A Clan in an Evening

When Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr came to Yathrib as the Prophet's teacher, he stayed with As'ad ibn Zurarah and spoke of Islam in the gardens of the Aws. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh was the chief of Banu 'Abd al-Ashhal, and he was alarmed to see an outsider winning over his people. He sent his cousin Usayd ibn Hudayr to drive the two men away.

Usayd came with his spear, but Mus'ab only asked him to sit and listen, and if he disliked what he heard, to leave in peace. Usayd listened to the Qur'an, accepted Islam, and returned to Sa'd. Then Sa'd went himself, angry, to confront Mus'ab. He too sat down and listened, and when he had heard enough he asked how a person enters this religion.

He went back to his people and asked them what they thought of him. They said he was their master and the best of them in judgement. He answered that he would not speak to any man or woman among them until they believed in Allah and His Messenger. Before the evening was over, the reports say, every household of the clan was Muslim.