Ibn Shihab reported,

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ launched the expedition of Tabuk, intending to confront the Romans and the Christian Arabs in Sham.Ibn Shihab said, Abdul-Rahman bin Abdullah bin Kaab bin Malik told me that Abdullah bin Kaab used to lead his father Kaab by the hand, from among his sons, after Kaab lost his sight. He said, I heard Kaab bin Malik narrate the story of how he stayed behind from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the expedition of Tabuk.Kaab bin Malik said, I never stayed behind from any expedition the Messenger of Allah ﷺ undertook, except the expedition of Tabuk, though I had also stayed behind during the Battle of Badr. But no one was reproached for missing Badr, since the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims had set out only to intercept the caravan of Quraysh, until Allah brought them and their enemy together unexpectedly. I was present with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the night of Aqaba, when we pledged ourselves to Islam, and I would not exchange that occasion for being present at Badr, even though Badr is more renowned among the people.This is what happened to me when I stayed behind from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the expedition of Tabuk. By Allah, I had never been stronger or more prosperous than I was at the time I stayed behind from him during that expedition. By Allah, I had never before owned two riding camels at once until I owned two for that expedition.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out on this expedition during intense heat, facing a long and difficult journey across waterless terrain, and confronting a numerous enemy. He made the matter clear to the Muslims so they could prepare adequately for their expedition, and he informed them of their destination. The Muslims with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were many, and no register could keep track of them all.Kaab said, So a man wishing to be absent thought his absence would go unnoticed, as long as no revelation came from Allah concerning him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ launched this expedition when the fruit was ripening and the shade was pleasant, and I was inclined toward those things. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims with him made their preparations. I would set out in the morning to prepare with them, then return without having accomplished anything, telling myself, "I am able to do it whenever I wish." This kept dragging on with me until people grew serious in their preparations. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out one morning with the Muslims, and I had not yet readied any of my equipment. Then I went out and returned without doing anything. This kept dragging on with me until they hastened and the expedition got far ahead. I resolved to set out and catch up with them. How I wish I had done so. But it was not destined for me.After the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had departed, when I went out among the people, it grieved me that I could find no one like myself except a man suspected of hypocrisy or a man among the weak whom Allah had excused.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not mention me until he reached Tabuk. While he was sitting among the people at Tabuk, he said, "What did Kaab bin Malik do?"A man from Banu Salama said, "Messenger of Allah, his fine cloaks and his admiring his own appearance have kept him back."Muaz bin Jabal said to him, "What an evil thing you have said. By Allah, Messenger of Allah, we know nothing of him but good."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained silent. While he was in this state, he saw a man dressed in white shimmering through the mirage. