'Abdur-Rahman bin Samura

Abd al-Rahman ibn Samura (RA) was a companion of the Prophet ﷺ who became especially famous for transmitting the prophetic advice against seeking leadership and positions of authority. The Prophet ﷺ said to him: 'O Abd al-Rahman ibn Samura, do not ask for leadership; if you are given it without asking, you will be helped to discharge it; but if you get it by asking, you will be left to discharge it on your own.' This hadith, preserved in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, became one of the foundational narrations in Islamic political ethics, widely quoted by scholars discussing governance, leadership, and the corrupting nature of power-seeking. Abd al-Rahman (RA) participated in the Islamic conquests and was among the commanders who led campaigns into the eastern provinces. He was involved in military operations in Sijistan and other parts of Persia and Central Asia. He settled in Basra in his later years and narrated hadith from the Prophet ﷺ on various topics. The scholars considered him trustworthy and his narrations appear in the major collections. He also transmitted hadith concerning oaths, their expiation, and related juristic matters. His legacy rests primarily on that one extraordinary piece of prophetic advice which encapsulates a wisdom about power that has resonated across centuries of Islamic political thought.