In this state, I suddenly saw a man covering his face due to which I could not recognize him. The disbelievers advanced towards him until I said to myself, “They have pursued him until they have finally reached him!” At that moment, the man filled his hand with pebbles and flung them into the faces of the disbelievers, causing them to turn on their heels and retreat until they reached the mountain. The man repeated this action multiple times (when the disbelievers attempted to attack him), and I did not know who he was (as I could not see his face).
Between myself and this man was Hazrat Miqdaad bin Aswad (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). I had just decided to ask Hazrat Miqdaad (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who this great man was when Hazrat Miqdaad (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said to me, “O Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)! This is Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) who is calling you!” I asked Hazrat Miqdaad (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “Where is Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)?” In response, Hazrat Miqdaad (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) gestured towards the very same man.
Realizing that this man was none other than the beloved Rasul of Allah Ta‘ala (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), I immediately stood in my place, and out of extreme happiness, I became totally oblivious of my wounds. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to me, “O Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)! Where have you been?” I responded, “I was at a distance from you, from where I could see you.”
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then seated me before him and I began to fire arrows while saying, “O Allah! This is your arrow, so make it strike your enemy!” While I was firing, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was making du‘aa for me saying, “O Allah! Accept the du‘aa of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)! O Allah! Make the arrows of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) strike the target! Continue to fire arrows, O Sa’d! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you!” I did not fire a single arrow except that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) repeated this du‘aa and these words.
Finally, when I had depleted all the arrows in my quiver, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) spread out the arrows of his quiver. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then handed me an arrow with fletching (i.e. with feathers).
Imaam Zuhri (rahimahullah) has mentioned that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) fired 1000 arrows during the Battle of Uhud.
(Mustadrak Haakim #4314)