The
exact date of the birth of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA is not known. The concensus of
opinion, however, is that Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was born at Mecca around 580 A.D He
was younger than the Holy Prophet of Islam by about ten years. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA belonged to the Adi clan of the Quraish. It was one of the ten clans
of the Quraish who inhabited Makkah.
The
pedigree of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was: Umar the son of Khattab; the son of Nufail; the
son of Abul Uzza; the son of Riza; the son of Ribah; the son of
Qurat; the son of Adi; the son of Katb.
The
pedigree of Rasulullah ﷺ the son
of Abdullah; the son of Abdul Muttalib; the son of Hashim; the son of
Abd Munaf; the son of Qussay; the son of Kulab; the son of Ka'b.
In
the case of Abu Bakr and the Holy Prophet, Murrah in the eighth
degree was their common ancestor. In the case of the Holy Prophet and Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA, Ka'b in the ninth degree was their common ancestor.
Among Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's ancestors, Adi rose to prominence as a diplomat, and the clan
came to be known after him. Whenever the Quraish of the day had to
negotiate any settlement with any other tribe, Adi represented the
interests of the Quraish as an ambassador. Even in the case of
disputes among the Quraish themselves, Adi acted as the arbitrator.
After the death of Adi the two offices of diplomatic representation
and arbitration became hereditary in his descendants.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's grandfather Nufail arbitrated in a dispute between Abdul Muttalib,
the grandfather of the Holy Prophet and Harab bin Umayyah over the
custodianship of the Ka'bah. Nufail gave his verdict in favour of
Abdul Muttalib.
Addressing Harab bin Umayyah he said:
Addressing Harab bin Umayyah he said:
"Why
do you pick a quarrel with a person who is taller than you in
stature; more imposing than you in appearance; more refined than you
in intellect; whose progeny outnumbers yours and whose generosity
outshines yours in lustre? Do not, however, construe this into any
disparagement of your good qualities which I highly appreciate. You
are as gentle as a lamb, you are renowned throughout Arabia for the
stentorian tones of your voice, and you are an asset to your tribe."
This
address is indicative of Nufail's skill in diplomacy and his highly
developed sense of judgment.
Khattab
the father of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was among the prominent members of the Banu Adis.
The Banu Adis had some feuds with Banu Abdul Shams. The Banu Abdul
Shams were stronger in power and position, and the Banu Adis as a
safety measure had to seek alliance with some other clan. They allied
themselves with Banu Shams. On this alliance, Khattab composed the
following verses:
"How
can Abdul Shams still threaten us,
When other men of mettle espouse our cause?
In the halls of Banu Shams there are mighty warriors,
Whose hospitality and protection we enjoy."
When other men of mettle espouse our cause?
In the halls of Banu Shams there are mighty warriors,
Whose hospitality and protection we enjoy."
The
house in which Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was born in Makkah, was situated midway between
Safa and Marwah. During the period of his caliphate, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA had the
house dismantled, and the site was turned into a camping ground.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's mother was Khantamah who was the daughter of Hisham bin al-Mughirah.
Al-Mughirah was a personage of high rank among the Quraish. In the
event of war he marshalled the Quraish troops and led them to war.
Hisham the maternal grandfather of Umar and al-Walid the father of
the renowned General Khalid were brothers. Khalid was thus a cousin
of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's mother and his maternal uncle.
Abu
Jahl whose personal name was Amr bin Hisham bir al-Mughirah was a
brother of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's mother, and his maternal uncle. One of the sisters
of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's mother, Umm Salma was married to the Holy Prophet of Islam.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA had several brothers and sisters. The most well known out of these
were: Zaid and Fatima. Zaid and Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA were step brothers, their
mothers being different. Nevertheless the two brothers were devoted
to each other. When Zaid was later martyred at the battle of Yamama
during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was highly grieved. He used to
say, "Whenever the wind blows from Yamama, it brings me the
fragrance of Zaid."
Fatima
was the real sister of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. She was married to her cousin Saeed bin
Zaid bin Amr. She played an important role in the conversion of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA to Islam.
Amr,
a brother of Khattab was a paternal uncle of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. Zaid the son of
Amr, and a cousin of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was among the distinguished persons of the
Quraish, who before the advent of Islam gave up idolatry, and came to
believe in the unity of God.
Zaid was a poet. One of his poems reads:
Zaid was a poet. One of his poems reads:
"I
believe in one God,
I cannot believe in a thousand gods.
I ignore the idols of Lat and Uzza,
A wise and cautious man can do no more."
I cannot believe in a thousand gods.
I ignore the idols of Lat and Uzza,
A wise and cautious man can do no more."
Khattab
the father of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA persecuted Zaid for his religious beliefs. Zaid
died before the Holy Prophet of Islam announced his prophetic
mission. When the Holy Prophet proclaimed his prophethood, Saeed the
son of Zaid who had married Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's sister Fatima, was among the early
converts to Islam.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA In The Days Of Ignorance
No
account is preserved about the early life of Umar during the days of
ignorance. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA belonged to an ordinary family of average means and
there was nothing conspicuous about Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA or his family during the
days of ignorance to be recorded or chronicled. We can merely pick up
stray accounts here and there, and try to weave them into a readable
narrative.
It
appears that Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA grew up as a typical Arab-a tall young man with a
fine physique and impressive personality. When he was a child his
father put him to the task of grazing camels. Khattab was a hard
taskmaster, and Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA often recalled how his father belaboured him
mercilessly whenever there was a lapse on his part. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA also
recalled that when he was a child he used to graze the flocks of
goats and sheep of his maternal aunts who doled out pittance to him
in the shape of dates.
As
a child, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA used to graze the animals under his charge in the
grazing ground Dajnan, about ten miles from Makkah. When Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA became
the Khalifah, he happened to pass through Dajnan. Turning to his
companions he said:
"Gracious
heavens! There was a time when I used to roam about this desert as a
camel-herd, wearing a felt jacket, and whenever I sat down tired my
father beat me. Now the times have changed. There is now none save Allah as my superior."
Among
the Quraish of those days, reading and writing was not in vogue. In
spite of that Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA received education in reading and writing. It is
related that among the Quraish of Makkah only seventeen persons could
read and write, and Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RAwas one of them. That has to be acknowledged
as a great attainment.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's father was an authority in tracing genealogies. Under the guidance of
his father, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA also acquired matchless skill in the matter of the
study of pedigrees.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA knew intimately as to who was who among the Quraish. He was also well
versed in the knowledge of the history of Arabia.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was blessed with a strong physique. He could undergo great rigours.
He could travel on foot for miles. He was an athlete and a wrestler.
He participated in the wrestling matches on the occasion of the
annual fair at Ukaz, and he won in most of such matches. From the
accounts that have come down to us it appears that Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA had attained
perfection in the art of wrestling.
Some
first hand descriptions of the physical appearance of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA have come
down to us. Ibn Saad and al-Hakim have recorded a description of Umar
as Abu Miriam Zir, a native of Kufa described him. Zir said:
"I
went forth with the people of Madinah on a festival day, and I saw Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA walking barefoot. He was advanced in years, bald, of a tawny
colour-a left handed man, tall, and towering above the people."
Ibn
Umar described the physical appearance of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA as follows:
"He
was a man of fair complexion, a ruddy tint prevailing, tall, bald and
grey."
Ubayd
bin Umayr described Umar as follows:
" Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA used to overtop the people in height."
Salima
bin al-Akwa'a said about him:
" Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was ambidexter; he could use both his hands equally well."
Ibn
Asakir records on tile authority of Abu Raja al-U'taridi that:
"Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was a man tall, stout, very bald, very ruddy with scanty hair on the
cheeks, his moustaches large, and the ends thereof reddish."
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was a skillful rider. He could successfully manage even the wildest
of horses he would literally jump on the back of the horse, and sit
with such ease and steadiness that he appeared to be a part and
parcel of the horse he rode.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was very intelligent and shrewd. He was a good public speaker. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was
gifted with an uncommon degree ot tact and judgment, and on several
occasions he successfully undertook ambassadorial missions on behalf
of the Quraish.
By
all accounts he was self-respecting, broad-minded and sincere. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was
a man of strong convictions, a good friend, and a bad enemy. Like the
rugged hills around him, he was harsh and stern, violent in temper,
but very good of heart. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was always prepared to stand up against
the oppressor and espouse the cause of the weak.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA followed the profession of a trader. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA undertook journeys to Syria,
Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere for the purposes of trade. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was a
successful trader, and he made good money as a result of these
commercial journeys. When Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA migrated from Mecca, according to his
own account, he was one of the richest Quraish merchants.
In
his books, Akhbar-ul-Zaman, and Kitab-ul-Ausat the celebrated
historian Masudi is understood to have related the incidents of the
travels of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA Masudi states that Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA paid visits to several
Arabian and Persian princes. These books of Masudi have, however,
been lost, and the details of these journeys are no longer available
to us.
Before
his conversion to Islam, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA had three wives His first wife was
Qariba bint Abi Umayya al-Makhzumi. She belonged to the same clan as
the mother of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. She was one of the most beautiful women of Makkah of the day. His second wife was Zainab bint Maziun. She was the
sister of Usman bint Maz'un an early companion for whom the Holy
Prophet had great regard. She was the mother of Abdullah and Hafsa.
His third wife was Malaika bint Jarul al-Khuzai. She was also called
Umm Kulsum.
