He ranked among the foremost Arab rulers, renowned for their bravery and generosity. He was also distinguished by gentleness and forbearance. Muʿāwiyah appointed him governor of Basra. He died before Muʿāwiyah, in the year 59 AH. Upon hearing of his death, Muʿāwiyah exclaimed, “With whom shall we vie for honor, and before whom shall we boast after him?!” (1)
7 – al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah ibn Abī ʿĀmir ibn Masʿūd ibn Muʿattib * (ʿ)
The commander Abū ʿĪsā.
Others say: Abū ʿAbd Allāh.
Still others: Abū Muḥammad.
He was one of the senior Companions, celebrated for courage and keen strategy. He witnessed the Pledge of Riḍwān. Tall and awe-inspiring, he lost an eye at Yarmūk—though some said it happened at Qādisiyyah.
Mughīrah ibn ar-Rayyān narrated on the authority of al-Zuhri:
ʿĀʾishah said, “The sun was eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah stood gazing at it, and his eye was taken.”
(1) See Ibn Saad, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 5, p. 49.
(*) Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra (Ibn Saad), vol. 4, p. 284 and vol. 6, p. 20; Khalifa, al-Tabaqat, pp. 361, 884, 1419; al-Muhabbar (consult the index); al-Tarikh (al-Bukhari), vol. 7, p. 316; al-Maʿarif, p. 294; al-Jarh wa al-Taʿdil, vol. 8, p. 224; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 5, p. 234; Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 67; al-Aghani, vol. 16, pp. 79 and 101; Jumhurat Ansab al-Arab, p. 267; al-Istiiab, p. 1445; Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 1, p. 191; Jamʿ Bayn Rijal al-Sahihayn, vol. 2, p. 499; Tarikh Ibn ʿAsakir, vol. 17, fol. 33 b; Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 4, p. 406; al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol. 3, p. 461; Tahdhib al-Asmaʾ wa al-Lughat, first part of vol. 2, p. 109; Tahdhib al-Kamal, p. 1360; Tarikh al-Islam, vol. 2, p. 247; Tadhhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 4, fol. 60 a; al-Ibr, vol. 1, p. 56; Mirʾat al-Jinan, vol. 1, p. 124; al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 8, p. 48; al-ʿIqd al-Thamin, vol. 7, p. 255; al-Isaba, no. 8181; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 10, p. 262; Khulasat Tadhhib al-Kamal, p. 329; Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 56.