Sad ibn Ubadah ibn Dulaym Al Ansari () (d. 637) was the chief of the Sa'ida clan of the
Khazraj
The Banu Khazraj () is a large Arab tribe based in Medina. They were also in Medina during Muhammad's era.
The Banu Khazraj are a South Arabian Qahtanite tribe that were pressured out of South Arabia as a result of the destruction of the Marib ...
tribe in
Medina
Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
in the early seventh century. He was later recognised as the chief of the whole Khazraj tribe, and then of all the ''
Ansar''. He was a prominent
companion of the Islamic prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
and made an abortive attempt to nominate himself as
caliph
A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
of
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
after Muhammad's death.
Family
He was the son of 'Ubadah ibn Dulaym, chief of the Sa'ida clan,
[Muhammad ibn Ishaq. ''Sirat Rasul Allah''. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). ''The Life of Muhammad''. Oxford: Oxford University Press.][Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). ''The Companions of Badr''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.][Muhammad ibn Umar al-Waqidi. ''Kitab al-Maghazi''. Translated by Faizer, R., Ismail, A., & Tayob, A. K. (2011). ''The Life of Muhammad''. London & New York: Routledge.] and of Amra al-Thalitha bint Masud, who was from the Najjar clan of the Khazraj.
[ He had two sisters, Mandwas and Layla.][Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). ''The Women of Madina''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.]
His first wife, Fukayha bint Ubayd ibn Dulaym, was his agnatic cousin.[ They had three children: ]Qays
Qays ʿAylān (), often referred to simply as Qays (''Kais'' or ''Ḳays'') were an Arab tribal confederation that branched from the Mudar group. The tribe may not have functioned as a unit in pre-Islamic Arabia (before 630). However, by the ea ...
, Umama and Sadus.[ His second wife, Ghaziya bint Sa'd, was also from the Sa'ida clan. Their sons were Sa'id, Muhammad and Abdulrahman.][
]
Early life
Described as physically "very hairy,”[ Sa'd was reckoned one of the "perfect" Arabs because he was good at archery and swimming and could write in Arabic.][
His generosity was widely acknowledged.][ The Khazraj said of him: "He is our master and the son of our master. They used to provide food during the droughts, to transport the weary, to welcome guests, to give during disasters and to protect the community."][ His son Qays said that he underwrote the debts of "the most distant relatives" in addition to helping poor people and feeding the community during famines.][ A ]Bedouin
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...
testified, "You possess the highest and most noble character. You are not censured even by those who have no knowledge of your position."[ Sa'd used to stand on his fortress, calling, "Whoever likes fat or meat should come to Sa'd ibn Ubadah."][
He was also known for his hot temper][Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari. ''Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk''. Translated by Fishbein, M. (1997). ''Volume 8: The Victory of Islam''. Albany: State University of New York Press.] and for his tribal pride.[Muslim 37:6673.] He used to pray: "O God, give me praise and glory. I can't have glory without action, and I can't act without money. O God, I need more than a little money to put myself right and put right with it."[ He was annoyed when Muhammad once described the Abdulashhal clan as the best of the ''Ansar'', followed by the Najjar, the Harith, the Sa'ida and then all the rest. He asked, "Are we only fourth?" and had to be dissuaded from confronting Muhammad about it to his face.
Sa'd had commercial relationships with ]Mecca
Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
. He guaranteed the safety of the merchants of Jubayr ibn Mut'im Jubayr or Jubair is an Arabic masculine given name, which means "mender", "unbreaker".
People named Jubayr include:
* Jubair ibn Mut'im
People using it in their patronymic include:
* Sa'id ibn Jubayr
*Ibn Jubayr
People using it in their family n ...
and Harith ibn Harb while they were in the territory of Medina.[
]
Conversion to Islam
Sa'd ibn Ubadah converted to Islam at an early date, in the year before Muhammad's arrival in Medina, and consequently he broke all the idols of the Sa'ida clan.[
]
Second Pledge of Aqaba
Sa'd was among the 75 converts from Medina who took the Second Pledge at Aqaba in July 622.[ Muhammad selected him as one of the twelve leaders who would "take charge of their people's affairs."][
When ]Quraysh
The Quraysh () are an Tribes of Arabia, Arab tribe who controlled Mecca before the rise of Islam. Their members were divided into ten main clans, most notably including the Banu Hashim, into which Islam's founding prophet Muhammad was born. By ...