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA And Islam
When
the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) proclaimed his apostlehood, the
reaction among the Quraish was violent. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA, a young man of strong
convictions, held the new faith to be a sacrilege of the idols of
Kaabah. Young, well-built, and fiery-tempered as he was, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RAwas in
tile forefront in opposition to Islam.
Some
accounts have come down to us showing Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's attitude to Islam in the
days before his conversion. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA has related that in the days of
ignorance he was one day standing by an idol with a number of Quraish
when an Arab sacrificed a calf.
From the belly of the calf the following cry was heard:
From the belly of the calf the following cry was heard:
"O
blood red one,
The deed is done.
A man will cry
Besides God, none."
The deed is done.
A man will cry
Besides God, none."
This
corroborated what the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) said. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA,
however, dismissed the cry as sheer hallucination.
It
is on record that along with some Arabs Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA went to a soothsayer,
and asked him to look into the matter of Muhammad (peace be on him)
who had proclaimed a new faith. The soothsayer looked to the beaven
for a long time. Then he leap and said:
"O
men, God has honoured and chosen Muhammad,
Purified his heart and bowels.
His stay, among you,
O men will be short."
Purified his heart and bowels.
His stay, among you,
O men will be short."
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA cursed the soothsayer and returned home very cross and upset.
Lubna,
a maid servant of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA, accepted Islam. When Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA came to know of her
conversion, he beat her violently and asked her to retract. She said
that he might kill her, but she would not leave Islam. Thereafter it
became the wont of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA that he would beat her every day and would
stop beating till he himself felt exhausted. In spite of that, the
slave girl remained steadfast.
Umm
Abdullah bint Khatamah, a lady related to Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA, also accepted Islam. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was very furious at her conversion. As she along with her
husband Amar bin Rabiah and other early converts decided to migrate
to Abyssinia, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA felt moved. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA visited her and said, "Umm
Abdullah are you going?" She said, By God, you have made our
living in Makkah very difficult. There is no option with us but to
migrate elsewhere." Inadvertently Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA said, 'Umm Abdullah, may
God protect you; go in peace." At that time Umm Abdullah felt
that in spite of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA's opposition to Islam, he would one day accept
the new faith.
We
have it on the authority of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA himself that one day he came across
the Holy Prophet in the Ka'bah. The Holy Prophet was reciting verses
from the Holy Quran and as Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA listened to these verses he felt that
it was the work of some poet. Then the Holy Prophet recited, "This
is the revealed word of God; it's not the work of any poet. Yet you
people do not believe". Thereupon Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA felt that if this was not
the work of any poet it would be the work of a soothsayer. Thereupon
the Holy Prophet recited the verses, "And this is not the word
of any soothsayer; it is divine word communicated through Gabriel."
Hearing these verses Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA stood transfixed for some time. In his
heart of hearts he thought that perhaps truth lay with Muhammad
(peace be on him).
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA,
however, dismissed these feelings and soon he was his former self
very hostile to Islam. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA went to the Quraish and participated in
their counsels. They felt concerned that the venom of the new faith
was spreading and the only remedy was that Muhammad (peace be on him)
should be killed. All present at the meeting agreed that Muhammad
(peace be on him) should be killed. Then the meeting invited
volunteers who would kill the Prophet. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA volunteered to kill the
Prophet, and vindicate the faith of their forefathers.
Surah To Ha
One
hot sultry day in the year A.D. 616, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA buckled his sword and set
out to kill the Holy Prophet (peace be on him). In the way, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA met
Nuaim bin Abduilah. He was a friend of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. He had been converted to
Islam, but Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA did not know of that.
Noticing
the dark frowns on his face, Nuaim asked Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA what he was up to. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA said that he was going to slay Muhammad (peace be on him), and thus
vindicate the gods of Ka'bah. Nuaim said! "Beware if you harm
Muhammad (peace be on him) you will not be safe from the fury of Banu
Hashim. Desist from such a course in your own interest". Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA ejaculated angrily: "It appears you have also become a Muslim."
Nuaim said, "Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA, do not bother about me, but take care of your
sister and brother-in-law who have been converted to Islam, and who
may be reading the Quran at this very moment."
That
made Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA pause. Instead of going to the Holy Prophet, he went to the
house of his sister. His sister was Fatima and her husband was Saeed
bin Zaid. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA loved his sister. He had never thought that his
brother-in-law or his sister would have the audacity to accept Islam.
This was news to him. He could not believe it, but he thought it
advisable to verify the facts.
As Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA stepped into the house of his sister, he found that both Fatima
and her husband were reading the Quran from a leaf. Seeing Umar, his
sister hid the leaf. Fatima rose to welcome her brother with a smile.
But there was a dark frown on the face of Umar. "What were you
reading", he thundered. "Nothing", replied Fatima.
Umar
caught his brother-in-law by the throat and said, "So you have
apostatised from the faith of your forefathers". Saeed retorted,
"Rather we have abandoned falsehood for truth." Thereupon
Umar was about to strike Saeed when Fatima intervened saying, "Hands
off from my husband. If you have anything to say, say it to me, but
do not touch my husband."
Umar asked, "Is it a fact that you have become Muslims." She replied, "Yes. we have become Muslims. You may kill us if you like, but we will not waver in our faith".
Umar asked, "Is it a fact that you have become Muslims." She replied, "Yes. we have become Muslims. You may kill us if you like, but we will not waver in our faith".
Umar
stayed his hands and desired that the leaf from which they had been
reading should be shown to him. Fatima said that he could not touch
the sacred leaf until he had washed his hands. Umar washed his hands,
and the sacred leaf was handed over to him.
It was the Sura Ta Ha. It read:
It was the Sura Ta Ha. It read:
"Ta
Ha
We have not sent the Qur'an to thee,
To be an occasion for thy distress,
But only as an admonition to those who fear God.
A revelation from Him,
Who created the earth and the heavens on high.
God most gracious,
Is firmly established on the throne of authority.
To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth,
And all between them and all beneath the soil.
If thou pronounce the word aloud, it's no matter
For verily He knoweth what is secret
And what is yet hidden.
Verily there is no god but He
To Him belongs the most beautiful names." (20: 1-8)
We have not sent the Qur'an to thee,
To be an occasion for thy distress,
But only as an admonition to those who fear God.
A revelation from Him,
Who created the earth and the heavens on high.
God most gracious,
Is firmly established on the throne of authority.
To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth,
And all between them and all beneath the soil.
If thou pronounce the word aloud, it's no matter
For verily He knoweth what is secret
And what is yet hidden.
Verily there is no god but He
To Him belongs the most beautiful names." (20: 1-8)
As
Umar read the verses over and over again, he felt as if these verses
were addressed to him in person, and the mysterious Ta Ha referred to
Umar-the Man. Umar shuddered with the fear of God, and he felt as if
his conscience was upbraiding him, "Umar, how long would you
stay away from the path of truth. Has not the time come for you to
follow the truth?"
And
then Umar resolved that he would lose no time in following the truth.
Turning to his sister and brother-in-law he said, "I came to you
as an enemy of Islam; I go from you as a friend of Islam. I had
buckled this sword to slay the Prophet of Islam; I now go to him to
offer him allegiance."
Fatima
and Saeed cried "Allah o-Akbar".
The
episode has been dramatised by Allama Iqbal in his poem "Secrets
of the Self". He has exhorted the Muslim women to be like the
sister of Umar.
He says:
He says:
"O
Muslim women;
Out of the evening create a new dazzling morn.
To the true lovers of God,
Recite the Holy Qur'an
And enthusiastically translate
Its spirit into action
Don't vou know that such recitation
Changed altogether Umar's fate."
Out of the evening create a new dazzling morn.
To the true lovers of God,
Recite the Holy Qur'an
And enthusiastically translate
Its spirit into action
Don't vou know that such recitation
Changed altogether Umar's fate."
Al-Faruq
From
the house of his sister, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA proceeded to the house of Arqam at the
foot of the Safa hill, where the Holy Prophet was lodged.
Umar
knocked at the door of the house of Arqam.
"Who
comes", enquired the guard.
"Umar
bin al-Khattab". said Umar.
As
the guard peeped through the door he saw that Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA had buckled his
sword. The guard therefore hesitated to open the door.
Sayyidina Hamzah RA said to the guard, "Open the door; if he comes in peace he will
be welcome. If he is bent on mischief, we are enough to overpower
him".
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA was admitted. Sayyidina Hamzah RA caught him by the hem of his cloak and said,
"Umar, what brings you here?" The Muslims with drawn swords
surrounded Umar, so that he could be overpowered if he showed any
signs of violence.
Hearing
the noise, the Holy Prophet came out of his cell. Addressing Sayyidina Hamzah RA the Holy Prophet said, "Leave him Let him come forward".
As Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA stepped forward the Holy Prophet said Umar, how long will you
stray from the path of Islam. Has the time not come for you to see
the truth?"
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA said, "Verily the time has come for me to see the truth. I have
come to profess my faith in Islam".
The
Holy Prophet stretched his hand. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA held the hand with reverence
and said, "I declare that there is no god but Allah, and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of God".
In
joy the Muslims shouted "Allah-o-Akbar". The Holy Prophet
embraced Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. The other Muslims embraced Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA one by one. Umar was
the fortieth person to become a Muslim.
That
day even Gabriel congratulated the Holy Prophet on the conversion of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. Gabriel said: "O Prophet of God, the dwellers in Heaven
rejoice at the conversion of Umar and offer you their
congratulations".
Intoxicated with the joy of having become a Muslim, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA proceeded to various parts of Makkah to announce that he had become a Muslim. He first went to the house of his maternal uncle Abu Jahl. He knocked at the door of the house of Abu Jahl.
Intoxicated with the joy of having become a Muslim, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA proceeded to various parts of Makkah to announce that he had become a Muslim. He first went to the house of his maternal uncle Abu Jahl. He knocked at the door of the house of Abu Jahl.
"Who
comes", asked Abu Jahl.
"It's
Umar", said Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. Abu Jahl opened the door and said,
"Welcome
nephew". Umar said,
"Uncle
do you know, I have become a Muslim." Abu Jahl said,
"Do
not talk like that. I know that a man of your views can never become
a Muslim".
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA said,
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA said,
"No,
uncle it is a fact that I have become a Muslim." Abu Jahl
thereupon said,
"If
what you say is true then be damned". Saying this Abu Jahl shut
the door in the face of Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA.
Thereafter Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA went to see some other Quraish chiefs. He told them of his
conversion to Islam. Like Abu Jahl they damned him and shut the doors
of their houses against him.
Then Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA proceeded to the Kaabah. There he saw Jamil bin Ma'mar al-Jamahi
who enjoyed reputation for spreading reports in Makkah. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA told him
that he had accepted Islam. Jamil rose from his feet, and cried at
the top of his voice:
"O
ye Quraish, know that Umar bin al Khattab has been converted to
Islam, and apostatised from the faith of his forefathers. "
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RAOn
hearing this some Quraish youth gathered at the Kaabah. Umar said:
"What
Jamil said is not correct. I have not apostatised: I have seen the
truth and accepted Islam". Thereupon the Quraish youth rushed at Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA with a view to beating him. A Sheikh dressed in Yemeni robes
Al-Aas bin Wail passed that way, and enquired what was the matter.
The Quraish said that Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA had apostatised, and they wanted to punish
him for straying from the faith of his forefathers. The Sheikh said:
"A
man should be free to choose whatever religion he likes. Why beat him
for that?" Abu Jahl also happened to come that way. Seeing the
Quraish, he said,
"I
offer protection to my nephew".
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA said,
Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA said,
"Uncle,
I do not need your protection. For me the protection of God and the
Holy Prophet is enough".
Then Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA went to the Holy Prophet and told him that he had publicly
announced his conversion. Heretofore those who were converted to
Islam kept their conversion to Islam secret for fear of the
oppression of the Quraish. They also prayed in secret. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA submitted
to the Holy Prophet:
"O
Messenger of God are we not in the truth?". The Holy Prophet
said;
"Why
not, we are verily in the truth".
"Then
why should we not pray in the public? Has not the time come for us to
declare our faith publicly?" said Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA. Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA tried to prevail on
the Holy Prophet that the truth of Islam should become manifest. The
Holy Prophet agreed with Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA.
The
following day all the Muslims emerged from the house of Arqam and
proceeded to the Holy Kaabah, in two lines, one led by Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al Khatab RA, and the
other by Sayyidina Hamzah RA. At the Kaabah the Muslims prayed openly. The Quraish
watched the Muslims pray and said, "Verily by the conversion of
Umar to Islam, the Muslims have taken the revenge from the Quraish".
After
the Muslims had prayed in the Ka'bah, the Holy Prophet conferred on
Umar the title of "Al-Faruq," for on that day through the
efforts of Umar, the truth of Islam had become manifest.
Migration From Makkah
In
A.D. 622, the Holy Prophet decided that the Muslims should migrate
from Mecca to Madina. The Muslims were required to proceed to Madina
in batches.
Abu
Salmah Abdullah bin Ashhal was the first Muslim to migrate from Mecca
to Madina. He was followed by Bilal and Ammar Yasir. Thereafter Umar
migrated from Mecca. While most of the other Muslims left Mecca in
secret, Umar publicly declared that he was proceeding to Madina. He
even challenged the Quraish that if any one of them had the courage
to stop him from going to Madina, he was welcome to try his strength
with hin. No Quraish of Mecca could have the courage to prevent the
migration of Umar, and no one accepted the challenge to measure
strength with him.
According
to Ibn Asakir, Ali commented on the migration of Umar in the
following terms:
I
never knew any one migrate unless secretly except Umar, for he, when
he resolved on migration, girt on his sword and slung over his bow
and grasped in his hand its arrows, and went to the Ka'bah where in
its quadrangle were the chiefs of the Quraish, and he went round
about it seven times, then prayed two raka'ts at the station of
Abraham, and went to each, one by one, in their circle and said, "May
the face be foul of such as desire that his mother be bereaved of him
and his child be left an orphan and his wife a widow, and if there be
such a one, let him meet me behind this valley, but no one followed
him.
In
Sahih Bukhari it is stated that some twenty Muslims accompanied Umar
on the occasion of his migration from Mecca. His companions included
Zaid bin Khattab the brother of Umar; Said bin Zaid, the nephew of
Umar and Khunais bin Hudhaifah the son-in-law of Umar (the husband of
Hafsa). Other persons who accompanied Umar included: Amr b Suraqah;
Abdullah b Suraqah; Waqid b Abdullah Tamimi; Khaula b Abi Khaula;
Malik b Abi Khallla; Ayas b Bukair; Aqil b Bukair; Amir b Bukair and
Khalid b Bukair.
Ayyash
b Abu Rabiah al- Makhzumi and Hisham b Al-Aas b Wail al-Sahmi also
decided to migrate with Umar. They made an appointment to meet at the
thorn tree of Adat of Banu Ghifar about ten miles from Mecca. It was
decided that if any one of them failed to turn up at the appointed
place by sunrise on the day of departure fixed before hand it would
be construed that he was not coming and had been held back by force.
Umar
with his companions and Ayyash arrived at the appointed meeting place
according to schedule. Hisham did not turn up and was held back by
the Quraish.
The
party arrived at Quba on the outskirts of Madina and there they
stayed with Banu Amr bin Auf.
One
day Abu Jahl and al-Harith rode to Quba and contacted Ayyash who was
their cousin. They told Ayyash that his mother had vowed that she
would not comb her hair, nor take shelter from the sun until she saw
Ayyash.
Umar
told Ayyash that this was nothing but an attempt to seduce him from
his religion. Umar added that if the lice disturbed his mother she
would of her own accord comb her hair, and if the heat of Mecca
oppressed her, she would herself take shelter.
But
Ayyash felt inclined to go. He said:
"I
may go for a short while. I will clear my mother of her vow. I have
also some money to recover from the people in Mecca which I would
like to get."
Umar
said:
"I
am one of the richest of the Quraish and if you do not go with them,
you may have one half of my money."
Ayyash,
however, persisted in his wish to go to Mecca once .
Thereupon
Umar said:
"If
you must go, then take this camel of mine. She is well bred and easy
to ride. Don't dismount, and if at any stage you suspect them of
treachery, you may well escape on this camel. Then Ayyash left for
Mecca on the camel of Umar. After they had proceeded some distance,
Jahl said to Ayyash:
"I
find my beast hard to ride. Will you not mount me behind you ?"
Ayyash
agreed, and when they made their camels kneel to make the change
over, Abu Jahl and al-Harith fell on Ayyash and bound him securely.
They brought him to Mecca bound and said:
"O
men of Mecca deal with your fools as we have dealt with this fool of
ours".
When
the Holy Prophet came to know how Hisham had been held back and how
Ayyash had been abducted, he said:
"Who
will bring me Ayyash and Hisham?"
Al-Walid
b al-Mughira volunteered to undertake the mission. Al-Walid rode to
Mecca and there he came to know that Hisham and Ayyash were kept in
custody in a house which had no roof. One night al-Walid climbed the
wall and contacted the prisoners who were in fetters. Al-Walid cut
the
fetters
with the strokes of his sword. Then al-Walid led Ayyash and Hisham to
Medina.
Early Days In Madina
Having
arrived in the neighbourhood of Madina, Umar and his party chose to
stay at Quba, a suburb of Madina. Umar had about twenty persons with
him including his brother Zaid, Khunais bin Hudaifah his son-in-law;
Waqid bin Abdullah al Tamimi, and Ayyash. At Quba Umar and his party
were the guests of Rifa'a bin Abdul Mundhir of Banu Amr. Umar and his
party were accommodated in a few independent houses where they were
lodged comfortably. There was already a mosque at Quba and here Umar
prayed at the appointed hours.
At
Quba all the Muslims waited eagerly for the Holy Prophet to come.
Parties of men would go out for some distance on the route to Mecca
and there wait for the Prophet to come. Several days passed away and
the Holy Prophet did not come. Umar felt uneasy and he thought of
going to Mecca to ascertain why the Holy Prophet was late in coming.
Then
one noon the Holy Prophet accompanied by Abu Bakr arrived at Quba. As
they arrived the people crowded round them. As the people had not
seen the Holy Prophet before, it was difficult for them to know as to
who out of the two was the Holy Prophet. Seeing this predicament of
the people, Abu Bakr stood up and shielded the Holy Prophet with his
mantle. Umar arrived at the spot and rushed to meet the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet embraced Umar and the chiefs of Quba who had come to
we come him.
The
Holy Prophet stayed at Quba for a few days and led the prayers in the
mosque. Then the Holy Prophet proceeded to Madina. Umar followed in
the train of the Holy Prophet. At Madina the Holy Prophet and the
emigrants from Mecca were given a royal reception. The maidens of
Madina mounted the roof tops of their houses and sang:
The
full-moon has arisen on us
From the Thaniyat il-Wada'.
Thanksgiving is incumbent on us
So long as an invoker may invoke God.
O thou Divinely sent among us,
Thou hast brought a commandment that shall be obeyed!
From the Thaniyat il-Wada'.
Thanksgiving is incumbent on us
So long as an invoker may invoke God.
O thou Divinely sent among us,
Thou hast brought a commandment that shall be obeyed!
The
world of Madina was quite different from the world of Mecca. At Mecca
the Muslims weere a persecuted people; at Madina they were the
masters of their destiny. The life at Madina was a complete break
with the past. The days of trials, tribulations and torture were
over; they were now set on the path of fulfilment. They were now to
build a new commonwealth and a new ideal society.
At
Madina, the Holy Prophet had a mosque built. The Holy Prophet himself
participated in the construction of the mosque Umar used to go every
day from Quba to Madina to participate in the construction of the
mosque. As the Muslims laboured they chanted:
"There
is no life but the life of the next world,
O God have mercy on the Mohajreen and the Ansar."
O God have mercy on the Mohajreen and the Ansar."
To
rehabilitate the emigrants from Mecca in the society of Madina the
Holy Prophet established a fraternity among the Muslims of Mecca and
those of Madina whereunder each migrant was paired with an Ansar of
the corresponding status. The brotherhood thus established was unique
in the annals of mankind. So strong and cordial were these bonds that
these even surpassed the relationship of blood. In this roll of
brotherhood, Umar was paired with Itban bin Malik of Banu Al-Khazraj.
The
climate of Mecca was dry, but the climate of Madina was damp. The
change adversely affected the health of the emigrants. On arrival at
Madina most of the emigrants fell sick, Umar was blessed with robust
constitution, and he was one of the few emigrants who did not suffer
due to the change in climate.
In
Mecca Umar was a trader. He had brought ample amount with him from
Mecca. In Madina he started business afresh. He had his store at Quba
and from there goods were supplied to the market at Madina. No
details about the business of Umar are available. Umar was a shrewd
businessman, and we have reasons to hold that his business flourished
at Madina as it did at Mecca. After attending to business, Umar spent
his spare time in the company of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet
consulted Abu Bakr and Umar on all important matters. When Abu Bakr
and Umar held different views on a matter, the Holy Prophet took both
the views into consideration before taking his decision. When Abu
Bakr and Umar agreed on a point that view was invariably accepted by
the Holy Prophet.
We
have it on the authority of Abdur Rahman-bin-Ghanam that the Holy
Prophet said to Abu Bakr and Umar that "if you two are agreed
upon a counsel, I would not oppose you". (Suyuti 'History of the
Caliphs').
Life in Madina and Early Battles
The Call To Prayer
When
the Holy Prophet was settled in Madina, some basic reforms were
introduced. These included the institution of prayer, the levy
of alms tax, the ordaining of fasting, the prescription of
punishments; and the specification of the lawful and the
unlawful.
In
the early days the practice was that the faithful gathered in the
mosque for prayer at the appointed time of their own accord
without being summoned. The Holy Prophet, however, felt that with the
spread of Islam, and the growth in the number of the Muslims,
some method for the summoning of the faithful to prayer would
have to be adopted.
At
first the Holy Prophet thought of using a trumpet to summon the
Muslims to prayer as the Jews did. On second thoughts he felt
that it would not be advisable to imitate the Jews. Then an idea
occurred to him that a clapper should be beaten to summon the
faithful to the mosque.
One
night a companion Abdullah bin Zaid had a dream which indicated the
way for the summoning of the Muslims to prayers Abdullah came
to the Holy Prophet and narrated his dream in the following terms:
"In
the dream I saw a holy man wearing green garments. He held a clapper
in his hand. I asked him to sell the clapper to me. He asked
what for I needed the clapper, and I told him that I needed it for
summoning the Muslims to prayer. He said that the clapper would not
sere the purpose. I then asked him as to what method should be
adopted, and he said 'Let some one with a loud voice stand at a
suitable place in the mosque, and give the call 'God is great.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. Come to
prayer."
The
idea appealed to the Holy Prophet. When it was the time for prayer,
the Holy Prophet summoned Bilal and asked him to give the call
to prayer, in the terms of the formula indicated by Abdullah bin
Zaid.
As
the stentorian call resounded in the city of Madina, the faithful
felt elated and electrified, and they rushed to the mosque in
response to the summons. Umar heard the call in his house, and he
hastened to the mosque dragging his cloak on the ground. He
waited on the Holy Prophet, and enquired as to how the idea of
the call to prayer had occurred to him. The Holy Prophet thereupon
narrated the dream of Abdullah bin Zaid, and added that, as the
vision appeared to be inspired, he had accepted it, and had the
call given accordingly. Umar said that he too had a similar vision,
but was happy that Abdullah bin Zaid had anticipated him. Umar
said that there was however one difference between the formula
proposed by Abdullah and the one that he had heard in his
dream. The Holy Prophet anxiously enquired as to what was the
difference. Umar said:
"According
to the formula of Ahdullah bin Zaid we are only to witness that there
is no god but Allah. In the call that I heard in my dream there
were also the words 'I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger
of God."
Thereupon
the Holy Prophet instructed Bilal that in the call to prayer, the
expression "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger
of God" should be included.
Turning
to Abdullah bin Zaid, and Umar the Holy Prophet said, "Praise be
to God. There are men among my followers to whom truth is
revealed in dreams."
Hafsa
Hafsa
was the daughter of Umar. Her mother was Zainab, a sister of Usman
bin Mazur an eminent Companion. Abdullah was a real brother of
Hafsa.
In
Mecca, Hafsa was married to Khunays bin Hudhaifa of the Banu Sahm
clan of the Quraish. Khunays was one of the early converts to
Islam. He participated in two migrations, migration to Abyssinia and
the migration to Madina, and was blessed by the Holy Prophet.
In
Madina, Khunays participated in the battle of Badr. He also fought in
the battle of Uhud. He was wounded in the battle of Uhud. These
wounds proved fatal, and he died shortly after the battle of Uhud.
Hafsa thus became a widow at a very young age.
Umar
felt much distressed at the grief of his daughter. After the period
of Iddat was over, Umar thought of remarrying her. Like her
father, Hafsa was hot of temper. Umar felt that it would be advisable
if she was married to an elderly man of a sober temperament.
Umar's
choice fell on Abu Bakr. Umar went to Abu Bakr, and offered him the
hand of Hafsa. Umar had hoped that Abu Bakr would
enthusiastically welcome the proposal. Umar was, however,
disappointed, for Abu Bakr remained quiet and evaded the issue.
Umar felt distressed that his friend Abu Bakr had not grasped
the hand of friendship that he had extended to him.
Umar
next went to see Usman. Usman had been married to Ruqayya, a daughter
of the Holy Prophet. Ruqayya had died. Umar offered him the
hand of Hafsa. Usman asked for some time to consider the
matter. When Umar saw Usman a few days later, Usman said that his
grief over the death of Ruqayya was so overwhelming that he did
not contemplate another marriage.
Umar
felt very angry at the rejection of his proposal by Abu Bakr and
Usman. Brimming with rage, Umar went to see the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet greeted him with a smile and asked tenderly what
was worrying him? Umar poured out the grief of his heart, and
complained against Abu Bakr and Usman who had turned down the
hand of friendship that he had extended to them.
The
Holy Prophet addressed Umar with great affection and said, "Umar,
I know of your worries and I also know of your services to
Islam. Rest assured, Hafsa will marry a man better than Usman, and
Usman will marry a lady better than Hafsa."
This
meant that the Holy Prophet himself wanted to wed Hafsa. Umar was
overwhelmed with joy at this great honor beyond his
aspirations. Umar reverently kissed the hand of the Holy Prophet in
token of his gratitude. He hurried home, and told Hafsa of the
happy news.
Then
he went to Abu Bakr. From the face of Umar radiating happiness, Abu
Bakr judged of the developments. Addressing Umar he offered
apologies and said, "The Holy Prophet had spoken to me
about Hafsa, and as such I could not accept your proposal. But for
that it would have been a great honor and pleasure for me to
agree to your proposal."
Umar
then went to Usman. Usman offered apologies and said, "The Holy
Prophet had talked to me over the matter. He had offered me the
hand of his younger daughter Umm Kulsum, and he had expressed the
desire to marry Hafsa himself. Under these circumstances I could not
accept your proposal."
In
A.D. 625 Hafsa was married to the Holy Prophet that elevated the
status of Umar and brought him at par with Abu Bakr, as both of
them enjoyed the unique privilege of being the fathers-in-law of the
Holy Prophet.
Ayesha and Umar
The
raid on al-Mustaliq led to another unfortunate episode which was a
cause of great concern to the Holy Prophet and his companions
for some time. Each time the Holy Prophet went on a campaign, one of
his wives accompanied him, and the decision was always taken by the
drawing of lots. On the occasion of the raid of Mustaliq,
Ayesha accompanied the Holy Prophet. On return from the campaign she
traveled on the back of a camel in a closed litter. On account
of the regrettable behavior of Abdullah bin Ubayy, there was
considerable tension in the atmosphere. As the caravan traveled at an
unusual time, there was considerable upsetting of the program.
