One of the most preeminent of the 2nd generation of Muslims or tabi’in was Sa’id bin Jubayr (RH).
Sa’id was born during the era of the government of Imam Al-Hasan bin Ali (SA). His roots come from Abyssinia, and he was enslaved in Iraq. He is described as having black (aswad) skin
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Sa’id studied under the most knowledgeable of his time including Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) and Zaynul ‘Abidin Ali bin Al-Husayn (SA). He was known to complete the reading of the Qur’an within every two nights and would pray at night crying until morning. Sa’id later became one of the most prolific scholars in tafsir of the Qur’an and hadith of his time. Some scholars after Sa’id consider his knowledge to be so firm that mursal narrations, meaning narrations coming a tabi’ saying that the Prophet (SAWS) did or said such and such, coming from him are accepted as correct to make jurisprudence rulings.
From the wisdom of Sa’id are sayings such as “Reliance upon Allah is the consolidation of faith” and from his du’a such as “Oh Allah! Surely I ask You for truthfulness of reliance upon You and goodness of thought in You.”
Sa’id was one of 10,000 freedmen who launched a rebellion against the dictator Al-Walid Al-Umawi, who unjustly held power at that time. The rebellion was put down by Al-Walid’s brutal governor in Iraq named Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf, forcing Sa’id to retreat to Makkah.
Upon one of his returning trips to Iraq, the army of Al-Hajjaj captured Sa’id. Al-Hajjaj ordered Sa’id to be decapitated, thus sealing Sa’id’s destiny of martyrdom. His grave resides in Wasit, Iraq in which Muslims make regularly visitation.
