When Yazeed passed away, Umar (RA) sent Muawiyah (RA) a message instructing him to become the governor over Shaam. No one could point fingers at anyone selected by Umar (RA), for he was known to be extremely stringent and strict when appointing a governor. If any minor complaint was lodged, Umar (RA) would personally investigate the matter. If the governor was found to be at fault, he would immediately dismiss him and replace him.
Despite this, for the last four years of the life of Umar (RA), Muawiyah (RA) remained the governor of Shaam. This alone was no small feat as Shaam was not a small area. It was the centre of the Islamic world and played a crucial role in shaping the Ummah. Muawiyah (RA) was at the forefront, leading his people selflessly towards unity and the oneness of Allah. It is for this reason that Umar (RA) used to tell the people, “You praise the rulers of Persia and Rome and speak highly of their knowledge, whereas you have in your midst a man like Muawiyah (RA)”.
When Umar (RA) passed away, Uthmaan (RA) became the khalifah. Not only did he retain Muawiyah (RA) as the governor of Shaam, but he also gave him Hims and other surrounding territories. Muawiyah (RA) successfully ruled over them all. 12 years on, after the martyrdom of Uthmaan (RA), problems began to manifest within the Ummah. Fitna spread fast in the Muslim world but Shaam remained as strong as ever, uninfluenced and unaltered. This demonstrated the leadership acumen of Muawiyah (RA), who managed to maintain stability in Shaam despite the growing influence in surrounding regions.
— Shaykh Dawood Seedat حفظه اللّٰه
Above is an extract from Shaykh’s talk on 30/8/19 in Masjid-ut-Taqwa, Pietermaritzburg. To listen to the full talk, please click here.
