‘Abdu’llah ibn Sa‘ad
Encyclopedia
‘Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ was the foster brother of Uthman
. His father was Saad ibn Abi Sarh. Abdullah bin Sa'ad bin Abi'l Sarh built a strong Egyptian Arab navy. Under him the Muslim navy won a number of naval victories including its first major naval battle against Constans II at the Battle of the Masts
in 655
CE. Abdullah bin Sa'ad bin Abi'l Sarh was the Governor of Egypt at the time. One of his achievements while governor of Egypt, was the capture of Tripoli
in 647
whereby he brought Libya
into the folds of Islamic Empire.
Abd Allah Ibn Sa'd Ibn Abi Sarh was a governor of Upper Egypt
during the reign of Uthman
(644–656). He was the co-founder of the first Muslim Navy.
in Tafsir “Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta'wil”, Muhammad
dictated verses starting at (Qur'an 23:12) that says;
Abdullah said, "So Blessed be God the Fairest of creators!" in amazement at the details of man's creation. The prophet said, "Write it down; for thus it has been revealed." Abdallah doubted and said, "If Muhammad is truthful then I receive the revelation as much as he does, and if he is a liar, what I said is a good as what he said.". After this incident, Abdullah repudiated Islam
, left Medina
and went to Mecca
, spreading his belief that Muhammad composed the Qur'an himself without Divine Intervention.
Muslims believe, however, that this account is false, as the verses in question(23:12-14) were alleged to have been revealed in Mecca prior to the initial conversion of 'Abdullah ibn Saad.
Another questionable account states that following the conquest of Mecca
in 629 CE, Muhammad
ordered that Abdullah should be executed but Uthman
protected him. When conditions calmed, he was presented to Muhammad seeking pardon and offering the oath of loyalty. However, Muhammad withheld his hand and maintained silence. Uthman begged him to pardon Abdullah and on the third attempt Muhammad accepted Abdullah's oath of loyalty, effectively pardoning him. As soon as Abdullah had left, Muhammad turned to the Muslims who were in the room and asked: “Was not there a wise man among you who would stand up to him when he saw that I had withheld my hand from accepting his allegiance, and kill him?”
The companions, aghast, responded: “We did not know what you had in your heart, Apostle of Allah! Why did you not give us a signal with your eye?”
Muhammad said: “It is not advisable, for a Prophet to play deceptive tricks with the eyes.”
This account, however, also does not appear to be accurate as al-Tabari has recorded that although 'Abdulllah ibn Saad had apostatized initially for unknown reasons, he converted back to Islam before the conquest of Mecca.
became caliph in 644
CE, he appointed Abdullah governor of Egypt
replacing 'Amr ibn al-'As
, and Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa as his aide. Abdullah brought over a large foreign entourage and established the Diwan, "and commanded that all the taxes of the country should be regulated there".
The Copts viewed Abdullah as a "lover of money" who spent the revenues upon himself. In his time a famine struck Upper Egypt such that many Copts fled to the Delta. Soon the Arabs protested his governorship, too.
Some of the protests appear to have been instigated by his aide, Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa. Muhammad's father (Hudhaifa) was an early convert to Islam who died in the Battle of Yarmouk
. Muhammad was raised by Uthman
. When he reached maturity he participated in the foreign military campaigns and accompanied Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarh to Egypt
as an aide. Muhammad bin Hudhaifa admonished Abdullah, recommending changes in the government but Abdullah did not respond. After continuous efforts, eventually Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa lost patience and turned from sympathetic admonisher to a disillusioned opponent – first of Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarh and later of Uthman
for appointing him. Abdullah wrote to Uthman claiming that Muhammed was spreading sedition and that if nothing was done to stop him, the situation would escalate. Uthman attempted to silence Muhammad's protests with 30,000 dirhams and expensive presents. This bribe backfired, with Muhammad bringing the money and presents into the Great Mosque saying;
Uthman sent numerous placatory letters to Muhammad, but he continued building the agitation against Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ . In 656
the leaders of Egypt
decided to send a delegation to Medina
to demanding Abdullah's dismissal. Abdullah also left for Medina
to defend himself at the court of the caliph. In his absence, Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa assumed charge of the government.
When Abdullah reached Elath, he was told that Uthman's house was under siege (Siege of Uthman
) and decided to return to Egypt
. At the border he was informed that Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa had given orders to prevent him from entering Egypt. He then went to Palestine
awaiting the outcome of events in Medina
. In the meantime, Uthman was killed in Medina, and when Abdullah heard the news, he left Palestine, and went to Damascus
to live under the protection of Muawiyah I
.
Uthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
. His father was Saad ibn Abi Sarh. Abdullah bin Sa'ad bin Abi'l Sarh built a strong Egyptian Arab navy. Under him the Muslim navy won a number of naval victories including its first major naval battle against Constans II at the Battle of the Masts
Battle of That Al-Sawari
The Battle of the Masts or Battle of Phoenix was a crucial naval battle fought in 655 between the Muslim Arabs, led by Abdullah bin Sa'ad bin Abi'l Sarh and the Byzantine fleet under the personal command of Emperor Constans II.-Background:In the 650s, the Arab Caliphate finished off the Sassanid...
in 655
655
Year 655 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 655 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* November 15 – Northumbrian king...
CE. Abdullah bin Sa'ad bin Abi'l Sarh was the Governor of Egypt at the time. One of his achievements while governor of Egypt, was the capture of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
in 647
647
Year 647 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 647 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* A stone tower astronomical observatory named...
whereby he brought Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
into the folds of Islamic Empire.
Abd Allah Ibn Sa'd Ibn Abi Sarh was a governor of Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
during the reign of Uthman
Uthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
(644–656). He was the co-founder of the first Muslim Navy.
During Muhammad's Era
According to BaidawiBaidawi
Baidawi , was a Muslim scholar, was born in Fars, where his father was chief judge, in the time of the Atabek ruler Abu Bakr ibn Sa'd . He himself became judge in Shiraz, and died in Tabriz about 1286. Many commentaries have been written on Baidawi's work...
in Tafsir “Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta'wil”, Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
dictated verses starting at (Qur'an 23:12) that says;
- "We created man of an extraction of clay" and when Muhammad reached the part that says, "... thereafter We produced him as another creature (23:14)",
Abdullah said, "So Blessed be God the Fairest of creators!" in amazement at the details of man's creation. The prophet said, "Write it down; for thus it has been revealed." Abdallah doubted and said, "If Muhammad is truthful then I receive the revelation as much as he does, and if he is a liar, what I said is a good as what he said.". After this incident, Abdullah repudiated Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, left 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 went to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, spreading his belief that Muhammad composed the Qur'an himself without Divine Intervention.
Muslims believe, however, that this account is false, as the verses in question(23:12-14) were alleged to have been revealed in Mecca prior to the initial conversion of 'Abdullah ibn Saad.
Another questionable account states that following the conquest of Mecca
Conquest of Mecca
Mecca was conquered by the Muslims in January 630 AD .-Background:In 628 the Meccan tribe of Quraysh and the Muslim community in Medina signed a 10 year truce called the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah....
in 629 CE, Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
ordered that Abdullah should be executed but Uthman
Uthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
protected him. When conditions calmed, he was presented to Muhammad seeking pardon and offering the oath of loyalty. However, Muhammad withheld his hand and maintained silence. Uthman begged him to pardon Abdullah and on the third attempt Muhammad accepted Abdullah's oath of loyalty, effectively pardoning him. As soon as Abdullah had left, Muhammad turned to the Muslims who were in the room and asked: “Was not there a wise man among you who would stand up to him when he saw that I had withheld my hand from accepting his allegiance, and kill him?”
The companions, aghast, responded: “We did not know what you had in your heart, Apostle of Allah! Why did you not give us a signal with your eye?”
