Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas

Among the Ten Promised Paradise

Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas was of Banu Zuhra, the clan of the Prophet’s ﷺ mother Aminah, and among the earliest to accept Islam. He stands among the ten Companions given the glad tidings of Paradise in the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime (see Virtues in the Hadith).

The Archer of Uhud

Sa’d was a famed bowman, and at the Battle of Uhud the Prophet ﷺ honoured him as he honoured no other — emptying his own quiver for him and ransoming his parents for him (see Virtues in the Hadith).

Conqueror of Persia

Sa’d’s enduring achievement came under Umar, who appointed him to command the army facing the might of Sasanian Persia. At the Battle of Qadisiyya (15 AH) he led the Muslims — a force dwarfed by Rustam’s host of some 180,000 — and it was to Sa’d’s camp that the Persian embassies came and from it that Rib’i ibn Amir went to deliver his famous answer in Rustam’s gilded court. The victory shattered the Persian army and opened Iraq and Persia to Islam. 1 History of Islam · Vol 1 · pp. 337–347 — Najeebabadi — Sa'd commands at Qadisiyya against Rustam's army; the Rib'i ibn Amir embassy; the conquest of Persia. He later founded and governed Kufa.

When the Muslims debated whether Umar should lead the Iraq campaign in person, both the common people and the leaders settled on Sa’d to command in his stead. As Sa’d set out, Umar charged him not to be deceived by his closeness to the Prophet ﷺ or his being called his “uncle,” for none stands before Allah by kinship — and bade him take the fear of Allah as his chief asset and the Sunnah as his only path. Facing Rustam’s vast host with full trust in Allah, Sa’d sent the Persian commander a message warning that he had brought men who loved death in Allah’s cause more than the Persians loved wine. 2 Stories of the Sahabah · pp. 138–140 — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — Sa'd chosen to lead in Umar's place; Umar's parting charge to take the fear of Allah as his chief asset; Sa'd's message to Rustam.

The Shura

Such was his standing that, when Umar lay dying, he named Sa’d among the six-man council (shura) entrusted to choose the next Caliph. 3 History of Islam · Vol 1 · pp. 382–383 — Najeebabadi — Sa'd among the six of the shura. 4 Al-Farooq · pp. 295 — Shibli Nomani — Umar names the six, including Sa'd, for the succession.

Virtues in the Hadith

The Prophet ﷺ named Sa’d among the ten to whom Paradise was promised:

أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ … وَسَعْدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ

”Abu Bakr is in Paradise, Umar… Uthman… Ali… Talha… az-Zubayr… Abdur Rahman ibn Awf… Sa’d… Sa’id… and Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah — all in Paradise.”

Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3747 · Book of Manaqib · In-book: Book 49, Hadith 144 · narrated by Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf · graded Sahih (Darussalam)

And at Uhud the Prophet ﷺ gave him a distinction he gave no one else — ransoming both his parents for him:

نَثَلَ لِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ كِنَانَتَهُ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ فَقَالَ ارْمِ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي

”The Prophet ﷺ emptied his quiver for me on the day of Uhud and said, ‘Shoot! May my father and mother be ransom for you.’”

Sahih al-Bukhari 4055 · Book 64, Hadith 101 · USC-MSA: Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 385 · narrated by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas

Death & Legacy

Sa’d lived on as one of the last surviving Muhajirun, dying at his estate in al-Aqiq near Madinah around 55 AH — remembered as the conqueror who, at Qadisiyya, brought the Persian Empire to its knees and as one of the ten promised Paradise. 5 History of Islam · Vol 1 · pp. 382–383 — Najeebabadi — Sa'd's standing among the senior Companions and the shura (his later life and legacy).