Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 4555

It is narrated from al-Sha'bi that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he should choose for the Muslims an abode of hijrah and a station (city) for jihad. So Sayyiduna Sa'd sent a man of the Ansar called al-Harith bin Salamah, and he chose for them the place where Kufah stands today. So Sayyiduna Sa'd settled there with the people, laid out the plan of its mosque and marked out the boundaries of the city. Al-Sha'bi said: On the land of Kufah there used to grow khuzama, shih, uqhuwan and shaqa'iq al-Nu'man (fragrant flowers and herbs), and in the Jahiliyyah the Arabs used to call it 'Khadd al-Adhra'' (the cheek of the maiden), that is, a very beautiful and fertile land. Having approved this place, they wrote to Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), and he replied: "Settle there." So the people moved to Kufah.