Bakr wanted to give a banner to abu-ʿUbaidah; but the latter begged to be relieved. Others claim that he did give one to him, but that report is not confirmed. The fact is that when ʿUmar became caliph, he conferred on him the governorship of all Syria.
Abu-ʿUbaidah commander-in-chief. Abu-Mikhnaf states that ʿUmar said to the commanders, "If ye altogether are to lead a fight, your commander will be abu-ʿUbaidah ʿÂmir ibn-ʿAbdallâh ibn-al-Jarrâḥ al-Fihri, otherwise Yazîd ibn-abi-Sufyân."[1] Others assert that ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi acted only as a reinforcement for the Moslems and commanded only those who joined him.
Abu-Bakr replaces Khâlid by Arwa. The assignment of Khâlid ibn-Saʿîd by abu-Bakr to the leadership displeased ʿUmar who approached abu-Bakr with a view to dismissing him, charging him with being "a vain-seeking man who tries to make his way through dispute and bigotry."[2] Accordingly abu-Bakr dismissed Khâlid and directed abu-Arwa ad-Dausi to take the banner from his hand. Abu-Arwa met him at dhu-l-Marwah where he received the banner from him and carried it back to abu-Bakr. Abu-Bakr handed it to Yazîd ibn-abi-Sufyân[3] who left, with his brother Muʿâwiyah carrying the banner before him. Others say that the banner was delivered to Yazîd at dhu-l-Marwah whence he started at the head of Khâlid's army. Khâlid went with the army of Shuraḥbîl for the divine remuneration.[4]
Abu-Bakr gives instructions to the commanders. Abu-Bakr instructed ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi to follow the way of Ailah
