Seerah of Prophet Muhammad 61 - The Tribe of Banu Quraytha - Dr. Yasir Qadhi | 15th May 2013
Seerah of Prophet Muhammad 61 - The Tribe of Banu Quraytha - Dr. Yasir Qadhi | 15th May 2013
We concluded the Battle of Khandaq in the last lesson, and the way Allah used a number of factors: Nuaym ibn Mas'ud, the army of the wind, angels, the mistrust the tribes had for each other and so Allah used all of these against them. And indeed as Allah says, "Allah was sufficient for their fighting." So when the Muslims woke up the next morning after that terrible sandstorm, they saw the entire land deserted, nobody had remained, all the tents had been overturned, and so it's clear that the Quraysh and the Ahzab have left.
The Angels Have Not Put Down the Weapons Yet
So the Prophet PBUH departed back home, and some said he went to the house of Ummi Salama, and he had hardly come home and put down his sword when Jibril AS came to him. And at this time it was Zuhr, so it was the time for an afternoon nap as per the custom. But Jibril AS comes to him, and Ibn Ishaq mentions he was wearing a turban made of soft brocade, and riding a mule with a saddle of silk, and he said, "Ya Rasulullah have your put down your weapon?" He PBUH said, "Yes." And Jibril AS said, "As for the angels, they have not put it down yet. And I've just arrived with a new contingent. Ya Muhammad, Allah is commanding you to go to the Banu Qurayza." Subhan'Allah it's been a whole month of tiredness, fatigue, etc., he hasn't even entered his house for rest and Jibril AS comes and he commanded the Prophet PBUH to go to the Banu Qurayza. And Jibril AS said, "And I am heading there right now, and I will shake the earth for them."
So the Prophet PBUH sent a crier throughout the entire city that, "Whoever hears must obey. And nobody is allowed to pray Asr except at Banu Qurayza." And that's two hours away - so there was no time to relax. And this was a severe direct command and order, that you CANNOT pray Asr except in Banu Qurayza. This hadith is recorded in Bukhari and Muslim (muttafaq alayh).
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Interesting Fiqh Lesson From the Incident: How Literal Should We Be?
Quick tangent: This leads to one of the most interesting fiqh episodes. The commandment went out, and obviously not everyone will respond immediately. Maybe a few of them have fallen asleep, a few got the message late etc. There would be some delay. So the sahaba were arriving in Banu Qurayza in batches. Quite a lot trickled in until Maghrib was about to set. Realize Madinah was much larger than it is now: There were many settlements outside the city. Quite a lot of sahaba got to the Banu Qurayza at the right time, but there was also quite a lot who were on their way to the Banu Qurayza and the sun is about to set. If it sets Asr is over so the sahaba on route began to have a back and forth: Should we pray Asr now so we don't miss it OR should we follow what the Prophet PBUH said and not pray Asr until we get there, even if we miss it? It's a big issue. Of course when the Prophet PBUH is saying, "Don't pray Asr until you get there" it was but an expression i.e. hurry up and get there. But the sahaba were taking it at face value: They differed back and forth and couldn't reach a consensus. Some of them prayed then and there, and others didn't pray until they reached the Banu Qurayza even though they missed it. This shows us when equally qualified mujtahids make an ijtihad (and you have to be qualified), neither party is obligated to follow the other ijtihad. This is exactly what happened to the sahaba here: They each followed their ijtihad and they didn't criticize each other.
Now when they all got to Banu Qurayza, they told the Prophet PBUH what happened. And what did the Prophet PBUH say? He did not criticize either party and he let it be. This shows us a truly profound matter: That, the ultimate truth even in matter of fiqh is one. How do we know this even though this hadith shows it is multiple? The scholars say when the Prophet PBUH gave this commandment, "Do not pray Asr until you reach the Banu Qurayza" - there is no doubt he intended one of the two meanings. He could not have meant both. Second, the sahaba differed in two camps: There was no camp which thought, "Oh, he must have intended both." It's illogical and against common sense to say this. Thus this is the predominant position in Usul al-Fiqh. Is truth one or multiple? It's a theological and Usul al-Fiqh issue, and the position which makes the most sense is that truth is one, but a person who genuinely mistakenly misses the truth will not be sinful. We differentiate between truth and reward. This is proven in Bukhari when the Prophet PBUH said, "If the qualified ruler/judge judges and is correct, they will get two rewards. If he is incorrect they will get one reward." And notice it can't be multiple at the same time. You can have two scholars give two fatwas: In the eyes of Allah only one of them is correct. This hadith proves it: The Prophet PBUH did not criticize either of the two camps, and note he didn't clarify what he meant because this is a one-off thing. One of the two parties honestly misunderstood, and there is no point criticizing the wrong party, so the Prophet PBUH didn't do so.
