Seerah / Conquest of Makkah
Tabuk — the repentance of Ka'b ibn Malik
- Date
- Rajab, 9 AH · established
- Location
- Tabuk / Madinah
- People
- Ka'b ibn Malik (RA)
Ka'b ibn Malik (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari how he delayed and stayed behind from Tabuk, chose to tell the truth instead of making excuses, endured fifty nights of boycott, and how his repentance was accepted (9:118).
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ وَكَانَ قَائِدَ كَعْبٍ مِنْ بَنِيهِ حِينَ عَمِيَ ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يُحَدِّثُ حِينَ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْ قِصَّةِ، تَبُوكَ قَالَ كَعْبٌ لَمْ أَتَخَلَّفْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَ…
Narrated `Abdullah bin Ka`b bin Malik:Who, from among Ka`b's sons, was the guide of Ka`b when he became blind: I heard Ka`b bin Malik narrating the story of (the Ghazwa of) Tabuk in which he failed to take part. Ka`b said, "I did not remain behind Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in any Ghazwa that he fought except the Ghazwa of Tabuk, and I failed to take part in the Ghazwa of Badr, but Allah did not admonish anyone who had not participated in it, for in fact, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had gone out in search of the caravan of Quraish till Allah made them (i.e. the Muslims) and their enemy meet without any appointment. I witnessed the night of Al-`Aqaba (pledge) with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when we pledged f…
What Allah revealed
وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواْ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتۡ وَضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَن لَّا مَلۡجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَتُوبُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind [and regretted their error] to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful
Lessons
- Procrastination can cost a great deal; honesty saves you.
- When the earth feels narrow, repentance opens it again.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4418 (Ka'b ibn Malik) · primary source
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)