Account of the dismissal of al-Mughira ibn Shuʿba from Basra and the appointment of Abu Musa

He said:

In this very year ʿUmar appointed Abu Musa al-Ashʿari governor of Basra and instructed him, in the month of Rabiʿ al-Awwal, to bring al-Mughira ibn Shuʿba to him. According to what Maʿmar related to me, from al-Zuhri, from Saʿid ibn al-Musayyab, the witnesses against al-Mughira were Abu Bakrah, Shibl ibn Maʿbad al-Bajali, Nafiʿ ibn ʿUbayd, and Ziyad. Al-Waqidi and Sayf (1) have also narrated this story, and their abridged version runs as follows:

A woman called Umm Jamil bint al-Afqam—said to be from the women of Banu ʿAmir ibn Saʿsaʿah, though some claim she was from Banu Hilal—had been widowed of her husband from Thaqif. She used to visit the wives of governors and notables, and she would enter the house of al-Mughira ibn Shuʿba while he was governor of Basra. Al-Mughira’s house stood opposite that of Abu Bakrah; a road lay between them, and in Abu Bakrah’s house there was a small window overlooking a window in al-Mughira’s house. There had always been ill-feeling between al-Mughira and Abu Bakrah (2).

One day Abu Bakrah was at home, conversing with a group of people in the upper room (3), when a gust of wind blew the shutter of his window open. He rose to close it and saw that al-Mughira’s window was likewise open—and there was al-Mughira on top of a woman, between her legs, having intercourse with her. Abu Bakrah said to his companions, “Come and look: your governor is committing fornication with Umm Jamil.” They rose and watched him while he was still coupling with the woman. They then said to Abu Bakrah, “How can you be sure she is Umm Jamil? Their heads are turned the other way.” He replied, “Wait.” When the pair finished, the woman got up. Abu Bakrah said, “That is Umm Jamil,” and they recognised her, or so they thought. When al-Mughira—having performed ghusl—came out to lead the people in prayer, Abu Bakrah stopped him from stepping forward.

They wrote to ʿUmar about the matter. ʿUmar therefore put Abu Musa (al-Ashʿari) in charge of Basra and dismissed al-Mughira. Abu Musa set out for Basra and halted at al-Bard (4).

Al-Mughira remarked, “By Allah, Abu Musa has not come as a merchant or a visitor; he has come only as governor.” Abu Musa then appeared before the people and handed al-Mughira a letter from ʿUmar—the briefest letter he ever wrote—stating: “To proceed: a grave report has reached me, so I have dispatched Abu Musa as governor; hand over what is in your charge without delay.”

ʿUmar also wrote to the people of Basra: “I have appointed Abu Musa over you so that he may take from your strong on behalf of your weak, fight your enemy alongside you, protect your religion, and collect your fayʾ (state revenues) (then distribute it among you).”

Al-Mughira presented Abu Musa with a slave-girl from the native-born women of al-Taʾif named ʿAqilah (saying, “I have chosen her for you”; she was remarkably attractive) (5). Al-Mughira then departed, accompanied by the men who had testified against him—Abu Bakrah, Nafiʿ ibn Kilda, Ziyad ibn Umayyah, and Shibl ibn Maʿbad al-Bajali. When they reached ʿUmar, he brought them together with al-Mughira.

Al-Mughira said, “Ask these slaves how they saw me—facing them or with my back to them? And how did they see the woman and recognise her? For if they saw me from the front, how did they not …”