"One Picture And One Story Week #18".

Once upon a time, multiple centuries ago, there lived a most powerful man of the world in the Arabian deserts. He was known for his honesty which made him a powerful leader.

He fought many military battles and won most of them. He was blessed with many loyal followers but also had many hypocrites among them.

Once they all returned from a battle when they received a news from their secret source that their Roman enemies are planning for an attack away from their location.

^{Leader and the followers}
Source
The leader ordered all of his followers to start preparation for the battle. They had barely made it to their homes after fighting a battle already.

They were exhausted. It was summer time, the heat of the Arabian desert was unmatched. Above all, the crops were ready to harvest. If all of them would go for a fight then who will harvest the fields.

However, the true followers started preparation upon the call of their leader. They started to leave for the battle field after getting their transport ready.

The only people who left behind were:

• People with ailments
• hypocrites
• Children and women

In addition to these people, there remained three loyal followers behind. They weren't hypocrites but couldn't made it to the battle field out of their laziness. They kept delaying the preparations for the tomorrow, that it actually came the day when their leader came back from the battle after 50 days.

They didn't fight because someone misinformed them. No war happened.

When the leader sat on his place those people who didn't go with them started giving lame excuses in front of him. They lied because they were not true to their leader.

Now Kab one of those three true loyal followers of their leader when made it to him, he didn't lie, he said i delayed the preparations unintentionally. I had no evil intentions, though he had fought all the battles before it.

He said i was very comfortable financially during this battle, this mistake happened purely due to my laziness.

He begged his pardon. His leader told him to leave and left his matter unresolved. While he forgave all the hypocrites believing on their lies.

Kab left the place with heavy heart, and people started saying that you could have forgiven only if you had told a false excuse like others.

He thought in his heart to go back to his leader and confront him with lies. But then he realised that he couldn't lie to him, he would know it surely.

After knowing the same verdict of other two followers just like him, he felt a little better. He was young and full of energy while the other two were old.

Their leader announced to boycott these three men in public as well as in private.
They would roam in the streets and no one would talk to them or greet them or reply back their greetings.

Even their friends and relatives didn't talk or greet them. The situation became very worse for them. Their people didn't humiliate them but just ignored their whole existence. It's a worst kind of mental torture.

Kab went into the depression on the social boycott, the other two retreated to their homes. They would just cry all the time and ask for repentance.

The situation became unbearable when their leader told them not to go to their wives after 40 days of boycott. It was an emotional torture for them.

When kab would go in their leader's gatherings he would secretly look his leader out of fear. He was ashamed, his leader would look at him when he wasn't looking.

^{The leader was teaching him a lesson just as a father teaches his children.}

Kab was so upset mentally that this news of social boycott went like a fire to the Roman enemies. They approached kab through their messenger, offering him to join them, saying your leader is so cruel to punish you in his way.

Kab sighed deeply and burned the letter thinking it's another test but I'll not betray my leader.

^{They spent the last days repenting and crying}

Finally, their apologies were accepted when it was almost dawn on day 50th. Their friends ran towards them through the mountains to told them happily. These were the same friends who ignored them first on the call of their leader. And now they were beaming with happiness.

Kab immediately went to his leader who was glowing with happiness on seeing him.

Kab asked his leader if the forgiveness has come from the skies or it's from you.

His leader who was the prophet of Allah(pbuh) said, surely it has come from Allah just as the punishment, which was the order of Allah and not my heart's will to punish my companions.

Kab later wanted to gave all his money to his leaders for the cause of Islam. But prophet declined his offer and asked him to keep a few money to himself.

Ka`b bin Malik said Allah has chosen me to tell the absolute truth so I'll speak only truth my whole life.

And Allah has forgiven the Three whose case had been put off.
When the earth with all its vastness seemed to have become narrow for them,
and their own souls were a burden on them,
and they realized that there was no refuge for them except in the mercy of Allah Himself,
Allah turned to them with kindness so that they should turn to Him. Surely, He is Forgiving and Compassionate. (9:118)

It was Allah's way to teach the momins that:

• their actions shouldn't be the same as of hypocrites. They should follow their prophet without giving it a second thought.
• they should never leave their brothers alone in the battle field.

Inviting @meehu @guriya1 @anjinoor