The sahabi whom no one wanted to marry

Sa'ad Al Aswad As Sulumi

He regarded himself as the lowest among the believers because no one would give him their daughters to marry. He came to Rasulullah pbhu one day and said, “Oh Messenger of Allah, will I also enter into Jannah?”

Rasulullah pbhu said, “Of course you will enter into Jannah if you are a believer.” “But me, I’m regarded as low amongst the believers,” said Sa’ad al Aswad ra. “Oh Sa’ad, for you is the same reward as everybody else,” replied Rasulullah pbhu

“Then why hasn’t anybody given me their daughter to marry?” enquired Sa’ad. Rasulullah pbhu told him to go to Ibn Wahhab, one of the leaders of Madinah who had just embraced Islam. Ibn Wahhab’s daughter was known for her beauty.

“Oh Sa’ad, go to his home and tell Ibn Wahhab that I have sent you to request his daughter’s hand in marriage.” Sa’ad ra was elated and made his way to the house of Ibn Wahhab. He knocked on the door and Ibn Wahhab opened

Sa’ad ra said, “The Messenger of Allah pbhu has sent me to request your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Ibn Wahhab said, you? My daughter? Don’t you know that my daughter is known for her beauty in Madinah?
Ibn Wahhab told him to leave. Sa'ad walked away feeling dejected

but Ibn Wahhab’s daughter overheard the exchange between her father and Sa’ad and told her father to wait.

“This is a request of the Messenger of Allah pbhu. Where will we be if we turn down a request of the Messenger of Allah?”

Turning to Sa’ad, she told him to go to Rasulullah pbhu and tell him she would marry him. Sa’ad was so happy and returned to Rasool pbhu who performed the nikah. Sa’ad ra had to give four hundred dirhams as the mahr.

“Four hundred dirhams? Oh Messenger of Allah, I have never seen four hundred dirhams.”
Rasool pbhu told him to go to Ali, Abdurrahman ibn 'Awf, and Uthmaan may Allah be pleased with them. “Tell each of them to give you two hundred dirhams.”

So Ali, Abdurrahman ibn 'Awf, and Uthmaan each gave him two hundred dirhams and more. Sa’ad took the money and before going to his wife he decided to stop at the market place and buy some presents for her. All of a sudden the call of jihad came and he stood still

He looked to the heavens and said “Oh Allah, I will buy with this wealth something which is pleasing for You” So he bought a horse and a sword and he went into the battlefield with his face covered as he feared he would be asked to return

And in the battlefield his horse was struck and he fell off from his horse.
When he stood up, The Prophet pbuh recognized him & realized what he did and said “Oh Sa’ad, there is no other abode for you but Jannah”

Upon hearing this, sa'ad jumped back into the front and fought fiercely until he was martyred.
After awhile Rasool pbhu ran into the battlefield and took the head of Sa’ad ra and placed it on his blessed thigh and the tears of Rasulullah pbhu were flowing and falling on his face

After a while Rasulullah pbhu began to smile and he turned away.

A Sahabi, Abu Lubaba bin Munzir ra said, “Oh Messenger of Allah, I’ve seen you do something today I’ve never seen you do before. First you cried, then you smiled, and then you turned away.”

Rasulullah pbhu said, “I cried because my beloved companion passed away and I saw his sacrifice and his love for me. But then when I saw the status by Allah that he has reached the haudh.” Abu Lubaba asked what the haudh was.

“It is a well, a fountain from which is a person drinks, he will never be thirsty after. It is sweeter than honey and whiter than milk." When I saw his status, by Allah I began to smile.

Then I saw his wives in Jannah, they were running towards him with so much eagerness that their shins were being exposed and I looked the other way.”

Sa’ad al Aswad as Sulumi radiallahu anhu was a man who wasn’t sure he would attain Jannah. He had no status in society but look at his status by Allah swt. He lived and he died, not for power, women, wealth, or prestige, but for the love of Allah swt alone.

I hope you've all benefited! This story and Julaybeeb's story always bring tears to my eyes