History (713)
The people (of Makkah Mukarramah) would explain that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) grew up as the most dignified of his people, the one with the best character, the person who would enquire the most regarding the well being of his neighbors, the most forbearing and tolerant, the most truthful and trustworthy, and the furthest from fighting, arguing, immorality and every evil. This is why his people gave him the title of Al-Ameen (the truthful one).
Hazrat Sulaimaan bin Shaazakooni (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
I once witnessed an incident that highlights the Taqwa and caution of Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah). I was present in Makkah Mukarramah when he left a bucket with a grain seller as collateral so that he could purchase some grain from him (on credit) to sustain himself.
After some time, Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) returned to the grain seller and paid him for the grain, securing the release of his collateral. The grain seller presented two buckets to Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) and said, “Look at these buckets and see which belongs to you.” Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) replied, “I cannot identify which of the buckets belongs to me. Hence, I absolve you of my bucket as well as the money that I paid you for the grain (i.e. you may keep the bucket and the money for the grain).” Saying this, Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) refused to take any of the buckets.
The grain seller thereafter remarked, “By Allah! I knew which bucket belonged to him, but I merely wished to test his Taqwa!”
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 9/451)
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.
‘Abdullah bin Jud‘aan was the cousin of Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) i.e. her father’s brother’s son. Once, Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘aan was an extraordinarily hospitable manand would feed the people often. Will this benefit him in any way on the Day of Qiyaamah?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “No! This is because he did not say:
رب اغفر لي خطيئتي يوم الدين
O my Sustainer! Pardon my sins on the Day of Reckoning!
In other words, he did not seek forgiveness for his sins at any time in his life (i.e. he did not bring Imaan).
Hazrat Husain Karaabeesee (rahimahullah) narrates, “I once spent a night with Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah). He would perform salaah for approximately one third of the night. I did not see Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) reciting more than fifty verses of the Qur’aan in his salaah. If he increased his recitation, than he would not recite more than one hundred verses. Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) would not recite a verse mentioning the mercy of Allah Ta‘ala without begging Allah Ta‘ala for His mercy, and similarly he would not recite a verse mentioning the punishment of Allah Ta‘ala without begging Allah Ta‘ala for His protection from punishment. It was as if Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) was a complete embodiment of both the fear of Allah Ta‘ala, and hope in the mercy of Allah Ta‘ala.”
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa’ 8/390)
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.
When the series of battles known as Harb-ul-Fujjaar drew to an end in Shawwaal, then an unsteady revival of Hilf-ul-Fudhool commenced in the sacred month of Zul-Qa’dah.
The first person to revive this pact was Zubair bin ‘Abdul Muttalib. The Banu Haashim and Banu Taym gathered in the home of ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘aan who had prepared food for all present. At that time, everybody present pledged to assist the oppressed. Whether the oppressed was related or unrelated in kinship, a local or foreigner, they undertook to assist him to the best of their ability.
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) once mentioned, “People’s memory and retention has become weak (that they cannot remember the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and quote them accurately).
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)
The Arabs had been engaged in a series of battles with each other for many years. However, how long could this continue for? After Harb-ul-Fujjaar was concluded, it occurred to some people that just as bloodshed and killing was previously brought to an end by a pact devised by Fadhl bin Fudhaalah, Fadhl bin Wadaa‘ah and Fudhail bin Haarith, whose names caused this pact to be popularly known as Hilf-ul-Fudhool, in the same way, there was today an urgent need to once again to revive this pact.
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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)
(Continued)
While speaking to them, the monk suddenly noticed a group of seven Romans coming towards him while searching for something. The priest asked them, “What are you searching for?” They replied, “We have come out in search of the Nabi in whose regard the Towrah and Injeel have given the glad tidings that he will be travelling in this month. We have thus dispatched men in all directions (to search for him).”
There was once a Muhaddith who possessed a kitaab of Hadith that was handwritten by none other than Imaam Ahmed bin Hambal (rahimahullah). Narrating the incident that led to him acquiring this kitaab, he mentioned:
We studied Ahaadith under Imaam Sufyaan bin ‘Uyainah (rahimahullah) for a period of one year. Once, Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) was absent from the lessons of Hadith for a few days. I wished to visit him, and so I made enquiries and was directed to where he was residing. When I arrived at the place to which I was directed, I found that Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) was residing in a cave in the area of Ajyaad (an area of Makkah Mukarramah near Safaa).
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)