It is narrated from Tariq bin Shihab that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) set out for Syria, and Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was with us. When they reached a place where water was crossing (the path), while Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding his she-camel, he dismounted, took off his two leather socks and placed them on his shoulder, then took hold of his she-camel's rein and began leading it through the water. Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) said (in astonishment): O Commander of the Believers! Are you doing this, taking off your leather socks and placing them on your shoulder, holding your she-camel's rein yourself and leading it through the water? I do not like the people of this town to see you in this state. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Alas! O Abu Ubaydah, if only someone other than you had said this, I would have made him an example for the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The truth is that we were the most abased of people, and Allah Almighty honoured us through Islam. So whenever we seek honour in anything other than that through which Allah honoured us, Allah will abase us (again)." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), because both of them used Ayyub bin A'idh al-Ta'i and all its other narrators as evidence, but they did not record it. It also has a supporting report (shahid) from the hadith of al-A'mash, through Qays bin Muslim.

It is narrated from Tariq bin Shihab that when Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reached Syria, the army met him (to receive him). At that time Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was wearing a lower garment, leather socks and a turban, and was holding the head-rope of his camel, leading it through the water. Someone said: O Commander of the Believers! The army and the great chiefs (patricians) of Syria are meeting you, and you are in this state? Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed, we are a people whom Allah has honoured through Islam, so we will never seek honour in anything other than Islam."