Saʿd ibn Ishaq related—from Muhammad ibn Kaʿb—that he said:
“Five men had mastered the Qur’an: Muʿadh, ʿUbada ibn al-Samit, Abu al-Dardaʾ, Ubayy, and Abu Ayyub. When ʿUmar was caliph, Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan wrote to him:
‘The people of Syria have grown numerous and now fill the cities. They need someone to teach them the Qur’an and give them understanding. Send me men who can instruct them.’
ʿUmar therefore summoned the five and said, ‘Your brothers have asked me for teachers of the Qur’an and guides in the faith. So—may Allah have mercy on you—assist me by sending three of you if you wish; or if three of you volunteer, let them depart.’
They replied, ‘We will not draw lots: this one’—meaning Abu Ayyub—‘is an elderly man, and this one’—meaning Ubayy—‘is ill.’
Thus Muʿadh, ʿUbada, and Abu al-Dardaʾ set out. ʿUmar instructed them, ‘Begin with Hims. You will find the people there of differing capacities; some learn quickly. When you notice such men, assign a group to them. Once you are satisfied with their progress, let one of you remain, another proceed to Damascus, and the third to Palestine.’
They reached Hims and stayed until they were content with the people’s progress. ʿUbada ibn al-Samit remained there, Abu al-Dardaʾ moved on to Damascus, and Muʿadh went to Palestine, where he died in the Plague of ʿAmwas.
Later ʿUbada also moved to Palestine and died there, while Abu al-Dardaʾ stayed in Damascus until his death. ⦗1⦘