forgot that kindness to me: he had risen, come over, shaken my hand, and congratulated me. I then reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and saw that his face was shining with joy, for he was delighted that Allah had accepted the repentance of those three men who had been truthful with Allah and His Messenger. They had spoken the truth out of sincere faith and had undergone a tremendous ordeal: the people boycotted them for fifty days, and after forty days the Messenger ﷺ even ordered that their own wives keep away from them.

The Prophet ﷺ said to me, “Rejoice in the best day that has ever come upon you since your mother gave birth to you.”

The Prophet ﷺ spoke the truth. The finest day Kaʿb had experienced since his birth was indeed that day, for Allah sent down His pardon for him and for his two companions in verses of the Qur’an that are recited. The Lord of the worlds Himself spoke those verses, sent them down to Muhammad ﷺ through Gabriel, and they will remain preserved until the Day of Resurrection. Apart from the prophets, or those whom Allah has named in the Qur’an, no one’s story has been preserved the way the story of Kaʿb ibn Mālik and his two companions has been preserved. Their account is still recited from the pulpits, in the prayer niches, and everywhere else; whoever reads it receives ten good deeds for every single letter. Without doubt, therefore, that day was the best day that ever dawned upon Kaʿb since his mother bore him.

Kaʿb then said, “As part of my repentance I will divest myself of all my wealth and give it in charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger”—that is, he would relinquish it and donate it to be disposed of as Allah and His Messenger saw fit. The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Keep some of your wealth, for that is better for you,” so Kaʿb kept a portion of it—may Allah be pleased with him.