It Is Time for Saʿd

Saʿd (may Allah be pleased with him), while he was being carried by his people, the Aws were telling him, "Be kind towards Qurayẓah," and they were giving him advice. Because in one narration the Aws came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said, "Hand over Banū Qurayẓah to us, as you have handed over Banū Qaynuqāʿ to our brothers al-Khazraj." It will be remembered from the account of Banū Qaynuqāʿ that their affair was handed over to ʿAbdullāh ibn Ubayy, the head of nifāq. Since he was the head of al-Khazraj, he was the one to whom Banū Qaynuqāʿ were handed over, and we know what happened: he set them free.

Now the Aws, because al-Aws and al-Khazraj would compete in everything… Now, since Banū Qaynuqāʿ^** had authority to rule over their allies in Jāhiliyyah, Banū Qaynuqāʿ, now al-Aws want to have that same authority. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Then I'll leave the matter to Saʿd ibn Muʿādh." Saʿd ibn Muʿādh was the head of al-Aws. So they agreed.

Now the Aws were coming to Saʿd, advising him to be kind towards Banū Qurayẓah. Saʿd didn't respond; he was silent. They were talking to him, talking, talking, talking, all throughout. In the end Saʿd ibn Muʿādh said, Laqad āna li-Saʿd allā taʾkhudhahu fī Allāhi lawmatu lāʾim: "It is time for Saʿd to disregard any possible criticism in serving Allah." As soon as he said this, some of the men of Aws went back delivering their condolences. They said, "He's going to kill them." If these were his words, that means they will be dead.

Laqad āna li-Saʿd allā taʾkhudhahu fī Allāhi lawmatu lāʾim: it is time for Saʿd to disregard all criticism in serving Allah. Meaning, "I'm going to do what will please Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. I'm not going to look into the politics of it. I'm not going to look into what the media is going to say about it. I'm not going to look at what my family will say about it, what my friends will say about it. I'll do what is most pleasing to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." Now, even though he didn't spell it out, they pretty much understood that it means death, and this shows that the understanding of the Ṣaḥābah was that these people had committed a crime sufficient to be punished by death.