and Ḥabīb ibn Maslamah over Ḥimṣ.

Al-Zubayr ibn Bakkār relates: Muḥammad ibn Maslamah narrated to me from Mālik, who said:
ʿUmar said to Abū Bakr, “Write to Khālid and tell him that he is not to distribute a single sheep or camel except by your order.”
So Abū Bakr wrote to that effect.
Mālik said: Khālid wrote back, “Either leave me to my task, or take charge of it yourself.”
ʿUmar then indicated that Khālid should be dismissed. Abū Bakr asked, “Who will replace him?”
ʿUmar replied, “I will.”
Abū Bakr said, “Then you may do so.”

Mālik added: Zayd ibn Aslam reported that ʿUmar began preparing for the journey until the mounts were brought to kneel in the courtyard. When the time of departure arrived, a group went to Abū Bakr and said,
“What are you doing? You are sending ʿUmar out of Medina when you need him here, and you have removed Khālid even though he has sufficed you!”
He asked, “What should I do, then?”
They replied, “Command ʿUmar to stay and write to Khālid to remain at his post.” So he did so. (1)

Hishām ibn Saʿd narrates from Zayd ibn Aslam, from his father:
ʿUmar said to Abū Bakr, “Will you leave Khālid in Syria to spend Allah’s wealth?”
Aslam said: When Abū Bakr passed away, I heard ʿUmar say, “I would be lying to Allah if I ordered Abū Bakr to do something that I do not do myself.”
So he wrote to Khālid, and Khālid replied, “I have no need of your commission.”
ʿUmar then appointed Abū ʿUbaydah.

Al-Ḥārith ibn Yazīd reports from ʿUlayy ibn Rabāḥ, from Nāshiratu l-Yazanī:
I heard ʿUmar at al-Jābiyah apologizing for removing Khālid. He said, “And I appointed Abū ʿUbaydah.”

Abū ʿAmr ibn Ḥafṣ ibn al-Mughīrah (2) replied, “By Allah, you have offered no valid excuse. You dismissed an official whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had appointed and lowered a banner the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had raised.”

ʿUmar said, “You are a close relative, young in years, and angered on account of your cousin. (3)"