Outline
- Introduction
- The Beginning
- Who Was Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd
- Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nawfal: Sayyidunā Sa’id’s Father
- Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd’s Accepts Islam
- Sayyiduā Sa’id ibn Zayd Migrates to Madīnah
- Sayyidunā Sa’id During the Caliphate of Abū Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān
- Sa’id ibn Zai’d During the Fitnah
- The Virtues of Sa'id ibn Zayd
- The Family of Sa’id ibn Zayd
- 8 Things About Sa’id ibn Zayd
- Sayyidunā Sa'id ibn Zayd's Passing
- The Takeaway…
Introduction
His mention only fills a few pages. But the little that’s documented about him will keep you inspired.
He was 12 years matured when he accepted Islam. Surprisingly, he was even married at that age.
Our Shining Star was among the first batches of Muslims, who embraced Islam. And that was before the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam started using Dar al-Arqam for teaching his companions.
He was one of the 10 who were given the glad tiding of Paradise in one ḥadīth. And was known among the companions of the Prophet with karāmah of answered du’a.
He was a cousin and a brother-in-law to Sayyidunā ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. In fact, he played a big role in leading Sayyidunā ‘Umar to Islam.
He was your right guess… He was Sayyidunā Sa’īd ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu is our Shining Star of this episode of The Shining Stars Series, brought o you by GSalam.Net and Al-Bushra by GSalam.
The Beginning
When we talk about Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd, we’re also talking about his first wife, Fatimah bint al-Khaṭṭāb, his brother-in-law, ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and his home tutor, Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt raḍiya Allāhu ’anhum. In fact, it’s difficult to talk about Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd without talking about his father, Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl, who died 5 years before the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam was chosen and sent to the world as the Seal of all Prophets.
Do note that while Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu has already been featured in The Shining Stars Series, ‘Umar is set to be featured, at the right time, Insha Allah. So keep an eye on The Shining Stars Series, brought to you by GSalam.Net and Al-Bushra by GSalam.
Yes, Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu does not have a mention in volumes of books nor in dozens of pages. This is because, while he was a fierce warrior, he was a person who avoided the limelight. However, upon taking a closer look at the little that’s documented about him, you can’t help, but be inspired…
So, who was Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd?
Who Was Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd
Nicknamed as Abū al-A’war, Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd’s long names goes as:
سَعِيد بن زَيْد بن عَمْرو بن نُفَيل بن عبد العُزَّى بن رِيَاح بن عبد اللّه بن قُرْط بن رِزاح بن عَدِيّ بن كَعْب بن لُؤَي بن غالب بن فهر بن مالك بن النضر
Sa’īd ibn Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl ibn ‘Abd al-‘Uzzā ibn Riyāḥ ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn Qurẓ ibn ‘Adiyy ibn Ka’b ibn Lu’ay ibn Ghālib ibn Fihr ibn Mālik ibn al-Naḍr.
His mother was
فاطمة بنت بَعْجَة بن أُميّة بن خُويلد بن خالد بن المعمّر بن حَيّان بن غَنْم بن مُليح من خزاعة.
Fāṭimah bint Ba’jah ibn Umayyah ibn Khuwaylid ibn Khālid ibn al-Mu’ammar ibn Ḥayyān ibn Ghanm ibn Mulayḥ ibn Khuzā’ah.
Sayyiduā Sa’id ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu was one of the companions who successfully embraced Islam, together with his household, primarily his wife.
He was the born 22 years before hijrah. That was 12 years before the arrival of Islam. This means, Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd was
- 28 years younger The Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
- 7 years younger than Sayyidunā al-Zubayr (He was 19)
- 5 year younger that Sayyidunā Sa’d ibn Abī Waqqāṣ (He was 17)
- 4 years younger than Al-Arqam ibn Abi Al-Arqam (He was 16)
- 2 years older than Sayyidunā ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. (He was 10).
His wife was Fāṭimah bint al-Khaṭṭāb, the sister of ‘Umar, and ‘Umar also married his sister ‘Ātikah bint Zayd. Either way, Sa’id was married to his cousin and ‘Umar also married one of his cousins.
Both Sa’id ibn Zayd and his wife, Fāṭimah bint al-Khaṭṭāb, in addition to their home tutor, Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt together convinced Sayyidunā ‘Umar to accept Islam, after Allah opened his heart to Islam. More on that when we feature Sayyidunā ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb in The Shining Stars Series, inshā Allah.
Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nawfal: Sayyidunā Sa’id’s Father
Before the Prophet Muhammad was sent with Islam, after people forgot the true teachings of Sayyidunā ‘Īsā ‘alayhi al-salām, people went astray, and that led the people of Makkah into worshipping idols.
While the majority was into idol worshipping, there was a handful of people who despised the religion of idol worshipping. Among them was a man by the name Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl. That was the father of Sayyidunā ‘Sa’id.
When he realised that something was not right with idol-worshipping, Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufay travelled to several places looking for the true religion. He didn’t find the truth in Judaism nor in Christianity at that point. He was then told, by Jewish and Christian priests to go back to his land (Makkah/Arabia), if he’s looking for the truth, because the Final Messenger was about to be sent to mankind, and that he would come from the Arabian Peninsula.
Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nawfal returned to Makkah, hoping to live to see the Final Messenger and be one of his followers. But he passed on five years before the arrival of the Final Prophet.
After Islam arrived, his son, Sa’id went to the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, my father is whom you’ve known. Please seek forgiveness for him,” and the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam said:
نَعَمْ، فَإِنَّهُ يَكُونُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ أُمَّةً وَحْدَهُ
“Yes, he shall be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection a Nation of his own.”
Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd’s Accepts Islam
Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd was 12 years old when Islam arrived. He first accepted Islam in the hands of Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt, who later took him to the Prophet to announce his Islam before him, ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
After that, he rushed home to share the good news of his Islam and about the beauty of Islam with his wife, Fāṭimah bint al-Khaṭṭāb. Fāṭimah couldn’t wait for him to finish sharing about the new religion before declaring her shahādah and becoming Muslimah.
With that, they become among the first households who accepted Islam in its entirety.
Likewise many households of the companions of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam, Sa’id ibn Zayd and his wife used to invite from among the companions who knows better to teach them the Qur’an.
The popular home tutor was Sayyidunā Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. The same person, in the hands of whom Sai’d embraced Islam.
This home tuition has contributed in getting Sayyidunā ‘Umar to embrace Isalm. And as a matter of fact, if this is the effects of home tuition on outsiders, what would its effects be on the members of the same household.
Perhaps, we should have spiritual gatherings in our houses, where we pray together, and also conduct learning sessions of the correct and authentic teachings of Islam.
Sayyiduā Sa’id ibn Zayd Migrates to Madīnah
Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd did not migrate to Abyssinia. But he and his wife were among the firsts who migrated to Madīnah. It’s reported that after his arrival in Madinah, the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam partnered between him Sayyidunā Ubay ibn Ka’b raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu.
Sayyidunā Sa’id also participated in the Battle of Uḥud and all the battles in which the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam participated, after Uḥud. He didn’t participate in the Battle of Badr, because it happened when he and Sayyidunā Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillāh were away in a mission, they were despatched for by the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. However, both of them were given their share from the spoil or booty of the Battle of Badr. An indication that they couldn’t have missed it if they are present in Madinah at the time of the battle.
Sayyidunā Sa’id During the Caliphate of Abū Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān
Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd was one of the companions who would shield the Prophet from the front during battles. And he was known to be a fierce warrior.
This continued even after the passing of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam. Sayyidunā Abū Bakr despatched him to participate in the operations of expanding the Islamic State at the time.
Being one of the 10 companions who were granted the glad tiding of Paradise in one ḥadīth, he was automatically one of those whom, according to Sayyidunā ‘Umar, the Prophet was pleased with at the point of his death. However, Sayyidunā ‘Umar nominated all of those among them who were alive when he made the nomination of names for his succession. He excluded Sayyiduna Sa’id ibn Zayd. Perhaps, that was because Sayyidunā Sa’id was his cousin and brother-in-law.
Sayyidunā Sa’id gave his pledge to Sayyidunā ‘Uthman, and laster on to Sayyidunā ‘Ali after the passing of Sayyidunā ‘Uthmān. He also gave his pledge to Sayyidunā Mu’āwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān after Sayyidunā al-Ḥasan gave up his post as the Caliph to Mu’āwiyah. Raḍiya Allāhu ’anhum.
Sa’id ibn Zay’d During the Fitnah
One of the most challenging tests that Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd lived to witness was The Fitnah that happened among the companions of the Prophet and led to bloodshed among them.
Among the prominent companions of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam who distanced themselves from it was Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl, raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu.
The Family of Sa’id ibn Zayd
Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn had experience up to ten marriages. This includes women who were his possession, with whom the Muslim is allowed to have children. From these marriages, Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd had more than 30 children. Here is a list of these wives and his children with them each:
Fāṭimah bin al-Khaṭṭāb
- ‘Abdul-Raḥmān
Ḥazmah bint Qays
- Muḥammad
- Ibrāhīm jnr.
- ‘Abdullāh jnr.
- Umm Ḥabīb al-Kubrā
- Umm al-Ḥasan al-Ṣughrā
- Umm Zayd al-Kubrā
- Umm Salamah
- Umm Ḥabīb al-Ṣughrā
- Umm Sa’īd al-Kubrā
- Umm Zayd al-Ṣughra
Umāmah bint al-Dajīj
- ‘Abdul-Raḥmān jnr.
- ‘Umar jnr.
- Umm Mūsā
- Umm al-Ḥasan al-Kubrā
Jalīsah bint Suwayd
- Zayd
- ‘Abdullāh al-Akbar
- ‘Ātikah
Ḍubgh bint al-Aṣbagh
- ‘Amr al-Akbar
- Ṭalḥah
- Zujlah
Umm al-Usūd
- ‘Amr jnr.
- Al-Aswad
Ibnatu Qurbah
- Ibrāhīm snr.
