أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي قَدْ وَلَّيْتُ النُعْمَانَ بْنَ عَجْلاَنَ الزُّرَقيَّ عَلَى الْبَحْرَيْنِ، وَنَزَعْتُ يَدَكَ، بِلَا ذَمٍّ لَكَ، وَلَا تَثْرِيبٍ عَلَيْكَ، فَلَقَدْ أَحْسَنْتَ الْوِلَايَةَ، وَأَدَّيْتَ الْأَمَانَةَ، فَأَقْبِلْ غَيْرَ ظَنِينٍ، وَلَا مَلُومٍ، وَلَا مُتَّهَمٍ، وَلَا مَأْثُومٍ، فَقَدْ أَرَدْتُ الْمَسِيرَ إِلَى ظَلَمَةِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ، وَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ مَعِي، فَإِنَّكَ مِمَّنْ أَسْتَظْهِرُ بِهِ عَلَى جِهَادِ الْعَدُوِّ، وَإِقَامَةِ عَمُودِ الدِّيِنِ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ.
Now, I have posted an-Nu‘mān ibn ‘Ajlān az-Zuraqī at Bahrain and have released you from that position without anything bad from you nor reproach on you, because you managed the governorship well and discharged the obligations. Therefore, proceed to me when you are neither suspected nor rebuked, neither blamed nor guilty. I have just intended to proceed towards the recalcitrant of Syria and desired that you should be with me because you are among those on whom I rely in fighting the enemy and erecting the pillars of religion, if Allāh wills.
