Expedition of Usamah ibn Zayd

Shortly before his death, the Prophet ﷺ appointed the 18-year-old Usamah ibn Zayd to lead an army to southern Palestine to avenge the martyrdom of his father Zayd ibn Harithah at Mu'tah. Some senior companions questioned the appointment of such a young commander. The Prophet firmly rebuked this, saying: 'If you criticize his leadership, you criticized his father's leadership before him, and by Allah, he was worthy of leadership.' The army was preparing to march when the Prophet fell ill.