realised that war had been declared on them, they pursued the pledge-takers, who were already on the road home to Medina. They captured Sa'd, tied his hands to his neck and brought him back to Mecca, dragging him by the hair and beating him. Suhayl ibn Amr
Suhayl ibn ʿAmr (), also known as Abū Yazīd, was a contemporary of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a prominent leader among the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. Clever and articulate, he was known as the '' Khatib'' (orator) of his tribe, and his o ...
slapped his face. Finally Abu'l-Bakhtari ibn Hisham[Abdulmalik ibn Hisham. ''Notes to Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah''. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). ''The Life of Muhammad''. Oxford: Oxford University Press.] took pity on him and asked: "You poor devil, doesn't any Quraysh owe you protection?" Sa'd then remembered to call out the names of Jubayr ibn Mutim and Al-Harith ibn Harb. They came from the Kaaba
The Kaaba (), also spelled Kaba, Kabah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaba al-Musharrafa (), is a stone building at the center of Islam's most important mosque and Holiest sites in Islam, holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Sa ...
and told the captors to release him; so Sa'd went home.[
]
The Hijrah
When Muhammad arrived in Medina, Sa'd was among those who invited him to stay in their homes at their expense. But Muhammad said that his camel was under God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
's orders and she should decide where he would stay.[
Sa'd was thought a pious man.][ Every day he sent a bowl of meat stew or clarified butter or milk to Muhammad, who took it with him as he visited each of his wives in turn.][ From March 624 until May 627 Sa'd hosted al-Miqdad ibn Amr and Khabbab ibn al-Aratt in his home.][ At the Battle of the Ditch he supplied the army with a load of dates.][
]
Relationship with Muhammad
Soon after Muhammad's arrival in Medina, Sa'd fell sick. He received a visit from Muhammad, who was red-faced with anger, and his adoptive grandson Usama. Muhammad explained to Sa'd that Abdullah ibn Ubayy
Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy (, died 631), also called Ibn Salul in reference to his grandmother, was a chief of the Arab tribe Banu Khazraj and one of the leading men of Medina (then known as Yathrib). Upon the arrival of Muhammad, Ibn Ubayy became a Mus ...
had rejected Islam and forbidden him to discuss it in Abdullah's house. Sa'd advised Muhammad: "Don't be hard on him; for God sent you to us as we were making a diadem to crown him, and he thinks that you have robbed him of a kingdom."[
On a different condolence-visit, Muhammad was accompanied by ]Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf (; born ʿAbd Amr ibn ʿAwf; ) was one of the companions of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. One of the wealthiest among the companions, he is known for being one of the ten to whom Paradise was promised.
Background ...
, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas ibn Wuhayb al-Zuhri () was an Arabs, Arab Muslims, Muslim commander. He was the founder of Kufa and served as its governor under Umar, Umar ibn al-Khattab. He played a leading role in the Muslim conquest of Persia and was a cl ...
and Abdullah ibn Masud. Sa'd was unconscious when his visitors arrived, and Muhammad asked if he had died. Although he had not, Muhammad wept, and his friends wept with him. Muhammad told them that silent tears were permitted but that Allah might punish them for loud wailing. Later Muhammad heard that Sa'd was better, so he asked the assembly who would like to go to visit. More than ten Muslims stood up with him, "and we had neither shoes with us, nor socks, nor caps, nor shirts." They walked "on the barren land" in the scorching heat of Medina until they reached Sa'd's house.
On another occasion, Sa'd was sitting at home when Muhammad knocked at the door, calling, "Peace be with you!" Sa'd kept silent. Muhammad called a second and a third time, then decided that Sa'd must be out. As he was leaving, Sa'd ran up to call him back, explaining: "I did hear you, but I wanted to have a lot of your peace for me and my family."
Muhammad said, on receiving from him a gift of dates and ten camels for slaughter, "What a good man Sa'd ibn Ubadah is! The best of the people in Islam are those who were the best in the '' Jahiliya'' when they understand the religion."[ On the way to the ]Farewell Pilgrimage
The Farewell Pilgrimage () refers to the one Hajj pilgrimage that Muhammad performed in the Islamic year 10 AH, following the Conquest of Mecca. Muslims believe that verse 22:27 of the Quran brought about the intent to perform Hajj in Muhammad tha ...
, Sa'd heard that Abu Bakr
Abd Allah ibn Abi Quhafa (23 August 634), better known by his ''Kunya (Arabic), kunya'' Abu Bakr, was a senior Sahaba, companion, the closest friend, and father-in-law of Muhammad. He served as the first caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruli ...
had lost his camel. He and his son Qays came at once to Muhammad to give him a new camel laden with provisions. Muhammad tried to refuse the gift, for the lost camel had been found, but Sa'd told him: "What you take from our wealth is more precious to us than what you do not take."[
]
Questions about Islam
Sa'd's mother, Amra, died while he was away at Dumat al-Jandal
Dumat al-Jandal (, ), also known as Al-Jawf or Al-Jouf (), which refers to Wadi Sirhan, is an ancient city of ruins and the historical capital of the Al Jawf Province, today in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It is located 37 km from Sakakah.
...
in 626. When the army returned to Medina, Muhammad prayed over her grave. Sa'd asked about a vow that Amra had been unable to keep before she died, and Muhammad said, "Fulfil it for her."[ So Sa'd gave away his garden al-Mikhraf as charity on her behalf. Muhammad said that the best form of charity was "making water flow," and Sa'd donated water for public drinking to the mosque.][
Sa'd once asked Muhammad: "Tell me, if a man finds his wife with another man, should he kill him?" Muhammad replied, "No."][Muslim 9:3569.] Sa'd asked if he should wait until he had four witnesses, and Muhammad said, "Yes." "By no means!" exclaimed Sa'd. "I swear, I would hurry to strike him with my sword before then, and not with the flat side!" Muhammad told the assembly: "Listen to what your chief says. Are you surprised at Sa'd's jealousy for his honour? I am more jealous for my honour than he is, and God is more jealous than I am. Because of his jealousy God has prohibited abomination, both open and secret. No person is more jealous than God; and no person is fonder of accepting an excuse than God, on account of which he has sent messengers; and no one is fonder of praise than God, on account of which he has promised Paradise."
Internal politics of Medina
Community relationships
In the early period after Muhammad's arrival, Sa'd urged the Jews of Medina to accept Islam. "Fear God," he said, "for you know right well that uhammadis God's Messenger, of whom you used to speak to us before his mission and describe him to us." The Jews replied: "We never said that to you, and God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
has sent down no book since Moses
In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...
nor sent an evangelist or warner after him."[
Abdullah ibn Ubayy, chief of the Awf clan and unofficially chief of the Khazraj tribe, lost status in Medina after the ]Battle of Uhud
The Battle of Uhud () was fought between the early Muslims and the Quraysh during the Muslim–Quraysh wars in a valley north of Mount Uhud near Medina on Saturday, 23 March 625 AD (7 Shawwal, 3 AH).
After the expulsion of Hijrah, Muslims from ...
in 625.[ Sa'd ibn Ubadah then came to be regarded as the most important Khazraj chief.][ After the death of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, the Aws chief, in May 627, Sa'd ibn Ubadah was recognised as the leader of all the ''Ansar''.
Saad's son Qays was among 300 men who were sent under ]Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah
ʿĀmir ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Jarrāḥ (; 583–639), better known as Abū ʿUbayda () was a Muslim commander and one of the Companions of the Prophet. He is mostly known for being one of the ten to whom Paradise was promised. He was comm ...
against the Juhayna
The Juhaynah ( ; ) are a nomad tribe of the Arabian Peninsula and the largest clan of Banu Quda'a. They are one of the most powerful Arabian tribes that rule important parts of the Arabian Peninsula. The clan remains prevalent in the Arabian P ...