The party halted for the night at some distance from Madina. At
early dawn the call to move was given. Ayesha went to the desert to
answer the call of nature, and on return occupied her litter.
There she noticed that the necklace of Yemenite agates which she wore
was no longer around her neck. Hurriedly she left the litter,
and went to the desert where she found the necklace. When she
returned to the camp the spot was deserted, and the caravan had left.
The men in charge of her camel, seeing the litter closed, and
thinking it occupied, had placed it on the camel and departed
with it. Ayesha called aloud, but no one responded to her call. She
decided to sit down, hoping that some body would come to fetch
her. Soon she fell asleep, wrapped in her cloak.
"We
belong to God and to Him we return." These words fell on the
ears of Ayesha, and she awoke with a start. A young man stood
before her holding a camel by its reins. Safwan bin Al-Muthal
following the army in the rear had notice a young woman asleep
in the desert, and upon approaching her, recognized her as the
wife of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him). Ayesha quickly covered
herself with her veil. Safwan adjusted the camel's saddle-girth
and made the beast kneel. Ayesha thereupon mounted the camel.
Holding the camel by the bridle, Safwan resumed the road. After a
tiring journey they reached Madina at noon, a few hours after
the arrival of the Holy Prophet. That provided an opportunity to
Abdullah bin Ubbay and some other hypocrites to whip up a
campaign of slander against Ayesha. The Holy Prophet consulted
his friends about divorcing Ayesha. Ali advised that Ayesha should be
divorced. When Umar was consulted he said, "O Prophet of
God, I know for certain that the hypocrites are speaking malicious
lie." The Holy Prophet asked Umar as to the grounds with
him for holding that the hypocrites were speaking lies, Umar
said:
"By
reason of God not allowing a fly to settle upon thy blessed skirts,
because it alights also on impure things and soils its feet.
How then would He not preserve thee and thy name from a worse
defilement?"
Umar
further said that he was sure that God Himself would cause the
innocence of the young lady to become manifest." He
further said:
"If
God does not allow thy shadow to fall upon the ground, lest it might
be polluted, or a person step thereon, will He not restrain thy
honored spouse from committing impropriety?"
Later,
as anticipated by Umar, the Holy Prophet had a revelation in which
God Himself bore witness to the purity and innocence of Ayesha.
When the ordeal was over, the Holy Prophet thanked Umar for his
support during the crisis. Ayesha paid for this kindness many years
later when she allowed Umar to be buried in her chamber by the
side of the Holy Prophet and Abu Bakr.
Purdah For Women
In
Madina the Muslim women did not observe any purdah. They freely moved
among men. The majority of men in Madina were men of great
faith, and they were very careful in their conduct to women. There
were some hypocrites among Muslims from whom any mischief could
be expected. There were also some Jews from whom no good could
be expected. Umar felt that if God forbidding any hypocrite played
any mischief with regard to the women of Muslims that would be
very damaging.
Umar
expressed these views to the Holy Prophet, and suggested that women
should be required to stay at home. Umar said that the wives of
the Holy Prophet should particularly stay at home, for their
prestige and honor were a matter of great concern for the
Muslim community.
On
hearing this advice of Umar, Zainab a wife of the Holy Prophet said:
"Umar
you have started in interfering in the domestic affairs of the
Prophet as well. The revelation comes to our house. and you
come up with suggestions of your own."
The
Holy Prophet, however, appreciated what Umar had said. He said that
he was awaiting revelation, and action would be taken in
accordance with the injunctions of God.
And
then came a detailed revelation on the subject. The revelation was:
"Prophet
say to your wives: if you desire the present life and its beautiful
things, come and I will give you your dowries and send you away
in a handsome manner. And if you desire Allah and His Prophet and
the next world, remember that Allah has in store a great reward
for those of you who are righteous." 33:28
Another
verse provided:
"O
wives of the Prophet! Whoever of you commits flagrant indecency will
have your punishment twice over. Indeed it is easy for Allah to
double your punishment. As for those who are obedient to Allah and
His Apostle and act righteously We shall give them their reward twice
over. We have rare gifts in store for them." 33:30
And
yet another verse said:
"O
wives of the Prophet, you are like no other women. If you fear Allah
do not be soft spoken, for it will tempt the man who has a
disease in his heart. Speak in a dignified tone, stay in your homes,
and do not display your beauty as in the days of ignorance.
Observe prayer, give alms, and obey Allah and His Apostle.
Members of the house of the Prophet! Allah only intends to rid you of
your uncleanliness and to purify you completely. Women keep in
mind the revelations of Allah and the words of wisdom which are
recited in your houses. Benign is Allah; All-Aware." 33:32
These
verses corroborated what Umar had said. When the Holy Prophet
informed Umar of these verses he felt satisfied that God had
ordered in the way he had desired. Turning to Umar the Holy Prophet
said, "Umar, rejoice for once again Allah has spoken
through your tongue."
Rumor Of Divorce By The Holy Prophet
In
Madina, Umar lived in an elevated part of the city. His neighbor was
Banu Umayya bin Zaid Ansari. The practice was that one day Umar
attended the Holy Prophet, and informed his Ansari friend about all
that had happened in the Prophet's Mosque. The other day Banu
Umayya attended the Prophet's Mosque and on return informed
Umar of all that had happened that day.
Umar
felt that while in Mecca the Quraishites dominated over their women,
in Madina things had changed, and the women asserted
themselves. One day Umar was cross with his wife on some matter, but
instead of being quiet she retorted, "How is it that you
feel annoyed at my remonstrance. Go and see that the wives of
the Holy Prophet remonstrate with the Holy Prophet. Tonight one of
his wives quarreled with him all the night."
Hearing
this, Umar went to his daughter Hafsa and enquired of her whether she
had quarreled with the Holy Prophet. She said that she had
quarreled with the Holy Prophet as she had a grievance. Thereupon
Umar said, "Hafsa you are incurring loss. Don't you know by
annoying the Holy Prophet you invite the wrath of God."
After reprimanding her in severe terms, Umar returned home.
At
night, the Ansari neighbor of Umar knocked at his door, and as Umar
went to see what was the matter, his friend told him that
something very grave had happened. Umar thought that perhaps Banu
Ghassan whose attack was expected had invaded Madina. Umar enquired
whether Banu Ghassan had launched the attack. Banu Umaya said,
"No. Something more serious than that has happened". When
Umar pressed him to tell what had happened he said that the Holy
Prophet had divorced his wives.
Umar
was very much upset at the news. He spent the whole night in prayer.
Early in the morning next day, Umar went to Hafsa. He found her
weeping. He enquired of her whether the Holy Prophet had
divorced her. She said that she did not know. Umar rebuked her
saying. "Did I not warn you before hand that by annoying
the Holy Prophet you would be inviting trouble?" Thereupon Hafsa
burst into violent sobs. Umar left her weeping and went to the
Prophet's Mosque. There the people were sitting in groups here
and there and were lamenting that the Holy Prophet had divorced his
wives.
The
Holy Prophet was in the cell attached to the Mosque. Umar went to the
cell, and asked the slave at the door to seek the Holy
Prophet's permission to his admittance. The slave returned to say
that he had sought the requisite permission from the Holy
Prophet but he had kept quiet.
Umar
returned to the main hall of the Mosque, and sat in a corner in a
dejected mood. After some time he rose and went again to the
ceil of the Holy Prophet. Once again he requested the slave to get
permission for his admittance. The slave returned to say that
the Holy Prophet had made no reply
Umar
returned once again to the main hall of the Mosque. He was highly
upset and he prayed to God for mercy. Then once again he went
to the cell of the Holy Prophet. This time he was allowed
permission. Entering the cell, Umar said:
"O
Messenger of God, I have not come to plead for Hafsa.
If
that is your pleasure I would wring her neck with my own hands."
That
softened the Holy Prophet and he smiled at the words of Umar.
Umar
further said, "I find that in Mecca our ladies were docile; the
climate of Madina has made them assertive. O Prophet of God if
because of the impudence of your wives, you have divorced them, God,
His angels, and all your followers are with you."
The
Holy Prophet smiled and said, "Be assured, I have not divorced
my wives. I have only decided to remain separate from them for
a period of one month."
"Then
may I tell so to Hafsa", said Umar.
The
Holy Prophet said. "You may, if you like".
Umar
cast a glance across the room. The Holy Prophet lay on a bare mat.
There was no furniture in the room. There was hardly anything
for the Holy Prophet to eat, but a barley bread. Seeing this extreme
state of austerity, tears began to trickle from the eyes of Umar.
The
Holy Prophet said, "Ibn-i-Khattab, what makes you weep ?"
Umar
said, "You are the Prophet of God and you are living in such
straitened circumstances. The people of Persia and Byzantine
live in luxury. O Prophet of God why don't you pray to God that he
should bestow wealth on you?"
The
Holy Prophet said. "Do you think He Who made me His Prophet
could not make me wealthy. Indeed He offered me the keys of all
treasures in the world, but I refused them in return for the
treasures in the next world. Surely treasures in the next world
are to be preferred to petty wealth in this world. And as for
the riches of Persia and Byzantine rest assured all such wealth will
lie at the feet of the Muslims. I will not be alive then, but
in your lifetime, both Persia and Byzantine will be overpowered by
the Muslims."
When Gabriel Appeared In The Shape Of A Man
Umar
stated that one day when he and some other companions were with God's
Messenger, a man with very white clothing and very black hair
came up. Sitting down beside the Holy Prophet leaning his knees
against his, and placing his hands on his thighs he said, "Tell
me Muhammad about Islam."
The
Holy Prophet said, " Islam means that you should testify that
there is no god but Allah; that Muhammad is God's Messenger;
that you should observe the prayer, pay the Zakat, fast during
Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House of God, if you
have the means".
The
visitor said "You have spoken the truth. Now tell me about faith
"
The
Holy Prophet said, "It means that you should believe in Allah,
His angels, His books, His Apostles, and the last day, and that
you should believe in the decreeing both of good and evil."
The
man said that that was true. He then asked, "Now tell me about
doing good."
The
Holy Prophet said, "It means that you should worship Allah as if
you are seeing Him, and if you aye not seeing him (perceive)
that He is in fact seeing you."
The
man accepted the statement as correct. He next asked, "Now tell
me about the Hour".
The
Holy Prophet said, "The one who is asked about is no better
informed than the one who is asking".
Thereupon
the man said, "Then tell me about its signs".
The
Holy Prophet replied, "The signs are that a maid servant should
beget her mistress, and that you should see barefooted naked
poor men and shepherds exulting themselves in buildings."
The
visitor felt satisfied then he sought leave to depart and as soon as
leave was given he disappeared Umar who was present wondered
who was the visitor.
Turning
to Umar, the Holy Prophet said, "Do you know who was the
visitor?"
Umar
replied that he did not know.
Thereupon
the Holy Prophet said, "He was Gabriel, who came to you to teach
your religion."
Tidings Of Paradise
It
is related by Abu Huraira that once he along with other companions
including Abu Bakr and Umar were sitting with the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet rose from their midst and went to the garden of
Ansar Banu Najjar.
The
return of the Holy Prophet was delayed, and his companions felt
anxious. Abu Huraira was the first to proceed to the garden of
Banu Najjar. There he found no gate. He managed to go inside the
garden through a drain.
Seeing
him, the Holy Prophet said, "Abu Huraira what brings you here?"
Abu
Huraira said, "You took long to return and we felt worried. So
we have come after you".
Thereafter
the Holy Prophet gave him his shoes and said, "Go carrying these
shoes outside the garden, and whomsoever you meet who declares
the article of faith with the sincerity of heart, give him the
tidings of Paradise."
As
Abu Huraira came out of the garden carrying the shoes of the Holy
Prophet, the first person to meet him was Umar.
Umar
said to Abu Huraira, "Why are you carrying the shoes of the Holy
Prophet ?"
Abu
Huraira said, "I am carrying these shoes under the command of
the Holy Prophet. I have been commissioned to give the tidings
of Paradise to whomsoever I meet, while carrying these shoes, who
declares that he believes in the article of faith with sincerity of
heart."
Umar
felt angry. He handled Abu Huraira rather violently and said, "No
such tidings are necessary. Abu Huraira go back."
As
Abu Huraira went back to the Holy Prophet, he complained against
Umar, and said that Umar had obstructed him in the performance
of the mission that the Holy Prophet had entrusted to him.
In
the meantime Umar also turned up. Seeing him, the Holy Prophet said,
"Why did you behave rudely to Abu Huraira?"
Umar
said "May my parents be a sacrifice to you Holy Prophet. The
truth of the matter is that he intended to give the tidings of
Paradise to all Muslims irrespective of their conduct. That would
have been repugnant to the injunctions of Islam which makes
admission to Paradise contingent by doing good. Holy Prophet,
do not issue permits for the Paradise. Let the people do their
duties. If they are assured of Paradise before hand there is
the danger that they would relax in the performance of their
obligations."
The
Holy Prophet said, "Alright, let the Muslims perform their
obligations."
Umar As Adviser
During
the Caliphate of the Abu Bakr, Umar was the principal Adviser of the
Caliph.
A
story is on record showing the great esteem and regard that Abu Bakr
had for Umar and his opinion.
It
is related that once Ayanayah bin Hassan and Aqrah bin Habas two
tribal chiefs waited on Abu Bakr, and requested that an estate
be awarded to them. They suggested that close to their settlement
there was a rock waste land which produced nothing, and that
that wasteland might be gifted to them so that by their efforts
they might make it productive.
Abu
Bakr consulted the people around him. They suggested that it was a
good proposition for thereby the wasteland would become
productive. Abu Bakr accordingly agreed to award the land in question
to them. A document was drawn up. Umar was not present and Abu
Bakr advised the grantees to get it witnessed by Umar.
The
grantees thought that such witnessing by Umar was merely formal and
that there would be no difficulty in obtaining his signature,
on the document. The grantees went to Umar and requested him to
affix his signatures to the document as it had been approved by Abu
Bakr.
After
reading the document, Umar returned it to the grantees saying that he
could not be a party to the deed.
The
grantees in a fit of anger went to Abu Bakr and reported what Umar
had said.
Abu
Bakr remained quiet. Thereupon the grantees turning to the Caliph
said "Are you the Caliph, or is Umar the Caliph?"
Abu
Bakr said "You may very well take Umar to be the Caliph".
Then
Umar came to the Caliph. Abu Bakr enquired what was the reason for
his refusal to sign the document.
Umar
asked "Is the land which you have gifted your property or is it
a trust with you on behalf of the Muslim community".
Abu
Bakr said "It is not my personal property; as such it should be
a trust on behalf of the Muslim community".
Umar
said "If that is the position, how can you extinguish the trust
by gifting it to A or B. They may take it on lease subject to
terms, but it must remain the State property. "
Turning
to the applicants, Abu Bakr said "Umar has spoken the truth. I
cannot deviate from the law."
Turning
to Umar, Abu Bakr said "I had already requested you to take over
the office of the Caliph, but you thrust the burden on my
shoulders. I may not be with you for long and ultimately this
responsibility will have to be shouldered by you."
Abu Bakr And Umar
Between
the Holy Prophet and Abu Bakr, the latter was "The Second of the
Two". A similar equation obtained between Abu Bakr and
Umar. When Abu Bakr became the Caliph, Umar was decidedly the
'Second of the Two'. The attachment and friendship between the two
was of an exceptional character. Each preferred the other to
himself. After the death of the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr wanted Umar to
be the Caliph, and Umar took steps to have Abu Bakr elected as
the Caliph. The Holy Prophet often came to the mosque flanked
by Abu Bakr on one side, and Umar on the other.
Umar
and Abu Bakr vied with each other in doing good. In this connection
some stories have come down to us which highlight the equation
between Abu Bakr and Umar.
In
633 AD. the Holy Prophet decided to lead an expedition, to Tabuk on
the Syrian border. In order to finance the expedition, the Holy
Prophet invited contributions and donations from his followers. Umar
had then considerable money with him. He thought that that was
the occasion when he might excel Abu Bakr in the doing of good.
Umar went home and brought his donation. The Holy Prophet enquired of
Umar as to what he had left behind for himself and his family.
Umar stated that he had donated one half of his wealth in the
name of Allah and had left one half for himself and his family. Then
Abu Bakr came with his donation and the Holy Prophet put him
the same question as to how much he had left for himself and his
family.
Abu
Bakr said that he had donated all that he had in the name of Allah,
and that he had left Allah and His Prophet for himself and his
family. This episode has formed the theme of one of the poems of
Iqbal. The poem provides;
"For
the moth the lamp and for the nightingale the flower;
For
Sidiq, God and His Prophet alone suffice."
On
that account Umar realized that it was difficult to excel Abu Bakr in
the doing of good.
Abu
Yala records from Ibn Masud that he said "I was in the mosque
praying when there entered the Apostle of God and with him were
Abu Bakr and Umar. He found me praying and said 'Ask and it shall be
granted unto thee'. Then he said 'Whosoever wishes to read the Quran
in a fresh and joyous manner let him read it with the reading
of Ibn Masud' . Then I returned to my house and Abu Bakr came to me
and gave me the good tidings regarding what the Holy Prophet
had said. Then came Haarat Umar and he found Abu Bakr going
forth having already been before him, and he said 'Verily Abu Bakr is
the foremost in good'."
Even
when Umar was not the Caliph, it was his practice to move about in
Madina and help persons in distress.
In
one of the suburbs of Madina there lived a blind old women who had no
one to help her. Umar used to go in disguise to the house of
the old woman, but was always surprised to find that some one else
had anticipated him, and supplied the wants of the old lady.
Umar
felt much distressed that in this noble task of helping a lady in
distress his efforts were always frustrated by some other
person. Umar felt curious as to who that person could be who beat him
in the field of social service.
One
day, Umar went to the house of the old woman earlier than usual and
hid himself to watch as to who was the person who attended to
the wants of the old woman.
Umar
did not have to wait long for soon a man arrived who attended to the
needs of the old woman, and this man was none other than the
Caliph Abu Bakr.
Umar
felt relieved that if in the matter of social service he had been
beaten by any one, such person was the Caliph Abu Bakr who was
decidedly superior to him.
Umar as Caliph
Nomination Of Umar As The Caliph
On
the seventh Jamadi-ul Akhir of the 13th A.H. (8th August 633) which
was a cold day, Abu Bakr took a bath and caught a chill. That
developed into a high fever.
Abu
Bakr was confined to bed, and he appointed Umar to lead the prayers
during the period of his illness . His illness prolonged, and
when his condition worsened, he felt that his end was near. It was
suggested to him that a physician be called. He said "Now
all is over."
