Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqās—may Allah be pleased with him—on that day. He began loosing arrows in his defense, while the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said to him:

“Shoot! May my father and mother be your ransom.”

The two Sahīh collections report from Sa'd: “On the Day of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said to me, ‘May my father and mother be your ransom.’” (1) Sa'd’s supplications were answered, and his aim was unerring.

Abū Talha was also among them as an archer, and he (2) could draw a bow with tremendous force. Talha ibn Ubayd Allah protected the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—with his hand, which became paralyzed. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—wore one coat of mail over another, and several men were killed defending him.

Ibn Ishāq said in al-Sīra, concerning the men who stood in defense of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—he said (3):

“Abū Dujāna used his own body as a shield for the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Arrows struck his back as he bent over him, until numerous arrows were lodged in it. Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqās also shot arrows in defense of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Sa'd said: I indeed saw him handing me arrows and saying (4), ‘Shoot! May my father and mother be your ransom.’ He would even hand me an arrow with no arrowhead and say, ‘Shoot!’ (5).