where he remained for seven days and nights, in the sweltering heat, eating nothing and not drinking a single drop. He kept saying, “I will stay in this spot until I leave this world or until Allah relents toward me.” He continued like that until his voice could barely be heard from exhaustion, while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would look at him morning and evening. Then Allah accepted his repentance, and a crier announced, “Allah has turned to you in mercy.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent someone to untie him, but he refused to be released by anyone except the Messenger himself. The Prophet ﷺ therefore came and loosened his bonds with his own hand.

When Abu Lubabah recovered he said, “Messenger of Allah, I am abandoning the house of my people in which I committed the sin, and I will move to live with you; moreover, I divest myself of my wealth as charity for Allah and His Messenger.” He replied, “A third will suffice for you.” Abu Lubabah accordingly left his people’s dwelling and gave one-third of his property in charity. Thereafter he repented, and nothing but goodness was ever seen from him in Islam until he left this world. (Mursal)

Warqāʾ narrated from Ibn Abī Najīḥ, from Mujāhid, regarding Allah’s words, “They acknowledged their sins” (Quran 9:102): he said, “It refers to Abu Lubabah, when he said to Qurayzah what he said and gestured to his throat, meaning, ‘Muhammad will slaughter you if you submit to his judgment.’” Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq claimed that his tying himself up occurred at that time; it seems he may have bound himself twice.

ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ said: Muʿāwiyah ibn Ṣāliḥ told me, from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning Allah’s words, “And others acknowledged their sins” (Quran 9:102). He said: “They were ten men who lagged behind the Prophet ﷺ on the Expedition of Tabuk. As the return of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ approached, seven of them bound themselves to the pillars of the mosque along the path the Prophet would take. When he saw them he asked, ‘Who are these?’ They replied, ‘This is Abu Lubabah and some companions of his who stayed behind from you, Messenger of Allah, until you release them and excuse them.’ He said, ‘By Allah, I will neither release them nor excuse them until Allah Himself releases them; they turned away from me and stayed behind instead of going out with the Muslims.’ When they heard this they said, ‘We too shall not free ourselves until Allah is the One who frees us.’ Then Allah revealed: ‘And others have confessed their faults; they mixed a righteous deed with another that was bad; it may be that Allah will relent toward them’ (Quran 9:102).