They confessed their sins, meaning they did not excuse their failure with false excuses like others did. Rather, they acknowledged themselves that they had done a terrible thing, feeling remorseful and regretful. There were three of them: Abu Lubabah Marwan ibn Abd al-Mundhir, Aws ibn Thalabah, and Wadi'ah ibn Hizam. It is said that there were ten. Seven of them tied themselves up: they were informed of what was revealed about those who lagged behind and they were certain of destruction. So they tied themselves to the pillars of the mosque. When the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, arrived, he entered the mosque and prayed two units of prayer, as was his habit whenever he returned from a journey. He saw them tied up and asked about them. They were mentioned to him that they had sworn not to untie themselves until the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, was the one to untie them. He said: 'And I swear that I will not untie them until I receive a command regarding them.' Then it was revealed, and he released them and excused them. They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, these are our wealth that we left behind, so give charity with it and purify us.' He said: 'I was not commanded to take anything from your wealth.' Then it was revealed: 'Take from their wealth.' This was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala'il and Ibn Mardawayh from the route of Ali ibn Abi Talhah from Ibn Abbas regarding this verse: 'And others acknowledged their sins.' They were ten men who lagged behind the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, in the Battle of Tabuk. When the Prophet's return was near, seven of them tied themselves to the pillars of the mosque. The narration continues. They performed a good deed by going out for jihad and another evil deed by lagging behind it. According to al-Hasan and al-Kalbi: repentance and sin. If you say: 'Each of them is mixed,' what is it mixed with? I say: Each one of them is mixed and mixed with something else, because the meaning is that each one is mixed with the other, like saying: 'I mixed water with milk.' It means I mixed each one with its companion. In this, there is something that is not in saying: 'I mixed water with milk,' because you made the water mixed and the milk mixed with it. When you say it with 'and,' you made the water and milk mixed and mixed with each other, as if you said: 'I mixed water with milk and milk with water.' It may also be from their saying: 'I sold the sheep for a sheep and a dirham,' meaning a sheep for a dirham. If you say: 'How is it said that He may turn to them and you did not mention their repentance?' I say: If their confession of their sins is mentioned, it is evidence of repentance, so their repentance has been mentioned.