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{{Short description|Companion of Muhammad (c. 590–627)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Saʿd ibn Muʿādh Al Ansari<br/> {{lang|ar|سعد ابن معاذ ال انصاری}}
| native_name =
| birth_date = {{circa}} 590 CE
| birth_place = [[Medina]], [[Hejaz]], [[Arabia]]
| death_date = {{circa}} 627 CE (aged 37)
| death_place = Medina, Hejaz
| death_cause = Wounds in the [[Battle of the Trench]]
| spouse = Hind bint Simak
| family = [[Banu Aws]] from ([[Zahran tribe|Zahran]])
| known_for = Being a [[sahaba|companion]] of [[Muhammad ibn Abdullah|Muhammad]]
}}
{{Campaignbox Campaigns of Muhammad|state=open}}
'''Saʿd ibn Muʿādh Ansari''' ({{lang-ar|سعد ابن معاذ انصاری}}) ({{circa|590-627}}) was the chief of the [[Banu Aws|Aws]] tribe in [[Medina]] and one of the prominent [[Sahaba|companions]] of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He died shortly after the [[Battle of the Trench]].

==Family==
Sa'd was born in Medina 590 [[common era|CE]],<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|340}} the son of Mu'adh ibn al-Numan, of the Abdul-Ashhal clan of the [[Banu Aws|Aws]] tribe, and of Kabsha bint Rafi, of the Jewish Banu al-Harith clan of the [[Khazraj]] tribe.<ref name="Saad3">Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). ''The Companions of Badr''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.</ref>{{rp|328}} His siblings were Aws (apparently the eldest), Iyas, 'Amr, Iqrab and Umm Hizam.<ref name="Saad8">Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). ''The Women of Madina''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.</ref>{{rp|248}}

He married his brother Aws's widow, Hind bint Simak,<ref name="Saad8"/>{{rp|220}} who was his [[agnatic]] second cousin.<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|329}} Her brother had been chief of the [[Banu Aws|Aws]] tribe until he was killed at the [[Battle of Bu'ath]] in 617.<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|470}} They had two sons, Amr and Abdullah.<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|329}}

[[As'ad ibn Zurarah]], chief of the [[Banu Najjar|al-Najjar]] clan of the [[Khazraj]], was Sa'd's maternal first cousin.<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|473}} Usayd ibn Hudayr was his wife's fraternal nephew,<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|329}} and was also said by [[al-Waqidi]] to have been Sa'd's first cousin.<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|440}}

==Biography==

===Acceptance of Islam===
Sa'd was among the leading figures among the [[Ansar (Islam)|Ansar]], as [[Muhammad|Prophet Muhammad]] Peace be Upon Him had dubbed the people of [[Banu Aws|Aws]] and [[Khazraj]] from Medina who converted to Islam. He converted at the hands of [[Mus'ab ibn 'Umair|Mu'sab ibn Umair]]. His conversion led to the immediate conversion of his entire subtribe of the Aus, the Banu Abdul-Ashhal:

{{Quote|"The leader whom his people follow has come to you" As'ad said Mus'ab. So Mus'ab said to him what he had said to Usayd, Sa'd stuck his lance into the ground, and sat down. The same thing happened again [ie. Conversion to Islam] and he went to his people's meeting place accompanied by Usayd [who had converted earlier]. When they saw him coming they said: "We swear by Allah, Sa'd has returned with a different impression." And when he reached them he asked them how they knew what had happened to him. They replied "You are our Chief, the most active in our interests, the best in your judgement, and the most fortunate in leadership." He then said: "I will not speak to a man or a woman among you until you believe in Allah and his Apostle." As a result every man and woman among the Banu Abdul-Ashhal joined Islam.<ref>{{cite book|authors=[[Ibn Hisham]], [[Ibn Ishaq]], Alfred Guillaume (translator)|url=http://www.justislam.co.uk/images/Ibn%20Ishaq%20-%20Sirat%20Rasul%20Allah.pdf|title=The life of Muhammad: a translation of Isḥāq's Sīrat rasūl Allāh|year=1998|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=201}}</ref>}}

===Confrontation with Abu Jahl and start of Badr hostilities===
Prior to the [[Battle of Badr]], Sa'd had visited Mecca once to perform his Umrah with his non-Muslim friend [[Umayyah ibn Khalaf]], when they came across [[Amr ibn Hishām|Abu Jahl]]. They had an argument, and as it became heated, Sa'd threatened Abu Jahl with preventing his safe passage through Medina if he stopped the Muslims from performing pilgrimage in Mecca.
Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud:

{{Quote|From Sa`d bin Mu`adh: Sa`d bin Mu`adh was an intimate friend of Umaiya bin Khalaf and whenever Umaiya passed through Medina, he used to stay with Sa`d, and whenever Sa`d went to Mecca, he used to stay with Umaiya.

When Allah's Messenger arrived at Medina, Sa`d went to perform `Umra and stayed at Umaiya's home in Mecca. He said to Umaiya, "Tell me of a time when (the Mosque) is empty so that I may be able to perform Tawaf around the Ka`ba." So Umaiya went with him about midday. Abu Jahl met them and said, "O Abu Safwan! Who is this man accompanying you?" He said, "He is Sa`d." Abu Jahl addressed Sa`d saying, "I see you wandering about safely in Mecca in spite of the fact that you have given shelter to the people who have changed their religion (i.e. became Muslims) and have claimed that you will help them and support them. By Allah, if you were not in the company of Abu Safwan, you would not be able to go your family safely." Sa`d, raising his voice, said to him, "By Allah, if you should stop me from doing this (i.e. performing Tawaf) I would certainly prevent you from something which is more valuable for you, that is, your passage through Medina." On this, Umaiya said to him, "O Sa`d do not raise your voice before Abu-l-Hakam, the chief of the people of the Valley (of Mecca)." Sa`d said, "O Umaiya, stop that! By Allah, I have heard Allah's Messenger predicting that the Muslim will kill you." Umaiya asked, "In Mecca?" Sa`d said, "I do not know." Umaiya was greatly scared by that news.

When Umaiya returned to his family, he said to his wife, "O Um Safwan! Don't you know what Sa`d told me?" She said, "What has he told you?" He replied, "He claims that Muhammad has informed them (i.e. companions) that they will kill me. I asked him, 'In Mecca?' He replied, 'I do not know." Then Umaiya added, "By Allah, I will never go out of Mecca." But when the day of (the Ghazwa of) Badr came, Abu Jahl called the people to war, saying, "Go and protect your caravan." But Umaiya disliked to go out (of Mecca). Abu Jahl came to him and said, "O Abu Safwan! If the people see you staying behind though you are the chief of the people of the Valley, then they will remain behind with you." Abu Jahl kept on urging him to go until he (i.e. Umaiya) said, "As you have forced me to change my mind, by Allah, I will buy the best camel in Mecca. Then Umaiya said (to his wife). "O Um Safwan, prepare what I need (for the journey)." She said to him, "O Abu Safwan! Have you forgotten what your Yathribi brother told you?" He said, "No, but I do not want to go with them but for a short distance."

So when Umaiya went out, he used to tie his camel wherever he camped. He kept on doing that till Allah caused him to be killed at Badr.<ref name=Bukhari286>{{Hadith-usc|Bukhari|usc=yes|5|59|286}}</ref>}}

===Battle of Badr===
The Muslims originally expected a much smaller Meccan force, but were surprised by the large Meccan Army so [[Muhammad|Prophet Muhammad]] called Shura:

{{quote|When the Muslim army missed the caravan and the Quraysh army, between nine hundred and one thousand strong, helmeted and drawing closer, Abu Bakr stood up and said something good.

Several more Muhajirun also spoke, all the while the Messenger of Allah repeated: "advise me, O Muslims!", inquiring of what the Ansar, the majority then, had to say.

Then Sa`d bin Mu`adh said, "It looks like you mean us, O Messenger of Allah! By He Who has sent you with the Truth! If you seek to cross the sea and went in it, we will follow you, and none among us will remain behind. We will not hate for you to lead us into battle against the enemy tomorrow. We are patient in war, vicious in battle. May Allah allow you to witness from our efforts what comforts your eyes. Therefore, march forward with the blessing of Allah.”

The Messenger of Allah was pleased with the words of Sa`d and was encouraged to march on.

<ref>{{cite book |last=Ibn Ishaq |first=(Collected by Shaykh Safiur Rahman Al Mubarakpuri)|title=Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Volume 3)|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jzdFxlrRoCQC&q=It%20looks%20like%20you%20mean%20us%2C%20O%20Messenger%20of%20Allah!%20By%20He%20Who%20has%20sent%20you%20with%20the%20Truth!%20If%20you%20seek%20to%20cross%20this%20sea%20and%20went%20in%20it%2C&pg=PA145|publisher=Darussalam |page=145 |isbn=9789960892740 |accessdate=Jan 19, 2015}}</ref>}}

===Battle of Uhud===
Sa'd was one of the few companions who remained on the battlefield, when the Meccans led by [[Khalid bin Walid]] [[Battle of Uhud#Battle of Uhud in warfare|counterattacked]] and he continued to fight on until he was finally forced to retreat away from the Meccans. In fact, Sa'd was the last Muslim [[Mus'ab ibn 'Umair]] met (Sa'd by that time had disengaged the Meccans) when he chided other Muslims for retreating and ferociously attacked the Meccans resulting in his brutal martyrdom at the hands of the Meccans.<ref name=Bukhari378>{{Hadith-usc|Bukhari|usc=yes|5|59|378}}</ref> He later met up with Muhammad and was part of the small contingent Muslims defending him.

Sa'd's brother 'Amr and his stepson (nephew) al-Harith ibn Aws were both among those who were killed at Uhud.<ref name="Saad3"/>{{rp|342-343}}

===Battle of Trench and Qurayza===
After the [[Battle of the Trench]] in 627 (5 AH), when Medina was unsuccessfully besieged by the [[Meccan]] army, the [[Banu Qurayza]] had treacherous dealings with the enemy.<ref name=thesealednectar>"Mubarakpuri, The Sealed Nectar, Chapter Al-Ahzab Invasion</ref> Later the [[Muslims]] laid siege to their stronghold and the Banu Qurayza surrendered.

Several members of the [[Banu Aws]] pleaded for their old Jewish allies and agreed to Muhammad's proposal that one of their chiefs should judge the matter. The Banu Qurayza themselves appointed Sa'd, and declared they would agree with whatever was Sa'd's verdict.<ref>{{cite journal
| author = Mohammed Abu-Nimer
| title = A Framework for Nonviolence and Peacebuilding in Islam
| journal = Journal of Law and Religion
| volume = 15
| issue = 1–2
| pages = 247
| date = 2000–2001
| doi=10.2307/1051519
| jstor = 1051519
| s2cid = 155651903
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
| last = Hashmi
| first = Sohail H. |author2=Buchanan, Allen E |author3=Moore, Margaret
| title = States, Nations, and Borders: The Ethics of Making Boundaries
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
| year = 2003
}}</ref> The verdict for the Banu Qurayza, a Jewish clan in Medina, was consistent with the Old Testament<ref group="note">When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. ''If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves.'' And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+20%3A10-18 Deut. 20: 10-18])</ref> and some scholars claim the verdict was based on Deutoronomy 20:12-14.<ref>Bassam Zawadi, [http://www.call-to-monotheism.com/the_execution_of_the_jews_at_bani_quraydah "The Execution of The Jews At Bani Quraydah"], Call To Monotheism, accessed 9 May 2017.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ahmad |first=Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud |title=LIFE OF MUHAMMAD |year=1988 |url=https://archive.org/details/holyquranwitheng0003unse/page/100 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/holyquranwitheng0003unse/page/100 100–101] |isbn=978-1853720451 |accessdate=Jan 20, 2015 }}</ref>

{{Quote|Some people (i.e. the Jews of Bani bin Quraiza) agreed to accept the verdict of Sad bin Muadh so the Prophet sent for him (i.e. Sa'd bin Muadh). He came riding a donkey, and when he approached the Mosque, the Prophet said, "Get up for the best amongst you." or said, "Get up for your chief." Then the Prophet said, "O Sa'd! These people have agreed to accept your verdict." Sa'd said, "I judge that their warriors should be killed and their children and women should be taken as captives." The Prophet said, "You have given a judgment similar to Allah's Judgment (or the King's judgment)."<ref name=Bukhari148>{{Hadith-usc|Bukhari|usc=yes|5|58|148}}</ref>}}

==Death==
Sa'd had been wounded in the [[Battle of the Trench|Battle of Khandaq]], and was on the verge of death. Sa'd succumbed to the wounds and died after returning to Medina.

==Legacy==

He dutifully served as a member of the Muslim community and even commanded military campaigns for Muhammad during his lifetime. Saad is said to have been a stern, just and passionate man, willing to impulsively fight for what he believed in. In Muslim history, he is well regarded as a noble companion who enjoyed a close relationship with Muhammad.

{{Quote|I heard the Prophet saying, "The Throne (of Allah) shook at the death of Saad bin Muadh." Through another group of narrators, Jabir added, "I heard the Prophet saying, 'The Throne of the Beneficent shook because of the death of Saad bin Muadh."<ref name=Bukhari147>{{Hadith-usc|Bukhari|usc=yes|5|58|147}}</ref>}}

Even after his death [[Muhammad]] made constant references praising him:

{{Quote|A silken cloth was given as a present to the Prophet . His companions started touching it and admiring its softness. The Prophet said, "Are you admiring its softness? The handkerchiefs of Saad bin Muadh (in Paradise) are better and softer than it."<ref name=Bukhari146>{{Hadith-usc|Bukhari|usc=yes|5|58|146}}</ref>}}

According to one Hadith, Muhammad bestowed him a title of ''"Siddiq al-Ansar"'', (rightful man of Ansar or truthful man of Ansar), which according to later era scholars of Hadith, were counter part of [[Abu Bakr as-Siddiq]], a ''Siddiq'' which hailed from Muhajirun.

=== Early Arabic rock inscription ===
A rock inscription was discovered in [[Sela (Saudi Arabia)|mount Sela]]; In the fourth and fifth line appear the words, “I am [[Muhammad|Muhammad ibn Abdullah]]” and that is the full name of the prophet Muhammad as his father was Abdullah. In the eighth line is the name, “ I am [[Salman the Persian|Salman the]] (?)”. In the twelfth line is the phrase “I am Sa'd bin Mu'adh”, and finally on the fifteenth line “I am [[Ali|Ali ibn Abu Talib]]”.{{fix |link=Wikipedia:Citations needed |text=citation needed |class=Template-Fact }} As it is known that Saad ibn Muad died in 627, the inscription can not be from a later era, further the location of this inscription may hint that it was meant to commemorate the Muslim victory in the battle.

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sad Ibn Muadh}}
[[Category:590s births]]
[[Category:627 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Sahabah killed in battle]]
[[Category:Sahabah who participated in the battle of Uhud]]

Sa'd ibn Mu'adh - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article