Ibn Isḥāq relates:
Muṣʿab said to him, “Will you not sit down and listen? If you are pleased with what you hear, you may accept it; and if you dislike it, we will refrain from whatever displeases you.”
He replied, “You have dealt fairly.”
He then planted his spear in the ground and sat with them. Muṣʿab spoke to him about Islam and recited the Qur’an. Those present later said, “By Allah, we could see Islam written on his face before he uttered a word, from the brightness and gentleness that appeared there.”
He said, “How fine and beautiful this is! What must a person do when he wishes to enter this religion?”
They answered, “You bathe and purify yourself, cleanse your two garments, then bear witness to the truth, and after that perform the prayer.”
So he arose, washed, cleansed his clothes, pronounced the testimony of truth, and then performed two rakʿahs.
He then said to them, “Behind me is a man; if he follows you, not one of his people will remain behind. I shall send him to you now—Saʿd ibn Muʿādh.”
He took up his spear and went back to Saʿd and his clan, who were sitting in their assembly. When Saʿd ibn Muʿādh saw him approaching, he said, “By Allah, Usayd is returning to you with a face different from the one with which he left.”
When he reached the gathering Saʿd asked, “What have you done?”
He replied, “I spoke with the two men, and by Allah, I found nothing amiss with them. I forbade them, and they said, ‘We shall do whatever you wish.’ But I have been told that the Banū Ḥārithah have gone out to kill Asʿad ibn Zurārah because they know he is your cousin and wish thereby to violate your protection (1).”
Saʿd ibn Muʿādh rose in anger, hurrying off in fear of what had been said about the Banū Ḥārithah. Taking his spear he said, “By Allah, I see you have accomplished nothing,” and went out to the two men. When he found them calm and untroubled, he realized that Usayd only wanted to listen to them.
He stood over them, abusing them, and said to Asʿad ibn Zurārah, “Abū Umāmah! By Allah, were it not for the kinship between you and me, you would not have dared do this to me. Do you bring upon us in our own dwellings something we detest?”
(Asʿad had already said to Muṣʿab, “By Allah, the chief whose people follow him is coming to you. If he accepts you, not two of them will lag behind.”)
Muṣʿab said to him, “Will you not sit and listen? If you approve of something and desire it, you may adopt it; and if you dislike it, we shall spare you what you dislike.”
Saʿd replied, “You have dealt fairly.” He then planted his spear and sat down. Muṣʿab presented Islam to him and recited the Qur’an to him—Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah says he recited the opening of Sūrat az-Zukhruf (2).
They said, “By Allah, we could see Islam on his face before he spoke, from the radiance and ease that appeared there.”
He asked, “What must one do when he has accepted Islam and entered this religion?”
They replied, “You bathe and purify yourself, cleanse your garments, then bear witness to the truth, and pray two rakʿahs.”
So he arose, washed, cleansed his clothes, pronounced the testimony of truth, and performed two rakʿahs. Then he took his spear and, accompanied by Usayd ibn Ḥuḍayr, returned to the assembly of his people.
When they saw him coming they said, “We swear by Allah, Saʿd returns to you with a face different from the one with which he left.”
When he stood before them he said, “O Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal, how do you regard my position among you?”
They replied, “You are our chief, the best among us in judgment, and the most blessed in leadership.”
He said, “Then let the speech of your men and women be forbidden to me until you believe in Allah and His Messenger.”
By Allah, not a man or woman remained in the house of Banū ʿAbd al-Ashhal that evening without having become Muslim—and Asʿad returned (3).