Can you confirm the narration, and it’s source/authenticity that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (radiyallahu ‘anhu) was the first to fire an arrow in the path of Allah.
Answer
This has been recorded in numerous Hadith books and Biographies of Sahabah.
1) Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has recorded a narration in his Sahih, with his chain of narrators that goes through Abu ‘Uthman [An Nahdi] who says, ‘I heard ‘Sa’d [ibn Abi Waqqas] and he was the first to fire an arrow in the path of Allah…’
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 4326, 4327)
2) Imam Muslim and Imam Ibn Hibban (rahimahumallah) have recorded a narration wherein Sayyiduna Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says, ‘By the oath of Allah, I was the first Arabian to ever fire an arrow in the path of Allah…’
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2966, Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 6989. Also see Musnadul Humaydi, Hadith: 78)
3) Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Samurah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says, ‘Sa’d [ibn Abi Waqqas] was the first to fire an arrow in the path of Allah.’
(Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 3 pg. 498. Declared authentic by Imam Hakim and ‘Allamah Dhahabi concurs)
Also see Al Isti’ab, (vol. 2 pg. 171-174), Usdul Ghabah, (vol. 2 pg. 452- 457) and Al Isabah, (vol. 4 pg. 286-292), for more details regarding this illustrious Sahabi, who is from the ‘Asharah Mubassharah and was also ‘mustajabud da’wat’ (One whose du’as were readily answered).
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar