Sa'd b. al-Harth al-Ansari

Companion of Imam (a)

Sa'd b. Harath
Full Name	Saʿd b. Ḥarath (Ḥārith) b. Salama al-Ansārī al-ʿAjlānī al-Kufī
Companion of	Imam al-Husayn (a)
Lineage	Khazraj
Wellknown Relatives	Abu l-Hutuf b. al-Harth al-Ansari (brother)
Place(s) of Residence	Kufa
Death/Martyrdom	61/680
Cause of Death/Martyrdom	Martyred in the Battle of Karbala
Burial Place	Karbala
Activities	Being one of Khawarij and participating in the Battle of Nahrawan

Saʿd b. al-Ḥarth (al-Ḥārith) b. Salama al-Anṣārī al-ʿAjlānī al-Kūfī' (Arabic:سَعد بن الحَرث [الحارِث] بن سَلَمَة الأنصاري العَجلاني الكُوفي) (martyred 61/680) was among the martyrs of Karbala. In the Event of Karbala, Sa'd was in the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd. When he heard the call of Imam al-Husayn (a), Sa'd began to fight with the army of Kufa in defense of Imam (a) and was martyred.

Presence in Karbala

In the Army of Kufa

He was from the family of Bani 'Ijl from Khazraj tribe. It is reported that Sa'd and his brother, Abu l-Hutuf b. Harith were among the Khawarij of Nahrawan and had come from Kufa with the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd to fight with Imam al-Husayn (a).

Helping Imam al-Husayn (a)

In the afternoon of 'Ashura, when all companions of Imam (a) were martyred and the army of Kufa had besieged Imam (a), Imam (a) called "O, Isn't there any helper to help us? O Isn't there any defender to defend the family of the Prophet (s)?" Women and children of the tents of Imam al-Husayn (a) heard the call of Imam al-Husyan (a) and began crying.

Sa'd and his brother Abu l-Hutuf heard the cries of the women and children of the family of Imam al-Husayn (a) and shouted the slogan of Khawarij, "No rule, but God's and no obedience to the one who has disobeyed Him" and then declared that Husayn (a) was son of the daughter of the Prophet (s) the intercession of whom for ourselves we wish on the Day of Judgment; so, how can we fight him while he (a) is in such a state and has no helper and alone in the desert of Karbala, he (a) asks for help?

Then they unsheathed their swords and they both attacked the army of Umayyads and the army of Ibn Sa'd and killed many of them and injured many others and were martyred in the same place.

However, in another report, it has been said that after hearing about the martyrdom of Imam (a) and when they heard the cry of women, they attacked the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd and were martyred.

Reference Problem in the Report

Muhaqqiq Shushtari has expressed his doubt about the reference of this report. He believed that the approach of Khawarij about helping governments was negative and also regarding the famous slogan of "No rule, but God's", it is improbable that they have helped Imam al-Husayn (a).

However, on the opposite, it has been said that maybe their coming with the army of Kufa had been out of force and their presence in Karabala and seeing the cruelty of the army of 'Umar b. Sa'd toward the family of the Prophet (s) and how Imam (a) and his family were oppressed turned their hearts toward Imam al-Husayn (a) like Hurr.