Kaʿb said:

We—those three—were treated differently from the men whose oaths the Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted: he took their pledge of allegiance, sought forgiveness for them, and let them be. As for us, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ held our case in abeyance until Allah Himself passed judgement on it. Concerning this Allah, exalted is He, revealed: “and (He has turned in mercy) to the three who were left behind” (Qur’an 9:118). What Allah mentioned was not that we stayed behind from the expedition itself; rather, it was that the Messenger of Allah deferred our matter and set it apart from those who swore to him, offered excuses, and were accepted.

Muslim has recorded this report (1) through the chain of al-Zuhrī with similar wording. Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq (2) also narrates it from al-Zuhrī in the wording found in al-Bukhārī. We have cited it in our Tafsīr (3) and in the Musnad of Imām Aḥmad (4) with a few minor additions—praise and thanks belong to Allah.

An account of other sinners who stayed behind

ʿAlī ibn Ṭalḥah al-Wālibī related from Ibn ʿAbbās—regarding the Almighty’s words, “And others have confessed their sins: they have mixed a righteous deed with another that is evil; perhaps Allah will turn toward them in mercy; surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Qur’an 9:102)—that:

Ten men lagged behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the expedition to Tabūk. When his return drew near, seven of them bound themselves to the columns of the mosque, a spot by which the Prophet ﷺ would pass when he came back from prayer. As he walked past them he asked, “Who are these people?” It was said, “Abū Lubābah and some companions of his. They stayed behind from the expedition and have tied themselves up so that you may release them and accept their excuse.” He replied, “By Allah, I will neither release them nor excuse them until Allah—glorified and exalted—is the One who releases them. They turned away from me and failed to march with the Muslims.”

When those words reached them they said, “We too will not free ourselves until Allah frees us.” Thereupon Allah revealed: “And others have confessed their sins…”—and when Allah says ʿasā (“perhaps”), it is a certainty. Once the verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for them; he untied them and accepted their excuse. They then brought their wealth and said, “O Messenger of Allah, here is our property—give it in charity for us and seek forgiveness for us.” He answered, “I have not been commanded to take your wealth.”

Then Allah revealed: “Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them to grow, and pray for them—for your prayer is tranquility for them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing,” up to His words, “And others are deferred for the command of Allah: He may punish them, or He may turn to them in mercy” (Qur’an 9:103–106). These were the ones who had not bound themselves to the columns, and their matter was deferred—

until the Almighty revealed: