'Umar
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Umar bin al-Khattab [ra]: al-Fārūq
He was Umar bin al-Khattab Abi Hafs al-Qurashi al-Adawi. It is authentically reported that the Prophet [s] once prayed to Allah that He help Islam by causing Umar’s reversion. A day later, in Dhul Hijjah, in the sixth year of Prophethood, Umar [ra] embraced Islam. He was then twenty-six years old. The Quraysh regarded his reversion* as a severe blow to their prestige.
In his highly acclaimed magnum-opus Al-Faruq, Shibli Numani has undertaken a critical analysis wherein he has compared the rule of Umar (ra) with other monarchs like Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, Mongol hordes, and concluded that Umar (ra) ranks far higher than any of these. His reasons are that Umar (ra) achieved spectacular military victories in a much shorter time-span against much more powerful armies (Romans and Persians), that too with limited resources. Moreover, the state left behind by Umar (ra) survived for much longer (rather, its cultural marks are still found today in Islamic societies) while other emperors were mere conquerors, and not nation-builders in the truest sense. Umar (ra)'s administration was also much more visionary in that people were much happier under his rule than that of any other contemporary monarch- these facts are well-recorded since the reign of Umar (ra) took place when writing was already well-developed and his artefacts can be found even today.
A Turning Point in the Fortunes of Islam
Umar’s acceptance of Islam was a turning point in the fortunes of Islam. Umar’s acceptance of Islam meant power; his emigration to Madinah victory; and his Caliphate Grace of Allah. The addition of this strong personality greatly increased the prestige of the small community of Muslims in Makkah. Muslims were not able to pray before the Ka’bah until Umar [ra] embraced Islam. From that day onward, the influence of the Muslim community grew without interruption, until it reached its zenith in the majestic empire created by Umar [ra].
The Virtues of Umar bin al-Khattab
Abu Hurayrah [ra] reports, ‘While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah [s], he said, “While asleep, I saw myself in Paradise, and lo, there was a woman performing her ablution by the side of a palace. And I asked, ‘Whose is this palace?’ They answered, ‘Umar’s.’”’ [al-Bukhari]
Once, Allah’s Messenger [s] said to Umar [ra], ‘O Ibn al-Khattab! By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! If Satan would encounter you in some way, he would certainly take a way different from yours.’ [al-Bukhari]
Allah’s Messenger [s] Gave Umar the Title of al-Fārūq.
Until Umar’s conversion, the Muslims could not hold their Prayers in public. Now, after the arrival of Umar into the fold of Islam, they held their Prayers in the courtyard of the Ka’bah. [1]
Entering Arqam’s house, Umar found the Prophet [s] and his Companions, including Hamzah and Abu Bakr, still reciting and studying the Qur'aan privately, lest the Quraysh harm them.
But the outspoken and lively Umar did not find secrecy and timidity to his liking. He did not rest content until he had persuaded Allah’s Messenger [s] and his Companions to appear in public and declare their Faith and its commands before everybody. So the Muslims formed up into two columns: Hamzah headed one and Umar, the newcomer, headed the other. It was the first public presentation in history. The efforts of this presentation were outstanding. The Quraysh were overawed by the bold attitude of the small company of believers. It was because of the great role he played in the success of Islam that Allah’s Messenger [s] gave him the title of al-Fārūq, or the Distinguisher: the one who distinguishes between truth and falsehood.
Umar participated in all of the battles of the Prophet [s]. He succeeded Abu Bakr as Caliph. He led the defeat of the Persian and the Roman empires, extended the rule of Islam from Iran to Egypt. During his ten-and-a-half-year Caliphate, Iraq, Egypt, and all the Arabian Peninsula were added to the dominion of Islam, and about twelve thousand mosques were built. He is known for his profound knowledge of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah, and for creative insight into the Islamic Law. He has related 530 Hadith from the Prophet [s].
Once, Allah’s Messenger [s] said of him, ‘There were, among the Bani Isrāil before you, men who were inspired without being Prophets; and if there is any one of them in my community, it is Umar.’ [al-Bukhari] Allah had put truth on the tongue of Umar and into his heart.