Muhammad said: “It is not advisable, for a Prophet to play deceptive tricks with the eyes.”
This account, however, also does not appear to be accurate as al-Tabari has recorded that although 'Abdulllah ibn Saad had apostatized initially for unknown reasons, he converted back to Islam before the conquest of Mecca.
During Rashidun Caliph Uthman’s Era
When UthmanUthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
became caliph in 644
644
Year 644 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 644 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Tang dynasty of China begins the invasion...
CE, he appointed Abdullah governor of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
replacing 'Amr ibn al-'As
'Amr ibn al-'As
`Amr ibn al-`As was an Arab military commander who is most noted for leading the Muslim conquest of Egypt in 640. A contemporary of Muhammad, and one of the Sahaba , who rose quickly through the Muslim hierarchy following his conversion to Islam in the year 8 AH...
, and Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa as his aide. Abdullah brought over a large foreign entourage and established the Diwan, "and commanded that all the taxes of the country should be regulated there".
The Copts viewed Abdullah as a "lover of money" who spent the revenues upon himself. In his time a famine struck Upper Egypt such that many Copts fled to the Delta. Soon the Arabs protested his governorship, too.
Some of the protests appear to have been instigated by his aide, Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa. Muhammad's father (Hudhaifa) was an early convert to Islam who died in the Battle of Yarmouk
Battle of Yarmouk
The Battle of Yarmouk was a major battle between the Muslim Arab forces of the Rashidun Caliphate and the armies of the East Roman-Byzantine Empire. The battle consisted of a series of engagements that lasted for six days in August 636, near the Yarmouk River, along what is today the border...
. Muhammad was raised by Uthman
Uthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
. When he reached maturity he participated in the foreign military campaigns and accompanied Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarh to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
as an aide. Muhammad bin Hudhaifa admonished Abdullah, recommending changes in the government but Abdullah did not respond. After continuous efforts, eventually Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa lost patience and turned from sympathetic admonisher to a disillusioned opponent – first of Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarh and later of Uthman
Uthman
Uthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
for appointing him. Abdullah wrote to Uthman claiming that Muhammed was spreading sedition and that if nothing was done to stop him, the situation would escalate. Uthman attempted to silence Muhammad's protests with 30,000 dirhams and expensive presents. This bribe backfired, with Muhammad bringing the money and presents into the Great Mosque saying;
- “Do you see what Uthman is trying to do? He is trying to buy my faith. He has sent these coins and these goods to me as a bribe.”
Uthman sent numerous placatory letters to Muhammad, but he continued building the agitation against Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ . In 656
656
Year 656 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 656 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Battle of Bassorah between Ali and Aisha,...
the leaders of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
decided to send a delegation to 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...
to demanding Abdullah's dismissal. Abdullah also left for 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...
to defend himself at the court of the caliph. In his absence, Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa assumed charge of the government.
When Abdullah reached Elath, he was told that Uthman's house was under siege (Siege of Uthman
Siege of Uthman
The Third Rightly Guided Caliph, Uthman, was assasinated at the end of a Siege. When the rebels besieged the house of Uthman, the siege was not severe at the early stage. The rebels merely hovered around the house of Uthman, and did not place any restrictions on the movements of Uthman. Uthman went...
) and decided to return to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. At the border he was informed that Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa had given orders to prevent him from entering Egypt. He then went to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
awaiting the outcome of events 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...
. In the meantime, Uthman was killed in Medina, and when Abdullah heard the news, he left Palestine, and went to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
to live under the protection of Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I was the first Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty. After the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims, Muawiyah's family converted to Islam. Muawiyah is brother-in-law to Muhammad who married his sister Ramlah bint Abi-Sufyan in 1AH...
.
Sources
- Tarikh Kamil, Vol. 3 by Kamil ibn Atheer
- Ansab-ul-Ashraf, by Baladhuri
- Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta'wil, by Baidawi