Sa'd ibn Mu'adh

Sa'd ibn Mu'adh ibn al-Nu'man al-Awsi, chief of the Ansar and bearer of their banner on the day of Badr ¹.

When the Prophet held the council at the valley of Dhu Afran, the Muhajirun leaders spoke; then he wished to know the Ansar's mind, since they were the army's majority and the Aqaba texts did not bind them to fight outside their own lands. Sa'd perceived this and answered for them: that they had believed and given pledges of hearing and obedience, and that if the Prophet plunged with them into the sea they would plunge in with him — and he said: "march with us under God's blessing" ². In another telling he said he spoke for the Ansar and answered for them ².

It was he who proposed building the arbour on a rise at the northeast of the battlefield as command post, and the young Ansar took turns guarding him ³.

Sa'd later judged the affair of Banu Qurayza after their siege, and died of an arrow wound he took in that affair ^{4 5}.