Appointed as a Leader
Abdur Rahman bin Abdullah narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “O Banu Nazala (in some narrations it is written as Banu Salama)! Who is your leader?” They replied, “Jadd bin Qais.” The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “On what basis do you consider him to be your leader?” They replied, “He is wealthier than us and is affluent. Therefore, we have made him our leader. However, the only fault we find in him is that he is miserly.” They did not like that he was extremely miserly. The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Is there a greater shortcoming than miserliness?” In other words, miserliness was a grave flaw and owing to this he could not be their leader. They replied, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Do tell us then who is our leader?” The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Bishr bin Bara bin Ma‘rur (ra) is your leader,” i.e., the companion who is being mentioned. According to another narration, it is recorded that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Your leader is Bishr bin Bara bin Ma‘rur (ra), who has a fair complexion and curly hair.”
(al-Isabah Fi Tamyeez al-Sahabah, Vol. 1, pp. 426-427, Bishr bin al-Bara (ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2005) (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 291, Bishr bin al-Bara (ra), Dar Ihyaa al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, 1996)