Sa’d ibn Muaz radiya Llahu ‘anhu

Sa’d ibn Muaz

He is Sayyidina Sa’d ibn Muaz ibn al Nu’man al Ansari al Ash-hali, Abu ‘Amr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. The leader of the Aws. His mother is Sayyidah Kabshah bint Rafi’ radiya Llahu ‘anha, a Sahabiyyah.

He embraced Islam at the hands of Sayyidina Mus’ab ibn ‘Umair radiya Llahu ‘anhu after the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sent him to Madinah to teach the Muslims. After he accepted Islam, he told the Banu ‘Abdul Ash-hal, “Speaking to your men folk and women folk is forbidden for me until you accept Islam.” Consequently, they all entered the fold of Islam.[1] He is one of the greatest people with regards to blessings in Islam. He participated in Badr―there is no dispute over this―and was present at Uhud and Khandaq as well.[2]

و عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال لما أرسل رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إلى سعد بن معاذ ليحضر يحكم في قريظة فأقبل على حمار فلما دنا من النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال قوموا إلى سيدكم أو قال خيركم احكم فيهم قال أحكم فيهم أن تقتل مقاتلتهم و تسبي ذراريهم فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم حكمت بحكم الملك

On the authority of Sayyidina Abu Sa’id al Khudri radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sent a message to Sa’d ibn Muaz to pass judgement regarding the Qurayzah. In compliance, he came on a donkey. As he drew close to the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the latter said, “Stand up to your leader―or he said: the best of you. Pass judgement over them.”

Sa’d announced, “I decide regarding them that their warriors be executed and their children be taken captive.”

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam remarked, “You have judged with the judgement of a King.”[3]

و عن جابر قال رمي يوم الأحزاب سعد بن معاذ فقطعوا أكحله فحسمه رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم بالنار فانتفخت يده و نزفه الدم فلما رآى ذلك قال اللهم لا تخرج نفسي حتى تقر عيني في بني قريظة فاستمسك عرقه فما قطر قطرة حتى نزل بنو قريظة على حكمه و كان حكمه فيهم أن تقتل رجالهم و تسبى نساؤهم و ذريتهم فيستعين بها المسلمون فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أصبت حكم الله فيهم و كانوا أربعمائة فلما فرغ من قتلهم انفتق عرقه فمات

Jabir radiya Llahu ‘anhu reports:

Sa’d ibn Muaz was shot with an arrow on the Day of Ahzab which cut his medial arm vein. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam branded it with fire. His hand swelled and he lost much blood. When he saw this, he prayed, “O Allah, do not remove my soul until my eyes are cooled with regards to the Banu Qurayzah.” Upon this, his vein closed and not a single drop of blood dripped. Finally, the Banu Qurayzah settled upon his decision. His decision in their regard was that their men be killed and their women and children be enslaved, so the Muslims can make use of them. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam observed, “You attained Allah’s decision in their regard.”

They were four hundred in number. After they were executed, his vein opened which led to his death.[4]

Sayyidah Aisha says:

كان في بني عبد الأشهل ثلاثة لم يكن بعد النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أحد من المسلمين أفضل منهم سعد بن معاذ و أسيد بن حضير و عباد بن بشر

There were three men of the Banu ‘Abdul Ash-hal; none of the Muslims were superior to them in excellence after the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: Sa’d ibn Muaz, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and ‘Abbad ibn Bishr.[5]

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam announced:

اهتز العرش لموت سعد بن معاذ

The ‘Arsh shook at the demise of Sa’d ibn Muaz.

It is also reported with the words, “The ‘Arsh of al Rahman …”[6]

Hafiz Ibn Hajar says, “This is a hadith narrated via a mutawatir amount of chains and reported by a number of Sahabah.”

A man from the Ansar recited:

و ما اهتز عرش الله من موت هالك … سمعنا به إلا لسعد أبي عمرو

The ‘Arsh of Allah did not shake at the death of anyone we heard of besides Sa’d Abu ‘Amr.[7]

As regards his glad tidings of Jannat, it is established in the hadith of Sayyidina Bara’ ibn ‘Azib and Sayyidina Anas ibn Malik radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. The narration of Sayyidina Bara’ ibn ‘Azib radiya Llahu ‘anhu is:

أهدي للنبي صلى الله عليه و سلم ثوب حرير فجعلنا نلمسه و نتعجب منه فقال النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أتعجبين من هذا قلنا نعم قال مناديل سعد بن معاذ في الجنة خير من هذا

A silk cloth was gifted to the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. We began touching it and expressing amazement at it. The Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam asked, “Are you amazed at this?”

We replied in the affirmative.

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam stated, “Sa’d ibn Muaz’s handkerchiefs in Jannat are superior to this.”^{^[8]}

This hadith is documented by al Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahih compilations.

NEXT⇒ Salman al Farisi radiya Llahu ‘anhu

[1] Sirat Ibn Hisham, vol. 1 pg. 435.

[2] Usd al Ghabah, vol. 1 pg. 422.

[3] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 2907; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 1768.

[4] Al Sunan al Kubra, Hadith: 8679; Sunan al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 1582. Abu ‘Isa said, “This is a hassan sahih hadith.”

[5] Al Mustadrak, vol. 3 pg. 254.

[6] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 3592; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2461.

[7] Al Isti’ab, vol. 1 pg. 181; Usd al Ghabah, vol. 1 pg. 442; al Isabah, vol. 3 pg. 84.

[8] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 5498; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2469 – from Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu.

BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents