Prophet's (Pbuh) Companions

Among Allah’s creation, there is an elite He blessed and a choice He made. They are servants who take off the shoes of comfort, put on their best effort and dislike honour and status in this world.. Such are the ones who have made their foreheads a constant pillow for their prostrations and the rough grounds of the earth, a comfort for their sides.

Sa’ad Bin Abi Waqqass (RA) relinquished all comforts and wealth to earn God’s pleasure.


Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqass (RA) was among the early believers since the dawn of Islam in Makkah. He defended God’s messenger (Pbuh) and he suff-ered persecution and hardships at the hand of the unbelievers, and then he became segregated from his family and tribe. Sa’ad relinquished all comforts and wealth to earn God’s pleasure and blessings in the company of the Prophet. Sa’ad’s particular blessing was that no matter what he prayed for, his prayer received a favourable answer from God Almighty. Sa’ad was also tried with the office of leadership and he proved to be a great leader. God Almighty opened vast lands and spread His message at his hands, and He granted him a blessed progeny. At the later stage of his life, Sa’ad renounced his worldly status and he sought seclusion from his worldly responsibilities and their associated trials, to satisfy his spiritual quest and to redeem the balance of his life. Sa’ad became a model of piety and particularly, after the countless permutations, he survived, and became a pillar of faith and a proof of wisdom and knowledge. Sa’id bin al-Musayyib narrated that Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqass once said: “When I became Muslim, no one else besides me embraced God’s religion on that day. Hence, and for the following seven days, I counted as one third of the congregating new believers. Qayss bin Abi Hazim narrated that Sa’ad said: “At one time, we were with God’s messenger in isolation in the outskirts (Hirab) of Makkah, and as a result of the prohibition of commerce imposed against us by the tribe of Quraish, we had nothing to eat, but the leaves of shrubs and wild plants and our women gave birth in the open like an ewe.”


Qayss bin Abi Hazim also narrated that Sa’ad said: “God’s messenger prayed for me and said”, ‘Lord make his arrows hit their target and fulfill his prayers.’


Musab, son of Sa’ad told of his father’s narration that during the early years of hardships in Makkah and the persecution of Muslims, God’s messenger once said: “Today we are experiencing the easy trials and I am more concerned for you about the adversities that will come. Should you have to face them, endure that with patience and perseverance, for, comfort in this world appears sweet and tempting.”


Imam Muhammad Ibn Seerin narrated that someone said to Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqass, God be pleased with him: “ Why don’t you fight the dissenters, for surely you are a man of council and you have more rights to speak than others.” Sa’ad replied: “ Bring me a sword that has two eyes, a tongue and a pair of lips, and that can discern between a believer and a disbeliever and only then I will enter this battle, for I have endured real jihad and I surely know what it means in a true sense”.


Tariq bin Shahab narrated that a difference in opinion once took place between Khalid bin al-Walid and Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqass, God be pleased with both of them. Someone tried to take advantage of the situation and he went to Sa’ad to report what Khalid said, but Sa’ad stopped him saying: “Say nothing, for what is between me and my brother does not affect our unity and religious brotherhood and it has no bearing on the truth of our religion.”

Sa’id bin Zaid (RA) tamed his mind and he kept away from personal conflicts and competition.


Sa’id bin Zaid (RA) was one of the blessed companions who spoke the truth, who spent his wealth on God’s path, controlled his passions and who restrained his want. He feared no censure or reproach when it came to God’s rights. His prayers were answered and he embraced Islam prior to Omar bin al-Khattab, God be pleased with them. Said bin Zaid had no inclinations for leadership and instead he engaged in serving the community. He tamed his mind and he kept away from personal conflicts and competition.


Rabah bin al-Harith narrated regarding Sa’id bin Zaid that God’s messenger (Pbuh) named ten of his companions who were given the glad tidings of paradise in the hereafter during their lifetime in this world, and the list included; Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman, Ali, Talha, Al-Zubair, Sa’ad bin Malik and Sa’id bin Zaid.


Sulaiman bin Ahmad narrated, Arwa, daughter of Uwais, once accused Sa’id bin Zaid of annexing a piece of her land. When Mawran bin al-Hakam brought the subject before Sa’id, he replied: “ I would never annex even a span of land from someone else since I heard God’s messenger (Pbuh) say: ‘whosoever annexes even a span of someone else’s property, he will be confined into the abyss of the seven layers of the two earths.’


Also, in reference to the above subject, Abu Amru Hamdan narrated that in his reply to Marwan, Sa’id bin Zaid also lifted his hand up and prayed: “ O my Lord, this woman has falsely accused me of being unjust to her and that I have stolen a piece of her land. So, if she is lying, then blind her and throw her in a deep well, my Lord, and exonerate my name with a miraculous light of Yours that will show the Muslims that I was never unjust to her.”


Abu Amru Hamdan conti-nued: “ Amru Hazm narrated that, immediately upon completing his prayer, a tumultuous rainstorm with thunder and lightening that has never been seen before, took place and the valley of Aqiq became flooded. By the end of the day, the water receded again and the people saw the line of Sa’id’s property which was clearly marked and thus Sa’id was vindicated. A month later, the woman, Arwa, daughter of Uwais became blind and one day, while strolling through her farmland, she fell into a well before she died.”


(Source: The Beauty of the Righteous & Ranks of the Elite.

Based on the Classic 10th Century Work of Imam Abu Na’im al-Asfahani (948-1038 C.E.) Hilyat-ul-Awliya Wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya


Translated from the Original Arabic & Edited by Shaykh Muhammad Al-Akili)