Deputies of the Prophet - II

Deputies of the Prophet - II
8. Mu'aath ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him: His name is Mu'aath ibn Jabal ibn Amr Al-Ansaari Al-Khazraji, and his nickname is Abu Abdur-Rahmaan, may Allah be pleased with him. He was a leader, an Imaam, a jurist, and one of seventy people from the Ansaar who witnessed the Pledge of Allegiance at Al-'Aqabah. He also witnessed Badr, Uhud, and all the battles with the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Moreover, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), praised him by saying: "Mu'aath ibn Jabal will precede the scholars on the Day of Judgment by a distance of throwing an arrow." [Al-Albaani:Saheeh]. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) also commanded people to learn the Quran from him.
The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), sent him after the Battle of Tabook as a judge and a guide to the people of Yemen, where he built the Masjid of Al-Jund. He returned to Madeenah in the time of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, then went with Abu 'Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, in the conquest of Ash-Shaam. When Abu 'Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, was stricken by the plague of 'Amawaas, he appointed Mu'aath, may Allah be pleased with him, as his successor and Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, agreed, but it did not take long before he also died from the same plague. He was buried in Al-Fawr near Jordan. He died at thirty-three years of age, in the year eighteen A.H.
9. Abu Sufyaan ibn Harb, may Allah be pleased with him: His name is Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayyah Al-Qurashi. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), appointed him as the ruler of Najraan. Previously, he was the leader of the disbelievers of Quraysh in Uhud and Al-Khandaq. He had great faults until he was compelled to accept Islam during the Conquest of Makkah. He was shrewd, and a man of wisdom and honor. He attended Hunayn, and the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), gave him generously to endear him to Islam. He witnessed the Battle of At-Taa'if, in which he lost one of his eyes, and he lost the other in the Battle of Al-Yarmook. He lived long until he saw his sons, Yazeed then Mu'aawiyah, rulers over Damascus. He loved leadership and a good reputation. The year of his death, after he reached ninety, is a matter of difference between scholars, but the most correct opinion is that he died in thirty-two A.H.
10. Yazeed ibn Abi Sufyaan, may Allah be pleased with them both: The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), appointed him in Taymaa'. He is Yazeed ibn Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayyah Al-Qurashi Al-Umawi, the brother of Mu'aawiyah, and his nickname is Abu Khaalid. He was the best of the sons of Abu Sufyaan, so that people used to call him Yazeed Al-Khair (increase in wealth and blessings). Like his father, he came to Islam on the day of the Conquest of Makkah. He also witnessed Hunayn, and the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), gave him one hundred camels and forty ounces from the booty, weighed by Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, appointed him to lead an army towards Shaam, and accompanied him on foot for some distance to bid farewell to him. In addition, 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, appointed him as the ruler of Palestine, and he died from the plague of 'Amawaas in eighteen A.H., but Al-Waleed ibn Muslim said that he died in the year nineteen A. H. after he conquered Qaysaariyah.
11. 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), appointed him as a ruler over 'Ammaan (Amman). His full name is 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas ibn Wa'il Al-Qurashi As-Sahmi, and his nickname is Abu Abdullaah. He is a noble and great Companion, and he was known as 'the shrewd one' of the Quraysh. He was the epitome of slyness, discernment and resoluteness. He embraced Islam along with Khaalid ibn Al-Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, after the reconciliation of Al-Hudaybiyah. He was the conqueror of Egypt and its ruler. He fought beside Mu'aawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, in the Battle of Siffeen, and his biography is well-known. He died in the year forty-two A.H. or forty-three according to some other opinions.
12. 'Attaab ibn Usayd, may Allah be pleased with him:
His full name is 'Attaab ibn Usayd ibn Al-'Aas ibn Umayyah ibn 'Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaaf ibn Qusayy ibn Kilaab ibn Murrah Al-Qurashi Al-Umawi, and he is nicknamed Abu Abdur-Rahmaan or Abu Muhammad. His mother is Zaynab bint 'Amr ibn Umayyah ibn 'Abd Shams. He embraced Islam on the day of the conquest of Makkah, and the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), appointed him as a ruler over Makkah before he made his way to the Battle of Hunayn. Some other historians said that he,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), appointed him as a ruler over Makkah after he returned from At-Taa'if.
The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), also deputed him to lead the Muslims in performing the rituals of Hajj (pilgrimage) while he was still under twenty years of age. 'Attaab, may Allah be pleased with him, remained ruling Makkah until the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), died, then Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, may Allah be pleased with him, kept him in Makkah until they both died. 'Attaab, may Allah be pleased with him, was a benevolent, righteous and pious man. According to Al-Waqidi, he died on the same day as Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Muhammad ibn Salaam and some others said that the news of the death of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, reached Makkah on the day that 'Attaab, may Allah be pleased with him, was buried.

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