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Khalid bin Ma`dan narrated that the commander of he believers `Umar bin al-Khattab, radhiallahu `anhu, appointed Sa`id bin `Amir ibn Juthaim al-Jamhi, radhiallahu `anhu, to the post of governer of Homs, Syria. One day, `Umar himself came to visit Homs and he privately asked its citizens. “How do you fnd your employee?” The people complained to `Umar about their governor Sa’id bin `Amir – incidentally the people of Homs were labeled ‘the citizens of little Kufa’, because, like the citizens of the city of Kufa, they people of Homs invariably complained about their administrators – and here again, they were critical about their governer as they said, “We basically have four complaints about him!”

`Umar radhiallahu `anhu was surprised and he asked, “What are they?” The people replied, “He only comes out of his house in the mid-morning to attend to our needs.” `Umar became upset and he said, “This is a serious allegation… what else?” They said, “He never answers any calls at night.” `Umar commented, “This is another serious allegation as well. What else?” They continued, “He has reserved one day in each month for himself, where he does not come out at all.” `Umar said, “Surely this is another serious one, and what else?” They said, “From time to time, he gets extremely sick and he remains at home.”

`Umar radhiallahu `anhu immediately called for Sa`id bin `Amir radhiallahu `anhu to meet the people face to face and answer their allegations, and he prayed, “My Lord, do not disappoint me with my opinion of Sa`id bin `Amir today.”

When Sa`id sat in their midst, `Umar radhiallahu `anhu turned to the people and said, “Tell me again, what charges do you have against your wali (governor)?” The people said, “He only comes out of his house in the mid-morning to attend to our needs.” Sa`id bin Amir radhiallahu `anhu answered, “Allah is my witness, I was hoping that I did not have to answer this one. After all, my wife has no helpers and for this reason, I knead the dough every morning and I wait for it to rise before I take my ablution and come out to attend to their needs.”

`Umar further asked the people, “Voice your next complaint.” The pepple replied, “He never answers any calls at night.” `Umar turned to Sa`id bin `Amir radhiallahu `anhuma and inquired, “What do you have to say about that?” Sa`id replied, “I also hoped that I did not have to speak regarding this matter; however, since this subject has come up thus, then I feel I must explain that in fact, I have allotted the day to serve the needs of the people and, as to the night, I have kept it to my personal devotion and worship of Almighty Allah, blessed be His Name.”

`Umar then turned to the people and he asked, “What other complaints do you hold against him?” The people replied, “He has reserved one day a month when he does not come out until late in the day.” `Umar turned to Sa`id and inquired, “What do you have to say about that?” Sa`id replied, “O Commander and Prince of the believers, I have no one to wash my clothes nor do I have a second set of clothing. Once a month, I wash my clothes; I wait until they dry up and then I smooth them by hand before I come out of my house to attend to the needs of the people.

`Umar further asked the people, “What other complaints do you have about him?” The people replied, “From time to time, he gets extremely sick and he stays in bed for a while as though he were sick!” `Umar then turned to Sa`id bin `Amir radhiallahu `anhuma, and asked him, “What do you say about that?” Sa`id pondered and stared for a moment and then he replied, “O Commander and Prince of the believers, before embracing Islam, I lived in Makkah and I watched when Khubaib al-Ansari was murdered and his body mutilated at the hands of the polytheist Quraishis who had tortured him for a long time, and then they pierced him with their spears repeatedly and furthermore, they carried him on a stick – and there I stood during his last agonizing moments. The disbelievers asked Khubaib, ‘At this juncture, wouldn’t it be better for you to renounce your faith and spare your life; and wouldn’t you rather see Muhammad in your place?’ Khubaib radhiallahu `anhu replied, ‘Let Allah be my witness that I would rather not be resting in comfort in the midst of my family and children tonight, knowing that even a small thorn has hurt Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam.’ Khubaib then called out in a piercing voice, ‘O Muhammad!’ Immediately the Quraishis became extremely furious and in their rage, they executed him at once, and then, they mutilated his body with great fury.”

Sa`id bin `Amir continued, “Whenever I remember the scene of that soul-terrorizing, sinister, dark day, being a polytheist and an atheist then, and having no faith in Almighty Allah; whenever I recall how I failed to support him under such circumstances, I become extremely tormented and agitated thinking that Allah , the Lord of majesty and glory, blessed be His Name, will never forgive me for such a sin, and hence I become sickened and seized by depression and distraught, as if I am entrapped by the throes of death.”

`Umar then commented, “All praises be to Allah, blessed be His Name, Who did not let my keenness fail me when I appointed him to serve.”

Later on, when he returned to Madeenah, `Umar radhiallahu `anhu sent one thousand dinars to Sa`id bin `Amir radhiallahu `anhu with the message, “Use them for your personal needs.”

When the wife of Sa`id bin `Amir radhiallahu `anhu saw the gift, she said, “All praises be to Allah, blessed be His Name who provided us with these means to make your duty lighter.” Sa`id then turned to his wife and said, “Would you like to know about a better way to use this money? Let us invest it in a business that will ensure a satisfactory return when we need it most!” The wife replied favourably, “Indeed!”

Immediately, Sa`id bin `Amir radhiallahu `anhu called someone he trusted in the family and he divided the money in several pouches and said to him, “Go and give this bag to the widow of so-and-so; and this bag to the orphan and such-and-such family, and this back to that neighbour who is confined to his bed…” Sa`id bin `Amir did thus until only a single coin of money remained, which he passed to his wife, and said, “Spend this for your immediate needs.” Sa`id then went back to work.

As Sa`id was leaving the house, his wife asked him, “Why don’t you hire a servant to help us?” What can this little money do?”

Sa`id bin `Amir radhiallahu `anhu replied, “Do not worry. Your true return will come at a time when you need it most!”

Extracted from Hilyat ul Awliya wa Tabaqat ul Asfiya
based on the work of Imam Abu Na`im al-Asfahani