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QAIS IBN SA`D IBN `UBAADAH
The Craftiest of Arabs but for Islam
Although he was young, the Ansaar treated him as a leader. They used to say, "If only we could buy
him a beard!" He was not lacking in any of the characteristics that a leader should have except the
traditional beard.
But who was this lad for whom his people were willing to spend their money to buy a beard that
would make his appearance faultless and becoming of his genuine greatness and astonishing leadership?
This young man was Qais Ibn Sa'd lbn `Ubaadah. He belonged to one of the most distinguished and
generous Arab houses, on which the Prophet (PBUH) commented, "Generosity is the prevailing trait of
this family."
He was a crafty man, and there was no end to his tricks, skillfulness, and cleverness. He spoke the
truth when he said, "If it were not for Islam, I would have used my craftiness to outwit all the Arabs."
He was sharp-witted, tricky, and resourceful. In the As-Siffiin Battle, he sided with `Aliy against
Mu'aawiyah. He sat there turning over in his mind the plot that would make Mu'aawiyah and his men the
worst losers, but the more he thought about his plot, the more he realized that it came under the heading
of dangerous evil plotting. He then repeated Allah's verse " But the evil plot encompasses only him who
makes it" (35:43). Consequently, he rejected the plot altogether and asked Allah's forgiveness, saying,
"By Allah, if Mu'aawiyah is destined to have the upper hand over us, he will not have it because he has
out-witted us, but because our piety and fear of Allah have run short."
This man was one of the Ansaar from the Khazraj tribe. He belonged to a great family and inherited
all the excellent qualities of his ancestors. He was the son of Sa'd Ibn `Ubaadah, the Khazraj leader with
whom we will be acquainted.
When Sa'd submitted himself to Islam, he held his son Qais's hand and introduced him to the
Prophet (PBUH) saying, "This is your servant from now on." The Prophet (PBUH) saw in Qais all the
qualities of excellence and righteousness, so he asked him to sit next to him and said, "This place will
always be filled by him for the rest of his life." Anas, the Companion of Allah's Prophet (PBUH) said,
"Qais Ibn Sa'd Ibn `Ubaadah was to the Prophet like a chief officer to a commander."
Before his Islam, he was full of craftiness to the extent that no one was able to get the better of him.
The people of Al-Madiinah and its surroundings fell short of his cunning. When he embraced Islam, it
turned his life and even disposition upside-down as it taught him how to treat people with sincerity rather
than with deceit. He was a truly faithful and loyal Muslim. Therefore, he threw aside his cunning and
fatal maneuvers. Yet, whenever he faced a difficult situation, his restrained and thwarted craftiness tried
to rebel and gain control over him and his actions, and the only thing that made him come to grips with it
were these words: "If it were not for Islam I would have used my craftiness to outwit all the Arabs."
His cleverness was surpassed only by his generosity. Generosity was not an accidental behavior on
Qais's part, for he belonged to a family renowned for its generosity. It was the custom in those times for
all the wealthy and generous people to bid a crier to stand on a high place in the daytime to call guests
and passers by to come for food and rest; then, at night, he would light a fire to guide strangers to where
food was. People at that time used to say, "He who likes fat and meat must go to Duliim Ibn Haarithah's
house for food." Now, Duliim lbn Haarithah was Qais's great-grandfather. Thus, Qais was suckled amidst
generosity and charity in this high-born family.