Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqas (R.A)

Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqas (R.A) embraced Islam at the age of nineteen. He (R.A) was from Ashrah Mubashrah (The Ten Blessed Companions who were given the glad tidings of Jannah during their lifetime) and also the member of the Caliphate committee constituted by Hazrat Umar e Farooq (R.A).

He was the first archer of Islam, who shot his arrows in the way of Allah (S.W.T) and drained the blood of his enemies. He (R.A) migrated to Madina Shareef before the Holy Prophet (S.A.W).

His title was Faras-ul-Islam (Rider of Islam). He (R.A) participated in all the battles and expeditions and showed his valour and courage in the Battle of Uhad. He (R.A) was also the commander of the army that defeated the King of Persia.

He (R.A) was one whose prayer (Dua) was promptly accepted because Holy Prophet (S.A.W) prayed to Allah (S.W.T) “O, Allah, grant every prayer of this Companion of mine, Saad”. (Tirmizi Sharif P.239/2)

The event of his embracing Islam is very amazing, when His (R.A) mother heard about his conversion; she flared and became mad. Thus she decided not to eat and drink till her son Saad return to the religion of his ancestors, lest would give away her life in the scorching sunlight of Arabia. 

She was sure; her son would not bear her troubles and would immediately quit his newly adopted religion. Allamah Dahlaan reflects the event in the words of Hazrat Saad (R.A) himself:

"So, one day she did not eat and drink; when she woke up in the morning, the tiresomeness and the weakness was evident from her face. She did not eat and drink the other day as well, her weakness abounded and when I saw her determination I said, 'Mother, by God! You know if you have got hundred lives and that expire one after one, I am not yet inclined to quit the Prophet. Now it is up to you, you eat food or not, you drink water or not'. When she witnessed my determination, she started to eat and drink by her own." (Al-Syrat-ul-Nabwiah, Vol. I P.188, Ahmed bin ZainyDahlaan)

His (R.A) complexion was fair, his height tall and his head was big. He (R.A) passed away in 55 A.H, and was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi, Madina Shareef.