Part 14

It was a well-known fact that the prayers of Sa’d bin Abi Waqas < were like a sharp sword and were always answered.

listen and continued. Finally, Sa’d bin Abi Waqas 4 lost his temper, and said if did not control his tongue he would put a curse on him. Arrogantly the man told him that he was arrogating powers to himself and he asked him if he thought he was a Prophet 38. Listening to the man’s bitter words, he merely turned away. He went, made his ablutions for prayers and offered two supererogatory units of prayer. Then he entreated Allah Almighty:

“O Allah you know that this man is abusing men of purity, with whom You Yourself are Pleased because of their goodness. Surely You will not approve of these abuses. May this man be a lesson for such other men.”

He had barely done with his supplications when people saw that a raging she-camel had broken away from the rope which tethered her, and leaving her home had entered in the midst of a crowd of people. It seemed as if she was looking for a particular person. In seconds she had the head of a person in her bloodthirsty jaws and was shaking it violently from side to side. Finally his neck broke and in no time he had become the prey of death. People were stunned into silence. The dead man was none other than the one who had been abusing the noble Companions a few minutes earlier, and against whom Sa’d bin Abi Waqas -% had appealed to Allah 3%. He had indeed become a lesson for all people. There is no doubt that if any person abuses the loyal sacrificing Companion of the Prophet 38, Allah 3% will make them object lessons for others. He meets such a terrible fate that onlookers beg for the mercy of Ailah Almighty. Surely the love of the Companion is the precursor of the love for the Prophet 38, and the love of the Prophet 38 is the precursor and proof of the love for Allah Almighty Himself. Whoever resents and hates and nurtures enmity with these pure-hearted men is sure to become the prey of destruction and devastation in Eternity. Whosoever expresses love and affection for them will be twice blessed - now and in the Hereafter.

May Allah && fill our hearts with love for these celestial and sacred souls who thought it an honour to give up their lives at a mere signal from the Prophet 3; and on the Day of Judgement may he raise us among them.

The Prophet 38 said even this was a bit too much though it was all tight. He asked him to remember that it was better to leave one’s heirs in a good financial position; it was not good to leave them in a situation where they would have to around asking others for help. Allah will reward the person who spent anything at all in charity for Him.

The sickness of Sa’d bin Abi Waqas - was getting more and more complicated day by day. He loved Al-Madinah deeply and he wanted to die there. When the Prophet 38 saw his restlessness and desire to be in his favourite city, he put his blessed hand on his breast and supplicated to Allah Almighty thrice to cure him.

During this same illness, the Prophet 4 had predicted that Sa’d would not die until he had benefited one race of people and caused harm to another. This prediction turned out to be a hundred percent correct. The non-Arab people suffered badly by him and the Arabs gained a lot of advantages. After he recovered from his illness, he made many time married and had about thirty-four sons and daughters.

Sa‘d bin Abi Waqas -4 used to weep copiously out of fear of Allah 38. Whenever the Prophet % gave a sermon his eyes used to fill involuntarily with tears.

One day when the Prophet 3 was sitting in the company of his Companion, he looked up at them and said they were soon going to be joined by a Jannati.!

The entire Companion kept looking around expectantly to see whom this fortunate man could possibly be, about whom the Prophet 3% was giving this glad tiding. And soon Sa’d bin Abi Waqas appeared, and everyone started looking at him enviously and continued staring at him.

This was the man whose supplications were answered, pure of tongue, pure of heart and soul and a great warrior. In all the battles in which he took part with the Prophet 3%, at Badr, at Uhud and at many others he had proved innumerable times his daring, his bravery, his steadfastness and heroic qualities. These exploits fill golden chapters of our history.

‘Umar Farooq - was very impressed by the strength of his faith and the firm and truthfulness. He could never forget that incident which depicted the degree of his devotion to Islam. He had accepted Islam as a young boy; this disturbed and saddened his mother very deeply because he had given up the faith of his fathers and forefathers. She tried in many ways to bring him back into the fold of Kuffar. When nothing worked she used the last resort of mothers to emotionally blackmail her obedient and loving son. This is something, which makes their determination falter and their resolutions fail. She went on a hunger strike and declared she would not eat until her son came back to the religion of his forefathers. She vowed that rather die than see her son become a Muslim.

Sa’d bin Abi Waqas 8 was unnerved when he saw her stubbornness, but pure faith had taken strong roots in his heart, so his strong feet,

' A person who was destined to go to Jannah (Paradise).

firmly planted in Islam, did not totter. His mother was close to death by starvation and thirst. Displaying strong determination and courage he said to her:

“Dear mother if you had a hundred lives within your body, and each one of those hundred lives were to leave your body in front of my eyes, even then I would not recant and give up my faith in Islam. It is your wish whether you want to eat or not; as for myself, I will not leave my Prophet 38.”

Seeing that it was of no use and her son was stubborn as a rock, she finished her hunger strike. This resolution and determination of Sa’d bin Abi Waqas -# has been made immortal:

“But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not; but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.” (31:15)

“Remember the importance of Qadisiyah, which is a historic place. If the battle is won then the whole of Iran will be at your feet. Qadisiyah is the central door to Iran. Do not be lost in arrogance because you are related to the Prophet 3%. Do not forget that one’s status and position in the eyes of Allah 38 depends on one’s obedience and loyalty to him. Allah Almighty is the Supporter and Sustainer of all and you are his slave. Keep

your eyes focused on the mission of the Prophet #8, which he bequeathed to us when he left this world.”

At the end of the letter he told him to keep me informed about all the latest developments. How would he enter the battlefield? Where would he camp? At what distance was the enemy at that time? In other words, he wanted detailed information about what was taking place every moment, as if he were able to see him.

Sa‘d bin Abi Waqas +, fulfilling his duties, kept the government at the centre informed regarding every detail to the extent that he kept Caliph ‘Umar Farooq -# informed in exhaustive detail about the welfare and activities of each Mujahid. He also wrote to him regarding the individual and collective assignments given to each Mujahid.