterly hate his wife due to a particular trait or nature. Rather, one should overlook her faults in consideration of her virtues. Hence, when he sees a fault in her, he immediately remembers her virtues. When he witnesses something unsightly in her, he thinks of her beauty. He should try to be oblivious to those manners of hers which he dislikes.

Enlightenment…
The blame is not on the one who does not accept advice.
Rather, it is on the one who presents it inappropriately.
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