Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 32711 — Reports on talk about rulers

Qays narrates that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You do not inform me about these two settlements of yours, yet despite this I will ask you, and I will learn from your faces which settlement is better." He said: Sayyiduna Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "O Commander of the Believers! I will tell you. As for one settlement, in terms of its trees it is close to the land of the Arabs. And the other settlement is the land of Persia, with its severe fever, its heat and its bedbugs," meaning al-Mada'in. He said: Sayyiduna Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) called me a liar and said: "You have lied." Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have lied more than he." Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Tell me about this governor of yours: is he a reasonable and suitable man?" I said: "By Allah, he neither does the work well, nor is he sufficient on his own, nor does he know how to govern." So he dismissed him and sent Sayyiduna al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him).