58. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā –narrating from Habib ibn Abi Thābit: “I heard that Ibn `Umar said [in his illness that led to his death] on his deathbed, “I do not regret over anything in the world except that I did not fight against the rebel group.”1
See: The Encyclopedia of Amir al-Mu'minin, `Abdullah ibn `Umar.
1/10-2
Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqās
He embraced Islam at the age of nineteen2 and he was present in the battles of the Prophet (s.a.w.)3 The Sunnis consider him as one of ‘the ten promised to enter paradise’.4 He was chosen as the commander of the Qādisiya army during the caliphate of `Umar,5 and it was here that he became famous in the history of Islam. He then became the governor of Kufa,6 and when the people of Kufa complained about him, `Umar discharged him.7 Sa`d was a member of the six member council (to elect the Caliph)8 who then left it in favor of `Abd al- Rahman ibn `Awf.9 In the caliphate of `Uthmān, he once again took office as the governor of Kufa for a while.10 After some time, `Uthmān dismissed him and designated Walid ibn `Uqaba in his place.11
After the caliphate of Imām Ali (a.s.), Sa`d in the beginning did not swear allegiance to the Imām 12 and he secluded himself from the battles led by Ali (a.s.) and did not support him.13
He admired Imām Ali (a.s.) and enumerated his excellence during the reign of Mu`āwiya and in his presence.14 It was too heavy for Mu`āwiya, so he insulted him and said to him: “If you admit to all this, why didn’t you help him?”15 [Later on] He admitted to his own failure in observing the rights of Imām Ali (a.s.), swearing allegiance to him, and accompanying him.16
Sa`d died in 55 AH/ 674 CE.17 His son, `Umar ibn Sa`d was the commander of the ‘Umayyad army that fought against Husain (a.s.) in Karbalā.18
1.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۸۷, Usd al-Ghāba, vol. ۳, p. ۳۳۹, h. ۳۰۸۲.
2.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۵۶۷, h. ۶۱۰۳, Tahdhib al-Kamāl, vol. ۱۰, p. ۳۱۱, h. ۲۲۲۹.
3.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۵۶۹, h. ۶۱۱۱, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۳, p. ۱۴۲.
4.. Tārikh Baghdād, vol. ۱, p. ۱۴۴, h. ۴, Tahdhib al-Kamāl, vol. ۱۰, p. ۳۱۰, h. ۲۲۲۹. Tārikh Dimashq, vol. ۲۰, p. ۲۸۰.
5.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۶, p. ۱۲, Tārikh Baghdād, vol. ۱, p. ۱۴۴, h. ۴, al-Ma`ārif by Ibn Qutayba, p. ۲۴۱.
6.. al-Isti`āb, vol. ۲, p. ۱۷۲, h. ۹۶۸, al-Tārikh al-Saghir, vol. ۱, p. ۱۳۴, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۶, p. ۱۲.
7.. al-Ma`ārif by Ibn Qutayba, p. ۲۴۲, Siyaru A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۱, p. ۱۱۷, h. ۵, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. ۲, p. ۲۸۸, h. ۲۶۵۴.
8.. Tārikh Baghdād, vol. ۱, p. ۱۴۴, h. ۴, Hiliya al-Awliyā, vol. ۱, p. ۹۴, al-Ma`ārif by Ibn Qutayba, p. ۲۴۱.
9.. Sahih al-Bukhāri, vol. ۳, p. ۱۳۵۶, h. ۳۴۹۷.
10.. al-Tārikh alSaghir, vol. ۱, p. ۱۳۴, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۶, p. ۱۲, al-Ma`ārif by Ibn Qutayba, p. ۲۴۲.
11.. Ansāb al-Ashrāf, vol. ۳, p. ۹, Tārikh al-Tabari, vol. ۴, p. ۴۳۱, al-Kāmil fi al-Tārikh, vol. ۲, p. ۳۰۳.
12.. Siyaru A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۱, p. ۱۲۲, h. ۵.
13.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۱۱۷, h. ۴۵۷۵, Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. ۳, p.۲۳.
14.. Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. ۳, p. ۲۴.
15.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۱۲۶, h. ۴۶۰۱, Manāqib Ali Amir al-Mu'minin, vol. ۲, p. ۴۰۱, h. ۸۷۸.
16.. al-Tārikh al-Saghir, vol. ۱, p. ۱۲۶, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۳, p. ۱۴۹, al-Mu`jam al-Kabir, vol. ۱, p. ۱۳۹, h.۳۰۱.
17.. al-Ma`ārif, by ibn Qutayba, p. ۲۴۳.
