There was once a brave, strong, and poetic sahabi, he was pious and loved Allah and his messenger saws but he had one fatal flaw and that was drinking!! He was Abu Mahjan RA who embraced islam in the 9th year! He defended islam through his strength and poetry! But he was an alcoholic... he could not stop drinking! He was one of the most strongest sahabi, noone could stand up to him but he would be beaten!
Finally after trying much to get Abu Mahjan to stop his alcoholic habits he gave up and decided to exile Abu Mahjan RA and imprisoned him! However Abu Mahjan managed to escape and got away from his exile to return to his habits!
A battle broke out and all the mujahideen went to fight against the kuffar! Abu Mahjan being the mujahideen couldnt resist this opportunity to fight FI-SABILLILAH so he left to go to the battlefield!
However at this same time the letter of Umar RA reached Sa'd RA who was incharge of this battle, the letter read,
"Whenever you find Abu Mahjan TIE HIM UP and return him!"
Sa'd immediately noticed Abu Mahjan enter the battlefield and he grabbed him and tied him to a tree. Abu Mahjan looked all around, seeing the fierce fighting going on, how he regretted not being able to partake of such an honour! How he loved everything in the way of Allah yet such a great opportunity was passing him by. Then it dawned upon him, it is not these ropes that tie him to the tree, rather it is his habits, his sins! He immediately turned to Allah and sincerely repented! Then he shouted out, SOMEONE PLEASE RELEASE ME I HAVE REPENTED, ALLOW ME TO FIGHT FOR ALLAH!
Salma the wife of Sa'd hearing his plea felt sympathy and promised to release him but on the condition that, he either goes out and becomes martyred, or he ties himself back up. Abu Mahjan sed, WALLAHI I WILL EITHER BECOME A MARTYR FOR ALLAH OR I WILL MYSELF TIE MYSELF UP! so he was released and salma tied herself in his place to trick Sa'd who is likely to check!
Sa'd noticed a FURIOUS FIGHTER, toppling the enemy ranks, completely desecrating them! And he sed to himself "i would have sworn that is abu mahjan if i didnt tie him with my own hands!"
After the battle Abu Mahjan went and tied himself back up. Sa'd then went to check on him and found wounds all over Abu Mahjans bodies... cuts.. bruises... NO MUJAHIDEEN FIGHTS WIVOUT BEING HURT! Tears began to well up in Sa'ds eyes and they streamed, he decided to release Abu Mahjan on the condition that he will never drink again! Abu Mahjan said: "WALLAHI I WILL NEVER DRINK AGAIN".