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`Utbah used to fear the extravagance of the world, and in order to protect his religion and the
Muslims, he tried to persuade them to practice asceticism and moderation. Many people tried to turn him
from his way, to arouse a sense of ruling in his soul, and draw his attention to the right of ruling,
especially in those countries that were never accustomed to such type of ascetic rulers and whose people
used to respect high-ranking supercilious appearances. But `Utbah used to answer them saying: "I seek
refuge in Allah from being great in your world and small in the sight of Allah." When he found people
bored with his austerity he induced them to be earnest and modest saying, tomorrow you'll see the rulers
after me."
When it was the Hajj season, he appointed one of his brothers as successor and went to make the Hajj.
When he finished, he traveled to Al-Madiinah and asked the Commander of the Faithful to discharge him
from the rule. But `Umar would not lose the reverent ascetic who fled from what the mouths of mankind
watered for. He used to say to them, "You burden me with your trusts and leave me alone? No, by Allah,
I'll never discharge you." And that was what he said to `Utbah Ibn Ghazwaan.
As `Utbah could do nothing but obey, he took his camel and rode it back to Al-Basrah. But before
he mounted it he turned to the Qiblah and raised his imploring hands to heaven and invoked Almighty
Allah not to return him to Al-Basrah or to government rule again. His invocation was answered, for
while he was on his way to this rule, he died. His spirit was given up to its Creator. It was happy with
what it had exerted and given, with its asceticism and continence, with the favor that Allah had
completed upon it, and with the reward that Allah had prepared for it.