Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās (Arabic: سعد بن أبي وقاص‎) was one of the companions of the Islamic prophet. Sa'd was the third or fourth person to embrace Islam at the age of seventeen. He is mainly known for his commandership in the Battle of Qadisiyyah and 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.^[1][2] Uhayb ibn Abd Manaf was the paternal uncle of Aminah bint Wahb,^[3] mother of Muhammad. Sa'd's mother was Hamnah bint Sufyan ibn Umayya ibn Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf.^[4]

He was seventeen years old when he accepted Islam. He had many children, among whom his sons Umar and Aamir and his daughter A'isha are the most well-known.

He was one of the first to accept Islam.^[1]

Saʿd relates:

This was referenced in the Quranic verse 31:14–15.^[1]

In 614, the Muslims were on their way to the hills of Mecca to offer prayer with Muhammad, when a group of polytheists observed them. They began to abuse and fight them. Sa`ad beat a polytheist and shed his blood, reportedly becoming the first Muslim to shed blood in the name of Islam.^[1][5]

He fought at the battle of Badr with his young brother ʿUmayr. Being only in his early teens, Umayr was denied access to battle, but after struggling and crying, he was later given permission by Muhammed to fight in battle. Saʿd returned to Medina alone; ʿUmayr was one of the fourteen Muslims who died in the battle.

At the battle of Uhud, Saʿd was chosen as an archer together with Zayd, Saʿīb (the son of Uthmān ibn Mazūn) and others. Saʿd was among those who fought in defense of Muhammad after some Muslims had deserted their positions. Muhammad honoured him by declaring him one of the best archers of that time. During the battle, Muhammad gathered some arrows for him.

He fell ill during the Farewell Pilgrimage, and he had only a daughter during this period. Sa'ad said:

Sa` ad Ibn Abi Waqqas, was the one who built the city of Kufa in Iraq during the reign Umar ibn al-Khattab.

Saʿd also fought under ʿUmar's command against the Sassanid army at the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah and Battle of Nahāvand. He was later appointed governor of Kufa and Nejd during the caliphate of ʿUmar.

Some narrations state that although ʿUmar deposed him from his post as governor, he recommended that the caliph who succeeded him reinstall Saʿd, since Umar had not deposed Saʿd due to any treachery.^[6]

He was one of six people nominated by Umar ibn al-Khattab for the third caliphate.

ʿUthman carried out ʿUmar's recommendation and appointed Saʿd as governor of Kufa.^[6]

Saʿd has been traditionally credited by Chinese Muslims with introducing Islam to China in 650, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang.^[7][8] A mosque in the Lalmonirhat District of Bangladesh has also been found, which is said to be built by himself in 648, and also locally called after his name as Abu Akkas mosque.^[9][10]

He outlived all ten blessed companions, and died a wealthy man at the age of eighty, around the year 674. Sa'd is among the ten promised of paradise.^[1]

Sunni Muslims regard him as one of the ten to whom paradise was promised.

One Sunni source states: To urge him on [during Uhud], Muhammad said: "Shoot, Saʿd ...may my mother and father be your ransom.". This was also reported by ʿAli ibn Abi Talib who said that he had not yet heard Muhammad promising such a ransom to anyone except Sa'ad Bin Malik. Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 389. Sa'ad bin Malik and Saʿd bin abi Waqqas are the same person.