Al-Walīd ibn Muslim relates—through ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ḥassān al-Kinānī—who said:

When Sulaymān fell ill at Dābiq he asked, “Rajāʾ, shall I appoint my son as my successor?”

I replied, “Your son is away.”

He said, “Then the other one?”

I said, “He is still a child.”

He asked, “Whom do you recommend?”

I answered, “ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz.”

He said, “I fear the sons of ʿAbd al-Malik will not agree.”

I said, “Then invest him, and after him Yazīd ibn ʿAbd al-Malik. Write a decree, seal it, and summon them to pledge allegiance to a document that remains sealed.”

So he wrote the covenant and sealed it. I then went out and announced, “The Commander of the Faithful orders you to pledge allegiance to the one named in this document.”

They asked, “Who is named in it?”

I replied, “It is sealed, and you will not be told who is in it until he dies.”

They refused. Sulaymān therefore said, “Go to the guards, proclaim, ‘The congregational prayer!’ and command them to pledge their allegiance. Whoever refuses—strike off his head.”

He did so, and they pledged.

Rajāʾ continued: When they had dispersed, Hishām came to me with his entourage and said, “You know where you stand with us, and I fear the Commander of the Faithful has removed the office from me. Tell me while there is still breath in the matter.”

I said, “Glory be to Allah! The Commander of the Faithful binds me to secrecy, and I disclose it to you? Never!” He circled round me, coaxing and pleading (1), but I refused him, and he left.

As I was walking I heard a commotion behind me; it was ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. He said, “Rajāʾ, something momentous has taken hold of me because of that man. I fear he has given the office to me, and I am not equal to it. Tell me while the matter is still alive, that I might disengage myself.”

I said, “Glory be to Allah! He enjoins me to secrecy about a matter, and I reveal it to you!”

A similar report is transmitted by al-Wāqidī.

Dāʾūd ibn Khālid narrated to us, from Suhayl ibn Abī Suhayl, who heard Rajāʾ ibn Ḥaywah say—adding:

“ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz led the funeral prayer over Sulaymān, and when he had finished burying him…"