Demise
When Hazrat Utbah (ra) met Hazrat Umar (ra), his desire was to resign as the governor of Basrah, citing that it was too difficult for him and therefore, someone else should be appointed as the governor. However, Hazrat Umar (ra) declined his request to resign. It is mentioned in a narration that Hazrat Utbah (ra) prayed in the following manner, “O Allah, do not bring me back to this city”. Consequently, he fell from his mount on 17 AH and passed away. This took place when Hazrat Utbah (ra) was en route from Mecca to Basrah and had reached a place which people call Ma‘din bani Sulaim.
According to another narration, he passed away in 17 AH at a place called Rabadhah. According to a third narration – there are different narrations with regard to his demise – in 17 AH, at the age of 57, Hazrat Utbah (ra) passed away in Basrah due to an ailment of the abdomen. Others have stated that he passed away in 15 AH. After the demise of Hazrat Utbah (ra), his slave, Suwaid, brought the belongings and property of Hazrat Utbah (ra) to Hazrat Umar (ra). Hazrat Utbah (ra) passed away at the age of 57. He was a tall and handsome man.
(Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 3, pp. 559-560, Utbah bin Ghazwan (ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003) (Kitab Jumal min Ansab al-Ashraaf, Vol. 13, Nasab Bani Mazin bin Mansoor, p. 298, Darul Fkir, Beirut, 1996) (Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 73, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)