Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah

Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah (full name Amir ibn Abd Allah ibn al-Jarrah) was an early Companion (sahabi, a contemporary follower) of the Prophet Muhammad. He belonged to the Banu al-Harith ibn Fihr, a clan of the Quraysh of Mecca. Tradition holds that he embraced Islam in its first days, reportedly a day after Abu Bakr, and emigrated (the hijra) to Medina. He is counted among the "ten promised paradise" (al-ashara al-mubashshara), a list preserved in the hadith tradition, and is nicknamed Amin al-Umma, "the trusted one of the community" — a title the sources trace to the Prophet himself.

His historical prominence rests on his military command. In the standard accounts, under the caliphs Abu Bakr and especially Umar, he became the commanding general of the conquest of Byzantine Syria; the surrender of Damascus (634) is reported under his command, and he led the subsequent campaigns at Homs (Emesa), Aleppo and elsewhere. The histories report that on becoming caliph, Umar removed Khalid ibn al-Walid from overall command and placed Abu Ubayda over the Syrian armies, with Khalid continuing as a leading field commander; the reasons the sources give for this vary. Jerusalem, by contrast, is reported to have surrendered specifically to Umar in person, who travelled to Syria for that purpose (c. 637), with Abu Ubayda present as the regional commander.

After the Prophet's death, Arabic histories such as al-Baladhuri report that at the gathering of Saqifa, Umar offered Abu Ubayda the oath of allegiance (bay'a), which he declined in favour of Abu Bakr. Sunni tradition reveres him; Shia tradition reproaches him for his role there. This episode is a transmitted report and is read very differently across the traditions.

He died in the plague of Amwas (taun Amwas) that struck Muslim Syria, reported as 18 AH (639 CE; some reports give 17 AH for the plague itself). He is said to have died in the Jordan Valley region, and was buried there.