Realizing
that his end was drawing near, Abu Bakr felt that he should nominate
his successor, so that the issue might not be a cause of
dissension among the Muslims after his death. Abu Bakr summoned
Abdul Rahman bin Auf, and asked for his opinion about the
nomination of Umar. Some other Companions were also consulted.
The
general consensus was that Umar was the fittest person to be
appointed as the Caliph. It was, however, felt that Umar had
too fiery and tirascible temper, and he might not be able to show
moderation so necessary for the Head of the Community.
Abu
Bakr observed that Umar's display of severity was meant to counteract
his ( Abu Bakr's) leniency. Abu Bakr felt confident that when
the full responsibility of government devolved upon Umar he would
become more moderate in his opinions.
Abu
Bakr elaborated.
"I
can say from my personal experience that Umar had always cooled me
down whenever I lost my temper with any one just as whenever he
felt me to be too lenient he counseled greater severity. For
this reason I feel certain that with time, Umar will achieve that
moderation you desire".
Taleah
objected to the nomination of Umar and said,
"O
successor of the Prophet; You know full well how harsh Umar has been
towards us all during your regime and God only knows how he
will deal with us when you are gone. You know that you are leaving
us for ever, and yet you are content to leave us in the hands of a
man whose fierce and ungovernable rages are well known to you.
Think O Chief, what answer will you give to your Lord for such a
behest."
At
this, Abu Bakr who was lying prostrate in his bed, rose up with
considerable effort and said:
"Have
you come to frighten me? I swear that when I meet my Lord, I will
gladly tell Him that I appointed as ruler over his people, the
man who was the best of all mankind. "
Thereupon
Ali, who was also present, rose to say that he would acknowledge no
other Caliph save Umar. Abu Bakr was much impressed with the
seldessness of Ali for not pressing his own claim, and for putting
the interests of the Muslim community above personal interests.
Turning to Ali, Abu Bakr said:
"You
are indeed a prince in the most exalted sense of the term, for others
are mere men."
Then
Abu Bakr sent for Umar, and informed him that he had appointed him as
his successor.
Umar
said: "But I have no desire for the office." Thereupon, Abu
Bakr said:
"But
the office needs you. I have prayed to God to direct me rightly in
the choice of my successor, and my choice is fundamental for
the unity and strength of the Muslims."
Umar
acquiesced, and Abu Bakr dictated the testament to Othman appointing
Umar as the Caliph in succession to Abu Bakr.
The
testament having been drawn up, Abu Bakr, supported by his wife Asma
walked up to the door, and addressed the people who had
gathered there. He told them that he had appointed Umar as his
successor, and they said "We approve."
After
obtaining the approval of the people in general terms,
Abu
Bakr lay on the bed and prayed to God;
"O
Lord! I have made this testament for the welfare of the community in
order to counteract discord among them. What my intentions are,
you know full well. I have spared no pains in making the best
selection. O God, I entrust the Muslims to your care. O Allah keep
their ruler on the right path. O God, make my successor the
most pious of rulers and confer peace on the Muslims."
Umar's Inaugural Address
After
the assumption of office as the Caliph, Umar addressed the Muslims
who had assembled in the Prophet's mosque. In the course of the
address, Umar said:
"O
ye faithful! Abu Bakr is no more amongst us. After having led us for
about two years, he has returned to His Maker. He has the
satisfaction that he has successfully piloted the ship of the Muslim
state to safety after negotiating the stormy sea. He
successfully waged the apostasy wars, and thanks to him, Islam
is now supreme in Arabia. Islam is now on the move and we are
carrying Jihad in the name of Allah against the mighty empires
of Byzantine and Persia.
After
Abu Bakr, the mantle of Khilafat has fallen on my shoulders. I swear
it before God that I never coveted this office. I wished that
it would have devolved on some other person more worthy than me. But
now that in national interest, the responsibility for leading the
Muslims has come to vest in me, I assure you that I will not
run away from my post, and will make an earnest effort to discharge
the onerous duties of the office to the best of my capacity in
accordance with the injunctions of Islam.
In
the performance of my duties, I will seek guidance from the Holy
Book, and will follow the examples set by the Holy Prophet and
Abu Bakr. In this task I seek your assistance. If I follow the right
path, follow me. If I deviate from the right path, correct me
so that we are not led astray.
Now
brothers I offer a few prayers and you say Amen to them.
O
Allah I am hard, make me soft to promote the Truth, to comply with
your injunctions and to aspire to a better life in the world
hereafter.
O
Allah make me hard for the enemies of Islam and for those who create
mischief so that their desigus against Allah come to naught.
O
Allah I am miser; make me generous in the promotion of the good.
O
Allah save me from hypocrisy. Strengthen my resolves so that whatever
I do, I do for the sake of winning Your approbation.
O
Allah soften my heart for the faithful so that I attend to their
needs with a sense of dedication.
O
Allah, I am careless, make me responsible enough so that I do not
lose sight of You.
O
Allah I am weak in offering my obedience to You; make me active and
fortify my faith.
O
Allah bestow on me faith, and the power to do good.
O
Allah give me the power of self-criticism and self assessment.
O
Allah bestow on me the insight into the meaning of the Quran and the
strength to act in accordance with what the Quran says.
O
Allah You are capable of doing anything: bless us with Your favor.
Amen."
Umar's Address About His Conduct
After
the assumption of office as Caliph, Umar soon realized that he was
more feared than loved. Abu Bakr his predecessor was tender and
soft hearted. Whenever he appeared in the streets of Madina, the
children ran to him saying "Father, Father." He caressed
and patted them. When Umar became Caliph, the children would
run away at his sight saying "Here comes Umar, let us run
away."
On
the occasion of the first Friday prayer after his assumption of
office as Caliph, Umar addressed the faithful assembled in the
mosque in the following terms:
"Brethren,
it has come to my notice that the people are afraid of me. They say
'When the Holy Prophet was alive, Umar was harsh to us. During
the caliphate of Abu Bakr, Umar was hard and stern. Now that he
has become the Caliph himself, God knows how hard he will be. Whoever
has said this is not wrong in his assessment.
The
truth of the matter is that I was the slave and servant of the Holy
Prophet. The Holy Prophet was most kind hearted, liberal and
generous. In contrast I was hard and harsh so that I was like a
naked sword. It was for the Holy Prophet to use the sword or
sheathe it at his option. On occasions he sheathed the sword,
and sometimes he used it. My purpose was to point to the Holy Prophet
the other side of the picture. The decision rested with him.
Sometimes he ignored my point of view. There were occasions
when he agreed with me. Till the death of the Holy Prophet that
remained the equation between him and me. Thank God, the Holy
Prophet was pleased with me. Though the Holy Prophet sometimes
accepted my advice, and sometimes turned it down, yet he approved of
my conduct.
During
the caliphate of Abu Bakr my role remained the same. Abu Bakr was
most soft hearted and tender. It was my business to bring the
other side of the picture to his notice. He always took my point of
view into consideration, but the ultimate decision lay with
him. Some times he agreed with me, and I acted as his agent to
enforce a decision which appeared to be harsh. Sometimes he did not
agree with me, and I had to remain quiet. I am happy that
throughout the period of his office, Abu Bakr approved of my
conduct, and ultimately nominated me as his successor, although I did
not covet the office.
Now
that the entire responsibility has come to vest in me, know ye
brethren that you will feel a change in me. I will no longer be
hard and stern in all matters. For those who practice tyranny and
deprive others of their rights, I will be harsh and stern, but
for those who follow the law, and are devoted to religion, I will
be most soft and tender. I will not tolerate any person make any
excess. He who commits any tyranny, him I will sternly call to
book. I will be harsh and stern against the aggressor, but I will be
a pillar of strength for the weak and the meek. They will find
in me their best friend.
Friends
you have some rights on me, and I tell you of these rights, so that
you may be in a position to call me to account. These rights
are:
firstly,
that I should not exact any tax or other levy from you not authorized
by law;
secondly,
that whatever taxes are lawfully realized from you are spent in your
best interests:
thirdly,
it is incumbent on me that I should protect the frontiers of your
land;
fourthly,
it is my duty to promote your prosperity and look after your
interests; and
fifthly,
it is my obligation to do justice.
O
servants of God, continue to fear God. Suppress your selfish motives
and work for the solidarity of the Muslims as a whole. In
running the State, you are my partners. Help me with your sound
advice. If I follow the right path laid down by God and His
Prophet follow me. If I deviate, correct me. Strengthen me with
your advice and suggestions. Let us pray for the glory of Islam."
Amirul Muminin
When
the Holy Prophet died, and Abu Bakr succeeded him he was called
"Khalifa tul Rasul", i e. the representative of the
Prophet.
When
Abu Bakr died and Umar succeeded him he called himself 'Khalifa', but
the question arose whose Khalifa or representative he was. It
was pointed out that strictly speaking he was not the Khalifa of the
Rasul. He was the Khalifa of the Khalifatul Rasul. Umar felt that
this was a cumbersome title, for in that case, those who
followed him would have to be designated by an endless chain of
Khalifas.
Umar
accordingly felt that the Head of the Muslim State should be known by
a simpler title which should reflect the Islamic character of
the State. Umar asked the people around him to ponder over the
matter, and if they could think of some suitable title they
should bring such title to his notice.
