Hazrat Sa'd (radhiyallahu 'anhu) (21)
Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part Twenty One
Written by user2Demise:
There is a difference of opinion regarding the year in which Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) passed away.
After recording the different views, Haafiz ibn Hajar ‘Asqalaani (rahimahullah) has mentioned that the most famous and well known view is that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) passed away in the year 56 A.H. (Isaabah 3/62)
Haafiz Mizzi (rahimahullah) has preferred the view that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) passed away in the year 55 A.H. ‘Allaamah Zahabi (rahimahullah) has expressed this to be the correct view. (Tahzeeb-ul-Kamaal 10/313, Siyar A’laam min Nibalaa 3/77)
The Justice and Compassion of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)
Hazrat Jareer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) once passed by Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) during the period when Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was governor over Kufah. Seeing Hazrat Jareer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked him regarding Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Hazrat Jareer (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) gave the following reply:
“I left him in his position of rule as the most noble of people in authority and power, and the person who is least hard-hearted. He is like a devoted mother to his subjects, working for them just as an ant works tirelessly for its colony. He is the person who is most firm against wrong and oppression, and he is among the most beloved of the Quraish to the people.”
(Isaabah 3/64)
Hazrat Sa‘eed bin Musayyib (rahimahullah) narrates:
A certain person was once speaking ill of Hazrat ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Talhah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and Hazrat Zubair (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Seeing that this person was speaking ill of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) immediately tried to stop him saying, “Do not speak ill of my brothers!” However, the person refused to desist.
Allah Ta‘ala had blessed Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) by allowing the conquer of ‘Iraq to take place at his hands. It was the armies under his command that defeated the Romans in Qaadisiyyah. However, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) could not personally lead the army in this specific battle, as he was ill and sores had broken out across his entire body, and so he informed the people of his illness and excused himself from joining them in fighting against the kuffaar.
Allegations of Some People of Kufah:
In the year 21 A.H., some people of Kufah came to Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and laid complaints against Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who was their governor. Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thus dismissed him (from his position as governor, in order to quell the fitnah that the people were attempting to create), and appointed Hazrat ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in his place.
When these people of Kufah complained about Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), they even complained that he was not performing salaah correctly! Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thus called for Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). When he arrived, Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) addressed him with the utmost respect saying, “O Abu Ishaaq (this was the kunyah (filial title) of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu))! Indeed these people are claiming that you do not perform salaah correctly.
The Du‘aa of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam):
Hazrat Qais bin Abi Haazim (rahimahullah) narrates that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentioned, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made du‘aa saying, ‘O Allah! Accept the du‘aa of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) when he supplicates to you!’”(Sunan Tirmizi #3751)
Love for the Ansaar:
Hazrat ‘Aamir (rahimahullah), the son of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), narrates the following:
I once said to my father, “O my beloved father! I notice that you show the tribe of the Ansaar more love and reverence than you show other people (besides the Muhaajireen, as the rank of the Muhaajireen is greater than the Ansaar, and Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was from the Muhaajireen).”
Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked me, “O my son! Are you unhappy with this?” I replied, “No! However, I am amazed over the manner in which you treat them.”
Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then said, “I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mention, ‘Only a true believer will have love for the Ansaar, and only a hypocrite will harbor enmity for the Ansaar.”
(Usdul Ghaabah 2/310)
Caution in Narrating Hadith
There are many Ahaadith narrated from Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). However, whenever he narrated Ahaadith, he exercised a lot of caution, out of fear that he should not wrongfully attribute anything to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). The following incidents illustrate the deep caution that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would exercise:
Hazrat Saa’ib bin Yazid (rahimahullah) narrates that he travelled with Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) from Madinah Munawwarah to Makkah Mukarramah. Saa’ib (rahimahullah) further mentions, “I did not hear him narrate a single Hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) during the journey (due to his caution in narrating Ahaadith from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)).”
A few people once went to Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and asked him a question. However, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not answer them and said, “I fear that if I narrate one Hadith to you, you will make it into a hundred Ahaadith.”
(Tabaqaat ibn Sa’d 3/106)
Du‘aa before the Battle of Uhud
Ishaaq bin Sa’d (rahimahullah), the son of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), narrates the following from his father:
On the day of Uhud, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said to Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “Why don’t you come so that we may make du‘aa together?” They thus secluded themselves in a corner and Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) began to make du‘aa. He said, “O Rabb! When the enemy meet us later, make me encounter one of the enemy who is extremely mighty and very determined, I will fight him and he will fight me. Then bless me to overpower him so that I may kill him and take his equipment as spoils of war.”
Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said Ameen to this du‘aa.
Hazrat Humaid bin ‘Abdir Rahmaan Al-Himyari (rahimahullah) narrates the following from three children of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), all of whom narrate it from their father, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu):
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) came to visit Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) when he was sick in Makkah Mukarramah (on the occasion of Hajjatul Wadaa’). After Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had entered, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) began to cry. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked him, “Why are you crying?” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I fear that I will pass away in the land from which I had performed Hijrah, as Hazrat Sa’d bin Khawlah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had passed away.”
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Guarding Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam):
Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) narrates:
After migrating to Madinah Munawwarah, on one occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) could not fall asleep during the night (out of fear that the enemy would attack him). It was then that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “If only there was a pious person to guard me tonight.” While we were in that condition, we heard the sound of weapons. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked, “Who is there?” The person replied, “Sa’d bin Abi Waqqaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked him, “What has brought you here?” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I feared for your life, O Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and so I have come to guard you.” Hearing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made du‘aa for him and thereafter fell asleep.
(Sunan Tirmizi #3756, Fat-hul Baari 6/96)
Archery (continued):
Hazrat ‘Aamir (rahimahullah), the son of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), narrates the following from Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu):
During the Battle of Khandaq (the Battle of the Trench), there was a disbeliever carrying a shield. He would use the shield to cover his face, and he would thereafter lower it (in order to see). I reached for my quiver and extracted an arrow that was blood-stained.
Archery:
Hazrat Sa‘eed bin Musayyib (rahimahullah) has mentioned, “Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was an excellent archer.” (Taareekh-ul-Islam 4/216)
Imaam Zuhri (rahimahullah) has mentioned, “During the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) killed three disbelievers with the same arrow that was fired at him three times. The disbelievers had initially fired the arrow. Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) took the arrow and fired it back at the disbelievers, killing one of them. The disbelievers then fired the same arrow back, after which Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) took it and fired it back at them, killing another disbeliever. The disbelievers then fired the same arrow back for a third time. Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) took the arrow and fired it back at them, killing a third disbeliever. Seeing that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had killed three disbelievers with the same arrow, the people were amazed.
(Taareekh-ul-Islam 4/215, Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/63)
Jihaad:
Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had mentioned, “I participated in the Battle of Badr at a time when I had only one strand of hair on my face. Later on, Allah Ta‘ala blessed me with a beard.
(ibn Sa’d 3/105, Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/62)
Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had participated in the Battles of Badr and Uhud, and he was among the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) who remained firm with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) during the Battle of Uhud when (the enemy attacked from the rear and killed many Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), due to which there was much confusion and) many Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) turned away from the battlefield.