حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ حَارِثَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ إِلَى عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا قَدْ أَصَبْنَا أَمْوَالًا وَخَيْلًا وَرَقِيقًا نُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَنَا فِيهَا زَكَاةٌ وَطَهُورٌ قَالَ مَا فَعَلَهُ صَاحِبَايَ قَبْلِي فَأَفْعَلَهُ وَاسْتَشَارَ أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَفِيهِمْ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ هُوَ حَسَنٌ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ جِزْيَةً رَاتِبَةً يُؤْخَذُونَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِكَ‏.‏

It was narrated from Shuraih bin 'Ubaid and Rashid bin Saʼd and others that when ‘Umar bin al-Khattab reached Sargh, he was told that there was a widespread plague in Syria. He said

I have heard that there is a severe plague in Syria. I said: If my time comes, and Abu ‘Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah is still alive, I appoint him as my successor, And if Allah asks me why I appointed him as my successor to lead the ummah of Muhammad ﷺ , I will say: I heard Your Messenger ﷺ say: `Every Prophet has a close confidant and my close confidant is Abu 'Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah.` The people objected to that, and said: What about the prominent figures of Quraish? meaning Banu Fihr. Then he said: If my time comes, and Abu 'Ubaidah has died, then I appoint Mu'adh bin Jabal as my successor, and if my Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, asks me why I appointed him as my successor, I will say: I heard Your Messenger say:`He will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection as a leader of scholars.`