Had I not heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "Deception and treachery lead to the Fire," I would have been among the most cunning of people.
لو لا أني سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: المكر والخديعة في النار، لكنت من أمكر الناس.
No references are available.
Ibn Adi related it in Kamil (2/584), and Bayhaqi related it from his route in Shuab (10595), from Abu Ala Kufi, who said, Hisham bin Ammar told us, Jarra bin Mulayh told us, Abu Rafi told us, from Qays bin Saad, who said, and then he mentioned it.Its chain of transmission is hasan because of Jarra bin Mulayh, who is Bahrani Himsi, as Bayhaqi clarified after relating the hadith. Abu Hatim said of him, "Salih al-hadith." Nasai said, "There is no harm in him." Ibn Hajar graded its chain hasan in Fath al-Bari (4/356), saying, "Its chain of transmission has no harm in it."Bayhaqi also related it in Shuab (4887) through the route of Ahmad bin Ubayd, who said, Muhammad bin Bishr, brother of Khattab, told us, Haytham bin Kharija told us, Jarra bin Mulayh told us, Abu Rafi told us, from Qays bin Saad, similarly.Ahmad bin Ubayd is layyin al-hadith, but the first route strengthens it.