He laid the institutions of the new government and society. It was Umar who established the Public Treasury and offices of accounts. It was Umar who regulated the Islamic Calendar. He introduced for this purpose the Islamic Year, commencing with the new moon of the first month – al-Muharram – of the year in which the Prophet [s] emigrated from Makkah. Hence, the Islamic Year was named al-Hijrah or the Era of Emigration.
Umar’s Character
Umar’s life requires but few lines to sketch. Simplicity and duty were his guiding principles. Impartiality and devotion were the leading features of his administration. He was the Caliph of a vast empire, but he never lost the balance of a wise and sober judgement. ‘Where is the Caliph?’ the visitor would ask as he looked around the court of the Madinah Mosque, and all the while the Commander of the Believers would be sitting in simple attire before him.
Responsibility so weighed upon him that he was heard to exclaim, ‘O that my mother had not borne me; would that I had been this blade of grass instead.’ His sense of justice was strong. Whip in hand, he would tread the streets and markets of Madinah, ready to punish offenders on the spot.
But even with all this he was kind-hearted. Countless acts of kindness are recorded of him, such as relieving the wants of the widows and orphans; for instance, journeying in Arabia during the famine, he came upon a poor woman and her hungry, weeping children seated round a fire; whereon was an empty cooking-pot. Umar hastened on to the next village, obtained bread and meat, filled the pot, and cooked an ample meal, leaving the little ones laughing and playing. Umar was the first to assume the title of ‘Amīrul Muminīn’ or the Commander of the Believers.
The Da'wah of Umar
Umar invited peope to accept Islam but not by force. Rather, he sought to win over their hearts, and held no rancour against them if they refused (accepting Islam).
One instance of his kind-heartedness is that he had a Christian slave named Asbaq. Umar used to present Islam to him and the slave kept on refusing- Umar reconciled himself with saying : "There is no compulsion in Deen." Finally, when Umar was on his deathbed, he freed Asbaq, saying: "You may go wherever you please." It was after Umar's death that Asbaq accepted Islam. [2]
Umar’s Martyrdom
The cause of Umar’s assassination was as follows. Mughirah bin Shu’bah, the governor of Kufah, had a Persian slave. His name was Feroz Abu Lu’lu’ah. He was the native of Nūhawand. He was a highly skilled workman. He was a carpenter, smith, and sculptor. Mughirah wished to let him work in Madinah and to profit from his earnings. Under the Islamic Law, the owner of a slave was entitled to a certain share in the latter’s gains. It should be kept in mind that Islam gradually abolished the system of slavery completely.
Although Umar had previously forbidden any adult non-Muslim foreigner to enter Madinah, the capital of the Islamic Empire, he consented to Mughirah’s request in the hope that the people of Madinah would benefit by the Persian slave’s skills. Abu Lu’lu’ah set up his trade in Madinah and prospered. Mughirah used to take four dirhams [silver coins] from his daily earnings, which was reasonable.
One day, the slave complained to the Caliph that his master charged him too high a tribute. But, on finding that the Persian slave’s earnings were far above the small sum demanded from him, Umar held that the tribute was not excessive. Umar, however, intended to speak to Mughirah on behalf of the slave. But for the present, he advised the latter to behave well. This angered the slave, and when Umar asked him whether he could build for him a windmill, he answered darkly and sarcastically, ‘I will make for you such a mill that all the people will talk of it.’ Umar realized that it was a threat, but he ignored it.
Abu Lu’lu’ah provided himself with a doubled-bladed dagger and hid it in the Mosque. On the morning of Wednesday, the 27 Dhul Hijjah 23 A.H. [5 November 644 C.E.], he stabbed Umar during the Dawn Prayer. Umar had only pronounced the Takbīr [Allahu Akbar], when the Companions who had assembled for the Dawn Prayer, heard him cry out, ‘The dog has killed me – or bitten me.’ Umar had received several deep wounds. Thereupon, the foreign infidel – Abu Lu’lu’ah – a sturdy, bulky, course man attempted to escape from the Mosque. He had a double-bladed dagger in his hand and he did not pass anyone on his right or left without stabbing him, until he stabbed thirteen men, seven of whom died.
Seeing all this, a man of the Muslims threw his burmus over him. According to the scholars, this man was an Emigrant [a Muhājir], Hittān al-Tamimi al-Yarbūi. Burmus is a hooded cloak. It is used to this day by the Arabs in North Africa and in the Sahara. In the early days of Islam, it was widely used in Arabia. When the infidel knew that he was caught, he killed himself.
