I have heard that there is a severe plague in Syria. I said: If my time comes, and Abu ‘Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah is still alive, I appoint him as my successor, And if Allah asks me why I appointed him as my successor to lead the ummah of Muhammad ﷺ , I will say: I heard Your Messenger ﷺ say: ʿEvery Prophet has a close confidant and my close confidant is Abu 'Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah.ʿ The people objected to that, and said: What about the prominent figures of Quraish? meaning Banu Fihr. Then he said: If my time comes, and Abu 'Ubaidah has died, then I appoint Mu'adh bin Jabal as my successor, and if my Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, asks me why I appointed him as my successor, I will say: I heard Your Messenger say:ʿHe will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection as a leader of scholars.ʿ  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَكَ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ أَمِينًا وَأَمِينِي أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ فَأَنْكَرَ الْقَوْمُ ذَلِكَ وَقَالُوا مَا بَالُ عُلْيَى قُرَيْشٍ؟! يَعْنُونَ بَنِي فِهْرٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ فَإِنْ أَدْرَكَنِي أَجَلِي وَقَدْ تُوُفِّيَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ اسْتَخْلَفْتُ مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ فَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي رَبِّي ﷻ لِمَ اسْتَخْلَفْتَهُ؟ قُلْتُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَكَ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ يُحْشَرُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْعُلَمَاءِ نَبْذَةً