Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib maintained that Abū Lubābah’s fastening himself to the “pillar of repentance” actually took place after he failed to march out for the Expedition of Tabuk. At that time the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned away from him, still vexed over what Abū Lubābah had done on the day of Qurayẓah, and Abū Lubābah was among those who lagged behind at Tabuk. Allah knows best.

A report transmitted by ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa and ʿAṭiyya al-ʿAwfī from Ibn ʿAbbās about his self-binding for having stayed back from Tabuk supports Ibn al-Musayyib’s view. It has also been said that this verse was revealed concerning Abū Lubābah: “O you who believe! Do not betray Allah and the Messenger” (al-Anfāl 8:27).

Al-Bakkāʿī relates from Ibn Isḥāq: Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Qusaiṭ told me that the acceptance of Abū Lubābah’s repentance was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was in the house of Umm Salama. Umm Salama said, “Toward the end of the night I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laughing, so I asked, ‘What makes you laugh?’ He replied, ‘Abū Lubābah’s repentance has been accepted.’ I said, ‘Shall I go and give him the good news?’ He said, ‘If you wish.’” She continued, “So I stood at the door of my room—this was before the veil had been imposed—and called out, ‘Abū Lubābah, rejoice! Allah has accepted your repentance.’ People rushed toward him to untie him, but he said, ‘By Allah, I will not be released until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself sets me free with his own hand.’ When the Prophet ﷺ passed by him on his way to the dawn prayer, he untied him.”

ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Hishām adds: Abū Lubābah remained bound to the trunk for six nights. His wife would come at each prayer time, loosen his bonds so that he could perform the prayer, and when he had finished he would tie himself again. According to some scholars, the verse revealed about his repentance was: “And there are others who have confessed their sins; they have mixed a righteous deed with another that was bad” (al-Tawbah 9:102).

Ibn Isḥāq further states: Thalabah ibn Saʿya, Usayd ibn Saʿya, and Asad ibn ʿUbayd—men from the clan of Hadl—embraced Islam on the very night the Banū Qurayẓah surrendered.