Nuaym ibn Mas'ud (ra)

The Ghatafani who secretly embraced Islam on the Night of al-Ahzab and, with the Prophet’s ﷺ leave to use khid’a, split the Confederates from within at Khandaq.

Identity & lineage

Of the Ghatafan, of the elite but one rank below chief (the level needed to move among leaders). He had long dealings with both Abu Sufyan of Quraysh and the Banu Qurayza — buying dates from the latter, drinking and dining with them — and had met the Prophet ﷺ before, in neutral matters (once sent by Abu Sufyan to dissuade the Muslims from Badr al-Akhira, once negotiating a caravan treaty).

Role in the Seerah

By his own first-person account (uniquely in al-Waqidi), during the siege “Allah threw Islam into my heart.” Around day 20 he slipped away from Ghatafan by night into the Muslim camp: “I have accepted Islam; command me.” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “You are one man — go and do what you can to protect us,” and, asked permission to speak untruths, said the famous words “War is khid’a” (a ruse — distinct from khiyana, treachery, which Islam never allows).

Key episodes

• The three-way ruse — Nuaym told Banu Qurayza to demand ~70 Qurayshi noblemen as hostages before fighting; told Quraysh that Qurayza wanted their nobles only to hand them over to Muhammad; and told his own Ghatafan to refuse any such demand. When Qurayza’s emissary duly demanded the hostages, Abu Sufyan balked — and, compounded by the Sabbath dispute, mutual trust collapsed. This was “the start of the destruction of the ahzab army,” counted by Yasir Qadhi among the very means of the victory.

Character & lessons

A study in Allah’s unseen provision: “Whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him” (Q 65:2–3); “If Allah helps you, none can defeat you” (Q 3:160). His life shows the legitimacy of military deception (khid’a) — as opposed to treaty-breaking (khiyana) — and that sincere faith can be cast into the most unexpected heart.

Death

He made Hijrah and settled in Madinah; died a martyr in 36 AH (at the Battle of the Camel). At the Conquest of Makkah (8 AH) he carried the standard of Ghatafan.

Cross-references

• Muhammad ﷺ — who accepted his service (“war is khid’a”)
• Battle of Khandaq — his ruse that split the Confederates
• Abu Sufyan — his old friend, whom he deceived
• Nifaq — the opposite of his sincere hidden faith
• Quraysh · Madinah (Yathrib)

Sources

• S008 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 051–060 (EP 059–060, Nuaym and the Sabbath ruse).
• Classical: Nuaym’s first-person narrative is in al-Waqidi (Kitab al-Tarikh wa al-Maghazi); the ruse is also in Ibn Ishaq/Ibn Hisham.