It is narrated from Urwah that Sayyiduna Utbah bin Ghazwan (may Allah be pleased with him) took part in the Battle of Badr alongside the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Numayr says that Utbah bin Ghazwan (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away in the year 17 AH, and at the time of his death he was 57 years old.

It is narrated from Khalid bin Umayr al-Adawi that Sayyiduna Utbah bin Ghazwan (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon to us. He praised Allah and extolled Him, then said: "To proceed: Indeed, this world has announced its end and is turning its back and departing swiftly. Nothing of it remains except as much as the water left at the bottom of a vessel, which its owner pours out. And you are surely going to move from here to an abode (the Hereafter) that will never pass away, so move there with the best of the deeds available to you. For it has been mentioned to us that a stone will be thrown from the edge of Hell and it will keep falling in it for seventy years without reaching its bottom; and by Allah, it will certainly be filled. Are you amazed (at its vastness)? And it has also been mentioned to us that between the two leaves of a gate of Paradise there is a distance of forty years, and a day will surely come upon it when it will be packed full (with the multitude of people). And I saw myself as the seventh of seven people to embrace Islam with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); we had nothing to eat except the leaves of trees, until the corners of our mouths became sore (from eating them). I found a cloak, so I tore it and divided it between myself and Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, the horseman of Islam. I used half of it as a waist-wrapper, and Sa'd also made half of it his waist-wrapper. And today there is not one of us still alive except that he has become the ruler (governor) of one of the cities. And I seek refuge with Allah from being great in my own eyes and small in the sight of Allah. And there has never been a prophethood except that it diminished (gradually) until its end became kingship, and you will come to know (the truth of my words) by seeing the rulers who come after me." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Utbah bin Ghazwan (may Allah be pleased with him) that one day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked Quraysh: "Is there anyone among you who is not from you?" They said: "(There is no outsider,) but there is our sister's son, Utbah bin Ghazwan." So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The sister's son of a people is counted among them." The mention of Sayyiduna Utbah bin Ghazwan in this hadith is very rare. His virtues are many, and this is among the greatest of his virtues. The narrations of Sayyiduna Utbah bin Ghazwan from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) are very few. We have written from him a hadith that we found very rare, so I am mentioning it, even though al-Ghalabi does not meet the condition of this book.

Ghazwan bin Utbah bin Ghazwan narrates from his father that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his seat in the Fire." Mention of the virtues of Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar states that the lineage of Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) is as follows: Amir bin Abdullah bin al-Jarrah bin Hilal bin Uhayb bin Dabbah bin al-Harith bin Fihr bin Malik bin al-Nadr bin Kinanah, and his mother was Umm Ghanm bint Jabir bin al-Adl bin Amir bin Amirah bin Wadi'ah bin al-Harith bin Fihr.

Khalifah bin Khayyat also stated this same lineage, and he added that the mother of Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) lived to see Islam (that is, she embraced Islam).

It is narrated from Ibn Abi Najih that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his companions: "Make a wish (for what you desire)." So each one of them began wishing for something. Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "But I wish for a house filled with men like Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (brave and trustworthy)." The people said to him: "You have spared nothing in your goodwill for Islam." He said: "That is exactly what I intended."

It is narrated from Abu Ubaydah bin Abdullah bin Mas'ud that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: "Among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I had three close friends, and I spared no effort (in choosing them): Abu Bakr, Umar and Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with them)."

It is narrated from Tariq bin Shihab that when the plague (of Amwas) broke out in Syria, a letter of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reached us. He had written to Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him): "A necessary matter has arisen for me concerning you, in which your presence is indispensable to me." Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) (understanding the purpose of the letter) said: "May Allah have mercy on the Commander of the Believers; he wants the survival of people who are not going to remain." Then he wrote in reply: "I am in one of the armies of the Muslims, and I do not wish to separate myself from the affliction that has struck them all." When Sayyiduna Umar read this letter, he said the words of istirja' (Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un: We belong to Allah and to Him we return). The people asked: "Has Abu Ubaydah passed away?" He said: "No." However, he wrote to him a firm order: "Leave the land of Jordan, for it is a low-lying and plague-ridden region, and go to al-Jabiyah, for it is a healthy and verdant place." When this firm letter arrived, he ordered his crier to announce departure among the people. Then, when a mount was brought to him to ride, and he placed his foot in the stirrup, he drew it back and said: "I think that your disease (the plague) has seized me too." The narrator says: Then Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, and the plague was lifted from the people. All the narrators of this hadith are trustworthy, and it is an extremely astonishing narration.