59. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn –narrating from Khaythama ibn `Abd al-Rahmān: “I heard someone say to Sa`d ibn Mālik: “Truly, Ali (a.s.) will reprimand you. Why did you shun allegiance to him?” Sa`d replied: “By God, that was what I concluded and [I admit that] I made a mistake. Truly, Ali (a.s.)possesses three features that if one of them belonged to me, it was more favorable to me than the whole world and what it contains.”1
60. Muruj al-Dhahab –narrating from Ibn `A'isha and others: “After Sa`d praised Ali (a.s.), mentioned some of his virtues and wished that he had one of them, Mu`āwiya told him: ‘ Be seated in order to listen to the reply to what you have said. You have never been more reproachable to me than you are now. Why didn’t you help him then? Why did you refuse to swear allegiance to him? For indeed if I had heard from the Prophet (s.a.w.) what you have heard about Ali (a.s.), I would have been a servant to him as long as I lived.”
Sa`d said: “By God, I deserve this position [serving Ali (a.s.)] more than you.” Then Mu`āwiya went on to say: “The people of the Bani `Udhra tribe would not accept this from you (Sa`d is said to belong to the Bani ‘Udhra tribe).”2
See: The Encyclopedia of Amir al-Mu'minin, -Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqās.
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Muhammad ibn Maslama
He was one the companions of the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) who was present in all his battles3 except in the Battle of Tabuk.4 After [the death of] the Prophet (s.a.w.), he accompanied `Umar when they entered the house of Fātima (a.s.) and he is the one who is said to have broken Zubair’s sword5 and was an accomplice in the killing of Sa`d ibn `Ubāda.6 He was in charge of inspecting state administrators during the government of `Umar and whenever a complaint was brought against one of the administrators, `Umar would dispatch him to investigate.7
After the assassination of `Uthmān, [Muhammad] refused to swear allegiance to Ali (a.s.) and called it a ‘sedition’. Therefore he secluded himself and took up a wooden sword [remained indifferent].8
He was killed by a man from Jordan due to his disobedience to Ali (a.s.) and Mu`āwiya.9
1.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۱۲۶, h. ۴۶۰۱, Manāqib Amir al-Mu'minin, vol. ۲, p. ۴۰۱, h. ۸۷۸.
2.. Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. ۳, p. ۲۴.
3.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۳, p. ۴۴۳, Siyar A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۲, p. ۳۶۹, h. ۷۷, Usd al-Ghāba, vol. ۵, p. ۱۰۷, h. ۴۷۶۸.
4.. Usd al-Ghāba, vol. ۵, p. ۱۰۷, h. ۴۷۶۸, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۳, p. ۴۴۳, al-Isāba, vol. ۶, p. ۲۸, h. ۷۸۲۲.
5.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۶, p. ۴۸, al-Sunan al-Kubrā, vol. ۸, p. ۲۶۳, h. ۱۶۵۸۷, Qāmus al-Rijāl, vol. ۸, p. ۳۸۸.
6.. al-Ihtijāj, vol. ۱, p. ۱۸۰, h. ۳۶.
7.. Usd al-Ghāba: ۵/۱۰۷/۴۷۶۸, al-Isāba: ۶/۲۹/۷۸۲۲.
8.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۳, p. ۴۴۵, Siyar A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۲, p. ۳۶۹, h. ۷۷, Usd al-Ghāba, vol. ۵, p. ۱۰۷, h. ۴۷۶۸.
9.. Siyar A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۲, p. ۳۷۳, h. ۷۷, al-Isāba, vol. ۶, p. ۲۹, h. ۷۸۲۲.