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Be Abu Khaythama." And there was Abu Khaythama al-Ansari, the one who had given a sa of dates in charity when the hypocrites mocked him.Kaab bin Malik said, When word reached me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had set out returning from Tabuk, my distress overwhelmed me. I began considering lies I might tell, saying to myself, "How can I escape his anger tomorrow?" I sought help in this from every wise person in my family. But when I was told that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was about to arrive, falsehood vanished from me, and I knew that nothing untrue would save me from him. So I resolved to tell the truth.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in the morning. Whenever he returned from a journey, he would begin by going to the mosque, where he would pray two units, then sit to receive the people. When he had done so, those who had stayed behind came and began making excuses to him and swearing oaths. They were eighty-some men. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted their public statements, took their pledges, sought forgiveness for them, and entrusted their inner intentions to Allah.Then I came forward. When I greeted him, he smiled the smile of one who is angry, then said, "Come here." I walked over until I sat before him. He asked me, "What kept you back? Had you not bought your mount?"I replied, "Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I were sitting before anyone other than you among the people of this world, I would think I could escape his anger with some excuse, for I have been given a gift for argument. But by Allah, I know that if I tell you a false tale today by which you would be pleased with me, Allah would soon make you angry with me. And if I tell you a truthful tale that displeases you, I hope for a good outcome from Allah in it. By Allah, I have no excuse. By Allah, I was never stronger or more prosperous than I was when I stayed behind from you."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "As for this one, he has spoken the truth. Get up, until Allah decides about you."I got up, and some men from Banu Salama rose and followed me, saying, "By Allah, we have never known you to commit a sin before this. Were you not capable of presenting an excuse to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as those who stayed behind presented? The Messenger of Allah's ﷺ seeking forgiveness for you would have sufficed for your sin."By Allah, they kept reproaching me until I wanted to go back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and contradict myself. Then I asked them, "Has anyone else faced what I am facing?"They said, "Yes, two men have faced what you have. They said the same thing you said, and they were told the same thing you were told."I asked, "Who are they?"They said, "Murara bin Rabia al-Amiri and Hilal bin Umaya al-Waqifi."They mentioned to me two righteous men who had been at Badr, men in whom I could find an example. So I went on my way when they mentioned them to me.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the Muslims from speaking to the three of us, out of all those who had stayed behind. So the people avoided us and changed their manner toward us, until the very earth seemed strange to me, as though it were not the earth I knew. We remained in this state for fifty nights.As for my two companions, they submitted and stayed in their houses weeping. As for me, I was the youngest and most resolute of the three. I would go out, attend the prayer, and walk through the markets, but no one would speak to me. I would come to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and greet him while he sat in his gathering after the prayer, and I would ask myself, "Did his lips move to return the greeting or not?" Then I would pray near him and steal glances at him. When I turned to my prayer, he