The Martyr Zaid bin Sa'nah

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Blessings and salutations of peace be upon you my Master, Apostle of Allah

In the previous entry I mentioned the story of Mukhayriq رضى الله عنه the Ribbi and Jewish scholar who embraced Islam and was martyred in the Battle of Uhud. Another Ribbi and Jewish scholar who embraced Islam was Zayd bin Sa’nah رضى الله عنه who was martyred at the Battle of Tabuk:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ لَمَّا أَرَادَ هُدَى ‌زَيْدِ ‌بْنِ ‌سَعْنَةَ قَالَ ‌زَيْدُ ‌بْنُ ‌سَعْنَةَ مَا مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ النُّبُوَّةِ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا وَقَدْ عَرَفْتُهَا فِي وَجْهِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ نَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ إِلَّا اثْنَتَيْنِ لَمْ أَخْبُرْهُمَا مِنْهُ يَسْبِقُ حِلْمُهُ جَهْلَهُ وَلَا تَزِيدُ شِدَّةُ الْجَهْلِ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا حِلْمًا فَكُنْتُ أَلْطُفُ لَهُ لِأَنْ أُخَالِطَهُ فَأَعْرِفَ حِلْمَهُ مِنْ جَهْلِهِ قَالَ ‌زَيْدُ ‌بْنُ ‌سَعْنَةَ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمًا مِنَ الْحُجُرَاتِ وَمَعَهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ كَالْبَدَوِيِّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ بُصْرَى قَرْيَةَ بَنِي فُلَانٍ قَدْ أَسْلَمُوا وَدَخَلُوا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ وَكُنْتُ حَدَّثَتْهُمْ إِنْ أَسْلَمُوا أَتَاهُمُ الرِّزْقُ رَغَدًا وَقَدْ أَصَابَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ وَشِدَّةٌ وقُحُوطٌ مِنَ الْغَيْثِ فَأَنَا أَخْشَى يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ طَمَعًا كَمَا دَخَلُوا فِيهِ طَمَعًا فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ تُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِشَيْءٍ تُعِينُهُمْ بِهِ فَعَلْتَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ إِلَى جَانِبِهِ أُرَاهُ عَلِيًّا رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا بَقِيَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ قَالَ ‌زَيْدُ ‌بْنُ ‌سَعْنَةَ فَدَنَوْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَلْ لَكَ أَنْ تَبِيعَنِي تَمْرًا مَعْلُومًا مِنْ حَائِطِ بَنِي فُلَانٍ إِلَى أَجْلِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ لَا يَا يَهُودِيُّ وَلَكِنِّي أَبِيعُكَ تَمْرًا مَعْلُومًا إِلَى أَجْلِ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَلَا تُسَمِّي حَائِطَ بَنِي فُلَانٍ قُلْتُ بَلَى فَبَايَعَنِي فَأَطْلَقْتُ هِمْيَانِي فَأَعْطَيْتُهُ ثَمَانِينَ مِثْقَالًا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فِي تَمْرٍ مَعْلُومٍ إِلَى أَجْلِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَأَعْطَاهَا الرَّجُلَ فَقَالَ اغْدُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَعِنْهُمْ بِهَا فَقَالَ ‌زَيْدُ ‌بْنُ ‌سَعْنَةَ فَلَمَّا كَانَ قَبْلَ مَحَلِّ الْأَجَلِ بِيَوْمَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثٍ أَتَيْتُهُ فَأَخَذْتُ بِمَجَامِعِ قَمِيصِهِ وَرِدَائِهِ وَنَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ بِوَجْهٍ غَلِيظٍ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَلَا تَقْضِيَنِي يَا مُحَمَّدُ حَقِّي فَوَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُكُمْ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ لَمَطْلٌ وَلَقَدْ كَانَ لِي بِمُخَالَطَتِكُمْ عَلِمٌ وَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى عُمَرَ وَإِذَا عَيْنَاهُ تَدُورَانِ فِي وَجْهِهِ كالْفَلَكِ الْمُسْتَدِيرِ ثُمَّ رَمَانِي بِبَصَرِهِ فَقَالَ يَا عَدُوَّ اللهِ أَتَقُولُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا أَسْمَعُ وَتَصْنَعُ بِهِ مَا أَرَى فَوَالَّذِي بَعَثَهُ بِالْحَقِّ لَوْلَا مَا أُحَاذِرُ فَوْتَهُ لَضَرَبْتُ بِسَيْفِي رَأْسَكَ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى عُمَرَ فِي سُكُونٍ وتُؤَدَةٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا عُمَرُ أَنَا وَهُوَ كُنَّا أَحْوَجَ إِلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا أَنْ تَأْمُرَنِي بِحُسْنِ الْأَدَاءِ وتَأْمُرَهُ بِحُسْنِ التِّبَاعَةِ اذْهَبْ بِهِ يَا عُمَرُ وأَعْطِهِ حَقَّهُ وَزِدْهُ عِشْرِينَ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ مَكَانَ مَا رَوَّعْتَهُ قَالَ زَيْدٌ فَذَهَبَ بِي عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَأَعْطَانِي حَقِّي وَزَادَنِي عِشْرِينَ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ فَقُلْتُ مَا هَذِهِ الزِّيَادَةُ يَا عُمَرُ فَقَالَ أَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ أَزِيدَكَ مَكَانَ مَا رَوَّعْتُكَ قُلْتُ وتَعْرِفُنِي يَا عُمَرُ قَالَ لَا مَنْ أَنْتَ قُلْتُ أَنَا ‌زَيْدُ ‌بْنُ ‌سَعْنَةَ قَالَ الْحَبْرُ قُلْتُ الْحَبْرُ قَالَ فَمَا دَعَاكَ أَنْ فَعَلْتَ بِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا فَعَلْتَ وَقُلْتَ لَهُ مَا قُلْتَ قُلْتُ يَا عُمَرُ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ النُّبُوَّةِ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا وَقَدْ عَرَفْتُهُ فِي وَجْهِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ نَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ إِلَّا اثْنَتَيْنِ لَمْ أَخْبُرْهُمَا مِنْهُ يَسْبِقُ حِلْمُهُ جَهْلَهُ وَلَا يَزِيدُهُ الْجَهْلُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا حِلْمًا فَقَدْ أُخْبِرْتُهُمَا فَأُشْهِدُكَ يَا عُمَرُ أَنِّي قَدْ رَضِيتُ بِاللهِ رَبًّا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا وَأُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّ شَطْرَ مَالِي - وَإِنِّي أَكْثَرُهَا مَالًا - صَدَقَةٌ عَلَى أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَوْ عَلَى بَعْضِهِمْ فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَسَعُهُمْ قُلْتُ أَوْ عَلَى بَعْضِهِمْ فَرَجَعَ عُمَرُ وَزَيْدٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ زَيْدٌ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَآمَنَ بِهِ وَصَدَّقَهُ وَبَايَعَهُ وَشَهِدَ مَعَهُ مَشَاهِدَ كَثِيرَةً ثُمَّ تُوُفِّي زَيْدٌ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ مُقْبِلًا غَيْرَ مُدْبِرٍ رَحِمَ اللهُ زَيْدًا

On the authority of Abdullah bin Salam رضى الله عنه, he said: When Allah willed to guide Zaid bin Sa’nah, Zaid bin Sa’nah said: There is no sign of Prophesy except that I recognized it in the face of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when I looked at him, except for two things that I have not been told about him: His forbearance precedes his ignorance, and the severity of his ignorance only increases his forbearance. So I was kind to him so that I could mix with him, so I could know his patience from his ignorance. Zaid ibn Sa’nah said: One day the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out of the chambers with Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, and a man came to him on his mount, looking like a Bedouin, and said: O Messenger of Allah, Busra, the village of Banu so-and-so, has become Muslim and entered Islam, and I had told them that if they become Muslim, provision will come to them in abundance. But a year of hardship and drought has befallen them, so I fear, O Messenger of Allah, that they will leave Islam out of greed, just as they entered it out of greed. So if you see that you should send them something to help them, do so. Then he looked at a man beside him, and I think he was Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, and he said: O Messenger of Allah, nothing remains of it. Zaid said: So I approached him and said: O Muhammad, would you sell me a specified quantity of dates from the garden of Banu so-and-so for such and such a period? He said: No, O Jew, but I will sell you a specified amount of dates for such and such a period, and do not name the wall of Banu so-and-so. I said: Yes. So he sold it to me, and I released my purse and gave him eighty mithqal of gold for a specified amount of dates for such and such a period. So he gave it to the man, and he said: Go to them tomorrow and help them with it. So Zayd ibn Sa’nah said: When it was two or three days before the deadline, I came to him and took hold of the edges of his shirt and his cloak, and looked at him with a harsh face, and said to him: Will you not give me my right, O Muhammad? By Allah, I did not know you, Banu Abd al-Muttalib, to be a procrastinator. I had knowledge of your association. I looked at Umar, and his eyes were bulging and turning like a rotating sphere. Then he looked at me and said: O enemy of Allah, do you say to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, what I hear, and do to him what I see? By the One Who sent him with the truth, were it not for what I fear, if he had missed it, I would have struck your head with my sword. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was looking at Umar calmly and deliberately, then he said: O Umar, he and I were in greater need of something other than this, that you order me to perform well and order him to follow up well. Go with him, O Umar, and give him his right and add twenty sa’a of dates in place of what you frightened him.” Zaid said: So Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took me and gave me my due and gave me twenty sa'a of dates. I said: What is this extra, O Umar? He said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ordered me to give you more in place of what I frightened you. I said: Do you know me, O Umar? He said: No, who are you? I said: I am Zaid bin Sa’nah. He said: The Rabbi. I said: The Rabbi. He said: So what made you do to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, what you did and say to him what you said? I said: O Umar, there was no sign of Prophesy that I did not recognize in the face of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when I looked at him, except for two things that I have not been told about him: His forbearance preceded his ignorance, and ignorance only increased his forbearance. I have been told about them. So I bear witness, O Umar, that I am satisfied with Allah as my Lord and with Islam as my religion, and Muhammad as my Prophet, and I bear witness that half of my wealth - and I have most of it - is charity for the nation of Muhammad. Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Or for some of them, for you are not enough for them. I said: Or on some of them. So Umar and Zaid returned to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Zaid said: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. And he believed in him and confirmed him and pledged allegiance to him and witnessed many battles with him. Then Zaid died in the Battle of Tabuk, advancing and not retreating. May Allah have mercy on Zaid (Mu’jam al-Kabir lil-Tabarani; v.5, pp.222-223, #489)