Why Heaven’s Throne Trembled for Saad ibn Mu’adh?
The great Companion Sa'd ibn Mu'adh possessed many
psychological strengths and physical qualities. His appearance — both outwardly
and inwardly — was dominated by an overwhelming charisma. He was a tall,
dignified man of fair complexion who commanded attention wherever he went, and
his requests were never turned down. This drew hearts naturally toward him. He
assumed leadership over the Aws tribe at a young age, representing a young
leadership whose presence coincided with the migration of the Prophet, peace be
upon him.
Among the earliest scenes reflecting the power of his presence
— when he embraced Islam and returned to the gathering of his people, the Aws —
he stood before them and addressed them with the air of one seeking a
declaration, saying: 'How do you regard my standing among you?' They replied:
'You are our master, the best of us in judgment, and the most blessed in
counsel.' He then said: 'Then the speech of your men and women is forbidden to
me until you submit to Islam.' And so they embraced Islam, and he became one of
the greatest people in blessing within Islam." (1)
The hallmarks of his sound and decisive judgment were the most
defining feature of his character — a judgment that proved conclusive in major
affairs and decisive in its outcomes, yet was never detached from his reality,
his methodology, or the interests of his community.
His character and sound judgment manifested once again during
the siege of the Confederates against the state of Medina, as they sought to
annihilate it completely. When the Prophet, peace be upon him, consulted him —
in his capacity as the chief of the Aws — regarding the proposal to offer some
of the Confederates, representing the international coalition participating in
the siege, one third of Medina's fruits in exchange for their withdrawal and
the easing of the siege, Sa'd delivered his decisive word once more, consistent
with his steadfastness, his conscience, and the interests of his community:
'O Messenger of Allah, if Allah has commanded you
to do this, then we hear and obey. But if it is something you are doing for our
sake, then we have no need of it. When we and these people were alike in
polytheism and the worship of idols, they could not take a single fruit from us
except as hospitality or through trade. Now that Allah has honored us with
Islam, guided us to it, and strengthened us through you — shall we give them
our wealth? By Allah, we shall give them nothing but the sword.'
And so the Prophet affirmed the soundness of his opinion. (2)
Sa'd ibn Mu'adh… and His Political Party
Whoever follows the character of this great Companion from the
moment of his embracing Islam until his honorable end — which became a symbol
for every person of steadfastness and every person devoted to the interest of
their nation — will always find his opinions channeled toward elevating the
collective good above his personal, partisan, or tribalist interests.
And there was no finer or more exalted example of this than
when he was summoned — as the chief of the Aws and the head of the Ansar — to
serve as a binding arbitrator over his allies among the Jews of Banu Qurayza,
who had violated the constitution of the state and committed what was the
gravest and most serious act of betrayal in the history of the state of Medina.
Yet it is necessary to shed light on the nature of the
relationship between the Aws and the Jews, in order to understand how this
judgment was of the utmost psychological difficulty for this remarkable
Companion — the man of extraordinary political charisma.
The Jews
of Medina consisted of three clans and tribes: Banu
Qaynuqa, who were expelled from Medina following the Battle of Badr; Banu
al-Nadir, who were expelled after the Battle of Uhud through the intercession
of their allies among the Khazraj, led by Ibn Salul — this coming after a
failed assassination attempt against the Prophet, peace be upon him.
As for Banu Qurayza, they were allies of the Aws, bound to
them by a deep-rooted alliance that predated Islam. Now the moment had come for
them to receive the same intercession — to have their allies deliver them, just
as the allies of the Khazraj had previously been delivered. And there was only
one person they could turn to: Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, to play the role of their
deliverer and thereby consolidate the most powerful political bloc in the state
of Medina. (3)
The Party Leader Relinquishes the Throne of His Political Gains
The opportunity was ripe for Sa'd ibn Mu'adh to entrench his
leadership over the Aws permanently — by demanding the release of his allies,
forging a strategic alliance with them, and thereby prevailing over his
foremost rival in Medina, Sa'd ibn Ubadah, the chief of the Khazraj.
To appreciate the weight of Sa'd ibn Ubadah's character — the
chief of the Khazraj and the primary political rival of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, chief
of the Aws — we must recall his stance at the Saqifah of Banu Sa'idah following
the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and how he stepped forward in that
defining moment, may Allah be pleased with him, as the foremost candidate to
govern the affairs of the state after the passing of the bearer of the divine
law, peace be upon him. (4)
If he sacrificed the throne of his own glory, then it is only
fitting that the Throne of the Most Merciful should shake for him — for he was
a singular model of psychological and spiritual elevation, stripped of all
self-interest. And it suffices that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said of the
bliss that awaited him in the Hereafter, upon seeing a garment being sold: 'A
single handkerchief from among the handkerchiefs of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh in Paradise
is better than it.' (5)
The Companion Sa'd ibn Mu'adh proved himself free of psychological
weakness and personal desire. He understood that there are matters of far
greater worth and standing than the flattering of the self and the submission
to its fleeting whims and impulses.
For this reason, we are in need of this kind of elite — those
who sacrifice the leadership of their party or their political ambitions for
the sake of their nation first, and their homeland second. There is no doubt
that history generously yields wonders from those who believe in whitening
their pages with the ink of example and deed.
Now we know who Sa'd ibn Mu'adh is. We know who sacrificed
fame, who sacrificed his political glory and his throne — and so deserved that
the Throne of the Most Merciful should shake at his death.
You may also like:
6 Most Important Moments in the Battle of the Trench
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: From Loyal Companion to Herald of the Promised Victory
=======================================
Footnotes
(1) Ibn al-Athir: Usd
al-Ghabah fi Ma'rifat al-Sahabah (The Lions of the Thicket in the Knowledge of
the Companions).
(2) Ibn al-Qayyim: Zad
al-Ma'ad fi Hady Khayr al-'Ibad (Provisions of the Hereafter in the Guidance of
the Best of Servants).
(3) Al-Salihi: Subul
al-Huda wa al-Rashad (The Paths of Guidance and Righteousness).
(4) Dr. Abd al-Rahman
Salim: Al-Nizam al-Siyasi fi al-Islam (The Political System in Islam).
(5) Ibn Abd al-Barr:
Al-Isti'ab fi Ma'rifat al-Ashab (The Comprehensive Account in the Knowledge of
the Companions).
