al-Walid ibn Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt

Al-Walid ibn Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt al-Umawi, kunya Abu Wahb; "brother of Uthman ibn Affan by his mother", their mother Arwa bint Kurayz ¹. His sister was Umm Kulthum bint Uqba ².

Ibn Hajar mentions his father Uqba was killed in captivity after the battle of Badr, having been captured there, the Prophet ordering his killing; he had said "Muhammad, who will be for the little ones?" and was answered: "the Fire" ¹. Al-Walid and his brother Umara became Muslim on the conquest day ¹.

It is said al-Hujurat 6 descended about him ¹.

Al-Walid grew up in Uthman's care until, made caliph, Uthman appointed him over Kufa after dismissing Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas — "and the people found that grave". He was brave, a poet, generous; Mus'ab al-Zubayri said he was among Quraysh's men and chiefs ². Khalifa said his governorship of Kufa came in year twenty-five; he raided Azerbaijan in year twenty-eight as the people's commander and was dismissed in year twenty-nine ².

Ibn Hajar says the story of his leading the dawn prayer four rak'as while drunk is "well-known and recorded", and the story of his dismissal once wine-drinking was established on him is likewise well-known and recorded in the two Sahihs; Uthman dismissed him after his flogging and appointed Sa'id ibn al-As over Kufa ². It is said some of Kufa's people bore false witness against him out of partisanship — related by al-Tabari and rejected by Ibn Abd al-Barr ².

When Uthman was killed al-Walid kept clear of the strife, witnessing neither Ali's side nor another's — though he stirred Mu'awiya to fight Ali by his letters and poetry — and dwelt at al-Raqqa until he died ². Abu Uruba al-Harrani said he died in Mu'awiya's caliphate ². He related from the Prophet, Uthman and others; from him relate Haritha ibn Mudarrib, al-Sha'bi, Abu Musa al-Hamdani and others ².

This entry is contested (the descent of al-Hujurat's verse, and the wine story and dismissal) and needs a second review against a tafsir reference and a reference on Uthman's history before any promotion; the museum passes no verdict on the man in its own voice.