Here we find a fascinating issue: How literal should we be to the text to the Quran and sunnah? Can we use a little bit of rationality or not? We don't use rationality to reinterpret the unseen. We are discussing laws of Islam. When it comes to laws of Islam, there are continuous trends of ikhtilaf: If the hadith said X, but we kind of sort of understand why X was said and it doesn't apply now, can we move around it? For example, travelling without a mahram. The hadith said, "If you believe in Allah and the Last day do not let your women travel without a mahram for 3 days" - in one narration it's one day. Literals say, "The Prophet PBUH said it so you must obey." Others said, "Yes he said it but our times are completely different." Also what we learn from the incident is that both parties should not be critical - these trends go back to the sahaba. But the big caveat is that the fatwas must be given by people that are QUALIFIED to speak. Especially in western lands when there are so few ulama: Mostly the gatherings are led by people without knowledge. This is a big issue: If reputable scholars have a spectrum of opinion then that is fine. If however conservatives are pronouncing verdicts in Islam with no knowledge, then this is completely wrong. Only scholars with established credentials and experience can give fatwas. The progressives who criticize fiqh are complete idiots who have no knowledge and they question the true fuqaha. However true fuqaha have the right to debate and discuss with each other. This trend of rationality and literalism goes back to the sahaba: One group said, "He didn't literally mean to pray Asr at Banu Qurayza if we miss it," but other group said, "No he did." And this will continue on and on, and Allah knows best.
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Surrounding the Banu Qurayza
Now let's get back to our seerah lecture. So, the sahaba eventually got there and of the first to get there was Ali ibn Abi Talib. The Prophet PBUH told him to go immediately and hold up the flag of Islam. And when they saw him they began saying the most vulgar things about the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH also was walking towards Banu Qurayza, and he met up with some sahaba and he asked them if anybody else preceded him. The sahaba said, "We haven't seen anyone apart from Dihyah al-Kalbi riding on a white mule." Note Dihyah was the most handsome man in Madinah. They said, "We just saw Dihyah on a mule just randomly riding!" and they didn't know that it was none other than Jibril AS. Whenever Jibril would want to be seen, he would simply take the form of the most handsome man of Madinah, Dihyah. And the Prophet PBUH said, "That was Jibril. Allah sent him to shake the ground from under their feet."
When the Prophet PBUH reached the Banu Qurayza, Ali RA immediately rushed out to stop him and said, "Ya Rasulullah why don't you camp over here?" Why? Because he didn't want the Prophet PBUH to hear what they are saying. So the Prophet PBUH said, "Perhaps they are saying things about me?" And Ali RA said, "Yes they are." So Ali RA told the Prophet PBUH to camp far away from the fortress. Note they had massive fortresses that were fully protected - the Ansar tried to make copies but it was just an imitation. The Prophet PBUH said, "Once they see me they will not say these things." So he set his camp up right in front of the fortress. And the Prophet PBUH said, "O Jews! Aren't you humiliated?" And they said, "You were never one who acted foolishly (meaning please spare us)." The Prophet PBUH surrounded them and told them to surrender but they refused.
So the Prophet PBUH and the sahaba all camped around the Banu Qurayza - hours went by, days turned into weeks, and weeks eventually into a month. All the books of seerah agree this siege lasted for 25 days. And Khandaq lasted for 25-30 days. So the entire ordeal almost two whole months. So for 25 days they are surrounding the Banu Qurayza - and of course inside is Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the leader of the Banu Nadir, who through his own arrogance stayed in Madinah. As the days turned into weeks, Ka'b said to his people, "O my people, I suggest one of three things:
1) We accept this man's religion, for wallahi we know he is the prophet who has been predicted in our books. If we do so our lives and property will be safe (they all knew this!).
But the people said, "Wallahi we will never leave the religion." It's interesting he says the secret that everyone knew but everyone is too embarrassed to admit: They all knew he was the prophet of Allah PBUH. And by now of course who can have any doubt? All the miracles are there to see, everything is clear.
