حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةِ، وَعِصَامُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ، عَنْ شُرَيْحِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، وَرَاشِدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، وَغَيْرِهِمَا
قَالُوا لَمَّا بَلَغَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ سَرَغَ حُدِّثَ أَنَّ بِالشَّامِ وَبَاءً شَدِيدًا قَالَ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ شِدَّةَ الْوَبَاءِ فِي الشَّامِ فَقُلْتُ: إِنْ أَدْرَكَنِي أَجَلِي وَأَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ حَيٌّ اسْتَخْلَفْتُهُ فَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي اللَّهُ لِمَ اسْتَخْلَفْتَهُ عَلَى أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَكَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ أَمِينًا وَأَمِينِي أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ فَأَنْكَرَ الْقَوْمُ ذَلِكَ وَقَالُوا: مَا بَالُ عُلْيَا قُرَيْشٍ يَعْنُونَ بَنِي فِهْرٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ: فَإِنْ أَدْرَكَنِي أَجَلِي وَقَدْ تُوُفِّيَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ اسْتَخْلَفْتُ مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ فَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِمَ اسْتَخْلَفْتَهُ قُلْتُ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَكَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ يُحْشَرُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ الْعُلَمَاءِ نَبْذَةً»
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 (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), I will say: I heard Your Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) 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 Muadh ibn 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.’.