The Throne Shook To His Death

Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh

May Allah be pleased with him

Some people hurried to Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh -the master of Al ’Aws- informing him that his cousin ’Asa‘d Ibn Zurârah had taken in Mus‘ab Ibn ‘Umair -who had come from Makkah to spread Islam in Al-Madînah- as a guest in his house… Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh went to him… He found Mus‘ab there… He was reading to the people from the Qur’ân, and speaking to them about Islam… As he himself heard the Qur’ân, it reached his heart… He gathered his tribe Banî ‘Abdul ’Ashhal and said: I forbid myself to even hear from you men and women any words until you become Muslims… So they all became Muslims… Sa‘d had a strong effect on people becoming Muslims… Banî ‘Abdul ’Ashhal opened their houses to the immigrants, and they comforted them by their money, they were most generous to them…

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, immigrated to Al-Madînah… Islam had spread quickly amongst its people because Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh the ’Aws master, and Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah, the Khazraj master had both become Muslims, and their tribes were the largest two tribes in Al-Madînah Al Munawwarah…

Before the battle of Badr, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, gathered his companions from the immigrants and Ansâr (Supporters) and told them: “O People, advise me”… Al Miqdâd Ibn ‘Amr spoke… He spoke well… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, repeated: “O People, advise me”… ’Abû Bakr As-Siddîq spoke, then ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb spoke also… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said again: “O people, advise me”.. And he looked at the Ansâr (Supporters)… For all the men who had spoken were from the immigrants… Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh stood up and said: By Allah, it seems that you want us to speak, O Prophet of Allah!!… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “Yes”… Sa‘d spoke saying: We believed in you and believed you, and we testify that what you came with is the Truth… We have given you our vow to be obedient… Therefore, go forth O Prophet of Allah to what you see right, for we are with you… By Him Who sent you with the Truth, if you decide to cross that sea with us, we shall go forth with you… Not even one man from us would stay behind… We do not fear meeting our enemy even if it were tomorrow… We are patient during war, and very stable when we confront the enemy… May Allah help us to perform in a manner that might please your sight… Therefore, carry on with us, depending on Allah’s blessing…Allah’s Prophet was delighted to hear those honest and brave words… He decided to go out to the battle of Badr and said: “Rejoice, for Allah has promised me that we will either gain victory, or die as martyrs… And by Allah, it is as if I’m looking at the non-believers being defeated”[1]…

Allah’s Promise is fulfilled, and the Muslims win the battle of Badr with the obvious support from Allah… Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh performs very well in that battle… Then during the battle of ’Uhud, Sa‘d was from the men who stood well with Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,…

Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh had been an ally to the Jews of Banî Quraizah before he became a Muslim, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, sent Sa‘d to ask them if they still kept their agreement with the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, that they would not support anyone against him… -That agreement that he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, had shared with them after he had immigrated to Al-Madînah, and had ensured them safety on their homes and their money-… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, wanted to find out whether the agreement was still valid, or did the Jews breach the agreement?!… For the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, had heard that some of the leaders of the Jews had gone out of Al-Madînah secretly, met with the leaders of Quraish, and motivated them to attack the Muslims in Al-Madînah, and that the Jews would breach their agreement with the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, go down from their fortress to attack the Muslims, and so they would surround them externally and internally, and so destroy their power completely… They did not stop at that… On their way out, they passed by the tribe of Ghatfân -which is one of the biggest Arab tribes- and made an agreement with ‘Uyaynah Ibn Hisn -their leader- to join Quraish in their attack to the Muslims in Al-Madînah … They promised him wealth and fruitage as a reward…

When Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh went to meet the Jews leaders in Quraizah asking them about their agreement with Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, they told him: There is no agreement nor any contact between us and Muhammad.…Their treachery was clarified, and their true intentions were obvious…

Then, all of Quraish joined by Ghatfân tribe, and some Arab tribes, come to attack the Muslim in Al-Madînah … Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, orders the Muslims to dig a Khandaq (trench) around Al-Madînah, and secure the women and children in fortresses to protect them from the enemy… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, sends an offer to the leader of Ghatfân tribe offering him to end the war and refrain, in return for one third of the fruitage of Al-Madînah… The offer was accepted… Before Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, signed the agreement, he, sent for the leaders of Al ’Aws and Al Khazraj: Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh and Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah, consulting them about the agreement… They told him: O Prophet of Allah… Is this your own decision, or is it an inspiration that you have received from Allah?… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “It is only a matter that I have decided upon for your own sake, for I have seen how the Arabs have all hit you in one blow, and surrounded you from all sides, that’s why I wanted to break their spears (Power), and lessen them in manpower against you”… Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh said: O Prophet of Allah… We were non-believers like these tribes… We worshipped idols… We did not worship nor know Allah… But Allah enlightened us, and granted us Islam… He leads us to it, and enriched us with you and Islam…Would we now give them one third of the fruitage of Al-Madînah?!… By Allah, we would not give them except the sword (War), until Allah judges between us and them… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was content with these words, and accordingly didn’t carry out the agreement with Ghatfân… Everyone started getting prepared for war… ‘Â’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, says: I was in the fortress of Banî Hârithah with the mother of Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh, the veil had not been known yet as Fard (Obligatory)… Sa‘d passed by wearing an armour that had a small part for his arm to come out of it… He had a spear in his hand… He was expressing in verse saying:

How he was anxious to fight..