- Ḥafṣah
Umm Khālid
- Khālid
- Umm Khālid
- Umm al-Nu’mān
Umm Bashīr bint Abī Mas’ūd
- Umm Zayd al-Ṣughrā
Umm Walad
- ‘Ā’ishah
- Zaynab
- Umm ‘Abd
- Umm Ṣāliḥ
Jamīlah bin ‘Abdillāh
- Hishām
The Virtues of Sa'id ibn Zayd
Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu was a person with virtues. Here are the most two outstanding of them…
He was a Person with Answered Du’a
Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu was known as someone who was honoured with answered du’a. Of course every du’a is answered. But the du’a of some people are answered openly and instantly.
Sayyidunā Sa’id used to have a neighbour by the name Arwā bint Qays. He so happened to have pulled the boundary of his land inside to give up some inches of his land for the lady. However, unfortunately, Arwā bint Qays complained him to Marwan ibn al-Ḥakam, the ruler of Madīnah under Mu’āwiyah at that time, accusing him of chopping some part of her land.
When Sayyidunā Sa’id presented in front of Marwān, he said there’s no way he would take her land. Especially having heard the Prophet saying:
مَنْ أَخَذَ شِبْرًا مِنَ الأَرْضِ ظُلْمًا، فَإِنَّهُ يُطَوَّقُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ
“If anyone takes a span of land unjustly, his neck will be encircled with it down seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.”
Sayyidunā Sa’id then ask her to come cut off, whatever she believes is hers, which she did. In return for that, Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd prayed to Allah to, if the lady intended to defame him, to not take her life before she became blind. And that He took her life in the land she’s accused him of.
After a short while, she lost her sight. Sadly, one day, she woke up one night (while blind) and fell in a water well in the land. And died.
The people of Madinah knew the prayer of Sa’id ibn Zayd took effect on Arwā bint Qays.
He Was One of 10 Given Glad News of Paradise in One Hadīth
Imām al-Tirmidhī reports from the narration of Sayyidunā ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf, the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam once said:
أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَعُمَرُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَعُثْمَانُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَعَلِيٌّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَطَلْحَةُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَالزُّبَيْرُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَسَعْدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَسَعِيدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَأَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ.ـ
Abu Bakr is in Paradise, ‘Umar is in Paradise, ‘Uthmān is in Paradise, ‘Ali is in Paradise, Ṭalḥah is in Paradise, Al-Zubayr is in Paradise, ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf is in Paradise, Sa’d bin Abī Waqqāṣ is in Paradise, Sa’īd is in Paradise, and Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah is in Paradise.”
8 Things About Sa’id ibn Zayd
Here are 8 things you may want to remember about Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu.
- Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd accepted Islam at the age of 12.
- At the age of 12, he was already married.
- He was a cousin and a brother in-law to Sayyidunā ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.
- Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd’s father was Muslim even though he didn’t live to see the Prophet.
- Also, Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd was among the second 10 to embrace Islam.
- He contributed in Sayyidunā ‘Umar’s submission to Islam.
- He used to organise home tuition for his family to learn the Qur’an.
- Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd was one of the 10 given glad tiding of Paradise in one ḥadīth.
Sayyidunā Sa'id ibn Zayd's Passing
It’ reported that Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl passed on in al-‘Aqīq, place near Madīnah. That was 51 after the hijrah of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.
The Takeaway…
It’s inspiring to learn that Sayyidunā ‘Umar found Islam at his sister’s home. But what’s more significant than that is the importance of having family circle or schedule for learning and revising our Islamic knowledge. In the event, no member in the family can lead, we learn from Sa’id ibn Zaid, who invited someone more knowledgeable to come home to teach or share with him and his household. And just like Sayyidunā ‘Umar was saved, we save our most loved ones, our immediate family members.
Let your home be like the house of Sa’id and Fatimah, whoever comes in will go out with an increase in iman or guidance if he’s misguided.
When Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd accepted Islam, he was 12 years old. Surprisingly he was also already married. If you’re reading this as a parent, do learn to raise your children in ways that make them feel like matured individuals. This is because a matured individual makes positive impact even if he happens to be a 5-year-old. If you’re a child reading this, please don’t undermine yourself, thinking you are child. A child can make a change and be a nation on his own. Even when people don’t notice it. But rest assured, Allah will notice, acknowledge and reward you in manifold ways.
In the end, whether we’re parents, children or educators, we have Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd and his wife Sayyidatunā Faṭimah bint al-Khaṭṭāb to learn from.
That was Sayyidunā Sa’id bin Zad, raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu. One of the second 10 to embrace Islam. The one who with his wife and their home tutor were the cause for Sayyidunā ‘Umar to embrace islam. One of the 10 who were given glad tiding of Jannah in one ḥadīth. And a Shining Star worth your time and attention to look up to, for inspirations and role modelling.
Until we meet again in our next episode of the Shining Stars to look up to another Shing Star, for inspirations, I leave you in Allah’s protection.
Wassalamu ‘alaykum warahmatullah.
Be the first to comment on "The Shining Stars: 18 – Sayyidunā Sa’id ibn Zayd"