would look at me, and when I turned toward him, he would turn away from me.When this harshness from the Muslims had gone on for a long time, I walked until I climbed over the wall of Abu Qatada's garden. He was my cousin and the dearest of people to me. I greeted him, and by Allah, he did not return my greeting. I said to him, "Abu Qatada, I implore you by Allah, do you not know that I love Allah and His Messenger?" He remained silent. I asked again, imploring him, and he was silent. I asked a third time, imploring him, and he said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." My eyes overflowed with tears, and I turned away and climbed back over the wall.While I was walking through the market in Medina, suddenly a Nabatean from the people of Sham, who had come to Medina to sell food, was asking, "Who can show me to Kaab bin Malik?" People began pointing me out to him until he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of Ghassan. I could read, and the letter said, "To proceed, We have heard that your master has treated you harshly. Allah has not placed you in a house of disgrace or to be wasted. Join us, and we will console you."When I read it, I said, "This too is part of the trial." So I took it to the oven and burned it.When forty of the fifty nights had passed and revelation was delayed, a messenger from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to me and said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commands you to keep apart from your wife."I asked, "Should I divorce her, or what should I do?"He said, "No, just keep apart from her and do not approach her."He sent the same message to my two companions. I said to my wife, "Go to your family and stay with them until Allah decides this matter."Hilal bin Umaya's wife came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said to him, "Messenger of Allah, Hilal bin Umaya is a helpless old man with no servant. Would you object if I serve him?"He said, "No, but he must not approach you."She said, "By Allah, he has no inclination toward anything. By Allah, he has not stopped weeping from when his affair began until this very day."Some of my family said to me, "Why don't you ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for permission regarding your wife? He has permitted Hilal bin Umaya's wife to serve him."I said, "I will not ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for permission regarding her. How do I know what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say if I asked permission regarding her, and I am a young man?"I remained in this state for ten more nights, completing fifty nights from when speaking to us had been forbidden. Then I prayed the dawn prayer on the morning of the fiftieth night on the roof of one of our houses. While I was sitting in the state Allah described, my soul constricted upon me and the earth had become narrow despite its vastness. I heard the voice of a crier who had climbed Mount Sala calling at the top of his voice, "Kaab bin Malik, rejoice with good news!" I fell down in prostration and knew that relief had come.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had announced to the people Allah's acceptance of our repentance after he prayed the dawn prayer. The people went to bring us the good news. Some went to my two companions to bring them the good news, and a man galloped a horse toward me, while a runner from Aslam ran ahead and climbed the mountain. The voice was faster than the horse. When the man whose voice I had heard came to me bringing the good news, I took off my two garments and clothed him in them in gratitude for his news. By Allah, I owned no other garments at that time, so I borrowed two garments and put them on. I set out heading toward the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, with people meeting me in groups congratulating