(253) Chapter: Superiority of Auliya' and their Marvels

'Urwah bin Az-Zubair (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Arwa bint Aus brought a suit against Sa'id bin Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail (May Allah be pleased with him). She complained to Marwan bin Al-Hakam that he had wrongfully taken possession of a portion of her land. Sa'id said: "How can I take a portion out of her land while I have heard a denunciation from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." Marwan asked him: "What did you hear from the Messenger of Allah?" He said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, 'He who takes a span of land unjustly will be made to wear seven earths round his neck on the Day of Ressurection'." Marwan said to him: "I don't seek proof from you after this." Sa'id supplicated: "O Allah! If she is a liar, deprive her of her eye sight and cause her to die in her land." 'Urwah said: "She did not die till she became blind. While she was walking in her land (concerning which the dispute arose) she fell down into a pit and died."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In another narration of Muslim, Muhammad bin Zaid bin 'Abdullah bin 'Umar said that he had seen Arwa blind, feeling for on the walls with her hand and saying: "I am ruined by the curse of Sa'id." Later she fell in a well in the same disputed land and died.

Commentary: Sa`id bin Zaid was an eminent Companion of the Prophet (PBUH) and had the honour of being one from the group of Al-`Ashratul-Mubashsharuna bil-Jannah Marwan bin Al-Hakam (May Allah be pleased with him) was governor of Al-Madinah during the caliphate of Mu`awiyah, and the incident quoted in this Hadith relates to that particular period. After Mu`awiyah bin Yazid, he remained caliph for some months. This Hadith brings into prominence the following points:

1. The distinction of Sa`id bin Zaid and the marvel which came about with the acceptance of his prayer by Allah.
2. One should always save oneself from the curse of the pious people because the punishment can occur in this very life.