Abu 'Ubayda al-Jarrah: Difference between revisions

  | links =

  | Place of Birth =  

  | Muhajir/Ansar =  

  | Place of Residence =  

  | Cause of death/martyrdom =  

  | Converting to Islam =  

  | Other activities =  

'''ʿĀmir b. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Jarrāḥ''' (Arabic: {{ia|عامر بن عبدالله بن الجَرّاح}}; b. 38 before [[Hijra]]/585-86 d. [[18]]/639), known as '''Abū ʿUbayda b. al-Jarrāḥ''' (Arabic: أبوعُبیدة الجرّاح), was a [[Sahaba|companion]] of [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]] and a close companion of [[Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa]] and [['Umar b. Khattab]]. In the [[incident of Saqifa]], he endorsed the [[caliphate]] of Abu Bakr and had a major role in taking oaths of allegiance from opponents of Abu Bakr, and in particular, [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. He had a significant role in conquests in the periods of the early [[caliphs]], and died in [[17]]/638 or 18/639.

"Abu 'Ubayda 'Amir b. 'Abd Allah b. Jarrah b. Hilal b. Ahyab b. Dibba b. Harith b. Fahr b. Malik b. Nadr b. Kinana al-Qurashi al-Fahri" was from the Banu l-Harith clan of the [[Quraysh]] tribe (a poor family of Quraysh). He was born about 38 years before [[Hijra]] (584). In the [[Battle of Fijar]], his father, 'Abd Allah, was a leader of the Quraysh and died before the [[Bi'that]]. Abu 'Ubayda's mother was also from the Quraysh who later converted to Islam. It is reported that Abu 'Ubayda, [[Arqam b. Abi Arqam]] and [['Uthman b. Maz'un]] went to the Prophet (s) and converted to Islam, but according to another account, he converted to Islam in early years of Islam in the presence of Abu Bakr. He was one of the Muslims who [[Migration to Abyssinia|migrated]] to [[Abyssinia]].

After the [[Hijra|migration]] of Muslims to [[Medina]], Abu 'Ubayda returned from Abyssinia to [[Mecca]] and then went to Medina. The Prophet (s) made a [[Pact of Brotherhood]] between him and [[Sa'd b. Ma'adh]] or Salim, [[mawla]] of Abu Hudhayfa. He also made a Pact of Brotherhood with Muhammad b. Salama so that they could inherit from one another.

Abu 'Ubayda was present in the [[ghazwas]] (or battles) of the Prophet (s). According to a report, in the [[Battle of Badr]], he killed his father, [['Abd Allah b. Jarrah]] who was in the army of polytheists, and thus, a verse of the [[Qur'an]] was revealed about him. But given al-Waqidi’s report that Abu 'Ubayda’s father was not alive after the emergence of Islam, the story seems to be fictional.

There is a report according to which, in the [[Battle of Uhud]], Abu 'Ubayda was one of the few people who did not leave the Prophet (s) when he was in difficulty. (Other sources, such as [[al-Dhahabi]]’s ''Tarikh al-Islam'' and ibn Hisham’s ''Sira'' did not mention hem among those people, and other historical sources such as ''Tarikh al-Tabari'' and ''Tarikh al-Ya'qubi'' did not mention the survivors.) Moreover, after the battle, two rings of the Prophet’s (s) helmet pierced into his face; Abu 'Ubayda removed them with his teeth and as a result, two of his teeth fell out.

Some sources have pointed to Abu 'Ubayda’s role as a witness of some treaties between delegates of some Arabian tribes and the Prophet (s) for their conversion to Islam. It is said that the Prophet (s) sent him to [[Bahrain]] or [[Najran]] or [[Yemen]] as a missionary.

Late in his life, the Prophet (s) sent an army to the borders of [[al-Sham]] under the commandership of [[Usama b. Zayd]]. People such as Abu Bakr, 'Umar b. Khattab, and Abu 'Ubayda were present in this army. But because of the disobedience of some people (by leaving the army), including Abu 'Ubayda, Usama camped near [[Medina]] until the Prophet’s (s) demise. When he heard the news about the demise of the Prophet (s), he and his army returned to the city. The Prophet (s) cursed people who disobeyed Usama.

==Abu 'Ubayda’s Role in the Caliphate of Abu Bakr==

Although Abu 'Ubayda’s role in the Event of Saqifa is not obviously known, his cooperation with Abu Bakr and 'Umar in the Saqifa and his influential role in later events cannot be accidental.

When Abu Bakr became the caliph, Abu 'Ubayda played a major role in taking oaths of allegiance from his opponents, and in particular, 'Ali (a). Together with Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and [[Mughira b. Shu'ba]], Abu 'Ubayda tried to take an oath of allegiance from [['Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]], the Prophet’s (s) uncle. When Abu Bakr’s caliphate was stabilized, Abu 'Ubayda administered the [[Bayt al-Mal|Treasury]]. He was one of the most important figures in the establishment of the caliphate.

When [[Ridda Wars]] began, Abu 'Ubayda and 'Umar warned Abu Bakr about toughness with respect to receiving [[zakat]] before his caliphate was stabilized. This might be why he does not play a remarkable role in reports about Ridda Wars, but he was a major advisor of the caliph with regard to the Conquest of [[al-Sham]].

'''Conquest of al-Sham''': reports about Abu 'Ubayda’s participation and activities in conquests of al-Sham are very confused. This is because of contradictions in the reports of the conquest of [[Iran]] and al-Sham. According to al-Tabari’s report from ibn Ishaq, Abu 'Ubayda was appointed by Abu Bakr as the commander of one of the several armies. All of them invaded al-Sham. Although there are reports about the assignment of the commandership of the whole army to Abu 'Ubayda, it seems that at the beginning of the conquest of al-Sham, it was not feasible for Muslims to have a single commander in chief.

According to al-Tabari’s report from [[Sayf b. 'Umar]], Khalid hid the news of his removal from the army in order to prevent divisions and tensions. It is said that Abu 'Ubayda did not reveal the news of his appointment as the commander for a while.

It is said that Abu 'Ubayda was conquering [[Jerusalem]] (in 17/638), but people of the city decided to compromise and pay [[jizya]], provided that the caliph himself goes to al-Sham for the peace treaty. Abu 'Ubayda wrote a letter to 'Umar. 'Umar went to al-Jabiyah in Damascus and from there to Jerusalem to sign the peace treaty.

Abu 'Ubayda al-Jarrah died in 17/638 or 18/639 of an epidemic plague in al-Sham. His grave is said to be located in Jordan. He had no children.

Sunni Muslims have praised Abu 'Ubayda because he was one of the [[Sahaba]] and has transmitted [[hadiths]] from [[the Prophet (s)]]. They have also cited some of his virtues, and by appealing to a hadith (transmitted by 'Umar b. Khattab), they consider him as one of [[al-'Ashara al-Mubashshara]] (10 people to whom the Prophet (s) gave the good news of going to the [[Heaven]]). They also say that 'Umar trusted him so much that he said about him, “if I die and Abu 'Ubayda is alive, I will appoint him as my successor”.