Description and Epithets of the Prophet and his appointees

 

1.6 Description and Epithets of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) embodied a balance of dignified beauty and refined proportions. His stature was neither towering nor diminutive, his complexion neither pale nor dark but a radiant hue tinged with a subtle roseate glow. His hair, naturally wavy, lay between tight curls and straightness, lending an elegance to his countenance, which gleamed with a luminous fairness, as though his face were a radiant moon in its beauty. His joints were proportionately strong; his lashes were thick and long, framing dark, expressive eyes with delicate red veins traversing their whites, adding to the depth and charm of his gaze. His smile was captivating, his mouth broad, and his nose finely contoured. His gait was marked by a gentle, dignified sway, and when he turned, he turned his entire body. He often kept his gaze directed to the ground, signifying humility. His hands were large yet soft, with minimal flesh at his heels. His beard was full and broad, as dark as his hair, which, when grown long, reached his earlobes or shoulders, but, when trimmed, extended to mid-ear. His few grey hairs numbered less than twenty across his head and beard.

His esteemed titles included Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Ahmad, and al-Māḥī (the Eraser, through whom Allah would eliminate disbelief). He was also known as al-Hāshir (the Gatherer, at whose heels people will be gathered), al-‘Āqib (the Successor, after whom no prophet would follow), al-Muqaffā (the Final Messenger), the Prophet of Repentance, and the Prophet of War. Allah Himself bestowed upon him the titles "Compassionate" and "Merciful." Upon his left shoulder lay the Seal of Prophethood, resembling a pigeon’s egg in size and colour, adorned with small dark spots and a few hairs above it.

 

1.7 Governors Appointed by the Prophet (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him)

1. Bādhān, the Persian, was appointed governor over all of Yemen, descending from the noble lineage of King Jāmāsp, King Fīrūz, and King Yazdegerd. Following Bādhān’s passing, the Prophet entrusted his son, Shahr ibn Bādhān, with the governorship of Ṣan‘ā and its regions.
2. Al-Muhājir ibn Abī Umayyah ibn al-Mughīrah was appointed to oversee Kinda and al-Ṣadaf.
3.  Ziyād ibn Labīd al-Bayāḍī al-Anṣārī governed Ḥaḍramawt.
4. Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī administered Zabīd, ‘Aden, Ra‘ma, and the coastal regions.
5. Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal was designated as governor of al-Jund.
6. ‘Itāb ibn Usayd ibn Abī al-‘Aṣ ibn Umayyah ibn ‘Abd Shams was tasked with the governance of Mecca, presiding over the pilgrimage during the eighth year, despite being under twenty.
7. Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb ibn Umayyah ibn ‘Abd Shams administered Najrān.
8. Yazīd ibn Abī Sufyān ibn Ḥarb was appointed to govern Taymā.
9. Khālid ibn Sa‘īd ibn Abī al-‘Āṣ ibn Umayyah ibn ‘Abd Shams succeeded Shahr ibn Bādhān over Ṣan‘ā, following the martyrdom of Shahr at the hands of the apostate al-Aswad al-‘Ansī.
10. ‘Amr ibn Sa‘īd, brother of Khālid, governed Wādī al-Qurā.
11. Al-Ḥakam ibn Sa‘īd, another brother, oversaw the villages of ‘Arīnah, including Fadak and nearby areas.
12. Abān ibn Sa‘īd, also a brother, was placed over al-Khaṭṭ in Bahrain, renowned for its spear production.
13. Al-‘Alā’ ibn al-Ḥaḍramī, an ally of Banū Sa‘īd ibn al-‘Āṣ, was appointed as governor of al-Qaṭīf in Bahrain.
14. ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ managed Oman and its territories.
15. ‘Uthmān ibn Abī al-‘Āṣ al-Thaqafī governed al-Ṭā’if.
16. Maḥmīyah ibn Juz’ ibn ‘Abd Yaghūth ibn ‘Awīj ibn ‘Amr ibn Zubayd al-Zubaydī managed revenue collection near his jurisdiction, reportedly allied to Banū Jumḥ.
17. ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, may Allah honour his face, was responsible for the oversight of revenue collection and judiciary matters in Yemen.
18. Mu‘ayqīb ibn Abī Fāṭimah al-Dawsī, an ally of Banū Umayyah ibn ‘Abd Shams, was entrusted with safeguarding the Prophet’s seal.
19. ‘Adī ibn Ḥātim was assigned the collection of ṣadaqāt (charity) for Banū Asad.
20. Mālik ibn Nuwayrah al-Yarbū‘ī was responsible for collecting charity from Banū Ḥanẓalah ibn Zayd Manāt ibn Tamīm. 
21. Qays ibn ‘Āṣim al-Minqarī and al-Zabaraqān ibn Badr were entrusted with the charity collection for Banū Sa‘d ibn Zayd Manāt ibn Tamīm.
22. ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb managed additional collections, alongside many others appointed over ṣadaqāt, with each tribe having a governor assigned to oversee the gathering of dues.
23. In the ninth year, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq was appointed to lead the pilgrimage, and subsequently assumed the role as the Prophet’s successor in all matters of governance.