Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas

Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās
Born	circa 595 Mecca, Arabia
Died	circa 674 Guangzhou, China
Allegiance	Rashidun Caliphate
Service/branch	Rashidun Army
Years of service	636–644
Rank	Commander Governor of Ctesiphon (637–638) Governor of Busra (638–644), (645–646)
Commands held	Rashidun conquest of Persian Empire

Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās (Arabic: سعد بن أبي وقاص‎‎) was of the companions of the Islamic prophet. Sa'd was the seventeenth person to embrace Islam at the age of seventeen. He is mainly known for his commandership in the conquest of Persia in 636, governorship over it, and diplomatic sojourns to China in 651.

Sa'd was born in Mecca, 595. His father was Abu Waqqas Malik ibn Uhayb ibn Abd Manaf ibn Zuhrah from the Banu Zuhrah clan of the Quraysh tribe. Uhayb ibn Abd Manaf was the paternal uncle of Aminah bint Wahb, mother of Muhammad. Sa'd's mother was Hamnah bint Sufyan ibn Umayya ibn Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf.

He was seventeen years old when he accepted Islam. His son was Umar ibn Sa'ad who was a commander of the forces Battle Of Karbala, who ordered his troops to cut off the water to the Prophet's grandson Hussain's camp, shot the first arrow at him, and gave the order to trample their bodies with horses after Hussain was Martrayed (Shahadat).

He was one of the first to accept Islam.

Saʿd relates:

"Hour after hour, I went to her asking whether I should bring her some food or something to drink but she persistently refused, insisting that she would neither eat nor drink until she died or I abandoned my religion. I said to her, 'Yaa Ummaah! In spite of my strong love for you, my love for Allah and His Messenger is indeed stronger. By Allah, if you had a thousand souls and each one depart one after another, I would not abandon this religion for anything.' When she saw that I was determined she relented unwillingly and ate and drank.

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