“…Alas, alas! By Allah, not this morning nor last night did any rightful claim leave so much as a dirham of ʿArābah’s wealth—but take these two slaves.”

The man replied, “I could never do that.”

ʿArābah said, “If you will not take them, then they are free. So emancipate them if you wish, or keep them if you wish.” He then turned away, feeling for the wall with his hand.

The man took the two slaves and returned to his companions.

People judged that Ibn Jaʿfar had given away a vast sum—and that was nothing unusual for him—though the sword was the finest of all. They agreed as well that Qays was among the truly generous: he allowed his maidservant to dispose of his wealth without his knowledge, approved of her deed, and set her free in gratitude. Yet they were unanimous that the most open-handed of the three was ʿArābah al-Awsī, because he gave away everything he possessed—(1) the utmost that a man of slender means can do.

Sufyān al-Thawrī reported, through ʿAmr, from Abū Ṣāliḥ: Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah divided his estate among his children, then travelled to al-Shām, where he died. After his death a child was born to him. Abū Bakr and ʿUmar came to Qays ibn Saʿd and said, “Your father distributed his property without knowing of this child, for he was still in the womb; allot him a share along with you.” Qays replied, “I will not alter what Saʿd has done, but my own portion is his.”

ʿAbd al-Razzāq transmitted it from Maʿmar, from Ayyūb, from Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn, and related the same episode. He also transmitted it from Ibn Jurayj, who said: ʿAṭāʾ informed me, and he mentioned it.

Ibn Abī Khaythamah said: Abū Nuʿaym narrated to us, Misʿar narrated to us, from Maʿbad ibn Khālid, who said: “Qays ibn Saʿd was always like this—raising his index finger in supplication.” (3)

Hishām ibn ʿAmmār said: al-Jarrāḥ ibn Malīḥ narrated to us, Abū Rāfiʿ narrated, from Qays ibn Saʿd, who said, “Had I not heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, ‘Trickery and deceit are in the Fire,’ I would have been the craftiest man of this ummah.” (4)

Al-Zuhrī said: When the civil strife erupted, the five master strategists among the Arabs were Muʿāwiyah, ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah, Qays ibn Saʿd, and ʿAbd Allah ibn Budayl. (5) The last two (6) were with ʿAlī, while al-Mughīrah stayed apart in al-Ṭāʾif until the two arbitrators were appointed, (7) after which he joined Muʿāwiyah.