The two Saads… and the art of making a precious life
Saad bin Al-Rabi’ and Saad bin Muadh are two of the leaders of the Ansar...
The first was the leader of Khazraj, and one of the leaders of the Ansar on the second day of Aqaba...
The owner of the highest and most sublime stance in a brotherhood that the world has known with his brother Abd Al-Rahman bin Awf.
He participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud with the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and was martyred at Uhud.
In the story of his martyrdom, some meanings and messages cannot be sufficient with articles.
"On the authority of Kharijah ibn Zayd ibn Thabit, on the authority of his father, who said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family and grant them peace, sent me on the day of Uhud to seek out Saad ibn al-Rabi`, and he said to me: “If you see him, greet him from me, and say to him: The Messenger of God says to you: How do you find yourself?” He said: So, I began to wander among the dead, and I found him while he was in his last breath, and he had seventy wounds between spear thrusts, sword strikes, and arrow shots. So, I said to him: O Sa`d, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family and grant them peace, greets you and says to you: “Tell me, how do you find yourself?” He said: Peace be upon the Messenger of God, and peace be upon you. Say to him: O Messenger of God, Allah, I find myself smelling the fragrance of Paradise, and say to my people, the Ansar: You have no excuse before Allah that the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and his family and grant them peace, should be saved while there is a single eyelid among you. He said: And his soul departed; may God have mercy on him.
As for Saad bin Muadh, he is the master of the Aws...
He accepted Islam through Asaad bin Zararah and Mus'ab bin Umair in Medina before Hijrah. He was martyred in the fifth year of Hijrah after participating in the battles of Badr, Uhud, and the Trench, as well as all the other battles alongside the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, until his martyrdom.
When he was martyred, seventy thousand angels accompanied him. The throne of the Most Merciful shook at his death, and the gates of heaven were opened for him, as authenticated in the hadith.
Musk would waft from him whenever the companions dug his grave, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, swore that his handkerchiefs in Paradise were better than a silk robe he saw with his companions.
This is a quick biography of the two Saads; may Allah be pleased with them. I did not mention it for fun or as a story.
But I will tell you the truth... Whenever I read their biographies and what they contain much giving to religion and the abundance of production for Islam, despite their short lifespan in Islam, I become confused and feel sorry for myself.
The first lived five years in Islam, and the second lived six years.
But their deeds are weighed by tens of years, even hundreds of them!!
As if life is two lives...a lifespan of years and a lifespan of giving!!
Or as if lifespans are by their blessings, not by their abundance.
Some of us live long and meet Allah with crumbs of deeds that he would be ashamed of himself if they were presented to him on the Day of Judgment.
Some of us recognize that our days are numbered, breaths are measured, and life is a gift that should only be spent on what pleases its Giver. Glory be to Him.
One of Omar's supplications, may Allah be pleased with him, was: "O Allah, we ask You for the righteousness of the hours and blessings during these times." It was as if this prayer touched the very essence of what made these precious lives meaningful.
It is a blessed time and a righteous deed that enriches the record!
I express this concern as I witness the lives of the righteous wasted in front of phone screens, preoccupied with trivial matters and engaging in aimless conversations. This is happening at a time when our nation urgently needs even a fraction of these efforts; if we could harness them, our situation would significantly improve.
I saw a friend passing by bus stations frequented by non-Muslims in a Gulf country to present Islam to them, and he shared amazing stories of their conversion to Islam!
I saw another person who dedicated his money, his home, his family, and his life to the service of Islam without hesitation. When I asked him for a moment to rest and encouraged him to take a break, he replied, “Rest is there, not here, my brother!”
One of the great feelings of shame of the Day of Resurrection is witnessing people who are equal in age, share the same time and place, and possess similar knowledge and skills. Yet, some will enter Paradise at the beginning of the day, while others will only enter at the end. This is reflected in Ibn Abbas's interpretation of the Almighty’s saying. “˹But˺ on that Day the residents of Paradise will have the best settlement and the finest place to rest."
In addition to the nation's deteriorating state, we need individuals like the two Saads who embody hard work, effort, and a commitment to change. Instead of wallowing in a miserable existence filled with regret, complaining, and undermining each other's efforts, we should focus on constructive actions that lead to improvement.
O people living uninspired lives and keeping empty records, that is not the purpose for which you were created. You were chosen for the gift of life, especially if you guide others to God.
Historians mentioned that when Saladin liberated Jerusalem, he sat on the beach contemplating... Then his army commander said to him:
What are you thinking about, O Sultan?
He said: I plan to delegate the matter of the Sultanate, and I will wade with the Muslims this sea. I will ensure that no one who does not worship Allah is left behind, as I seek to make him worship Allah!
I was amazed by Saladin's story, so I asked one of them: After all he has done for his religion and nation, does he view his efforts as insignificant and seek something greater?
He said to me: This is how the highly diligent people of life are. Whenever they work, they consider what they have done insignificant, as if they drink salty water with every work. Whenever they drink, they become thirsty, and whenever they work, they consider themselves insignificant until they meet their Lord with records that raise their heads and please the Lord!!
It is important to note that the status of the two Saads was elevated, even to the Messenger when their lives became insignificant.
He was so preoccupied with Saad that he asked about him by name on the day of Uhud, despite his affliction with his uncle and a large group of his companions.
The Prophet gave the other Saad the title of Master...
The Sirah mentions that when Saad bin Muadh came to the Prophet with his wounds to rule over Banu Qurayzah, he said, "May Allah bless him and grant him peace: "Rise up to your Master."
It appears from the introduction and the conclusion of the article that true sovereignty is the day when life is crowded with what belongs to God in it, and everything else is in vain, and what vain?!!
So, exploit your life, and do not cheapen it... for perhaps you will be flocked under the banner of your master, Saad, this or that.
