The story of Abu Lubabah, may Allah be pleased with him, was attributed by some people to his failure to join the Tabuk campaign, but this is incorrect. The sound view is that it occurred when his allies, Banu Qurayzah, consulted him as to whether they should submit to the judgement of the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. He pointed to his throat, meaning that it would be slaughter. He then realized that this was a betrayal, so he tied himself to a pillar in the mosque and said, “I will not release myself until the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, unties me, after Allah has accepted my repentance.” Allah accepted his repentance, and the Messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, untied him when he learned of the sincerity of his repentance. He then said, “Part of my repentance is that I shall divest myself of my wealth.” The Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, replied, “One third will suffice you.” This proves that if someone vows to give his wealth in charity, one third will suffice him.

Some scholars held that he must give all his wealth in charity, because giving one’s entire wealth in charity is permissible for one who knows himself to possess true reliance upon Allah; indeed, it is a recommended practice, as Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, did (1). Thus, it falls under the general meaning of the Prophet’s statement, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him.” (2)

They answered the hadith of Ka‘b ibn Malik and Abu Lubabah, may Allah be pleased with them, by saying that neither contains an explicit statement that it was a vow. Rather, it may have been an expression of gratitude for the blessing—namely, Allah’s acceptance of their repentance. Neither of them said, “I owe Allah a vow”; rather, he said, “Part of my repentance”—that is, part of my gratitude for my repentance being accepted—“is that I do such-and-such.” It is therefore an instance of