And was not afraid of death…

Sa‘d’s mother said: Do not delay my son, go forth… So ‘Â’ishah said: O, ’Um Sa‘d… I wish that Sa‘d’s armour was larger and longer… She feared for him for he was hit by an arrow…

Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh was hurt in Al ’Akhal (A vein in the midst of his arm)… He started bleeding, so Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, ordered that he be transferred to a tent in the mosque, so that he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, would be close to him, and could see him whenever he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, wished…

Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, sends a strong wind to Quraish army and whoever is with them… It blows out their fires, ruin their tents, and spills their pots of food… ’Abû Sufyân calls upon the people saying: I am leaving, whoever wishes, may leave also… The different groups leave, for Allah had filled their hearts with terror and fear… The immigrants and Ansâr (Supporters) of Al-Madînah return safely and happily to their homes, celebrating the victory that Allah had granted them…

Jibrîl comes to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, in his house, while he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was preparing to take off the clothes of war… He tells him: Allah orders you to go now to Banî Quraizah, who have breached their agreement with you…

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, goes out to his companions saying: “Whosoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment, should offer the ‘Asr prayer but at Banî Quraizah (’s place)”[2]…

The ‘Asr prayer was due for some of them on the way. Some of those said: We will not offer it till we reach it, the place (fortress) of Banî Quraizah, while some others said: No, we will pray at this spot, for the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,  did not mean that for us. Later on it was mentioned to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and he did not berate any of the two groups…

The Muslims surrounded the fortresses of Banî Quraizah for twenty five days until they gave up on one condition, that there previous ally, Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh, lay judgement on them… He was lying hurt in the tent of the mosque… His bleeding has stopped during the days of the siege, as he had prayed to Allah when he was hurt saying: O Allah! I think You have put to an end the fight between us and them (i.e. Quraish infidels). And if there still remains any fight with the Quraish (infidels), then keep me alive till I fight against them Your Sake.. You know that there is nothing more beloved to me than to fight in Your Cause against those who disbelieved Your Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,  and turned him out (of Makkah).… But if You have brought the war to an end, then let this wound burst and cause my death thereby… and do not let me die until I get even with Banî Quraizah.

The people of Banî Quraizah agreed to accept the verdict of  Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh. So the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, sent for Sa‘d, and the latter came riding a donkey and when he approaches the Mosque, the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said to the Ansâr: “Get up for your chief or for the best among you”… So they stood up… The Jews tell him: O ’Abû ‘Amr, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, has elected you to judge upon the people… Sa‘d said: Then do you abide by Allah’s law and his doctrine?!… They said: Yes… Sa‘d said: Do all the men present here abide by that?… He was looking towards where Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and his companions were sitting, yet Sa‘d was avoiding to look directly in Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, eyes out of respect to him…Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “Yes”… Sa‘d said: If I give my judgement that their warriors should be killed, their women and children should be taken as captives, and their properties distributed.… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “You have judged according to Allah’s judgement” or said: “according to the King’s judgement” …

Allah had fulfilled Sa‘d’s wish, when Sa‘d prayed: (O Allah, do not let me die until I get even with Banî Quraizah)… For the blood burst out of his wound again after it had stopped for twenty-five days… He was carried to his tent in the mosque… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and ’Abû Bakr and ‘Umar went to him… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, embraced him, while Sa‘d’s blood was spilling all over Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,… ’Abû Bakr came saying: I feel that my back has been broken!! (Meaning a great Muslim has been lost)… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, replied: “Mah” (Meaning, keep quiet) … ‘Umar interrupted saying: We belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return… Every one started weeping… ‘Â’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, says: I swear, by Him Whose Hands my soul is, I could not differentiate between ’Abû Bakr and ‘Umar’s weeping…

Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,  holding Sa‘d prays to Allah saying: “O Allah. If Sa‘d has fought in Cause of You, he believed Your Prophet, and did what he had to do… O Allah, receive his soul with all the good that you would receive a blessed soul” … Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh opens his eyes, looks at Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and says: Peace be on you, O Prophet of Allah… I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah … The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, tells him: “Felicitate ’Abû ‘Amr… Felicitate ’Abû ‘Amr”…

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, returns home… Jibrîl comes to him saying: O Prophet of Allah… Who is that soul that made the gates of Paradise open, and the Throne of Allah shook?!… Allah’s  Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, rushed quickly towards Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh’s tent to find he had just died… After burying Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, returns home… As his tears are falling on his beard, he Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, tells his companions: “The Throne of the Beneficent shook because of the death of Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh!!… Seventy thousand angels coming to the earth for the first time came from Heaven to share in his funeral… Indeed, Allah has granted him that honour”[3]…

Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh’s mother cries aloud bewailing her son saying:

Woe to ’Um Sa‘d for losing Sa‘d,

For he was ingenious and smart…

Woe to ’Um Sa‘d for losing Sa‘d,

For he was stringent and strong…

Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, hears her and says: “Everyone who bewails is a liar, except Sa‘d’s mother”[4]…

Sa‘d, may Allah be pleased with him, was only thirty seven years old when he died… He was thirty-one when he became a Muslim… That meant that he spent only six years serving Islam, and yet, his effect towards spreading Islam was vast…

“Felicitate ’Abû ‘Amr… Felicitate ’Abû ‘Amr”.