“And where can anyone find refuge or flight except with Allah?”

She continued: “A man of Quraysh named Ibn al-ʿArriqa shot at Saʿd, crying, ‘Take this—from Ibn al-ʿArriqa!’ The arrow struck the vein at the bend of his arm and severed it. Saʿd then prayed, ‘O Allah, do not let me die until my eyes are cooled by what You will do to Banū Qurayẓah.’”

She added, “They had been his allies and clients in the Days of Ignorance. His wound stopped bleeding, and Allah sent a wind against the idolaters—
‘Allah spared the believers from fighting, and Allah is Strong, Mighty’ (33:25).

“Abū Sufyān and those with him fled to Tihāmah, ʿUyaynah ibn Baḍr and his men withdrew to Najd, while Banū Qurayẓah went back and barricaded themselves in their fortresses (1). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to Madinah and ordered a leather pavilion to be pitched for Saʿd in the mosque.

“Gabriel then came to him, dust still upon his teeth, and said, ‘Have you laid down your arms? By Allah, the angels have not yet laid down theirs. Go out to Banū Qurayẓah and fight them.’

“So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ donned his armor and announced the march to the people. Passing the dwellings of Banū Ghanm—neighbors of the mosque—he asked, ‘Who has just passed by you?’ They replied, ‘Dihyah al-Kalbī.’ (Dihyah’s beard, age, and face resembled Gabriel’s.)

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then besieged Banū Qurayẓah for twenty-five nights. When the siege tightened and hardship grew, they were told, ‘Submit to the judgment of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ They consulted Abū Lubābah ibn ʿAbd al-Munḏir, who gestured that the judgment would be slaughter. They therefore said, ‘We will submit to the judgment of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh.’

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Submit to the judgment of Saʿd ibn Muʿādh.’ Saʿd was brought on a donkey with a saddle of palm-fiber; he was being carried, surrounded by his clansmen. They said, ‘O Abū ʿAmr, these are your allies and protégés—people well known to you.’ He gave them no reply and did not even glance at them. When he neared their dwellings he turned to his own people and said, ‘The time has come for me not to fear anyone’s blame for Allah’s sake.’

“Abū Saʿīd narrated: When Saʿd arrived, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Stand for your leader and help him dismount.’ ʿUmar said, ‘Our Leader is Allah.’ The Prophet repeated, ‘Help him dismount,’ and they did so.

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, ‘Pass judgment on them.’ Saʿd declared, ‘My ruling is that their fighting men be killed, their women and children taken captive, and their wealth divided.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, ‘You have judged them with Allah’s judgment and the judgment of His Messenger.’

“Saʿd then prayed, ‘O Allah, if You have left any fighting with Quraysh for Your Prophet, keep me alive for it; but if You have ended the war between him and them, then take me to Yourself.’ His wound thereupon burst open—though it had healed until only the thinness of a date-stone remained—and he was taken back to the pavilion the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had set up for him.

“Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, Abū Bakr, and ʿUmar were present with him. By Him in Whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, I could distinguish ʿUmar’s weeping from that of Abū Bakr while I was in my chamber; they were, as Allah says, ‘compassionate among themselves’ (48:29).”

ʿAlqamah said, “I asked, ‘Mother, how did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ comport himself?’ She replied, ‘No tear fell from his eyes over anyone, but when he felt deep grief he would grasp his beard.’”

This ḥadīth has a sound chain of transmission (2) and is corroborated by many other routes. It explicitly states that Saʿd supplicated twice—once