tribe in October 629. There was no food and the men were hungry. Qays began to buy camels on his father's credit to slaughter for the army.[ After three days of this, Abu Ubayda stopped him, saying that he must not spend his father's money without permission. Umar supported Abu Ubayda's argument, and Qays was "most rude" to Umar. When Sa'd heard about the army's hunger, he said: "If I know Qays, he will slaughter for the people!" When Qays returned and told him the story of how Abu Ubayda had halted his spending, Sa'd immediately gave his son four date-orchards so that in future he would have money that was legally his own. Then he paid off the debts.][
Sa'd was one of those who laid the corpse of Abdullah ibn Ubayy at his burial.][
]
The accusation against Aisha
Abdullah ibn Ubayy encouraged rumours that Muhammad's wife Aisha
Aisha bint Abi Bakr () was a seventh century Arab commander, politician, Muhaddith, muhadditha and the third and youngest wife of the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad.
Aisha had an important role in early Islamic h ...
had committed adultery. Muhammad addressed the Muslims in the mosque about it: "Why do certain men lie about my family?"[ An Aws leader, Usayd ibn Hudayr, replied: "If they are of Aws let us rid you of them; and if they are of the Khazraj give us your orders, for they ought to have their heads cut off." Sa'd ibn Ubadah stood up and retorted: "By Allah, you lie. They shall not be beheaded. You would not have said this if you had not known that they were of Khazraj. If they had been your own people, you would not have said it."][
Sa'd's words triggered a loud quarrel in the mosque. Usayd ibn Hudayr retorted, "Liar yourself!][ We would certainly kill him, despite your efforts. You are a hypocrite who defends hypocrites!][ By God, if the Messenger desired the head of my closest relative, I would bring it to him before he could stand up. But I don’t know what the Messenger wants."][ Sa'ad told him: "You Aws insist on treating us with the resentment that was between us in the ''Jahiliya''. By God, there is no need to remember it. Surely you know who was victorious in it. Indeed, God extinguished all of that with Islam."][ Usayd stood up and said, "You saw our stand at the Battle of Bu'ath!"
At this Sa'd was so angry that he called out: "O Sons of Khazraj!" and all the Khazraj came to stand on his side. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh called out, "O Sons of Aws!" and the Aws went to stand next to him. With the two tribes lined up, a Khazraj man unsheathed a sword, announcing, "I will cut off the head of the hypocrite in his hideout!" Usayd met him and said: "Drop it! A weapon is brought out only by the command of Allah's Messenger. If we knew that the Messenger had such a desire or command, then we would do this faster than you." Muhammad called for silence, stepped down from the pulpit and managed to calm them down.][
The accused man, Safwan ibn Mu'attal, attacked one of the slanderers, ]Hassan ibn Thabit
Hassan ibn Thabit () (born c. 563, Medina died 674) was an Arabian poet and one of the companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who was best known for poems in defense of the prophet.
He was born in Medina, and was a member of the Banu Khazr ...
. Hassan's friends captured Safwan, tied him up and kept him in prison. Sa'd made peace between them. He persuaded Hassan's friends to release Safwan and to drop their blood-claim against him; then he gave Safwan new clothes. He then compensated Hassan for the sword-cut by giving him a valuable palm-tree garden.[
]
Military career under Muhammad
Sa'd fought in most of Muhammad's battles.[ He is listed at Uhud, at ]Dumat al-Jandal
Dumat al-Jandal (, ), also known as Al-Jawf or Al-Jouf (), which refers to Wadi Sirhan, is an ancient city of ruins and the historical capital of the Al Jawf Province, today in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It is located 37 km from Sakakah.
...
, at the Battle of the Ditch,[ at Muraysi,][ at ]Khaybar
KhaybarOther Arabic transliteration, standardized Arabic transliterations: / . Anglicized pronunciation: , . (, ) is an oasis in Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province, Saudi Arabia, situated some north of the city of Medina. Prior to ...
,[ at the ]Conquest of Mecca
The conquest of Mecca ( , alternatively, "liberation of Mecca") was a military campaign undertaken by Muhammad and Companions of the Prophet, his companions during the Muslim–Quraysh War. They led the early Muslims in an advance on the Quray ...
,[ (at the last three of which he carried the ''Ansars banner), at Hunayn][ and at ]Ta'if
Taif (, ) is a city and governorate in Mecca Province in Saudi Arabia. Located at an elevation of in the slopes of the Hijaz Mountains, which themselves are part of the Sarawat Mountains, Sarat Mountains, the city has a population of 563,282 pe ...
.[
]
The Battle of Badr
When Muhammad heard that Abu Sufyan
Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayya (; ), commonly known by his ' Abu Sufiyan (), was a prominent opponent-turned companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was the father of the first Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya I () and namesake of the S ...
's caravan was returning from Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
, he consulted the Muslims over whether to attack. He did not listen to either Abu Bakr or Umar
Umar ibn al-Khattab (; ), also spelled Omar, was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () and is regarded as a senior companion and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Mu ...
. Then Sa'd ibn Ubadah stood up and said: "Allah's Messenger, you want us he ''Ansar'' to speak If you ordered us to plunge our horses into the sea, we would do so. If you ordered us to goad our horses as far as Bark al-Ghimad, we would do so." Muhammad then called upon the men to march to Badr.
Sa'd intended to fight at Badr. He provided twenty camels for the expedition and he gave Muhammad a sword named al-Abd. He went around the city urging other men to participate. But he suffered a scorpion-sting or snake-bite shortly before the army departed, and so he had to remain in Medina.[
]
The Battle of Uhud
He was among the "people of age and decision" who urged Muhammad to go out to meet the Quraysh at Mount Uhud
Mount Uhud (, ) is a mountain north of Medina, in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia. It is high and long. It was the site of the second battle between the Prophets of Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and the Shirk (Islam), polytheists of his T ...
so that the Quraysh would not think them cowardly.[
]
The Siege of the Nadir
After the Siege of the Nadir, Muhammad consulted Sa'd ibn Ubadah and Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, chief of the tribe, about the distribution of spoils. He asked whether the ''Ansar'' would prefer that the land be given to the ''Muhajirun
The ''Muhajirun'' (, singular , ) were the converts to Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad's advisors and relatives, who emigrated from Mecca to Medina; the event is known in Islam as the '' Hijra''. The early Muslims from Medina are called the ...
'', who would then be independent and able to leave the ''Ansar'' homes, or whether he should enrich the ''Ansar'' on the understanding that they would continue to host the ''Muhajirun''. The two Sa'ds replied that Muhammad should give it all to the ''Muhajirun'', who nevertheless should remain guests in the ''Ansar'' homes.[
]
The Battle of the Ditch
Muhammad sent Sa'd ibn Ubadah and Sa'd ibn Muadh to investigate rumours that the Jews of the Qurayza tribe were planning to abandon the defence and join the besiegers. The two Sa'ds found that the situation was even worse than they had imagined, for the Jews denied that they had ever had a treaty with Muhammad.[ Sa'd ibn Ubadah insulted the Jews to their faces, and they, after reminding the messengers of past favours between their tribes, insulted him back,][ defaming Muhammad and the Muslims "with the ugliest of words". Sa'd ibn Ubadah became "violently angry".][ Sa'd ibn Mu'adh had to restrain his friend, "for the dispute between us is too serious for recrimination.][ It is the sword."][ They reported back to Muhammad with the enigmatic message: "Adal and al-Qara!" referring to an incident of treachery a couple of years earlier. Muhammad only answered, "God is greater! Be of good cheer, you Muslims."][
]
The death of the Qurayza
When Sa'd ibn Mu'adh pronounced the death-sentence on the Qurayza tribe, Sa'd ibn Ubadah and Habab ibn Mundhir came to tell Muhammad: "The Aws tribe detest the killing of the Qurayza tribe because we have such an important alliance." Sa'd ibn Mu'adh countered: "The good Aws do not detest it. May God disappoint the others!"[
]
The Treaty of Hudaybiya
Muhammad set out for Mecca in March 628, during the pilgrimage season, when it was customary for all Arabs to travel unarmed.[Margoliouth, D. S. (1905). ''Mohammed and the Rise of Islam'', p. 5. New York & London: G. P. Putnam's Sons.] He said he did not want to take weapons. Umar disagreed, and Sa'd supported Umar. "If we carry weapons," he said, "then if we see something suspicious among the people, we will be prepared for them." Muhammad nevertheless ruled against it.[
At Hudaybiya, a friend from Mecca gave Sa'd a sheep, which he slaughtered and shared with all the Muslims.][
When the ]Treaty of Hudaybiya
The Treaty of al-Hudaybiya () was an event that took place during the lifetime of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was a pivotal treaty between Muhammad, representing the state of Medina, and the tribe of the Quraysh in Mecca in March 628 (corres ...
