Kaʿb—may Allah be pleased with him—relates:

“When word reached me that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was on his way back from the expedition, I began to consider what I should say to the Messenger of Allah when he arrived. I wanted to speak with him using some story—though it would be a lie—so that he might excuse me, and I kept consulting the people of sound judgment in my family about what I ought to say.

“But when the moment drew near and falsehood weighed on my heart, I resolved that I would present the Prophet with nothing but the truth.

“The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then reached Madinah and entered the mosque. It was his constant practice and sunnah that whenever he returned to his city, the very first thing he did was to pray in the mosque—just as he once instructed Jābir, may Allah be pleased with him, as I shall mention, Allah willing.

“After praying he sat for the people. The laggards who had stayed behind without any valid excuse—the hypocrites—came to him and began swearing that they were excused. He accepted their pledges and sought forgiveness for them, but that availed them nothing—Allah’s protection is sought—for Allah says: ‘Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them—even if you were to ask forgiveness for them seventy times—Allah will never forgive them’ (al-Tawbah 9:80).

“As for me, I had resolved to speak truthfully to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. I entered the mosque and greeted him with salām. He smiled the smile of an angry man—that is, one who was displeased with me—then said, ‘Come here.’ When I drew near he asked, ‘What kept you back?’

“I answered, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I had no excuse. Never before this expedition had I owned two mounts at the same time. Had I been sitting before any king of this world, I could have left his presence having produced an excuse, for Allah has granted me eloquence. But I do not…’”