PART 4 · THE MADINAN PERIOD · الْعَهْدُ الْمَدَنِيُّ
STAGE 4 · THE MESSAGE COMPLETED
تَبُوكُ وَعَامُ الْوُفُودِ
Chapter 27: Tabūk and the Year of Delegations
A hard journey in the heat, a man who told the truth — and Arabia comes to Islam
Sheikh Mohamed Fawzyالشيخ محمد فوزي
© 2026 Sheikh Mohamed Fawzy. All rights reserved. Version 1.7
Tabūk جَيْشُ الْعُسْرَةِ
A long journey in the heat
قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: ... وَلَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُرِيدُ غَزْوَةً إِلَّا وَرَّى بِغَيْرِهَا، حَتَّى كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةُ، غَزَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَاسْتَقْبَلَ سَفَرًا بَعِيدًا وَمَفَازًا وَعَدُوًّا كَثِيرًا، فَجَلَّى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَمْرَهُمْ لِيَتَأَهَّبُوا أُهْبَةَ غَزْوِهِمْ، فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِوَجْهِهِ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ ...
Ka‘b ibn Mālik said: “…Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended an expedition, he would hint at a different one — until that expedition. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went on it in intense heat, facing a long journey, a waterless desert and a large enemy. So he made the matter clear to the Muslims, so that they could get properly ready for their expedition, and he told them the direction he intended.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4418Sahih
Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm: news came that the Romans were gathering an army in the north. In Rajab, 9 AH, the Prophet ﷺ marched to Tabūk with about 30,000 men. The Romans did not come out to fight; the Muslims stayed at Tabūk about twenty days and returned.
Giving الْبَذْلُ وَالْعَطَاءُ
Who will equip the army?
The army needed camels, food and water for a very long journey. Tap each name:
Tap a name.
‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān
He brought a thousand dinars in his garment and poured them into the Prophet’s lap. The Prophet ﷺ turned them over and said twice: “Nothing ‘Uthmān does after today will harm him.”
Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3701, from ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Samurah — in summary. al-Tirmidhī: ḥasan gharīb; al-Albānī: ḥasan.
Abū Bakr and ‘Umar
‘Umar brought half of his wealth, hoping to beat Abū Bakr this time. Abū Bakr brought all he had. When asked what he had left for his family, he said: “I left them Allah and His Messenger.” ‘Umar said: “I will never race him in anything.”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1678 and al-Tirmidhī 3675, from ‘Umar — in summary; al-Albānī: ḥasan. The hadith does not name the expedition; books of Seerah such as Ar-Raḥīq place it at Tabūk.
Those who wept
Some poor Companions came asking for animals to ride. When the Prophet ﷺ had none to give, they went away weeping, sad that they could not go. Allah praised them in the Qur’an (al-Tawbah 9:92).
وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا مَآ أَتَوۡكَ لِتَحۡمِلَهُمۡ قُلۡتَ لَآ أَجِدُ مَآ أَحۡمِلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَلَّواْ وَّأَعۡيُنُهُمۡ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمۡعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُواْ مَا يُنفِقُونَ ٩٢
Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you that you might give them mounts, you said, "I can find nothing for you to ride upon." They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find something to spend [for the cause of Allah].
Surat al-Tawbah 9:92سورة التوبة: ٩٢
Ka‘b’s story قِصَّةُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ
“I can do it whenever I want…”
Ka‘b ibn Mālik was a true believer who had pledged at al-‘Aqabah. This time he stayed behind — not for any excuse, but because he kept delaying.
قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: ... وَغَزَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةَ حِينَ طَابَتِ الثِّمَارُ وَالظِّلَالُ، وَتَجَهَّزَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ، فَطَفِقْتُ أَغْدُو لِكَيْ أَتَجَهَّزَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَرْجِعُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا، فَأَقُولُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَا قَادِرٌ عَلَيْهِ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَتَمَادَى بِي حَتَّى اشْتَدَّ بِالنَّاسِ الْجِدُّ، فَأَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ مِنْ جَهَازِي شَيْئًا، فَقُلْتُ أَتَجَهَّزُ بَعْدَهُ بِيَوْمٍ أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ ثُمَّ أَلْحَقُهُمْ، فَغَدَوْتُ بَعْدَ أَنْ فَصَلُوا لِأَتَجَهَّزَ، فَرَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا، ثُمَّ غَدَوْتُ ثُمَّ رَجَعْتُ وَلَمْ أَقْضِ شَيْئًا، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِي حَتَّى أَسْرَعُوا وَتَفَارَطَ الْغَزْوُ، وَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَرْتَحِلَ فَأُدْرِكَهُمْ، وَلَيْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ، فَلَمْ يُقَدَّرْ لِي ذَلِكَ ...
