Musnad Abi Ya'la 210 — Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab appointed

It is narrated from al-Hasan bin Salm (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed Sayyiduna Nafi' bin Abd al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) as governor over the people of Makkah. Then, when Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived, Sayyiduna Nafi' bin Abd al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) came out to receive him, having left Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Abza (may Allah be pleased with him) as his deputy over the people of Makkah. At this Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) became so angry that he stood up in the stirrup of his mount and said: "Have you made Abd al-Rahman bin Abza your deputy over the chosen people of Allah?" He replied: "I found him the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them and the most learned of them in the religion of Allah." Hearing this, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) humbled himself before this excellence in knowledge, settled calmly on his mount, and said: "If you have said that, (then it is quite right), for I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Indeed, Allah Almighty elevates some peoples through this religion and lowers others through it.'"