and the letter read:

“From ʿUmar. To proceed: I have sent to you ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir as governor, and Ibn Masʿūd as teacher and counsellor. The two of them are among the distinguished Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, men who fought at Badr. Therefore, listen to them, obey them, and model yourselves on their conduct. For your sake I have deprived myself of the company of Ibn Umm ʿAbd.”

It is also transmitted by Sharīk, who words it: “For your sake I have preferred both of them over myself.” (1)

Another report states that ʿUmar fixed ʿAmmār’s stipend at six thousand.

Al-Mughīrah, from Ibrāhīm, related that ʿAmmār used to recite Sūrat Yā Sīn (Q 36) from the pulpit on Fridays. (2)

Zirr said: “I saw ʿAmmār recite, ‘When the sky is split open’ (Q 84:1) while on the pulpit; he then came down and prostrated.”

Shuʿbah, from Qays, who heard Ṭāriq ibn Shihāb, said: “The people of Basra campaigned against Nihāwand, and the people of Kufah reinforced them under the command of ʿAmmār, and they were granted victory. The Basrans then wanted to withhold all the spoils from the Kufans. A man of Tamīm exclaimed, ‘You, the one with the severed ear! You expect to share in our booty?’

“ʿAmmār replied, ‘You have insulted the better of my two ears; it was wounded while I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’”

A report of the matter was sent to ʿUmar, who wrote back: “The booty belongs to all who attended the battle.” (3)

Al-Wāqidī said: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Nāfiʿ told us, from his father, from Ibn ʿUmar, who said:

“I saw ʿAmmār on the Day of Yamāmah standing atop a rock, crying out, ‘People of Islam! Are you fleeing from Paradise? I am ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir—come to me!’ I noticed that one of his ears had been cut and was dangling as he fought with the greatest ferocity.” (4)