Ka‘b ibn Mālik said: “…The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went on that expedition when the fruits had ripened and the shade was pleasant. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims with him got ready, and I would go out in the morning to get ready with them, but come back having done nothing, and I would say to myself: ‘I can do it [whenever I want].’ This went on and on until the people were fully in earnest. Then one morning the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims with him set out, and I had prepared nothing. I said: ‘I will get ready a day or two after him, then catch up with them.’ The morning after they had left, I went out to get ready, and came back having done nothing. Then I went out again, and came back having done nothing. This went on until they had hurried far ahead and the expedition had passed me by. I thought of setting off to catch up with them — I wish I had! — but it was not decreed for me.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4418Sahih
The truth الصِّدْقُ
“By Allah, I had no excuse”
When the army returned, more than eighty men who had stayed behind came with excuses and swore oaths. The Prophet ﷺ accepted what they showed and left their hearts to Allah. Then Ka‘b came…
قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: ... فَجِئْتُهُ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ تَبَسَّمَ تَبَسُّمَ الْمُغْضَبِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ «تَعَالَ». فَجِئْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لِي «مَا خَلَّفَكَ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ قَدِ ابْتَعْتَ ظَهْرَكَ». فَقُلْتُ بَلَى، إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَوْ جَلَسْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا، لَرَأَيْتُ أَنْ سَأَخْرُجُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ بِعُذْرٍ، وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ جَدَلًا، وَلَكِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ لَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيثَ كَذِبٍ تَرْضَى بِهِ عَنِّي لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُسْخِطَكَ عَلَيَّ، وَلَئِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَ صِدْقٍ تَجِدُ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو فِيهِ عَفْوَ اللَّهِ، لَا وَاللَّهِ مَا كَانَ لِي مِنْ عُذْرٍ، وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ قَطُّ أَقْوَى وَلَا أَيْسَرَ مِنِّي حِينَ تَخَلَّفْتُ عَنْكَ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ صَدَقَ، فَقُمْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ» ...
Ka‘b ibn Mālik said: “…I came to him, and when I greeted him he smiled the smile of an angry man, then said: ‘Come.’ I walked up and sat in front of him. He said to me: ‘What kept you behind? Had you not bought your riding camel?’ I said: ‘Yes. By Allah, if I were sitting in front of anyone else of the people of this world, I think I could escape his anger with some excuse — I have been given skill in arguing. But by Allah, I know that if I tell you a lie today to make you pleased with me, Allah will soon make you angry with me; and if I tell you the truth, and you are upset with me because of it, I hope for Allah’s forgiveness in it. No, by Allah, I had no excuse. By Allah, I was never stronger or better off than when I stayed behind from you.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘As for this man, he has told the truth. Get up, until Allah decides about you.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4418Sahih
The test خَمْسُونَ لَيْلَةً
Fifty long nights — then good news
- 1 The Prophet ﷺ told the Muslims not to speak to Ka‘b and two other honest men who had stayed behind.
- 2 Even his cousin Abū Qatādah did not answer his greeting.
- 3 The king of Ghassān wrote inviting him to join him. Ka‘b said: “This too is a test,” and burned the letter in an oven.
- 4 On the fiftieth morning a voice called from Mount Sal‘…
All these details are in the same hadith (al-Bukhari 4418).
قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: ... فَلَمَّا صَلَّيْتُ صَلَاةَ الْفَجْرِ صُبْحَ خَمْسِينَ لَيْلَةً، وَأَنَا عَلَى ظَهْرِ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِنَا، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ، قَدْ ضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ نَفْسِي، وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ، سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ صَارِخٍ أَوْفَى عَلَى جَبَلِ سَلْعٍ بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ يَا كَعْبُ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، أَبْشِرْ. قَالَ فَخَرَرْتُ سَاجِدًا، وَعَرَفْتُ أَنْ قَدْ جَاءَ فَرَجٌ ...
Ka‘b ibn Mālik said: “…When I had prayed the Fajr prayer on the morning of the fiftieth night, on the roof of one of our houses, I was sitting in the state that Allah has described: my own self felt tight for me, and the earth, wide as it is, felt tight for me. Then I heard the voice of someone calling out at the top of his voice from the top of Mount Sal‘: ‘O Ka‘b ibn Mālik, good news!’ I fell down in prostration, and I knew that relief had come.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4418Sahih
Forgiven التَّوْبَةُ
“The best day since your mother gave birth to you”
قَالَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: ... فَلَمَّا سَلَّمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهْوَ يَبْرُقُ وَجْهُهُ مِنَ السُّرُورِ «أَبْشِرْ بِخَيْرِ يَوْمٍ مَرَّ عَلَيْكَ مُنْذُ وَلَدَتْكَ أُمُّكَ». قَالَ قُلْتُ أَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ «لَا، بَلْ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ» ...
Ka‘b ibn Mālik said: “…When I greeted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said — his face shining with joy: ‘Receive the good news of the best day you have had since your mother gave birth to you!’ I said: ‘Is it from you, O Messenger of Allah, or from Allah?’ He said: ‘No — it is from Allah.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari 4418Sahih
وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواْ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتۡ وَضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَن لَّا مَلۡجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَتُوبُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١١٨
And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind [and regretted their error] to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.
Surat al-Tawbah 9:118سورة التوبة: ١١٨
Ka‘b said: “Allah saved me only through truthfulness” — and he promised never to tell a lie for the rest of his life (al-Bukhari 4418).
