Wakīʿ narrated—from Mundhir ibn Thaʿlabah—from Ibn Buraydah:

ʿUmar said to Abū Bakr, “ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ would not allow the people to kindle a fire. Do you not see what he has done to them, depriving them of what they need?”

Abū Bakr replied, “Leave him, for the Messenger of Allah only appointed him because of his skill in warfare.” (1)

Yūnus ibn Bukayr transmitted the same report from Mundhir.

A sound report has also come from Abū ʿUthmān an-Nahdī, from ʿAmr:

“The Prophet ﷺ put me in command of the army of Dhāt al-Salāsil, and Abū Bakr and ʿUmar were among its ranks.” (2)

Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb narrated—from ʿImrān ibn Abī Anas—from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Jubayr—from Abū Qays, the freedman of ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ:

“While ʿAmr was leading a detachment, they were hit by an intense cold the like of which they had never known. At dawn he came out to lead the prayer and said, ‘I had a nocturnal emission last night, yet by Allah I have never felt cold like this.’

“So he washed the folds of his body, performed wudu for the prayer, and then led them in prayer.

“When he later presented himself to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the Prophet asked his Companions, ‘How did you find ʿAmr and his men?’

“They spoke well of him and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, he led us in prayer while he was in a state of janābah (major ritual impurity).’

“The Prophet sent for ʿAmr and questioned him. ʿAmr told him what had happened and what he had suffered from the cold, adding, ‘Allah says, “Do not kill yourselves; indeed, Allah has always been merciful to you” (al-Nisāʾ 4:29). Had I bathed, I would have died.’

At this the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laughed.” (3)