عُمَيْرُ بْنُ سَعْد
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
Umayr ibn Sa'd al-Ansari
Governor of Homs · Austerity that outlasted a year in office · Gave away what Umar sent him
may Allah be pleased with him
Ansari, of Madinah · Madinah and Homs in Syria, into Umar's caliphate
An Ansari appointed by Umar as governor of Homs. A year into the post he owned almost nothing, having given away his pay as he received it — and when Umar sent him a gift on hearing it, he gave that away too.
Known for
Umar appointed him governor over Homs
He governed with such conspicuous austerity that he kept almost nothing for himself
He is reported to have lived on very little while in office, giving away what he was paid rather than keeping it.
Umar sent to find out what a year in office had brought him, and the report found he had almost nothing
Umar had a practice of reviewing what his governors had gathered. The report sent back described Umayr owning almost nothing beyond a bowl and the single garment he wore, having given his pay away as he received it.
Umar wept on hearing the report, and sent him money that he immediately gave away
His story in moments
Short episodes from his life, in order. Read one at a time.
Life & legacy
Ansari, and governor of Homs
Umayr ibn Sa'd was an Ansari companion whom Umar appointed governor over Homs, in Syria, during his caliphate.
He governed it as plainly as a man with no post at all, declining to draw on the office for his own comfort.
What a year in office had bought him
Umar had a practice of following up on the governors he appointed, to see what a year in the post had done to them. What he found when he checked on Umayr is set out in the moment below.
The sources do not agree closely enough on the year of his death for one to be given here.
How the sources describe him
Wealth passed through his hands without staying there
Holding office changed nothing about how he lived
Connect
People around him
Alongside
- Umar ibn al-KhattabCompanion
Umar appointed him governor of Homs and later tested what the post had done to him, finding he had kept nothing for himself.
Full timeline
- Umar's caliphate
Appointed governor of Homs by Umar
- Umar's caliphate
Umar sends to find out what a year in office had brought him
- Umar's caliphate
Given money by Umar, and gives it away in turn
- The sources do not agree approximate, reports differReports of his death year vary and do not converge on one date.
Dies
Part of
Sources & review
In reviewBased on the listed sources. See something to correct? Tell us.
Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabirالطبقات الكبرى
Classical biography · Ibn Sa'd
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz as-Sahabahالإصابة في تمييز الصحابة
Classical biography · Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
Siyar A'lam an-Nubalaسير أعلام النبلاء
Classical biography · Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi
Tarikh ar-Rusul wa'l-Mulukتاريخ الرسل والملوك
Classical history · Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari
Companions of the Prophet
Modern biography · Abdul Wahid Hamid
SahabaMate editorial summary
Editorial summary
References follow the citation detail available in the source material.
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