Habib ibn Maslama al-Fihri

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Habib ibn Maslama ibn Malik al-Fihri, Abu Abd al-Rahman, of the Hijaz who later settled in Syria; al-Bukhari says he had Companion rank, and he was called 'Habib of the Romans' for how much he campaigned against them.

Habib ibn Maslama ibn Malik ibn Wahb ibn Tha'laba al-Fihri, Abu Abd al-Rahman, of the Hijaz who later settled in Syria; al-Bukhari says he had Companion rank. Mus'ab al-Zubayri says he was called 'Habib of the Romans' for how much he campaigned against them, and Ibn Sa'd reports from al-Waqidi that he was twelve when the Prophet ﷺ died. In the arbitration story, when Mu'awiya spoke, Ibn Umar nearly said 'you are worthier of this than the one who fought you and your father over Islam' but held back a word that would split the gathering — and Habib ibn Maslama told him 'you kept and guarded it'.

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Habib ibn Maslama ibn Malik ibn Wahb ibn Tha'laba al-Fihri, Abu Abd al-Rahman, of the Hijaz who later settled in Syria; al-Bukhari says he had Companion rank. Mus'ab al-Zubayri says he was called 'Habib of the Romans' for how much he campaigned against them, and Ibn Sa'd reports from al-Waqidi that he was twelve when the Prophet ﷺ died. In the arbitration story, when Mu'awiya spoke, Ibn Umar nearly said 'you are worthier of this than the one who fought you and your father over Islam' but feared a word that would split the gathering — and Habib ibn Maslama told him 'you kept and guarded it'.

In brief

Habib b. Maslama b. Malik b. Wahb b. Tha'laba al-Fihri, Abu Abd al-Rahman, of the Hijaz and later resident in Syria; al-Bukhari records his companionship of the Prophet ﷺ. ¹

Habib of the Romans

Mus'ab al-Zubayri says he was called "Habib of the Romans" for the frequency of his campaigning against them, and Ibn Sa'd reports through al-Waqidi that he was twelve years old when the Prophet died. In the story of the arbitration, when Mu'awiya spoke, Ibn Umar wanted to say "I am worthier of this matter than one who fought you and your father over Islam" but feared a word that would divide the gathering — so Habib b. Maslama said to him, "You kept to yourself and stayed safe." ²

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Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan

A Qurashi of the Umayyad clan, born five years before the mission on the best-known account; he accompanied the Prophet and wrote for him, Umar appointed him over Syria after his brother Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan and Uthman kept him there, then he did not pledge to Ali and fought him, took Syria for himself and added Egypt, took the title of caliph after the two arbitrators, and the people gathered on him in the year of the community when al-Hasan made peace with him; the time of his conversion is disputed.

Habib ibn Maslama al-Fihri

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In brief

Habib of the Romans

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Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan