Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “By Allah! As for myself, then I would perform for them the salaah which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had taught us, without any deficiency.” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then gave an example of how he emulated the salaah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mentioning, “When I lead them in the ‘Esha Salaah, I lengthen the first two rakaats and shorten the second two rakaats.” Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “O Abu Ishaaq! That is the exact opinion that I held regarding yourself!”

Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thereafter sent Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) back to Kufah with a few people (in order to investigate the allegations against Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), so that his innocence may be proven and his name cleared). They thus went to every musjid of Kufah and asked the people regarding Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). When questioned, the people had nothing but praise for Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).

Finally, they reached a musjid in the district of the Banu ‘Abs tribe. Here a man named Usaamah bin Qataadah, whose kunyah was Abu Sa’dah, stood and said, “Since you have asked me, then Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) does not go out in Jihaad with the army, he does not distribute wealth with equality, and he is not just in his verdicts and decisions.”

Hearing these false allegations, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “By Allah! I will make three du‘aas - O Allah! If this servant of yours is lying, and he has merely stood for fame and recognition, then lengthen his life, extend his poverty, and involve him in fitnah.”

Thereafter, if Usaamah bin Qataadah was asked how he was, he would reply, “I am very old and I am entangled in fitnah. The curse of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) afflicted me.”

One of the narrators of this incident, ‘Abdul Malik, mentions, “I saw him (Usaamah bin Qataadah) afterwards. His eyebrows were drooping over his eyes due to old age, and he was interfering with the young slave girls by prodding and poking them in the street.”

(Saheeh Bukhaari #755)

Note:

We see from the above narration that Usaamah bin Qataadah had laid false allegations against Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and disgraced him before the people. However, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not curse him unconditionally. Rather, he exercised caution and justice when cursing him. When cursing him, he suspended the curse on the person being worthy of it, asking Allah to only afflict him if he was deliberately lying.

Usaamah bin Qataadah laid three allegations against Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). The first pertained to his personal self by accusing him of cowardice, and so Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) cursed him with a long life. The second accusation was regarding wealth, and so Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) cursed him with poverty. The third accusation was an accusation pertaining to Deen, as he said that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not perform Salaah correctly, and so Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) cursed him in Deen by making du‘aa that he become entangled in fitnah.

The above explanations have been taken from Fat-hul Baari 2/276-281.

Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) knew that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was innocent. However, to close the doors of fitnah, he replaced Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) with Hazrat ‘Ammaar bin Yaasir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) has mentioned, “Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) dismissed Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) whereas he was the most just of all the governors who would come after him until Qiyaamah.” Fat-hul Baari 2/281

Hence, shortly before passing away, Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) formed a Shura (council) of six Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) who were worthy of the khilaafah after him. These six Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Talhah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Zubair (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and Hazrat ‘Abdur Rahmaan bin ‘Auf (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had explained that he selected these six Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) as Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was most pleased with them at the time of his demise.

Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentioned that these six Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) should decide among themselves as to who would be the Khalifah. He had also included his respected son, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma), in the Shura, and gave instructions that he would not be appointed as Khalifah, but would assist them in nominating the Khalifah.

At the time of including Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in the Shura, Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) declared the innocence of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) saying, “The person who they appoint will be the Khalifah after me, even if Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is appointed. If Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is not appointed as Khalifah, then the Khalifah after me should ensure that he seeks assistance from Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), as I did not dismiss him from the governorship of Kufah due to any shortcoming or betrayal on his part.” Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/74