DAILYREFLECTION
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) appointed Zaid bin Haritha as the commander of the army during the Ghazwa of Mu'tah and said, 'If Zaid is martyred, Ja'far should take over his position, and if Ja'far is martyred, 'Abdullah bin Rawaha should take over his position.'
Three names, and the order mattered.
First came Zayd ibn Harithah, the Prophet's ﷺ freed slave. People called him Zayd ibn Muhammad, until the Qur'an told them to use his father's name.
Second came Ja'far, the Prophet's ﷺ cousin. He ﷺ once told Ja'far: you resemble me in looks and character.
So the cousin rode out behind the freed man.
People grumbled about Zayd leading, and again when his son Usamah was given a command. He ﷺ answered: by Allah, his father deserved the leadership.
He ﷺ chose by worth, and stood by it.
Some days the hard part is following.
It might be an imam younger than your son, or a sister-in-law who's taken over Eid lunch and salts everything wrong.
It might be a brother making the calls about your mum's care.
Somewhere under our objections, a small voice says it should have been us.
Ja'far had the family tie and the praise, and took his place second in line.
When someone you'd rank below you is leading, help them lead well. Short of anything Allah forbids, back their plan. If you disagree, tell them privately, once.
First step: at the first meeting, call or family chat today where that person has the final say, back their decision before you add your own view.
Before any news reached Madinah from Mu'tah, he ﷺ told the people of all three deaths, in order, his eyes shedding tears. Second in line was still close to his heart.
Reflect on this: Whose lead do I find hard to follow, and is the reason really about them?