غزوة تبوك
رجب, ٩ هـ (630 م)
Tabuk, northern Arabia تبوك
Learning that the Byzantine Empire was gathering forces near the northern border, the Prophet ﷺ mobilized the largest army in Islamic history — 30,000 warriors — and marched to Tabuk in extreme heat and drought. The expedition was called 'Jaysh al-Usrah' (the Army of Hardship). Uthman ibn Affan single-handedly funded a large portion of the expedition. When they reached Tabuk, the Byzantine forces had withdrawn, and the Prophet ﷺ secured the northern frontier through treaties with local tribes.
أهمّية الحدث
Tabuk was the final major military expedition of the Prophet ﷺ. It exposed the hypocrites who made excuses not to participate, and Surah At-Tawbah was largely revealed in this context. The story of Ka'b ibn Malik, who truthfully confessed his failure to join and was boycotted for fifty days before Allah accepted his repentance, is one of the most powerful narratives in the hadith literature.
الآيات القرآنية
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ
سورة At-Tawbah, 38-39
O you who believe, what is the matter with you that when you are told to march forth in the cause of Allah, you cling heavily to the earth?
وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَـٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا۟
سورة At-Tawbah, 118
And upon the three who were left behind... (regarding Ka'b ibn Malik and his companions)
الأحاديث النبوية
Sahih al-Bukhari, #4418
الراوي: Ka'b ibn Malik
“Ka'b narrated his story of not joining the expedition of Tabuk: '...Then Allah revealed His forgiveness for us in the last part of the night, and the Prophet ﷺ announced it after the Fajr prayer...'”