was being written, Suhayl ibn Amr referred to Muhammad as "Muhammad ibn Abdullah" because he did not believe he was God's Messenger. Sa'd ibn Ubadah and Usayd ibn Hudayr seized the clerk’s hand and warned him: "Write 'Muhammad, the Messenger of God' or the sword will be between us. We won't allow this insult to our religion!" Muhammad tried to calm them and gestured for quiet, before agreeing to write a contract between "Muhammad ibn Abdullah and Suhayl".[
]
The Siege of Khaybar
The Jews of Khaybar
KhaybarOther Arabic transliteration, standardized Arabic transliterations: / . Anglicized pronunciation: , . (, ) is an oasis in Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province, Saudi Arabia, situated some north of the city of Medina. Prior to ...
had an alliance with the Ghatafan
The Ghaṭafān () were an Arab tribal confederation originally based northeast of Medina. The main branches of the Ghatafan were the tribes of Banu Abs, Banu Dhubyan and Ashja'. They were one of the Arab tribes that interacted with Muhammad. Th ...
tribe, so Muhammad sent Sa'd to the Ghatafan chief to pay them to forsake the alliance. The chief refused this offer.[ Sa'd was wounded in the battle,][ but nevertheless carried the flag in the subsequent attack on Wadi'l-Qura.][
]
The Conquest of Mecca
When the Quraysh reminded Muhammad to leave Mecca after the Minor Pilgrimage of 629, Sa'd "was angry when he saw the rudeness of their words to the Prophet." He told Suhayl ibn Amr: "You lie! May you not have a mother! This is neither your land nor the land of your fathers. By God, we only depart from it obedient and satisfied." Muhammad smiled and told Sa'd, "Do not harm a people who visit us during our journey."[
Late in 629 Abu Sufyan came to Medina seeking to renew the Treaty of Hudaybiya. When Muhammad's closest advisors had all refused to help him, he approached Sa'd ibn Ubadah, saying: "You know that I was your protector in Mecca and you were mine in Medina. You are the lord of this land. Grant protection among the people and increase the term f the treaty" Saad replied: "O Abu Sufyan, my protection is in the protection of God's Messenger. I will not grant protection against him."][
At the Conquest of Mecca, Muhammad placed Sa'd in command of one branch of the army. Sa'd led them off declaring: "Today is a day of war. Sanctuary is no more!"][ Umar][ heard him and told Muhammad that he was afraid that Sa'd would resort to violence. Muhammad therefore ordered ]Ali
Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib an ...
to run after Sa'd and take the flag from him and carry it in himself.[ An alternative tradition states that Sa'd had to give the flag to his son Qays.][
After the conquest, the leading Muslims sat in council, and some Quraysh women passed them. Sa'd remarked, "I'd heard that the Quraysh women were lovely and beautiful, but they don't look it to us!" Abdulrahman ibn Awf was so angry at this that he came close to attacking Sa'd, who had to run out of the meeting. But when he complained to Muhammad, Muhammad was also angry with him. "You saw those women when they were hurt because of their fathers, sons, brothers and husbands. The Quraysh women are the best women on camel-back, kind to their children and generous with their possessions to their husbands."][
At the Siege of Ta'if, ten slaves surrendered to the Muslims in exchange for their freedom. One of them, Yasar ibn Malik, was allocated to Sa'd so that he could read the ]Quran
The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
to him and teach him about Islam.[
When Muhammad divided the plunder from the Hawazin, he gave rich gifts to the new converts but nothing to the ''Ansar'' of Medina. They were upset about this and even asked whether Muhammad would now abandon them in favour of the newly-converted Quraysh. Sa'd ibn Ubadah took a formal complaint to Muhammad, stating: "I stand with my people." Muhammad told Sa'd to gather them all together and then he addressed them: "O men of ''Ansar'', what is this I hear of you? Do you think ill of me in your hearts? Did I not come to you when you were erring and God guided you; poor and God made you rich; enemies and God softened your hearts? Are you disturbed in mind because of the good things of this life by which I win over a people that they may become Muslims while I entrust you to your Islam? Are you not satisfied that men should take away flocks and herds while you take back with you God's Messenger? If all men took one path and the ''Ansar'' took another, I should take the way of the ''Ansar''. God have mercy on the ''Ansar'', their sons and their sons' sons." The ''Ansar'' wept until the tears ran down their beards as they said: "We are satisfied with God’s Messenger as our lot and portion."][
]
The succession to Muhammad
Muhammad died in June 632. The question immediately arose as to who should become the new leader
''The New Leader'' (1924–2010) was an American political and cultural magazine.
