Abu Dawud

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: (1)
From these ahadith it is understood that after returning from a journey, one should present oneself at the House of Allah before going home, so that before meeting one’s family, one may present an offering of servitude before Allah, the Exalted.

(2)
If a person is the center of people’s devotion and love, and people are eager to meet and visit him, then he should, after performing the greeting of the mosque (tahiyyat al-masjid), sit in the mosque for a while so that people may easily attain the blessing of meeting him.

(3)
Therefore, the return home should be at a time known to the family and not cause them hardship or difficulty. For this reason, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would usually make his last stop near Madinah Tayyibah when returning from a journey, so that the people of Madinah would be informed that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would arrive the next morning. Then, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would depart early from that stop in the morning and reach Madinah Munawwarah at the time of forenoon (duha), and would first go to the mosque so that the family would know of his arrival.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
This incident pertains to the boycott of Ka‘b ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu due to his absence from the Battle of Tabuk.
This occurred in the 9th year of Hijrah, after the conquest of Makkah.
And this is the very battle
which, in that era, was made individually obligatory (fard ‘ayn) upon all Muslims.
However, among the sincere Muslims, three individuals remained behind without any valid excuse—namely, Ka‘b ibn Malik, Murarah ibn Rabi‘, and Hilal ibn Umayyah radi Allahu anhum. When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam returned,
they openly admitted
that they had no Shar‘i (Islamic legal) excuse for staying behind.
Accordingly, the Prophet ordered the Muslims to boycott them.
After forty days, the command came that they should also separate from their wives.
When fifty days were completed, their repentance was accepted,
and this verse was revealed:
(“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.”) (al-Tawbah 9:118)
And Allah accepted the repentance of those three men whose matter had been deferred,
until the earth, despite its vastness, became constricted for them,
and even their own souls became constricted for them,
and they became certain that there is no refuge for them except with Allah.
Then Allah turned to them so that they might repent.
Indeed, Allah is the Acceptor of repentance, the Most Merciful.

➋
It is recommended (mustahabb) to give a gift to the person who brings glad tidings.