Uqba ibn Amir

Uqba ibn Amir al-Juhani (Template:Langx; died 677/78) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the Umayyad governor of Egypt in 665–667 and died in the province.

Life

Uqba ibn Amir hailed from the Juhayna tribe, a branch of the Quda'a confederation resident across Syria and northwestern Arabia.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He became a well-known companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and had been the latter's muleteer.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Uqba was also a poet and became known for his writing skills.Template:Sfn He developed a reputation as an early reader of the Quran and possessed a version of the Muslim holy book that was different than the version descended from Caliph Uthman (Template:Reign).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn His recension of the Quran fell into oblivion after the Umayyad governor of Egypt, Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan, had another codex produced in accordance with the Uthmanid canon.Template:Sfn Uqba is credited with the transmission of several hadith (traditions of Muhammad).Template:Sfn

During the First Fitna, he was an active supporter of his friend Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan against Caliph Ali (Template:Reign).Template:Sfn Mu'awiya became caliph in 661 and appointed Uqba the governor of Egypt,Template:Sfn replacing the caliph's deceased brother, Utba ibn Abi Sufyan, in 664.Template:Sfn According to the 9th-century historian al-Tabari, in 668/69, Uqba led the Arab troops of Egypt alongside the troops of Medina in a naval raid against Byzantine territory.Template:Sfn He was replaced as governor by Maslama ibn Mukhallad al-Ansari in 669.Template:Sfn He died in Egypt in 677/78.Template:Sfn An honorary tomb was built on his grave in the cemetery of Qarafa al-Kubra near Fustat. During the Mamluk period in the 14th century, it was one of several ziyarat (Muslim pilgrimage sites) visited by Egyptian Muslims.Template:Sfn

Bibliography

• Template:The History of al-Tabari
• Template:The History of al-Tabari