Abū Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, surpassed Khālid in trustworthiness and truthfulness. Yet the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him:

“O Abū Dharr, I see that you are weak, and I wish for you what I wish for myself. Do not assume command over even two people, nor take charge of an orphan’s property.”

Reported by Muslim.

He forbade Abū Dharr from assuming command or public office because he considered him weak, despite the report:

“The sky has never sheltered, nor the earth borne, anyone more truthful in speech than Abū Dharr.”

On one occasion, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appointed ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs to command the expedition of Dhāt al-Salāsil over men who were superior to him, seeking thereby to win over the relatives of ʿAmr to whom he had sent him. He also appointed Usāmah ibn Zayd to command in order to avenge his father. Thus, he would appoint a man to secure an overriding benefit, even though others serving under that commander might surpass him in knowledge and faith.

Likewise, Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, the successor to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, continued to employ Khālid in the war against the apostates and in the conquests of Iraq and Syria. Khālid committed some lapses, acting on the basis of a particular interpretation, and it was reported to Abū Bakr that personal desire had played a part in them. Nevertheless, he did not dismiss him on their account, but rebuked him for them, because the benefit of retaining him outweighed the harm, and no one else could fill his place. For when the chief ruler’s temperament inclines towards gentleness, his deputy’s temperament should incline towards sternness; whereas if his temperament inclines towards sternness, it is appropriate that