I Am But A Man Who Belongs to My People

Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah

May Allah be pleased with him

As soon as Quraish heard about the group of Ansâr (Supporters) who came to give the pledge of allegiance to Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, in Bai‘at-ul-‘Aqabah, they became very furious… They went out to fight those who protected the men who insulted their god, and mocked their ambition… They find only Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah, the master of Ansâr (Supporters), and their leader… They tied him down and dragged him to Makkah… They hit him severely… No one could save him from their hands except Jubair Ibn Mut‘im, the one that Sa‘d used to help him manage his trade for him in Al-Madînah… Sa‘d was the only man from the Ansâr (Supporters) who was hurt by the non-believers as much as the early immigrants have been hurt…

Sa‘d returns to Al-Madînah and Islam starts invading the houses of his tribe of Al Khazraj when they knew that their leader and master, and most generous man of them Sa‘d has become a Muslim, they became Muslims too…

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, immigrates to Al-Madînah… He is received by Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah… Every day Sa‘d takes him Tharîd[1] wherever he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, went… He provides food, and takes care of eighty of the immigrants… He was the most generous of all the Ansâr (Supporters)… He would ask Allah for abundance saying: O Allah, you know little is not suitable to me, and I do not function well with little money… For he was used to generosity and in his father’s house; ‘Ubâdah and his grandfather’s house Dulaym… He brought up his son Qays the same way… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said about him:  “He comes from a generous house”[2].. The Ansâr (Supporters) said about him: Qays Ibn Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah is one of the most generous and giving people…

Qays Ibn Sa‘d relates how his father was keen on winning Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, blessing, he says: Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, visited us in our home and said: “Al Salâmu ‘Alaykum Wa Rahmatu Allah” (Allah’s peace and mercy be on you)… Qays says: Sa‘d replied in a very low voice… I said: Won’t you let the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, in.. Sa‘d said: Let him repeat his greeting to us… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “Al Salâmu ‘Alaykum Wa Rahmatu Allah” and he said it again and again, when there was no reply he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, left, Sa‘d followed him and said: O Prophet of Allah… I heard your greetings, but I answered you quietly, so that you would repeat your greetings to us… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, returned home with him… Sa‘d ordered that the bath be prepared for Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, and he, had a bath… Sa‘d gave the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, a big towel and he, wrapped himself in it, then he held up his arms praying and said: “O Allah, grant your blessings and mercy to ’Âla Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah (Sa‘d’s family)”[3]…

Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah joins in the battle of Badr with Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,… He proves himself well in it, for he was one of the most skilful archers… He becomes one of Allah’s Prophet’s, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, soldiers, and a representative to Ansâr (Supporters)… He joins in all the conquests until it is time for Ghazwat-ul-Khandaq… The non-believers surround Al-Madînah from all sides… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, sends to Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah the master of Al Khazraj tribe and Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘âdh the master of Al-’Aws tribe, counselling them whether he should offer ‘Uyaynah Ibn Hisn one third of the fruitage of Al-Madînah in return for evacuating Ghatfân tribe completely, in that way, the number of the non-believers surrounding Al-Madînah would decrease.

To that they reply: O Prophet of Allah… If you have been ordered by Allah to do that, then go ahead… But if otherwise… Then by Allah, we give them nothing in return except the sword (war)… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “I have not been ordered, that is an opinion… How do you both consider it”…

They said: O Prophet of Allah… They have never taken anything from us during Jâhilia (Pre-Islamic time)… How could that happen now after Allah has blessed us by having you… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was pleased by their reply and carried out their wish… Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, helped the Muslims by sending severe wind that destroyed the non-believers’ tents, causing their food to be spilt… That dispersed them, and so by Allah’s help, the Muslims did not have to go through a war…

Time passes, and it is time for the Ghazwa of Al Fath…The day of the conquest of Makkah… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, goes to the battle joined by ten thousand fighters… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, gives the banner of Ansâr (Supporters) to Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah… He orders that the battalion be checked by ’Abû Sufyân who had become a Muslim, and had come to negotiate with the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, how to avoid blood-shed, and ensuring protection for Quraish, in return for the surrender of all the people… When Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah passed by, he saw ’Abû Sufyân, he remembered the torture and humiliation he had experienced during the day of Bai‘at-ul-‘Aqabah.. He also remembered what Quraish had done to the early Muslims… Accordingly, he told ’Abû Sufyân: Today is the day of great battle, and today the (what is prohibited in) the Kabbah will be permissible… Today Allah humiliates Quraish… ’Abû Sufyân trembles, and goes to Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, saying: O Prophet of Allah… Have you ordered that your people be killed?… Sa‘d claims that he fights us… He related to him Sa‘d’s saying… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, says: “O ’Abû Sufyân… Today is the day of mercy… today Allah exalts Quraish”…

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, orders that the flag is taken from Sa‘d, and given to his son Qays Ibn Sa‘d… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, enters Makkah peacefully… He orders a man to announce: “Whosoever enters the mosque is safe, and whoever enters his house is safe, and whoever enters ’Abû Sufyân’s house is safe also”[4]…