History
''The New Leader'' began in 1924 under a group of figures associated with the Socialist Party of America, such as Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas. It w ...
of the Muslims. Sa'd ibn Ubadah, as the most important Khazraj chief, was the obvious choice for the ''Ansar''.[ He was ill,][ but they gathered around him in a public ]hall
In architecture, a hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age and the Early Middle Ages in northern Europe, a mead hall was where a lord and his retainers ate and also slept. Later in the Middle Ages, the gre ...
belonging to the Sa'ida clan before Muhammad had even been buried.[ As Sa'd lay wrapped in blankets,][ they gave allegiance to him.][
Abu Bakr and Umar were informed that they were about to lose control of Medina. They came at once to investigate the meeting, just as the ''Ansar'' were asserting their rights as "God's Helpers and the squadron of Islam" who would not accept immigrants ruling over them.][
Abu Bakr stepped forward with his own speech, pointing out that the rest of Arabia would never recognise a ruler who was not from the Quraysh, and therefore the ''Ansar'' must elect either Umar or Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah as their new leader. Habab ibn Mundhir argued that there must be two rulers, one for the Quraysh and another for Medina.][ Abu Bakr told him: "We are the rulers and you are the helpers. We share this business like two halves of a broad bean."][ The argument became heated and people began to shout, until the ''Ansar'' were "close to a complete breach with the ''Muhajirun''".][
Umar ended the debate by declaring, "Stretch out your hand, Abu Bakr," and then paying him homage. All the ''Muhajirun'' paid homage to Abu Bakr, and then the ''Ansar'' followed. In the process people leapt on Sa'd,][ and someone wrongly said that he had been killed. Umar replied, "God has killed him!"][
Later Abu Bakr sent for Sa'd instructing him to give allegiance like everyone else. Sa'd replied, "No, by Allah! I will not give allegiance until I shoot you with what is in my quiver and fight you with my followers from my own people." When Abu Bakr heard his reply, Bashir ibn Sa'd advised him, "Caliph, he insists on refusing. He will not give you allegiance, even if you kill him. Do not move against him, for he is no threat to you. He is a man alone." Abu Bakr accepted this advice and ignored Sa'd's defiance.][
]
The caliphate of Umar
Soon after Umar became Caliph, he met Sa'd on the road to Medina. Umar greeted him with the words, "You are a companion who is not his companion!" Sa'd replied, "Yes, you think so. This authority has come to you. By God, by being near you I am near something disliked." Umar advised him, "Someone who dislikes his neighbour should move away from him." Sa'd said, "I am not one to pretend to forget. I will move to the neighbourhood of those better than you."
Soon afterwards he emigrated to Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
.[
]
Death
Sa'd (ra) passed away in Huran in early 637 after a Supernatural
Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
attack.
See also
*List of expeditions of Muhammad
__NOTOC__
The list of expeditions of Muhammad includes the expeditions undertaken by the Muslim community during the lifetime of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
Some sources use the word ''ghazwa'' and a related plural ''maghazi'' in a narrow techn ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sad Ibn Ubadah
637 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Ansar (Islam)
Khazrajite people