In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khali [may Allaah preserve him] stated:

Indeed this illustrious companion of the Messenger [peace and blessing of Allaah be upon him] has a high station and status in the sight of the people who follow the authentic Sunnah and the truth. And even before this station and status of his in the sight of the people who follow the authentic Sunnah and truth, he has a high station in the sight of Allaah’s Messenger. And one of those virtues is that he was a companion of the Messenger and a relative of his through marriage ties [i.e. the Messenger married Muaawiyah’s sister, Umm Habeebah], and he was also from the scribes who wrote down the revelation sent down to the believers through the Messenger.

Indeed the Prophet made a great supplication for him. Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abee Umayra [may Allaah be pleased with him] reported that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said to Mu’aawiyyah [may Allaah be pleased with him], “O Allaah! Make him a guide, one guided to the (straight path) and guide (others) by way of him”.

Irbaad Ibn Saariyah [may Allaah be pleased with him] said, “I heard the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] saying, ‘O Allaah! Teach Mu’aawiyyah the Book (i.e. the Qur’aan) and Al-Hisaab (i.e. knowledge of math, arithmetic, accounting etc) and protect him from the punishment'”.

Umm Haraam [may Allaah be pleased with her] reported that she heard the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] saying, “Paradise will be granted to the first batch of my followers who will undertake a naval expedition”. (Umm Haraam added): I said, “O Messenger of Allaah! Will I be amongst them?” He replied: “You are amongst them” The Prophet then said, “The first army amongst my followers who will invade Caesar’s city will be forgiven their sins’. I asked, ‘’Will I be one of them, O Messenger of Allaah?” He replied: “No”. Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: “Al-Muhallab [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: This hadeeth contains [an outstanding virtue] of Mu’aawiyyah because he was the first to undertake a naval expedition”.

Muaawiyah has (virtues with regards to performance of great Jihaad in making uppermost the Allaah’s statement (or statement) لا إله إلا الله –None has the right to be worshiped except Allaah]; conquests (i.e. in order that mankind may single out Allaah in worship and abandon everything worshiped besides Allaah) and other distinguished virtues. And (from those distinguished virtues of Mu’aawiyyah) are: Mutual tolerance, kindness, forbearance, patience and justice. And if he had nothing else other than the virtue of being a companion of the Messenger, it would have been sufficient for him.

Abdullaah Ibul Mubaarak [may Allaah have mercy upon him] was asked about Mu’aawiyyah, so he said: “What should I say about a man who (when) the Messenger said: [سمع الله لمن حمده (i.e. in the prayer], he said [ربنا ولك الحمد i.e. whilst praying] behind him”. It was said to him (i.e. Abdullaah Ibnul Mubaarak): “Who is more virtuous-him (i.e. Mu’aawiyyah) or Umar Bin Abdul-Azeez?” He said: “The dust that was in Mu‘aawiyah’s nosetrill whilst he was with Allaah’s Messenger is better and more virtuous than Umar Bin Abdul Azeez [may Allaah have mercy upon him]!

Paraphrased: https://rabee.net/%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A8-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B1%D8%B6%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%87-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D8%A8-%D8%B9/

To be continued InShaaAllaah