Pearls from the Seerah (90): The Repentance of Ka’ab ibn Malik

1,938 views·Jun 22, 2026

In this episode of Seerah, we cover one of the most powerful stories of repentance, sincerity, and steadfastness: the story of Ka’b ibn Malik رضي الله عنه and his absence from the Battle of Tabuk. Unlike the hypocrites who fabricated excuses, Ka’b chose complete honesty before the Prophet ﷺ. His truthful confession led to one of the greatest tests of his life. The Prophet ﷺ commanded the Muslims to boycott him and the two other companions who had stayed behind. For fifty difficult days, they endured isolation, emotional hardship, and immense pressure, even receiving offers from foreign rulers seeking to exploit their situation. Despite the severity of the trial, Ka’b remained firm upon faith and refused to compromise. Eventually, Allah revealed verses in the Qur’an declaring His acceptance of their repentance, turning their hardship into an everlasting lesson for the Ummah. In this lesson we discuss: • The circumstances surrounding the Battle of Tabuk • Why Ka’b ibn Malik stayed behind • The Prophet’s ﷺ response to those who missed the expedition • The boycott and social isolation he endured • The letter from the King of Ghassan and Ka’b’s reaction to it • The emotional and spiritual trials of the fifty days • The revelation of Allah’s acceptance of their repentance • Lessons on honesty, repentance, patience, and sincerity Allah said: ﴿وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا﴾ “And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind…” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:118) May Allah grant us truthful repentance and make us among those who return to Him with sincerity. Weekly Seerah Class Al Wasl Village Masjid, Al Qusais Industrial 5, Dubai Every Sunday after Maghrib prayers Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eLJu5dLCudSd2... Telegram updates, lectures & quizzes: https://t.me/seekingknowledgefaris 00:00 Intro 00:10 Recap: The Expedition of Tabuk 01:24 Returning from Tabuk 01:54 Who Was Ka’ab ibn Malik? 02:03 The Three Companions Who Stayed Behind 03:04 Lessons from Tabuk 04:02 Quranic Reminder About Those Who Stayed Behind 05:24 The Story of Ka’ab Begins 05:59 Truthfulness in Repentance 06:27 Ka’ab Did Not Miss Battles Except Tabuk 07:23 When Allah Tests a Believer 08:14 Why Ka’ab Stayed Behind 09:13 Ka’ab Had the Strength and Means to Go 10:46 Ka’ab Narrates His Own Story 11:25 The Large Army and the Difficulty of Attendance 12:43 The Heat, the Dates, and the Temptation to Stay 14:20 “I Will Prepare Tomorrow” 16:15 The Danger of Delaying Good Deeds 16:48 Use Your Youth Before Life Gets Busy 18:14 The Muslims Leave for Tabuk 19:18 Ka’ab Realizes He Stayed Behind 20:19 Seeing Who Else Was Absent 21:31 The Prophet Asks About Ka’ab 22:44 Mu’adh Defends Ka’ab 23:01 Ka’ab Chooses Honesty 25:59 The Prophet Returns to Madinah 26:07 The Hypocrites Present Excuses 29:18 Excuses Are Accepted Outwardly 30:53 Ka’ab Meets the Prophet 31:58 Ka’ab Tells the Truth 32:22 “I Had No Excuse” 34:43 “He Has Spoken the Truth” 35:43 The Three Companions Await Allah’s Decision 37:30 Community Pressure After Confession 38:04 The Muslims Stop Speaking to Him 42:31 Fifty Nights of Boycott 43:49 Ka’ab Greets the Prophet 44:20 The Pain of Being Ignored 46:27 Ka’ab Visits Abu Qatadah 47:42 “Do You Know I Love Allah and His Messenger?” 48:22 Abu Qatadah’s Difficult Reply 49:25 A Letter from the King of Ghassan 50:35 A Test from Outside the Muslim Community 54:26 Ka’ab Burns the Letter 55:16 Forty Nights Pass 55:39 The Command to Separate from His Wife 56:20 The Case of Hilal ibn Umayyah 58:07 The Fiftieth Morning 58:43 The Good News from Mount Sal’ 01:00:02 Allah Accepts Their Repentance 01:01:03 Talhah Congratulates Ka’ab 01:02:24 The Prophet’s Face Shines with Happiness 01:02:38 “The Best Day Since Your Mother Gave Birth to You” 01:03:47 Ka’ab Wants to Give All His Wealth in Charity 01:04:51 Keep Some Wealth; It Is Better for You 01:05:20 The Verses of Repentance Are Revealed 01:07:11 Be with the Truthful 01:08:30 Hasan al-Basri’s Reflection 01:09:35 Lessons from