Now, Umar, in spite of his deep wounds, took the hand of Abdur Rahmaan bin Awf and made him advance as Imām to lead the Prayer. And whoso was close to Umar saw what had happened. But the worshipping people in the remote parts of the Mosque perceived nothing except that they missed Umar’s voice, and they were uttering ‘Sub’hanallah! Sub’hanallah! [Glory be to Allah! Glory be to Allah!] Then Abdur Rahmaan bin Awf led the Prayer, making it short.
It speaks a great deal for the discipline of those early Muslims that the turmoil, caused in the front ranks by the assassination of Umar and several other Companions, did not break up the Congregation. Only those who were in the front ranks moved from their places. The rows further down, remained standing in Prayer as they had been. The expression Sub’hanallah [Glory be unto Allah] is used when the followers of the Congregation think that the Imām [the Prayer-leader] has committed an error in his recitation or in the ritual of Prayer. Controlled by their sense of discipline and regard for Prayer, the Muslims present in the Mosque did not know what had happened in the front. They probably thought that their Imām had forgotten the words of the Qur'aan-text he was reciting and paused too long to remember them.
‘See who it was, that has stabbed me to kill me!’
When the congregation had dispersed, Umar said, ‘O Ibn Abbas! See who it was that has killed me.’ So Ibn Abbas went round, and then came back and said, ‘The slave of Mughirah.’ Umar said, ‘That skilled craftsman?’ Ibn Abbas answered, ‘Yes.’ And remarked, ‘May Allah punish him. I had enjoined the right thing regarding him! Praise be to Allah, Who has not caused me to die at the hand of man who professes Islam.’
Thereupon, Umar was borne to his home. It is recorded that Umar subsequently fainted, and the Companions thought he was going to die that very moment. Then one of them suggested that they should recite the call to Prayer, for this was the thing which Umar had loved most, and it would revive him. They did it, and he regained consciousness, looked around, and said, ‘The Prayer? O Allah! There is no place in Islam for him who gives up Prayer!’ And, although he was profusely bleeding, he performed his ablution and offered the Prayer of dawn, which he had missed.
Some beverage of dates was brought to him. He drank it, but it came out from the belly. Obviously, his stomach was perforated. Then milk was brought to him. He drank it, and it came out through his wound. Thus they knew that he would die.
The Companions came to him. They consoled him. Umar saw a young man whose lower garment was touching the ground. He called him and said to him, ‘Young man! Lift your garment. For indeed, this is better for your dress, and is more respectful towards your Sustainer!’ It is characteristics of Umar that even on his death-bed he did not cease to pay full attention for religious injunctions and to advise his Companions in this respect.
Umar's Bequests
Umar (r.a.) did not like to nominate a Khalifah in his lifetime. One of the Muslims said to him: "Recommend your son ‘Abdullah." Umar said: "May Allah fight you, by Allah you did not seek Allah's pleasure by this opinion. Woe to you! How can I recommend a man who was unable to divorce his wife? There is no desire for us (family of Al-Khattab) in your affairs. I did not praise it (Khilafah) so as to like it to be for anyone from my family. If this matter (of Khilafah) was good then we have got our share. If it was bad then it is enough for family of ‘Umar that one person from them be accounted and be asked about the affairs of the Ummah of Muhammad. Really, I exerted myself and I deprived my family. If I managed to save myself sufficiently without sin and without reward, then I am happy."
But after repeated requests from the Sahabah he asked them to choose from among the following six names:
1) Ali
2) Uthman
3) Zubayr
4) Talha
5) Saad bin Abi Waqqas
6) Abdul Rahman bin Auf
He asked the Sahabah to accept as Amir to whom the other five gave Bayah. [3]
Then he said to his son, ‘O Abdullah! Find out how much debt there is upon me.’ They counted it and found that it was eighty-six thousand [dirhams] or so. Umar had, in reality, spent it on several pilgrimages he had performed with a large following of poor people and for some emergencies of State. Umar commanded that it should be repaid on his behalf. It is clear that it was a personal expenditure. Umar could have rightly and well regarded it as spent in the interest of the community of which he was the head. But his uncommonly keen sense of responsibility demanded of him that the above expenditure, which did not come under any of the conventional budgetary headings [today we would reckon it as miscellaneous expenses] should be paid from his own means.
