Sa'id ibn Zayd

Sa'id ibn Zayd, of the Banu Adi of Quraysh (Umar's clan), was one of the very first Muslims and one of the ten promised Paradise. Son of Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl — the seeker of truth who, before Islam, had rejected idols — he married Fatima, Umar's sister: it was in their home that Umar converted. A man whose prayer was answered, he was, out of humility, the one who named himself last among the ten. He died in old age near Medina.

Sa'id ibn Zayd belonged to the Banu Adi of Quraysh — Umar's clan. He was the son of Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl, that seeker of truth who, before Islam, had rejected idols and set out in search of the pure religion of Ibrahim. Sa'id was among the very first Muslims.

He had married Fatima, sister of Umar ibn al-Khattab. It was in their home, hearing the Quran recited, that Umar's heart turned towards Islam.

One sign of divine justice is remembered of him. A woman, Arwa, falsely accused him of having taken her land. Confident of his innocence, Sa'id invoked: 'O God, if she lies, take away her sight and let her end be on her own land.' His prayer was answered. He would relate this word of the Prophet ﷺ: 'Whoever unjustly takes a hand-span of land will be encircled by it, on the Day of Resurrection, with seven lands.'

He is one of the ten promised Paradise. In one account, it was he himself who enumerated the ten — and, out of humility, only named himself last, when pressed. He lived to an old age and died near Medina, one of the last survivors of the ten.

Sa'id is not named in the Quran; he is part of the Forerunners praised in general terms (9:100). He is one of the ten promised Paradise (Tirmidhi no. 3747). The land dispute and answered prayer are reported by Bukhari and Muslim. Umar's conversion in his home, and the quest of his father Zayd ibn Amr — a hanif before Islam — belong to well-established historical narrative (Ibn Kathir).

Sa'id unites two heritages: a father who sought God alone in the darkness of idolatry, and a son who found Him with the Prophet ﷺ. And his humility — naming himself last among the chosen — teaches that true greatness is not claimed, it is received.

Les tout premiers croyants parmi ceux qui ont émigré[38] et ceux qui leur ont apporté leur soutien[39], ainsi que ceux qui ont fidèlement suivi leur voie, sont entièrement satisfaits d’Allah qui Lui-même est satisfait d’eux. Il leur a préparé des jardins traversés de rivières où ils demeureront à jamais. Voilà le bonheur suprême.

9:100