Time passes, and the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, hears that some Arabian tribes from Hawâzin and Thaqîf have decided to fight him, and that they have all gone out taking their money, their women and their children, so that none of them would escape… By doing so, they took a decisive action; for Makkah had been opened, and all its citizens had become Muslims and it seemed like all the Arab Island was about to follow Muhammad’s Message… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, goes out to meet them in the battle of Hunain… Allah grants the Muslims victory, but they were about to lose the battle when some of the Muslims were deceived in their own power saying: We shall not be overtaken today by a minority… Had it not been that Allah had forgiven them, after showing them how they felt weak, and wanted to escape, even when they were many in number…It was only through Allah’s support to them that they later felt secure and peaceful… To comfort them, Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, called upon them saying: “O you people, I am the Prophet undoubtedly, I am the son of ‘Abdul Muttalib”[5] (Assuring them he is there and safe)…

The attacking tribes fled, leaving behind them: money, children, women, sheep and camel, which were all taken by the Muslims… It was the largest amount of booty that the Muslim had ever laid their hands upon, granted to them from Allah…

Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, started distributing the booty… He gave most of it to Quraish and the men who had just become Muslims… He did not include Ansâr (Supporters)… Some of them said: By Allah, the Prophet has found his own people!!.. (Meaning that he has forgotten us to his people)… A rumour spread that the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, would not return with them, after his people had become Muslims, and Makkah became his, he would probably settle down in Makkah and leave the Ansâr (Supporters)… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, heard that rumour… He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, sent to the supporters master and leader; Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah asking him: “What do the people say?!”… Sa‘d said: Those people of Ansâr (Supporters) say: The Prophet has found his own people!!.. So he, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, has given out most of the booty to his people, and those chosen ones from Quraish,  and the men who had just become Muslims, but he has given non to Ansâr (Supporters)…Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, told him: “And what do you say about that Sa‘d?!”… Sa‘d said: O Prophet of Allah… I am but a man who belongs to my people… He was truly honest, courageous and tactful, and above all polite in expressing himself in words…  For he wanted to say how he agreed with his people’s opinion… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, told him: “Then, call upon your people for a meeting”… Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah arranged for a meeting for Ansâr (Supporters) to gather in a Saqîfah (shed) prepared for that meeting… Only a few of the immigrants were allowed to attend, from these few were: ’Abû Bakr As-Siddîq and ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb, may Allah be pleased with them,… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, entered and spoke saying: “O the assembly of Ansâr!… What is this talk being informed to me about you; something you have felt within yourselves!!.. O the assembly of Ansâr, didn’t I find you astray, and then Allah guided you on the Right Path through me?!.. You were divided into groups, and Allah brought you together through me; you were poor and Allah made you rich through me?!”… Whatever the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said they (i.e. the Ansâr) said: Allah and His Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, have more favours to do… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “What stops you from answering the Prophet of Allah?”.. But whatever he said to them, they replied: Allah and His Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, have more favours to do… The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “By Allah, if you wish you could say the truth, and I shall believe you… Maybe you would say: Didn’t you come to us defeated and we helped you to achieve victory?… Didn’t you come to us -and no one believed you- but we believed you?… Didn’t you come to us in poverty, and we have made you rich?… Didn’t you come to us homeless, and we kept you in?”… They said: Allah and His Prophet have more favours to do…He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “O the assembly of Ansâr… Do you believe that the unity that has made a bond between your hearts was based on any of the world’s benefits?…   I leave you to your belief to be your conscience?… By Him Who has sent me with the Truth, but for the Migration, I would have been one of Ansâr (Supporters)… The people are ‘Dithâr’ (i.e. those clothes which are not in direct contact with the body and are worn over other garments), and Ansâr are ‘Shi‘âr (i.e.those clothes which are in direct contact with the body and worn inside the other garments)… O the assembly of Ansâr…By Allah, if the people took their way through a valley or a mountain pass, I would select the valley or the mountain pass of the Ansâr… O the assembly of Ansâr…wouldn’t  you be willing to see the people go away with sheep and camels, while you go with the Allah’s Prophet to your homes… O Allah… Forgive Ansâr, their children, and their grand children!”[6]…

The Ansar people wept until their tears wet their beards… They regretted what they had said and thought, but they were happy and optimistic that Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was returning with them to their country… To Al-Madînah, the place that was regarded as a refuge and a fortress to the early Muslims, and it will always reject any malice, just like a forge rejects the clinker of the iron… On the other hand, faith will be attracted to it, just like a serpent is attracted to its burrow… That is how Al-Madînah was described by Allah’s Prophet Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,…

Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, was indeed faithful to Ansar people who had believed in him, believed him, taken him in, comforted him, and followed the light he had come with… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, remained in Al-Madînah, living amongst its people, for He, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, had chosen it as his home, and his residence until he died, and his pure noble body was buried in its ground…

The Ansâr gathered in Saqîfat (shed) Banî Sâ‘idah to give the pledge of allegiance to Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah as a Khalifah (Caliph)… ’Abû Bakr joins them… ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattâb also joins them, he tells them: O the assembly of Ansâr (Supporters)… Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, has accepted ’Abû Bakr to lead us in prayer, and entrusted him to our religion… Wouldn’t we trust him to our worldly affairs?… Some of Ansâr (Supporters) said: There must be a ruler from us and a ruler from you.. ‘Umar says: Two swords in one scabbard would not do!!… (Meaning two people cannot rule at the same time)… So the people give the pledge of allegiance to ’Abû Bakr As-Siddîq to be the Khalifah (Caliph)…

Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubâdah left to Shâ’m… He, may Allah be pleased with him, died there four years later… He joined with the early blessed men… May Allah be pleased with them…