The Generosity of Saʿd b. ʿUbādah

Ibn Abī al-Dunyā related from Ibn Sīrīn that:

كان أهل الصفة إذا أمسوا انطلق الرجل بالواحد والرجل بالاثنين والرجل بالجماعة وأما سعد فكان ينطلق بثمانين

“When the People of Ṣuffah reached evening, one man might take one, two, or a few of them with him. Regarding Saʿd, he would come and take eighty with him.” (Samīr al-Muʾminīn, 144)

Meaning, Saʿd would take all eighty with him to entertain them as his guests. The number of the People of Ṣuffah would vary. Some say that they averaged out to be around seventy men. This means that Saʿd probably took all of them with him to entertain them for dinner and benefit from their company.