Umar bin al-Khattab then said, ‘Go to Ai’shah, mother of the Faithful, and say, ‘Umar offers you his greeting, and do not say the Commander of the Faithful; today, I am no more Commander of the Faithful; and say, “Umar bin al-Khattab asks leave to be buried beside his two Companions.”’ This means the Prophet [s] and Abu Bakr, whose graves were within Ai’shah’s chamber. Ai’shah [ra] replied, ‘I had desired it for myself, but today, indeed, I shall give him preference over myself.’
Umar died and he was laid to rest beside his two Companions. Umar was one of the ten Companions to whom the Prophet [s] had announced in their lifetime that they would gain Paradise. The Caliphate of Umar lasted for ten and a half years. [Muhammad Asad’s translation of Sahih Bukhari: The Early Years of Islam – 1981 reprint – May Allah give Asad His Choicest reward].
Status of Umar (ra)
The following reports justify the high rank of Umar (ra) - the Prophet(pbuh) had high regard of him and Ali (as) was the closest advisor to Umar (ra) when the latter was Khalifah:
1. Narrated Ibn 'Abbas(RA): While I was standing amongst the people who were invoking Allah for Umar bin Al-Khattab who was lying (dead) on his bed, a man behind me rested his elbows on my shoulder and said, "(O 'Umar!) May Allah bestow His Mercy on you. I always hoped that Allah will keep you with your two companions, for I often heard Allah's Apostle saying, "I, Abu Bakr and 'Umar were (somewhere). I, Abu Bakr and 'Umar did (something). I, Abu Bakr and 'Umar set out.' So I hoped that Allah will keep you with both of them." I turned back to see that the speaker was Ali bin Abi Talib - Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 57, No. 26
2. Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah(RA): The Prophet(SAW) said, "I saw myself (in a dream) entering Paradise, and behold! I saw Ar-Rumaisa', Abu Talha's wife. I heard footsteps. I asked, Who is it? Somebody said, 'It is Bilal ' Then I saw a palace and a lady sitting in its courtyard. I asked, 'For whom is this palace?' Somebody replied, 'It is for 'Umar.' I intended to enter it and see it, but I thought of your ('Umar's) Ghira (and gave up the attempt)." 'Umar said, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle! How dare I think of my Ghira (self-respect) being offended by you. - Sahih Bukhari
3. Narrated Abu Hurayrah(RA): Allah's Apostle(SAW) said, "Among the nations before you there used to be people who were inspired (though they were not prophets). And if there is any of such a persons amongst my followers, it is 'Umar." Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Among the nation of Bani Israel who lived before you, there were men who used to be inspired with guidance though they were not prophets, and if there is any of such persons amongst my followers, it is 'Umar." - Sahih Bukhari
Notes
This ilmpedia.net article is contributed by Sister Rukaiah Maulvi. Her books have been published by Dar-us-Salam Publications.
References
- ↑ The term reversion signifies the act of reverting; returning to a former practice, belief, condition, etc. According to the Qur'aan [7: 172], the ability to perceive the existence of Allah and His Oneness is inborn in human nature, with which every human being is gifted from birth. It is worthwhile to mention here the famous saying of the Prophet [s], which is recorded by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, ‘Every child is born in original purity, and it is but his parents who make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Zorastrian.’ Hence, the one who embraces Islam merely returns to his original inborn natural condition. Reversion, therefore, conveys a deeper meaning, although the term ‘conversion’, which denotes change in character, form, function, spiritual change from sinfulness to righteousness, change from one religion, belief, and viewpoint to another, can also be used. It also serves the objective.
- ↑ This story is reported by Ibn Sa'd, Sa'eed bin Mansoor, Ibn Abi Shayba, Ibn Mundhir and Ibn Abi Hatim in Kanzul Ummal (V5, Pg. 50). Abu Nu'aym reports a similar narration in Hilya (V9, Pg. 34) but gives the name of the Christian slave as Wasaq.
- ↑ This incident is reported in the biography of Umar, written by Shah Moinuddin Nadvi
