Ibn Shihab narrates: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) dispatched an expedition to Mu'tah. He appointed Sayyiduna Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) as the commander of those people and said: "If Zayd is martyred, then Ja'far bin Abi Talib will be their commander; if Ja'far is martyred, then Abdullah bin Rawahah will be their commander." They set off until, at Mu'tah, they faced Ibn Abi Sabrah al-Ghassani. There were large armies there of Christian Arabs and Romans, and Tanukh and Bahram were also there. Ibn Abi Sabrah kept the fortress shut against the Muslims for three days. Then they came out from there, and the two sides fought on a green field; there was fierce fighting. Sayyiduna Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) was holding the banner, and he was martyred. Then Sayyiduna Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) took hold of it, and he was martyred. Then Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) took hold of it, and he was martyred. After the commanders appointed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the people settled on Sayyiduna Khalid bin al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) as their commander, and Allah Almighty routed the enemy and granted the Muslims the upper hand. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had sent these men in the month of Jumada al-Ula.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).