As for Muḥammad ibn Maslama al-Anṣārī ⦗1⦘, he embraced Islam at the hands of Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr, before Usayd ibn Ḥuḍayr and Saʿd ibn Muʿādh. He fought at Badr and at every engagement thereafter except Tabūk, for—according to one report—the Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed him as his deputy in Madinah; another report states that he deputized him at Qarqarat al-Kudr ⦗2⦘.

He was among those who slew Kaʿb ibn al-Ashraf, the Jew, and it is also said that he killed Marḥab the Jew on the day of Khaybar. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ placed him in command of roughly fifteen expeditions.

He kept apart from the civil wars at the Battles of the Camel, Ṣiffīn, and similar events, carrying instead a wooden sword. In a ḥadith cited earlier, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had instructed him to do so, and he withdrew to al-Rabadha ⦗3⦘. He was counted among the eminent Companions.

He acted as ʿUmar’s envoy to his governors in the various provinces ⦗4⦘, and he was the one who carried out the joint assessment—meaning the confiscation—of their excess wealth, in obedience to ʿUmar’s order. He achieved many notable exploits and was renowned for exceptional integrity and trustworthiness (may Allah be pleased with him). ʿUmar appointed him over the zakāt of the tribe of Juhaynah.

It is said that he died in the year 46—or 47—AH, though other dates have been mentioned. He had surpassed seventy years of age, leaving ten sons and six daughters. He was dark-skinned—very dark—tall, and bald (may Allah be pleased with him).