Then Ka'b said,
2), "Okay fine, let us kill our own families (so we don't have to worry about what will happen to them), and then charge outside with our swords drawn until one of us dies. If we die then so be it. If we win there are plenty of women to marry later."
It was a far shot chance but it was possible - but of course there is no way this is going to happen. The people said, "We will never kill our own family."
So Ka'b then said:
3), "Okay, if you refuse the first two, the only thing we can do is a surprise attack. And let's surprise attack on Saturday the Sabbath - they won't expect us to break our own Sabbath!"
Subhan'Allah look at how low he is willing to go - but his people said, "We will never break the Sabbath, don't you know if we do that Allah will send a punishment? etc."
Ka'b got so angry he said, "Wallahi since the day your mother has given birth to you, you have never made a decision in your lives."
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Banu Qurayza's Pleads
Then the Banu Qurayza sent a messenger to the Prophet PBUH and he begged and pleaded, "O Prophet [PBUH] give to us what you gave to the Banu Nadir. Take our lands but we'll take our money, camels and family and we will go." The Prophet PBUH said, "No." The messenger comes back and says, "Okay fine keep everything, keep the camels and property, but just let us go." But the Prophet PBUH said, "No - I will not accept anything else except an unconditional surrender." And again the Prophet PBUH was not being treacherous here - they wanted a condition to come out. But the Prophet PBUH said, "No, only an unconditional surrender."
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Abu Lubaba RA
Then another messenger comes and said, "We want Abu Lubaba to come into our fortress." Who is Abu Lubaba? He was a special close friend in the days of Jahiliyyah with the Banu Qurayza. So he went in, and he is of course a great sahabi. He witnessed Badr in that he was in the army, but he was sent to do an errand and he didn't fight. He also fought in Uhud and other battles and he has a good record, but what's about to happen now was a human slip. So he entered their fortress, and Ibn Ishaq said everyone were so happy to see him, and the women and children began crying and begging for mercy from him. Then Ibn Ishaq said Abu Lubaba's heart became soft for them. They asked him, "Should we surrender or not?" He said, "Yes, you should but.." and then he made a motion of "you all will die." And Abu Lubaba later said in the first person, "As soon as I said this, wallahi my feet had not moved, except that I realized I have been disloyal and treacherous to Allah and His Messenger." Firstly he wasn't sure about their fate, but secondly whose side is he on? Whose loyalty do you have? To show sympathy is such a tense situation to the enemy after all that they had done, this was khiyana. And he knew that he betrayed Allah and His Messenger.
And he said he left the fortress, bypassed the army and the Prophet PBUH, and tied himself to a pillar of the masjid. He tied himself to it and said, "Wallahi I shall remain tied until Allah accepts my repentance. And I will never go to the Banu Qurayza again, for I will never be in an area where I disobeyed Allah and His messenger." After a while the news spread what happened, and the Prophet PBUH said, "If he had come to me, I would have asked Allah to forgive him. But now he's done this, I cannot help him." Why? Because it's a promise he made to Allah that he will NOT move from the pillar until Allah forgives him. And he remained tied for more than a week, and one day at Fajr the Prophet PBUH woke up to go pray and he was laughing. Ummi Salama said, "What caused you to laugh?" The Prophet PBUH said, "Allah has accepted the tawba of Abu Lubaba." So Ummi Salama said, "Should I not tell him?" - note at that stage her house had a door with direct access to the masjid. So she comes rushing out and says, "O Abu Lubaba, thank Allah, He has forgiven you," but Abu Lubaba said, "No. Until the Prophet PBUH comes and unties me I won't move." So the Prophet PBUH did do this. And the repentance of him is in Surah al-Tawba verse 102:
وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
"And [there are] others who have acknowledged their sins. They had mixed a righteous deed with another that was bad. Perhaps Allah will turn to them in forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." [9:102]
Hasan al-Basri used to say this verse is the most optimistic verse in the whole Quran for me. Ibn Abbas said every time Allah said 'asa' for 'might/perhaps' it means He will do it; so He will forgive. So if you acknowledge you are sinful but ask for repentance, insha'Allah He will forgive.
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Banu Qurayza Surrenders
24 days have gone - the next day is the 25th. And on this day the Banu Qurayza decide to surrender. There's no escape, their supplies are diminishing and so on the 25th day they all surrendered. On the night of the 24th in the middle of the night an incident happened: The Muslim army is around the fortress - and they hear someone come outside. One of the Muslims said, "Who is it?" The man said, "Amr ibn Sa'd" - he was one of perhaps two, or the only, who had vocally refused to follow what Ka'b ibn Asad had done. And he said, "I will never betray the promise of the Prophet PBUH." But he is in the fortress of course. Now when he hears they will surrender the next day, he wants to try and get out before this. Muhammad ibn Maslamah was the guard in charge, and he knew this Amr ibn Sa'd wasn't with the Banu Qurayza, he vocally opposed them, but at the end of the day he is still with them. So Muhammad ibn Maslamah said, "O Allah, overlook my overlooking of him." So he simply let him go. And it is said that Amr ibn Sa'd went to Madinah for one night, and then left thereafter. When the Prophet PBUH heard of what happened, he said, "That was a man Allah saved because of his honesty." The Prophet PBUH did not get angry at Muhammad ibn Maslamah. So a key point of this is that, the Madinan Jews were punished for what they did. NOT for who they were. Amr ibn Sa'd was truthful to the treaty, so he was saved.
The next morning the message came they are willing to surrender.
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The Judgement of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh
Immediately the Aws surround the Prophet PBUH and began pleading. As of yet the Prophet PBUH has not said what he wants to do. Because of this, the Aws remember the days of Jahiliyyah, and they start begging the Prophet PBUH to save the Banu Qurayza; one of them said, "Ya Rasulullah you spared the Khazraj's allies (Banu Nadir) so spare our tribe (our ally) as well." And the Prophet PBUH even did it for Abdullah ibn Ubayy. So the Aws are saying do the same for our tribe (ally) - but subhan'Allah there's a world of difference between what the Banu Nadir did and what the Banu Qurayza did. But the Aws are humans and want mercy for their own friends. At this, the Prophet PBUH said, "Will you be happy if one of your own decides their fate?" They said, "OF COURSE." So he said, "I have chosen for you Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, your own leader." Wallahi this is amazing. The Messenger of Allah stepping down and saying to the Ansar, "You guys decide." The Prophet PBUH is a true leader, and he has to gain the trust of his followers. Amazing. He says to them, "YOUR leader, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh - it will be his verdict." It's amazing that he is willing Sa'd ibn Mu'adh judge something - that is a judgement of Allah and His Messenger.
So Sa'd ibn Mu'adh up until this point, he is still in the hospital tent. There was the equivalent of a nurse amongst the sahaba, her name was Rufayda, and she volunteered to always take care of the sick etc. And she had a tent that was a mini hospital. So he was still in that tent, bleeding for 25 days - and he is going to die soon. So a group of the Ansar became very happy, they rushed back to Madinah, put him on a mule and took him to the Banu Qurayza. And on the way there, the Aws surrounded him and continued to tell him, "You have to be merciful, remember this, remember that, etc." One of them said, "You've only been chosen by the Prophet PBUH because you have been merciful." Sa'd said, "Now is the time of Sa'd to not care about his people, but only Allah and His messenger." Subhan'Allah. People want to go out with a bang for their people - but what is Sa'd saying?, "Now is the time to be sincere to Allah." When he said this the Aws understood what his judgement will be. When he came to the Banu Qurayza, the Prophet PBUH said to the Ansar, "Stand up to greet your leader." He himself did not allow the sahaba to stand up when he entered the room - this leads to a HUGE controversy in fiqh as to whether you should stand. The Prophet PBUH said, "Whoever loves it that people stand up for him, let him be prepared for his seat in Jahannam." He said this yet he tells the Ansar, "STAND UP to greet your leader." How do you reconcile? Imam Nawawi says whoever has taken this as a habit and expects people to stand, this is the person who will be in Jahannam. But once in a while, a one-off, not as a regular habit, then this is something allowed. When Fatima RA came to see the Prophet PBUH after a while, he himself stood up to greet her. So you can do once in a while, but not every time. If a grandfather or guest comes, as a one-off, you can do it.
Anyway, the Prophet PBUH then said to Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, that, "Your people (Aws) have accepted you as a judge for these (Banu Qurayza)." Note all of this is taking place outside the fortress. The Muhajir and Khazraj are not really involved either - the Khazraj had animosity with the Banu Qurayza anyway so they didn't care what happened to them. So it was between the Aws and the Prophet PBUH. So Sa'd said to his people, "I call you to Allah, and tell you to make a promise to Allah - will you listen and obey me with whatever verdict I give?" They said, "Yes it is you." And then he turned to the Prophet PBUH, lowered his face in front of him, and said, "And you as well ya Rasulullah? Will you be happy with my verdict?" And the Prophet PBUH said, "Yes." Wallahi it's mind-boggling to imagine, that Rasulullah is willing to go down to the ruling of Sa'd just for the Aws. And so Sa'd without a second's hesitation said, "My judgement in them, is that their men should be executed, their property distributed and their women and children taken as captive." As soon as he said this, the Prophet PBUH said, "Wallahi this was the judgement of Allah from above the seven heavens." And by the way this shows us Allah's decree is ONE. But the Prophet PBUH was willing for the sake of unity of the ummah to perhaps have a softer decree. But when Sa'd said the verdict, the Prophet PBUH said, "This is literally the verdict of Allah."
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The Execution of the Banu Qurayza
When the verdict was given, then of course the commandment were given to execute the men. Trenches were dug, the males were tied up and they were taken in batches and executed. One of the young men who survived narrates that, "I was a boy that was spared because I didn't have hair." And many stories are mentioned regarding Huyayy ibn Akhtab, when he was led out of the fortress, he was wearing his finest garment, and he had used strings to tie it around his body because he didn't want anyone to take it from his body after his death. And when he passed by the Prophet PBUH he said, "Wallahi I have never regretted my animosity towards you." To the last second he is saying, "I have no regrets." And then he said a phrase, "But whoever Allah humiliates, that is the real one who is humiliated." Look the guy himself deep down inside knows whose side Allah is on - and he turned to his people and said, "O my people, don't be sad. This is the decree of Allah on the Bani Israel" and then he lowered his neck and was executed. When Ka'b ibn Asad was let out, the Prophet PBUH said, "O Ka'b why didn't you benefit from the advice of Ibn Kharrash (a rabbi who died, who had predicted the coming of the Prophet PBUH) for he believed in me, and commanded you to follow me, and gave his salam to me through you." So Ka'b says, "I swear by the Torah this is true. And were it not for the fact that the Jews would criticize me, and say 'because I was scared of death I converted' I would follow you now, but I die as a Jew." So better than Huyayy, but he is still going to die upon his own religion.
Aisha RA said she was sitting with the prisoners, and a lady was laughing and joking with all types of jokes while her own people are getting executed, and then someone called her name and she stood up. Aisha RA said, "Why are you standing?" And she said, "To be killed." Aisha RA said, "Why?" and she said, "Because of something I did," so she knew it was something she did. And later on we found out she had killed one of the sahaba during the siege by throwing a grinding stone from up above on one of the sahaba, and because she killed him in this manner, she was the only woman executed. And Aisha RA said, "I never ceased to be amazed at her laughing while she knew she was going to be executed."
Another interesting story is that of an Ansari, Thabit ibn al-Qays. In the wars of Bu'ath (the wars between Aws and Khazraj, Banu Nadir etc. which finished before the Hijrah by two/three years) he and his wife were saved by one of the Banu Qurayza. So Thabit went to the prisoners, found Zubayr and said, "Do you remember me?" And Zubayr said, "Of course you are that person I saved etc." And then Thabit said, "It's time for me to repay that favor." Zubayr said, "Of course." Zubayr was extremely old so Thabit goes to the Prophet PBUH and said, "Ya Rasulullah please allow him to be spared." So the Prophet PBUH agreed but Zubayr said, "What use is life without family?" So Thabit goes back to the Prophet PBUH and begs for family and children so the Prophet PBUH said, "Okay, they are for you too." But Zubayr then said, "What use is life without money?" So back to the Prophet PBUH and again the Prophet PBUH said, "For you as well." Then Zubayr says, "Where is so-and-so?" And he started to list all his friends but they all had been killed. So Zubayr said, "What is the use of life without my friends and tribe? You send me to my death." So he was in fact killed. One or two people similar to this case survived. This also shows any Jew who had a special favor with someone the Prophet PBUH allowed them to take the favor back. Also it's said some of the Banu Qurayza had converted to Islam and so they were spared.
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How Many People Were Killed?
How many people were killed? The books of seerah and hadith mention broad varying numbers. Ibn Ishaq is the most authoritative, and he says between 600-700. But then he says, "Some have exaggerated and some 800-900." Some hadith say 400. Allah knows best but whatever it is it's a large tribe of the Banu Qurayza.
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The Booty
Much booty was received: According to one source, 1500 swords and 1500 shields were received. These were invaluable to the Muslim ummah. In addition to this, the Muslims got 2000 spears, 300 body armor suits, thousands of camels and sheep and they also found a large quantity of alcohol which was destroyed. And it was at this point in time when the ghanima ruling was solidified: The one who had a horse was given three shares compared to the one walking. In those days the Muslim army was not paid, it was on a volunteered basis. Thus the owner of animals got three shares: One for the animal and two for the person. Why? Because he is risking more and had more responsibility and burden to take care of the animal, train the animal etc. 1/5 was given to the Prophet PBUH and the Islamic state.
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Rayhana
Among those who the Prophet PBUH received in this battle was Rayhana and he invited her to Islam but she refused. So eventually the Prophet PBUH decided to transfer ownership, so he let her for a long time decide her fate. When she realizes the Prophet PBUH will leave her, she converted to Islam: She wanted to be with the Prophet PBUH rather than with someone else because of the care and gentleness he showed. After she converted the Prophet PBUH gave her the option to free her and marry her. Now the books of seerah differed that she didn't want to willingly be a wife, others say no she did. And we will realize contrary to popular beliefs there is a lot of differences in opinion as to how many wives the Prophet PBUH actually had. This is but another issue - we just don't know about Rayhana.
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Is Islam Antisemitic?
It's pretty obvious there are many who charge the Prophet PBUH and Islam as being antisemitic etc. No doubt the punishment was harsh, and even the Prophet PBUH was willing to compromise if Sa'd said so. Indeed there was the possibility of being merciful and being harsh. But even the most spiteful criticism should not and cannot say they were killed for who they were. One can understand if you say it was a harsh punishment, but if you claim the Prophet PBUH killed them for who they were, this is a lie. And none of the early scholars even entertained this possibility - it's so simple; they were killed because of what they did. Look at the context, the circumstance etc. Look at how many times they were told: Three times the Prophet PBUH gave them the option and made them sign their treaty. The issue comes: Anyone who talks about it, the entire context is ignored. This is not fair - when you put the situation in context you will see why the Prophet PBUH did what he did.
And by the way there is no problem with saying it's harsh. So what? Sometime it's good to be harsh and sometimes it's good to be merciful. Islam is the perfect way of life - gentleness is the rule, but once in a while you must show harshness and severity. You have to - otherwise people will just walk over you. There was an element of harshness but it was deserved. And you can't always forgive - you need to show there is a line you simply cannot cross.
Deuteronomy 20 10-14
"10 When you march up to attack a city, make it's people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies."
Many scholars refer to this verse in the Torah and subhan'Allah it's right there in their own book - their own punishment was exacted on them. And it was Sa'd who executed the hukum of Allah.
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The Blessings of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh RA
And Sa'd is that person whom the Prophet PBUH commanded others to stand up for. He was that person who made a du'a to Allah that 'allow me to live until that day' and Allah accepted. And it's mentioned when they carried his body for the janazah, the sahaba said, "We have never carried someone lighter than him." And the Prophet PBUH said, "Why should it not be light? For verily 70,000 angels have come down - they have never come down except for now on this earth and they are carrying his body with you." And when Sa'd was being buried, the Prophet PBUH said to him, "Jazak'Allahu khairan, O leader of the people. You have fulfilled your promise to Allah, and Allah will fulfill His promise to you." This is the Prophet PBUH saying to Sa'd!! This is Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. And when he was placed in his grave the Prophet's PBUH face color changed out of sadness and he started saying, "Subhan'Allah, subhan'Allah, subhan'Allah... etc." and the whole Baqi' also said it. And then the Prophet PBUH said, "Allahu'akbar, Allahu'akbar..." and the sahaba said, "Why the change?" And the Prophet PBUH said the beautiful hadith, "This righteous servant, for whom the Throne of Allah shook, and for whom 70,000 angels have come down to witness his shahada, he has now been squeezed in the grave and then set free. And if anyone were to have been freed from the squeezing of the grave, it would have been Sa'd ibn Mu'adh." This shows us as soon as the body is placed in the grave, there is a squeeze. And he is saying if anyone would have been saved from even this, it would have been Sa'd. And the scholars report that Sa'd ibn Mu'adh was a tall broad man, fair skinned and handsome, and he died a young tragic death at the age of 37.