He was so shaken that he nearly relieved himself (1). He went back to his wife and said, “Do you know what my Yathribi brother has just told me? He claims he heard Muhammad assert that he will kill me.” She replied, “By Allah, Muhammad does not lie.”

When they set out for Badr, his wife said, “Have you forgotten what your Yathribi brother told you?” He thought about staying behind, but Abu Jahl said, “You are one of the valley’s nobles; march with us for a day or two.” So he went with them, and Allah caused him to be killed (2).

Ibn Shihab said: Saʿd ibn Muʿadh was present at Badr. He was struck by an arrow on the Day of the Trench, lived for a month, then his wound reopened and he died.

Ibn Ishaq narrated to me—through Abu Layla ʿAbd Allah ibn Sahl—that on the Day of the Trench ʿAʾisha was in the fortress of Banu Haritha, with Saʿd’s mother beside her. Saʿd passed by wearing a short coat of mail that left his entire forearm exposed; in his hand was a spear that he was trailing, and he was reciting:
“Wait a moment, that Haml may be seen in the fray;
No harm in dying when the appointed term draws near.”
—meaning Haml ibn Badr.

His mother said, “My son, you are late.” I said to her, “O Umm Saʿd, I wish Saʿd’s coat of mail were broader than it is.”

Saʿd was then shot with an arrow that severed his median vein; the archer was Ibn al-ʿAriqa. When the arrow hit its mark he cried, “Take that from me—I am Ibn al-ʿAriqa!”

Saʿd replied, “May Allah sear your face with fire! O Allah, if You have left anything of the war with Quraysh to be fought, then keep me alive for it…"