Sa'd ibn Ubadah al-Ansari

Sa'd ibn Ubadah was the chief (sayyid) of the Khazraj tribe, one of the two main Ansari tribes of Madinah. He was a man of great wealth, generosity, and influence among the Ansar. He was among the Bay'at al-Aqabah representatives and one of the most influential men in Madinah. He participated in the Bay'at al-Aqabah and was one of the twelve representatives (nuqaba') of the Ansar. He carried the Ansari standard in several battles. After the death of the Prophet ﷺ, the Ansar gathered at the Saqifa (covered hall) of Banu Sa'idah to deliberate on succession. Sa'd ibn Ubadah was their candidate for caliph, arguing that the Ansar had sheltered Islam and the Muhajirin. Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abu Ubayda arrived and made the case that caliphate should be from Quraysh. After a contentious debate, Umar gave bay'ah (allegiance) to Abu Bakr, and others followed. Sa'd ibn Ubadah refused to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr, then to Umar. This made him a complicated figure — a sincere and devoted companion who held a principled position about Ansari rights. He eventually left Madinah and went to Syria (some accounts say to the Hawran region), where he died around 15 AH. The manner of his death was disputed — some accounts say he was found dead and attributed it to jinn, while others suggest more mundane causes.