me on the repentance and saying, "Congratulations on Allah's acceptance of your repentance."When I entered the mosque, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting in the mosque with people around him. Talha bin Ubaydullah rose and hurried over to shake my hand and congratulate me. By Allah, no man from the Muhajirun rose besides him. Kaab never forgot this of Talha.Kaab said, When I greeted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his face was glowing with joy. He said, "Rejoice with the best day you have seen since your mother gave birth to you."I asked, "Is this from you, Messenger of Allah, or from Allah?"He said, "No, it is from Allah."When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased, his face would shine as if it were a piece of the moon, and we recognized this in him.When I sat before him, I said, "Messenger of Allah, as part of my repentance, I will give away all my wealth as charity to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Keep some of your wealth, for that is better for you."I said, "Then I will keep my share at Khaybar."I said, "Messenger of Allah, Allah has saved me only through truthfulness, and as part of my repentance I will speak nothing but the truth as long as I live."By Allah, I do not know of any Muslim whom Allah has tested in truthful speech, since I mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until this day of mine, better than Allah has tested me. By Allah, I have not deliberately told a lie since I said that to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until this day, and I hope Allah will preserve me for what remains of my life.Allah revealed, "Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet and the Muhajirun and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship, after the hearts of a group of them had nearly turned away. Then He turned to them in mercy. Indeed, He is Most Kind and Merciful to them. And to the three who were left behind, until the earth, vast as it was, became narrow for them and their souls became constrained for them" until He said "You who believe, fear Allah and be with the truthful" [Tawba 9:117–119].Kaab said, By Allah, Allah has never bestowed on me a blessing, after guiding me to Islam, greater in my heart than my truthfulness with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that I did not lie to him and so be destroyed as those who lied were destroyed. Allah said about those who lied, when revelation came down, the worst that He has ever said about anyone. Allah said, "They will swear by Allah to you when you return to them, that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them. They are filth, and their abode is Hell as recompense for what they used to earn. They swear to you that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, indeed Allah is not pleased with the disobedient people" [Tawba 9:95–96].Kaab said, We three were the ones whose case was deferred, in contrast to those whose excuses the Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted when they swore to him, taking their pledges and seeking forgiveness for them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ postponed our matter until Allah decided concerning it. So Allah said, "And to the three who were left behind" [Tawba 9:118]. What Allah mentioned about our being left behind does not refer to our staying back from the expedition, but rather to His Messenger postponing our matter, deferring it from those who swore to him and presented excuses, which he accepted from them.

حدثني أبو الطاهر أحمد بن عمرو بن عبد الله بن عمرو بن سرح مولى بني أمية أخبرني ابن وهب أخبرني يونس

عن ابن شهاب قال

