Sa'd ibn Mua'dh
Encyclopedia
Sa’d ibn Mu'adh was a chief of the Banu Aus
tribe in Medina
and later converted to Islam
. Sa'd was one of the chief of the Banu Aus, one of the two clans(non jewish) settled in Medina.
in 622 (1 AH), when Muhammad arrived in Medina, then known as Yathrib. He was among the leading figures among the Ansar
, as Muhammad had dubbed the people of Aws and Khazraj from Medina who converted to Islam.
Sa'd was an intimate friend with Umayah ibn Khalaf
. When Sa'd was in Mecca, he used to stay with Umayah, and when Umayah was in Medina, he used to stay with Sa'd.
Prior to the Battle of Badr
, Sa’d had visited Mecca once to perform his Umra with his non-Muslim friend Umayah ibn Khalaf
, when they came across Abu Jahl. They had an argument, and as it became heated, Sa'd threatened Abu Jahl with stopping the Meccan trade route to Syria and informed Umayah that his life was threatened by Muhammad .
After the Battle of the Trench
in 627 (5 AH), when Medina was unsuccessfully besieged by a Meccan army, the Muslims accused the Jewish Banu Qurayza
of treacherous dealings with the enemy. They laid siege to their stronghold and the Banu Qurayza surrendered unconditionally after several weeks of siege..
Several members of the Banu Aus
pleaded for their old Jewish allies and agreed to Muhammad's proposal that one of their chiefs should judge the matter. Muhammad appointed Sa'd, the Banu Qurayza agreed to his appointment. Sa'd had been wounded in the earlier battles, and was on the verge of death. He declared that they be judged by the laws of their own religion (Judaism
). Invoking Torah
law, Sa'd decreed that all adult male members of the tribe should be executed and all women and children enslaved.
Sa'd succumbed to the wounds and died after returning to Medina.
, a 19th-century Scottish
Orientalist
, writes:
Banu Aus
The Banū Aws or simply Aws was one of the main Arab tribes of Medina. The other was Khazraj, and the two, constituted the Ansar after the Hijra.Aws and Khazraj were known as Banū Qayla in pre-Islamic era.-Etymology:...
tribe in Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
and later converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Sa'd was one of the chief of the Banu Aus, one of the two clans(non jewish) settled in Medina.
Biography
Sa'd adopted IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in 622 (1 AH), when Muhammad arrived in Medina, then known as Yathrib. He was among the leading figures among the Ansar
Ansar (Islam)
Ansar is an Islamic term that literally means "helpers" and denotes the Medinan citizens that helped Muhammad and the Muhajirun on the arrival to the city after the migration to Medina...
, as Muhammad had dubbed the people of Aws and Khazraj from Medina who converted to Islam.
Sa'd was an intimate friend with Umayah ibn Khalaf
Umayah ibn Khalaf
Umayyah ibn Khalaf ibn Safwan was a Meccan Arab, a leading member of the Quraish and head of the of Bani Jumah. He was an opponent of the Muslims led by Muhammad and is best known as the master of Bilal ibn Ribah, a slave he tortured for converting to Islam....
. When Sa'd was in Mecca, he used to stay with Umayah, and when Umayah was in Medina, he used to stay with Sa'd.
Prior to the Battle of Badr
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
, Sa’d had visited Mecca once to perform his Umra with his non-Muslim friend Umayah ibn Khalaf
Umayah ibn Khalaf
Umayyah ibn Khalaf ibn Safwan was a Meccan Arab, a leading member of the Quraish and head of the of Bani Jumah. He was an opponent of the Muslims led by Muhammad and is best known as the master of Bilal ibn Ribah, a slave he tortured for converting to Islam....
, when they came across Abu Jahl. They had an argument, and as it became heated, Sa'd threatened Abu Jahl with stopping the Meccan trade route to Syria and informed Umayah that his life was threatened by Muhammad .
After the Battle of the Trench
Battle of the Trench
The Battle of the Trench also known as Battle of Ahzab, Battle of the Confederates and Siege of Medina , was a fortnight-long siege of Yathrib by Arab and Jewish tribes. The strength of the confederate armies is estimated around 10,000 men with six hundred horses and some camels, while the...
in 627 (5 AH), when Medina was unsuccessfully besieged by a Meccan army, the Muslims accused the Jewish Banu Qurayza
Banu Qurayza
The Banu Qurayza were a Jewish tribe which lived in northern Arabia, at the oasis of Yathrib , until the 7th century, when their conflict with Muhammad led to their demise, after the Invasion of Banu Qurayza, took place in the Dhul Qa‘dah, 5 A.H i.e. in February/March, 627 AD...
of treacherous dealings with the enemy. They laid siege to their stronghold and the Banu Qurayza surrendered unconditionally after several weeks of siege..
Several members of the Banu Aus
Banu Aus
The Banū Aws or simply Aws was one of the main Arab tribes of Medina. The other was Khazraj, and the two, constituted the Ansar after the Hijra.Aws and Khazraj were known as Banū Qayla in pre-Islamic era.-Etymology:...
pleaded for their old Jewish allies and agreed to Muhammad's proposal that one of their chiefs should judge the matter. Muhammad appointed Sa'd, the Banu Qurayza agreed to his appointment. Sa'd had been wounded in the earlier battles, and was on the verge of death. He declared that they be judged by the laws of their own religion (Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
). Invoking Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
law, Sa'd decreed that all adult male members of the tribe should be executed and all women and children enslaved.
Sa'd succumbed to the wounds and died after returning to Medina.
William Muir's view
William MuirWilliam Muir
Sir William Muir, KCSI was a Scottish Orientalist and colonial administrator.-Life:He was born at Glasgow and educated at Kilmarnock Academy, at Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, and at Haileybury College. In 1837 he entered the Bengal Civil Service...
, a 19th-century Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
Orientalist
Orientalist
Orientalist may refer to:*A scholar of Oriental studies*A person or thing relating to the Western intellectual or artistic paradigm known as Orientalism...
, writes: