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to him on the day of Uhud, `Throw, Sa'd. May my father and mother be your ransom." Yes, indeed, he
always mentioned proudly these two noble blessings. Thanking Allah, he always said, "By Allah, I am
the first Arab to throw a spear in the cause of Allah."
Aliy lbn Abi Taalib said, "I have never heard the Prophet (PBUH) hoping that his parents may be
made someone's ranson except Sa'd. On the day of Uhud I heard the Prophet (PBUH) say, "Throw Sa'd.
May my father and mother be your ransom."
Sa'd was considered to be one of the most courageous Arab and Muslim horsemen. He possessed
two weapons, his lance and his prayer. Whenever he pierced an enemy with his lance he hurt him;
whenever he invoked Allah He answered. He and the Companions always saw that this was due to the
Prophet's prayer in favor of him. One day, when the Prophet saw him doing something which made him
glad and delighted, he made the following plea: "O Allah, make his spear hit unerringly and answer his
prayer."
It was in this way that he became famous among his companions for his prayer, which was like a
sharp sword. He knew that about himself; therefore, he never cursed a person. Sa'd would just trust Allah
to do with him as He liked.
An example of that is what `Aamir Ibn Sa'd once narrated: Sa'd once saw a man insulting `Aliy,
Talhah and Az-Zubair. He forbade him, but he didn't stop. Sa'd then said, " Then I will invoke Allah
against you." The man said, "You're threatening me as if you were a Prophet."
Sa'd went away, performed his ablution and prayed two rak'ahs. Then he lifted his hands up and
said, "O Allah, if You know that that man has insulted people who have already been granted by You
that which is the best and his cursing of them has annoyed You, then make an example out of him." Only
a short while had passed, when a stray camel went out of a house. Nothing could stay it till it entered a
crowd as if searching for something. Then it attacked the man, and he fell between its legs. It continued
to kick the man down till he died.
If this phenomenon was to prove something, then it proved primarily the purity of his soul, the
honesty of his faith, and the depth of his sincerity. He always sought to support his piety by halaal food;
with great insistence he always refused to take doubtful money.
Sa'd lived until he became one of the wealthiest Muslims. When he died, he left a great fortune
behind. Although the abundance of money and its legitimacy are rarely to be found together, they
certainly were combined in the hands of Sa'd. Thus Allah granted him a great amount of halaal money.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) was a great figure in the act of charity, as much as he was a
great figure in the act of righteously choosing the sources of his money. His ability to collect purely
halaal money was equal to, if not second to, his ability to donate it in the cause of Allah.
He became ill during the Farewell Pilgrimage, when he was accompanying the Prophet (PBUH),
who visited him. Sa`d asked him (PBUH), "O Messenger of Allah, I own a lot of money and there is
nobody to inherit from me except one daughter. May I contribute two thirds of my money as alms?" The
Prophet (PBUH) said, "No." Then he said, "Then half of it?" The Prophet (PBUH) said, "No." Then he
said, "Then a third?" The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Yes, and the third is too much. To leave your heirs
wealthy is better than to leave them having to be dependent on someone. If you spend any money in the
cause of Allah you'll be rewarded for it, even the bite you put in your wife's mouth."
Sa'd did not remain the father of one daughter because he was later on blessed with other children.
Sa'd used to cry a lot out of piety. Whenever he listened to the Prophet (PBUH) preaching or
advising, his tears rolled down abundantly, so that his tears nearly filled his lap.