ثم غزا رسول الله ﷺ غزوة تبوك وهو يريد الروم ونصارى العرب بالشام قال ابن شهاب فأخبرني عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله بن كعب بن مالك أن عبد الله بن كعب كان قائد كعب من بنيه حين عمي قال سمعت كعب بن مالك يحدث حديثه حين تخلف عن رسول الله ﷺ في غزوة تبوك قال كعب بن مالك لم أتخلف عن رسول الله ﷺ في غزوة غزاها قط إلا في غزوة تبوك غير أني قد تخلفت في غزوة بدر ولم يعاتب أحدا تخلف عنه إنما خرج رسول الله ﷺ والمسلمون يريدون عير قريش حتى جمع الله بينهم وبين عدوهم على غير ميعاد ولقد شهدت مع رسول الله ﷺ ليلة العقبة حين تواثقنا على الإسلام وما أحب أن لي بها مشهد بدر وإن كانت بدر أذكر في الناس منها وكان من خبري حين تخلفت عن رسول الله ﷺ في غزوة تبوك أني لم أكن قط أقوى ولا أيسر مني حين تخلفت عنه في تلك الغزوة والله ما جمعت قبلها راحلتين قط حتى جمعتهما في تلك الغزوة فغزاها رسول الله ﷺ في حر شديد واستقبل سفرا بعيدا ومفازا واستقبل عدوا كثيرا فجلا للمسلمين أمرهم ليتأهبوا أهبة غزوهم فأخبرهم بوجههم الذي يريد والمسلمون مع رسول الله ﷺ كثير ولا يجمعهم كتاب حافظ يريد بذلك الديوان قال كعب فقل رجل يريد أن يتغيب يظن أن ذلك سيخفى له ما لم ينزل فيه وحي من الله عز وجل وغزا رسول الله ﷺ تلك الغزوة حين طابت الثمار والظلال فأنا إليها أصعر فتجهز رسول الله ﷺ والمسلمون معه وطفقت أغدو لكي أتجهز معهم فأرجع ولم أقض شيئا وأقول في نفسي أنا قادر على ذلك إذا أردت فلم يزل ذلك يتمادى بي حتى استمر بالناس الجد فأصبح رسول الله ﷺ غاديا والمسلمون معه ولم أقض من جهازي شيئا ثم غدوت فرجعت ولم أقض شيئا فلم يزل ذلك يتمادى بي حتى أسرعوا وتفارط الغزو فهممت أن أرتحل فأدركهم فيا ليتني فعلت ثم لم يقدر ذلك لي فطفقت إذا خرجت في الناس بعد خروج رسول الله ﷺ يحزنني أني لا أرى لي أسوة إلا رجلا مغموصا عليه في النفاق أو رجلا ممن عذر الله من الضعفاء ولم يذكرني رسول الله ﷺ حتى بلغ تبوك فقال وهو جالس في القوم بتبوك ما فعل كعب بن مالك قال رجل من بني سلمة يا رسول الله حبسه برداه والنظر في عطفيه فقال له معاذ بن جبل بئس ما قلت والله يا رسول الله ما علمنا عليه إلا خيرا فسكت رسول الله ﷺ فبينما هو على ذلك رأى رجلا مبيضا يزول به السراب فقال رسول الله ﷺ كن أبا خيثمة فإذا هو أبو خيثمة الأنصاري وهو الذي تصدق بصاع التمر حين لمزه المنافقون فقال كعب بن مالك فلما بلغني أن رسول الله ﷺ قد توجه قافلا من تبوك حضرني بثي فطفقت أتذكر الكذب وأقول بم أخرج من سخطه غدا وأستعين على ذلك كل ذي رأي من أهلي فلما قيل لي إن رسول الله ﷺ قد أظل قادما زاح عني الباطل حتى عرفت أني لن أنجو منه بشيء أبدا فأجمعت صدقه وصبح رسول الله ﷺ قادما وكان إذا قدم من سفر بدأ بالمسجد فركع فيه ركعتين ثم جلس للناس فلما فعل ذلك جاءه المخلفون فطفقوا يعتذرون إليه ويحلفون له وكانوا بضعة وثمانين رجلا فقبل منهم رسول الله ﷺ علانيتهم وبايعهم واستغفر لهم ووكل سرائرهم إلى الله حتى جئت فلما سلمت تبسم تبسم المغضب ثم قال تعال فجئت أمشي حتى جلست بين يديه فقال لي ما خلفك ألم تكن قد ابتعت ظهرك قال قلت يا رسول الله إني والله لو جلست عند غيرك من أهل الدنيا لرأيت أني سأخرج من سخطه بعذر ولقد أعطيت جدلا ولكني والله لقد علمت لئن حدثتك اليوم حديث كذب ترضى به عني ليوشكن الله أن يسخطك علي ولئن حدثتك حديث صدق تجد علي فيه إني لأرجو فيه عقبى الله والله ما كان لي عذر والله ما كنت قط أقوى ولا أيسر مني حين تخلفت عنك قال رسول الله ﷺ أما هذا فقد صدق فقم حتى يقضي الله فيك فقمت وثار رجال من بني سلمة فاتبعوني فقالوا لي والله ما علمناك أذنبت ذنبا قبل هذا لقد عجزت في أن لا تكون اعتذرت إلى رسول الله ﷺ بما اعتذر به إليه المخلفون فقد كان كافيك ذنبك استغفار رسول الله ﷺ لك قال فوالله ما زالوا يؤنبونني حتى أردت أن أرجع إلى رسول الله ﷺ فأكذب نفسي قال ثم قلت لهم هل لقي هذا معي من أحد قالوا نعم لقيه معك رجلان قالا مثل ما قلت فقيل لهما مثل ما قيل لك قال قلت من هما قالوا مرارة بن الربيعة العامري وهلال بن أمية الواقفي قال فذكروا لي رجلين صالحين قد شهدا بدرا فيهما أسوة قال فمضيت حين ذكروهما لي قال ونهى رسول الله ﷺ المسلمين عن كلامنا أيها الثلاثة من بين من تخلف عنه قال فاجتنبنا الناس وقال تغيروا لنا حتى تنكرت لي في نفسي الأرض فما هي بالأرض التي أعرف فلبثنا على ذلك خمسين ليلة فأما صاحباي فاستكانا وقعدا في بيوتهما يبكيان وأما أنا فكنت أشب القوم وأجلدهم فكنت أخرج فأشهد الصلاة وأطوف في الأسواق ولا يكلمني أحد وآتي رسول الله ﷺ فأسلم عليه وهو في مجلسه بعد الصلاة فأقول في نفسي هل حرك شفتيه برد السلام أم لا ثم أصلي قريبا منه وأسارقه النظر فإذا أقبلت على صلاتي نظر إلي وإذا التفت نحوه أعرض عني حتى إذا طال ذلك علي من جفوة المسلمين مشيت حتى تسورت جدار حائط أبي قتادة وهو ابن عمي وأحب الناس