his people will hold back; I shall send him to you.”

He thereupon went to Saʿd ibn Muʿādh and his clan, who were sitting in their council-house. When Saʿd saw him approaching he said, “By Allah, Usayd is returning with a face different from the one he left with.” He then asked, “What did you do?”

Usayd replied, “I spoke with the two men and found nothing amiss with them, yet I could not make them do what you wanted. Moreover, word has reached me that the Banū Ḥārithah have set out for Asʿad to kill him, for they know he is your cousin and wish thereby to disgrace you.”

Saʿd sprang up, angry, anxious, and in haste. Seizing his spear he said, “By Allah, it seems you have done nothing for us.” He then went out to the two men. When he saw them calm and untroubled, Saʿd realized that Usayd had merely wanted him to hear from them personally. He stood over them smiling and said to Asʿad, “Abū Umāmah, by Allah, were it not for the ties of kinship between us, you would never have dared do this—coming into our dwellings with what we detest!”

(Just before this Asʿad had whispered to Muṣʿab, “Muṣʿab, the chief of his people is coming to you; by Allah, if he follows you not two of them will lag behind.”)

Muṣʿab said, “Will you not sit and listen? If you approve of what you hear and desire it, accept it; if you dislike it, we shall spare you what you dislike.” Saʿd answered, “You have been fair.”

Muṣʿab then presented Islam to him and recited the Quran. By Allah, we could see Islam upon his face before he spoke a word—his features brightened and softened. He did exactly as Usayd had done: he embraced Islam, took up his spear, and headed straight for his people’s gathering place, with Usayd alongside him.

When his people saw him they said, “We swear by Allah, Saʿd has returned with a face different from the one he left with.” He said, “O Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal, how do you regard my standing among you?” They replied, “You are our chief, the soundest in judgment, and the most blessed among us.” He said, “Then I will not speak to any man or woman among you until you believe.”

By Allah, evening had not fallen before there was no man or woman in the dwellings of Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal who was not a Muslim. Muṣʿab and Asʿad then returned to their lodging, and there was not a single house among the Anṣār without Muslim men and women in it—save for the houses of Banū Umayyah ibn Zayd, Khutmah, Wāʾil, and Wāqif. Those were the Aws Allāh, a branch of the Aws ibn—