as a reward for his good news. By Allah, I possessed no other garments that day, so I borrowed two garments, put them on, and set out for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. People came out to meet me in groups, congratulating me upon the acceptance of my repentance and saying, “May Allah’s acceptance of your repentance bring you joy.”
Kaʿb said: When I entered the mosque, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was sitting with people gathered around him. Talhah ibn ʿUbaydillah rose and hurried toward me, shook my hand, and congratulated me. By Allah, no other man from among the Emigrants rose to greet me, and I have never forgotten Talhah’s kindness.
Kaʿb said: When I greeted the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he said to me, his face shining with joy, “Receive glad tidings of the best day that has come upon you since your mother bore you!”
I said, “Is this from you, O Messenger of Allah, or from Allah?”
He said, “No, rather it is from Allah.” Whenever the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was pleased, his face would radiate until it seemed like a piece of the moon; and we recognized that from him. When I sat before him, I said, “[O Messenger of Allah,] (1) as part of my repentance, I wish to give away all my wealth as charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger.”
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Keep some of your wealth; that will be better for you.”
I said, “Then I shall keep my share in Khaybar.”
Then I said, “O Messenger of Allah, Allah saved me only through truthfulness. As part of my repentance, I pledge never to speak anything but the truth for as long as I live. By Allah, I do not know of any Muslim whom Allah has granted a better trial in truthful speech than He has granted me since I told the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, this. From the day I said that to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, until this day of mine, I have never deliberately uttered a lie; and I hope that Allah will preserve me for the rest of my life.”
Allah then revealed to His Messenger: “Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet, and to the Emigrants and the Helpers” up to His saying: “and be with the truthful.” (2)
Ishaq ibn Rashid also narrated from al-Zuhri through this chain of transmission, from Kaʿb, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade people from speaking to me and my two companions. I remained in that state until the matter became prolonged for me. Nothing concerned me more than the possibility that I might die and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would not perform the funeral prayer over me, or that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, might die and I would remain among the people in that position, so that none of them would speak to me or perform the funeral prayer over me.
Allah revealed the acceptance of our repentance to His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, during the last third of the night, while the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was with Umm Salamah. Umm Salamah had always been kind regarding my case and supportive in my affair. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Umm Salamah, Kaʿb’s repentance has been accepted.”
She said, “Shall I not send someone to him to bring him the good news?”
He said, “Then people would crowd around you and keep you from sleeping for the rest of the night.” When he had performed the dawn prayer, he announced Allah’s acceptance of our repentance. (3)