إلي فسلمت عليه فوالله ما رد علي السلام فقلت له يا أبا قتادة أنشدك بالله هل تعلمن أني أحب الله ورسوله قال فسكت فعدت فناشدته فسكت فعدت فناشدته فقال الله ورسوله أعلم ففاضت عيناي وتوليت حتى تسورت الجدار فبينا أنا أمشي في سوق المدينة إذا نبطي من نبط أهل الشام ممن قدم بالطعام يبيعه بالمدينة يقول من يدل على كعب بن مالك قال فطفق الناس يشيرون له إلي حتى جاءني فدفع إلي كتابا من ملك غسان وكنت كاتبا فقرأته فإذا فيه أما بعد فإنه قد بلغنا أن صاحبك قد جفاك ولم يجعلك الله بدار هوان ولا مضيعة فالحق بنا نواسك قال فقلت حين قرأتها وهذه أيضا من البلاء فتياممت بها التنور فسجرتها بها حتى إذا مضت أربعون من الخمسين واستلبث الوحي إذا رسول رسول الله ﷺ يأتيني فقال إن رسول الله ﷺ يأمرك أن تعتزل امرأتك قال فقلت أطلقها أم ماذا أفعل قال لا بل اعتزلها فلا تقربنها قال فأرسل إلى صاحبي بمثل ذلك قال فقلت لامرأتي الحقي بأهلك فكوني عندهم حتى يقضي الله في هذا الأمر قال فجاءت امرأة هلال بن أمية رسول الله ﷺ فقالت له يا رسول الله إن هلال بن أمية شيخ ضائع ليس له خادم فهل تكره أن أخدمه قال لا ولكن لا يقربنك فقالت إنه والله ما به حركة إلى شيء و والله ما زال يبكي منذ كان من أمره ما كان إلى يومه هذا قال فقال لي بعض أهلي لو استأذنت رسول الله ﷺ في امرأتك فقد أذن لامرأة هلال بن أمية أن تخدمه قال فقلت لا أستأذن فيها رسول الله ﷺ وما يدريني ماذا يقول رسول الله ﷺ إذا استأذنته فيها وأنا رجل شاب قال فلبثت بذلك عشر ليال فكمل لنا خمسون ليلة من حين نهي عن كلامنا قال ثم صليت صلاة الفجر صباح خمسين ليلة على ظهر بيت من بيوتنا فبينا أنا جالس على الحال التي ذكر الله عز وجل منا قد ضاقت علي نفسي وضاقت علي الأرض بما رحبت سمعت صوت صارخ أوفي على سلع يقول بأعلى صوته يا كعب بن مالك أبشر قال فخررت ساجدا وعرفت أن قد جاء فرج قال فآذن رسول الله ﷺ الناس بتوبة الله علينا حين صلى صلاة الفجر فذهب الناس يبشروننا فذهب قبل صاحبي مبشرون وركض رجل إلي فرسا وسعى ساع من أسلم قبلي وأوفى الجبل فكان الصوت أسرع من الفرس فلما جاءني الذي سمعت صوته يبشرني فنزعت له ثوبي فكسوتهما إياه ببشارته والله ما أملك غيرهما يومئذ واستعرت ثوبين فلبستهما فانطلقت أتأمم رسول الله ﷺ يتلقاني الناس فوجا فوجا يهنئوني بالتوبة ويقولون لتهنئك توبة الله عليك حتى دخلت المسجد فإذا رسول الله ﷺ جالس في المسجد وحوله الناس فقام طلحة بن عبيد الله يهرول حتى صافحني وهنأني والله ما قام رجل من المهاجرين غيره قال فكان كعب لا ينساها لطلحة قال كعب فلما سلمت على رسول الله ﷺ قال وهو يبرق وجهه من السرور ويقول أبشر بخير يوم مر عليك منذ ولدتك أمك قال فقلت أمن عندك يا رسول الله أم من عند الله فقال لا بل من عند الله وكان رسول الله ﷺ إذا سر استنار وجهه كأن وجهه قطعة قمر قال وكنا نعرف ذلك قال فلما جلست بين يديه قلت يا رسول الله إن من توبتي أن أنخلع من مالي صدقة إلى الله وإلى رسوله ﷺ فقال رسول الله ﷺ أمسك بعض مالك فهو خير لك قال فقلت فإني أمسك سهمي الذي بخيبر قال وقلت يا رسول الله إن الله إنما أنجاني بالصدق وإن من توبتي أن لا أحدث إلا صدقا ما بقيت قال فوالله ما علمت أن أحدا من المسلمين أبلاه الله في صدق الحديث منذ ذكرت ذلك لرسول الله ﷺ إلى يومي هذا أحسن مما أبلاني الله به والله ما تعمدت كذبة منذ قلت ذلك لرسول الله ﷺ إلى يومي هذا وإني لأرجو أن يحفظني الله فيما بقي قال فأنزل الله عز وجل {لقد تاب الله على النبي والمهاجرين والأنصار الذين اتبعوه في ساعة العسرة من بعد ما كاد يزيغ قلوب فريق منهم ثم تاب عليهم إنه بهم رءوف رحيم وعلى الثلاثة الذين خلفوا حتى إذا ضاقت عليهم الأرض بما رحبت وضاقت عليهم أنفسهم} حتى بلغ {يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله وكونوا مع الصادقين} قال كعب والله ما أنعم الله علي من نعمة قط بعد إذ هداني الله للإسلام أعظم في نفسي من صدقي رسول الله ﷺ أن لا أكون كذبته فأهلك كما هلك الذين كذبوا إن الله قال للذين كذبوا حين أنزل الوحي شر ما قال لأحد وقال الله {سيحلفون بالله لكم إذا انقلبتم إليهم لتعرضوا عنهم فاعرضوا عنهم إنهم رجس ومأواهم جهنم جزاء بما كانوا يكسبون يحلفون لكم لترضوا عنهم فإن ترضوا عنهم فإن الله لا يرضى عن القوم الفاسقين} قال كعب كنا خلفنا أيها الثلاثة عن أمر أولئك الذين قبل منهم رسول الله ﷺ حين حلفوا له فبايعهم واستغفر لهم وأرجأ رسول الله ﷺ أمرنا حتى قضى فيه فبذلك قال الله عز وجل {وعلى الثلاثة الذين خلفوا} وليس الذي ذكر الله مما خلفنا تخلفنا عن الغزو وإنما هو تخليفه إيانا وإرجاؤه أمرنا عمن حلف له واعتذر إليه فقبل منه