9 AH عَامُ الْوُفُودِ
People enter Allah’s religion in crowds
إِذَا جَآءَ نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡفَتۡحُ ١ وَرَأَيۡتَ ٱلنَّاسَ يَدۡخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ ٱللَّهِ أَفۡوَاجٗا ٢ فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ تَوَّابَۢا ٣
1 When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest 2 And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes 3 Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.
Surat al-Naṣr 110:1–3سورة النصر: ١–٣
Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm: after the conquest of Makkah and the return from Tabūk, tribes from all over Arabia sent delegations to Madinah to learn about Islam and accept it — so the year 9 AH is called the Year of Delegations. Among them was Thaqīf, the people of Ṭā’if, who had refused the Prophet ﷺ years before.
A messenger of his people ضِمَامُ بْنُ ثَعْلَبَةَ
“I am going to ask you — and be hard in my questions”
قَالَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى جَمَلٍ فَأَنَاخَهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، ثُمَّ عَقَلَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَيُّكُمْ مُحَمَّدٌ وَالنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُتَّكِئٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ. فَقُلْنَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الْأَبْيَضُ الْمُتَّكِئُ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الرَّجُلُ ابْنَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «قَدْ أَجَبْتُكَ». فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنِّي سَائِلُكَ فَمُشَدِّدٌ عَلَيْكَ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَلَا تَجِدْ عَلَيَّ فِي نَفْسِكَ. فَقَالَ «سَلْ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ». فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِرَبِّكَ وَرَبِّ مَنْ قَبْلَكَ، آللَّهُ أَرْسَلَكَ إِلَى النَّاسِ كُلِّهِمْ فَقَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ». قَالَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِاللَّهِ، آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ أَنْ نُصَلِّيَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسَ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ قَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ». قَالَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِاللَّهِ، آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ أَنْ نَصُومَ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ مِنَ السَّنَةِ قَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ». قَالَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِاللَّهِ، آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ هَذِهِ الصَّدَقَةَ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِنَا فَتَقْسِمَهَا عَلَى فُقَرَائِنَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «اللَّهُمَّ نَعَمْ». فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ آمَنْتُ بِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ، وَأَنَا رَسُولُ مَنْ وَرَائِي مِنْ قَوْمِي، وَأَنَا ضِمَامُ بْنُ ثَعْلَبَةَ أَخُو بَنِي سَعْدِ بْنِ بَكْرٍ ...
Anas ibn Mālik said: While we were sitting with the Prophet ﷺ in the mosque, a man came in on a camel. He made it kneel in the mosque and tied it, then said to them: ‘Which of you is Muḥammad?’ — the Prophet ﷺ was reclining among them. We said: ‘This fair-skinned man who is reclining.’ The man said to him: ‘Son of ‘Abd al-Muṭṭalib!’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘I am listening to you.’ The man said to the Prophet ﷺ: ‘I am going to ask you, and I will be hard in my questions — so do not be upset with me.’ He said: ‘Ask whatever you like.’ He said: ‘I ask you by your Lord and the Lord of those before you: has Allah sent you to all people?’ He said: ‘By Allah, yes.’ He said: ‘I ask you by Allah: has Allah commanded you that we pray the five prayers in the day and night?’ He said: ‘By Allah, yes.’ He said: ‘I ask you by Allah: has Allah commanded you that we fast this month of the year?’ He said: ‘By Allah, yes.’ He said: ‘I ask you by Allah: has Allah commanded you to take this charity from our rich and divide it among our poor?’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘By Allah, yes.’ The man said: ‘I believe in what you have brought. I am the messenger of my people who are behind me. I am Ḍimām ibn Tha‘labah, of Banū Sa‘d ibn Bakr.’
Sahih al-Bukhari 63Sahih
Notice the Prophet’s patience with a rough, direct visitor — and how the pillars of Islam are the first things he asked about.
Lessons دُرُوسٌ وَعِبَرٌ
What we learn
1
Do not delay good
Ka‘b said “I can do it later” — until it was too late.
2
Truth saves
Excuses may please people for a while; the truth brings Allah’s forgiveness.
3
Give what you can
‘Uthmān gave gold, Abū Bakr gave all — and those with nothing gave their tears.
Review مُرَاجَعَةٌ
Quick quiz
Score: 0 / 4
1.Why does the Qur’an call Tabūk “the hour of hardship” (al-Tawbah 9:117)?
Correct (al-Bukhari 4418).
Intense heat, a long journey through the desert and a large enemy (al-Bukhari 4418).
2.Why did Ka‘b ibn Mālik stay behind?
Right — he even said he had never been stronger or richer.
He kept saying “I can do it later”.
3.How many nights did the boycott of Ka‘b last?
Yes — fifty nights.
Fifty nights.
4.What did Ḍimām ibn Tha‘labah ask about?
Correct (al-Bukhari 63).
Whether Allah sent him, and about prayer, fasting and zakāh.
Truthfulness is the way to Allah’s forgiveness
ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam ﷺ
NEXT · Chapter 28: The Farewell Hajj · حَجَّةُ الْوَدَاعِ