anyone whose loss was more grievous to the Muslims after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his two Companions—or either one of them—than Saʿd ibn Muʿādh. (1)

Al-Wāqidī said: ʿUbayd ibn Jabīrah narrated to us, from al-Ḥuṣayn ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAmr ibn Saʿd ibn Muʿādh, who stated:

“Saʿd was fair-skinned, tall, handsome, pleasant-faced, large-eyed, and possessed a fine beard. He lived for thirty-seven years.” (2)

Abū Isḥāq al-Sabīʿī reported—on the authority of a man, from Ḥudhayfah—that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The Throne quivered for the soul of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh.” (3)

Sulaymān al-Taymī also transmitted, from al-Ḥasan, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The Throne of the Most Merciful shook at the death of Saʿd.” (4)

Ibn Saʿd related: Muḥammad ibn Fuḍayl told us, from ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib, from Mujāhid, from Ibn ʿUmar, who said, “The Throne quivered out of love for meeting Allah with Saʿd.” He added, “What is meant is the bier.” Then he recited, “And he raised his parents upon (5) the throne” (Qur’an 12:100), and commented, “It simply means that its planks expanded.”

He went on to say: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Saʿd’s grave and remained inside for a while. When he came out, he was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what detained you?’ He replied, ‘Saʿd was subjected to a squeeze in the grave, so I implored Allah to relieve him.’” (6)