and fully intent on giving you sincere counsel. Our advice is this: remain where you are—by the leave of Allah—until we return to our people. We shall inform them about you and summon them to Allah; perhaps He will reconcile their differences and unite them behind one purpose. Let us therefore meet you again at the coming pilgrimage season.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ agreed to this. They went back to their tribes and, in secret, began inviting them to Islam and reciting the Quran to them, until scarcely a single household of the Anṣār remained without some new Muslims in it.

They then dispatched Muʿādh ibn ʿAfrāʾ and Rāfiʿ ibn Mālik to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with the request: “Send us a man of your own who will teach us the faith.” He sent Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr, who lodged with Asʿad among Banū Tamīm. There he continued to call people quietly, and Islam spread rapidly among them.

Later Muṣʿab and Asʿad sat by the well of Banū Murraq and summoned a group of the Anṣār, who came to them covertly. Word reached Saʿd ibn Muʿādh—some say it was Usaid ibn Ḥuḍayr—so he came in full armor, spear in hand, and halted before them. Addressing Abū Umāmah Asʿad he said, “Why have you brought this lone, alien fugitive into our quarters? He is misleading our weak ones with falsehood and calling them to it. After today you will receive no tolerance from us for violating our protection.”

They dispersed. Yet they gathered once more at the well of Banū Murraq—or nearby—and the incident was again reported to Saʿd ibn Muʿādh, who came and threatened them a second time, though less severely than before. Asʿad said to him, “Cousin, listen to what he says. If you hear the truth, accept it; if you hear something objectionable, then reject it with something better.”

Saʿd asked, “What is he saying?” Muṣʿab recited: “Ḥā Mīm. By the clear Book, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an so that you may understand” (Q 43:1-3).

Saʿd replied, “I hear nothing but words I recognize.” He returned home, Allah having guided him, though he did not yet reveal his Islam to them. Once back with his clan he called Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal to Islam, declared his own conversion, and said, “Whoever among you doubts it, let him bring something more rightly guided than this. By Allah, a matter has come that will cause necks to be severed.” All of Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal accepted Islam following the conversion of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh, save for a man not worth mentioning.

Afterward the Banū Najjār expelled Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr and turned their hostility upon Asʿad.