One
day Labid bin Rabia and Adi bin Hatim came to Madina from Kufa. They
alighted at the Prophet's mosque and there coming across Amr b.
Al As asked him to announce their arrival to the Amir-ul-Muminin.
Amr
b. Al As was struck by the novelty of the term 'Amir-ul-Muminin'. He
asked Labid and Adi as to how they referred to Umar as
'Amir-ul-Muminin'. They said "We all Muslims are Momins and Umar
is our Commander. He is thus Amir-ul-Muminin".
Amr
b. Al As said "Wonderful You have hit upon a beautiful term. God
bless You".
Amr
b. Al As hastened to Umar end there said "Amir-ul-Muminin, two
persons have come from Kufa, and they seek permission to see
you".
Umar
became curious at being addressed "Amirul-Muminin". He
asked Amr b. al Aas as to how he had coined the term
'Amir-ul-Muminin'. Amr b. al-Acts said that the visitors from Kufa
had used that term, and as he was attracted by the term he had
used it.
Umar
said "We were in search of some suitable term to signify the
office I hold, and here is a term which is attractive". He
asked Amr b. al Aas as to what he thought of the title.
Amr
b. al Aas said "I am attracted by the term. It is God sent. We
all are Muslims and you are our Amir. The term is very
attractive and significant."
After
Umar had seen the visitors from Kufa, he convened a meeting of his
consultative assembly, and there the question was discussed
whether he should adopt the title of 'Amir-ul-Muminin' for the office
that he held. The Assembly approved the title.
Henceforward
Umar came to be addressed in his official capacity as
Amir-ul-Muminin.
Umar's Allowance
Before
becoming the Caliph Umar lived by trade. After assuming the Caliph he
could no longer carry on charge as his business. He accordingly
agreed to accept a daily allowance from the Baitul Mal. Different
amounts of daily allowance were suggested by different people. Umar
sought the advice of Ali as to the amount of the allowance he
should accept. Ali suggested that he should take as much amount as
might moderately suffice for an average Arab, neither too much,
nor too little. Umar accepted this suggestion and a modest
amount of allowance was settled for him. The exact amount of the
allowance thus settled is, however, not reported in any
history.
Later
on some companions including Ali, Usman, Zubair, and Talhah thought
of increasing the allowance of Umar as it was not sufficient to
meet the minimum requirements of Umar. These companions could not
have the courage to broach this subject to Umar direct. They
accordingly approached Hafsa the daughter of Umar, and asked
her to ascertain Umar's reaction to the proposal.
When
Hafsa talked about the matter to Umar, he became angry and wanted to
know who were the persons who had made that suggestion. Hafsa
said that before she could tell who were the persons concerned
she wanted his reaction to the proposal.
Thereupon
Umar wanted Hafsa to tell what was the Holy Prophet's best dress in
her house. She said that it was a pair of clothes of red color
which the Holy Prophet wore on Fridays or when receiving envoys.
Umar
then asked what was the best of food that the Holy Prophet took. She
said that the Holy Prophet's food was simple barley bread. Umar
next asked as to what was the best bedding that the Holy Prophet
ever used. She said that it was a piece of thick cloth. In summer it
was spread in four layers and in winter in two, half he spread
underneath, and with the other half he covered himself.
Thereupon
Umar said:
"Hafsa,
go and tell the people who have deputed you that the Holy Prophet has
set a standard by his personal example. I must follow him. My
case and that of the Holy Prophet and Abu Bakr is like the case of
three men traveling on the same road. The first man started with a
provision and reached the goal. The second followed the first
and joined him. Now the third is on his way. If he follows their way
he will also join them, otherwise he can never reach them."
When
Hafsah told of Umar's reaction to the proposal to the companions who
had deputed her they said: "May God bless Umar. He excels
all of us in the matter of virtue."
Tarawih
In
the month of the Holy Ramadan, it was the practice with the Holy
Prophet that he would stay in the mosque after the Isha
prayers, and offer extra prayers. One night as the faithful saw the
Holy Prophet offering extra prayers, they also prayed as the
Holy Prophet did. The following night more Muslims stayed in
the mosque after the night prayer to offer extra prayers. On the
third night there was a still larger gathering of the Muslims
to perform the extra prayers. On the fourth night when a large number
of the faithful assembled to offer the extra prayers, the Holy
Prophet did not offer the extra prayers and retired to his
house immediately after the Isha prayers. For the following nights as
well the Holy Prophet retired immediately after the night
prayers, and gradually the number of Muslims who offered the extra
prayers diminished. Then one night the Holy Prophet offered the
extra prayers again. When the Holy Prophet was asked about the
reason for the break in the extra prayers for some nights he said
that he had avoided these prayers lest the Muslims might take
them to be an obligation under law, and that might become a
burden for the Muslims. The Holy Prophet explained that such prayers
were not compulsory, but if any one offered them voluntarily,
he would have the blessing of God. Thereafter it became the practice
that some Muslims offered the extra prayers during the month of
Ramadan on their own account, while others did not, and retired
to their homes after offering the night prayers.
When
Umar became the Caliph, he saw that many Muslima gathered in the
Prophet's mosque to offer extra prayers after the night
prayers. Each person prayed according to his own discretion, and
there were no specifications about the number of Rakaats to be
offered. Umar felt that it would be a reform in the proper
direction, if the prayers were offered in congregation and the number
of Rakaats was fixed. After consulting the Companions, Umar
issued instructions in 635 AD that such extra prayers should be
offered in congregation under the imamate of a Quran reader who
should recite a considerable part of the Quran each night, so
that the entire Quran was completed during a week or so. It was laid
down that these prayers should comprise ten taslima's each
containing two rakaats and that after every four rakaats there
should be a rawih' or a pause. Because of such pauses these extra
prayers came to be known as 'Tarawih'.
These
instructions were circulated throughout the Muslim dominions. There
were some who felt that as the Holy Prophet had not prescribed
such prayers, it was unlawful to prescribe such prayers after the
death of the Holy Prophet. Umar explained that he was not prescribing
these prayers as compulsory; it was open to any one to offer or
not to offer these prayers at his discretion. If any one offered
these prayers that would be to his credit, but if any body did
not do so that would not bring him any discredit. He also
elucidated that his instructions being of an advisory character only
were in no way repugnant to Islam. If he had instructed the
Muslims to do what Allah or the Holy Prophet had prohibited that
would have been repugnant to Islam, out if he wanted the
Muslims to do anything at their option which was intrinsically
good and had not been prohibited, that was not repugnant to Islam,
but was on the other hand in consonance with the spirit of
Islam.
Umar And The Holy Quran
The
Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet in parts from time to
time spread over a period of 23 years. Whenever the Holy
Prophet received the revelation. he would dictate it to one of his
Katibs who would record it on some piece of leather, date skin,
or even bones and stones.
The
principal scribe of the Holy Prophet was Zaid bin Thabit. Many
companions committed the entire Quran to memory and these
'Huffaz' could recite the entire Quran any time. The Holy Prophet
kept all the pieces of leather, date skins another materials on
which the verses of the Holy Quran had been written in his
custody.
During
the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, revelation was a continuous
process, and there was no occasion for giving them the form of
a book. After the death of the Holy Prophet, the process of
revelation came to close, and now the need of some sort of
compilation to preserve the Word of God was felt.
In
the battle of Yamama, most of the Companions who had learnt the Holy
Quran by heart were martyred. Umar was the first to feel that
if those who had committed the Holy Quran to memory were dead, there
was the danger that there would be none left who could be relied upon
as the repository of the Quran. There was also the danger that
with the lapse of time there might be some interpolations in the
text inadvertently or even deliberately.
Umar
suggested to the Caliph Abu Bakr that the Holy Quran should be
suitably compiled under the authority of the State Abu Bakr was
reluctant to undertake the project. His plea was that as the Holy
Prophet had not felt the necessity for such a compilation, it did not
behoove him as the successor to the Prophet to take any
initiative in the matter.
Umar,
however, continued to press his point. Umar argued that during the
lifetime of the Holy Prophet the process of revelation was
continuous, and as the Holy Prophet himself was the repository of
all revelations, there was no occasion for such a compilation.
After the death of the Holy Prophet, the position had changed,
and unless the Holy Quran was compiled, there was the danger that the
Quran might be lost. In the absence of an authentic text, there
was also the danger that some unscrupulous persons might add to
or vary the text to suit their interests. The argument appealed to
Abu Bakr, and when other prominent Muslims were consulted, they
also endorsed the views of Umar. Abu Bakr accordingly undertook
the project for the compilation of the Holy Quran.
Zaid
b. Thabit was commissioned by Abu Bakr to collect all the verses of
the Holy Quran and compile them in a book form.
Zaid's
immediate reaction to the proposal was that if he had been asked to
remove a mountain from its original site, and place it
elsewhere, he would have considered such a task easier than the task
of collecting the Holy Quran. Abu Bakr and Umar appreciated the
gravity of the problem, but observed that as the Word of God
had to be preserved for the guidance of the coming generations, the
task had to be undertaken whatever the odds. Zaid thereupon set
to the task of collecting the verses.
A
proclamation was made that whosoever had learnt any portion of the
Quran from the Holy Prophet should produce such portion. Two
witnesses had to be produced in each case to establish the
genuineness of the verse. When all the verses had been collected a
Committee was set up of which Umar was a member. This Committee
supervised the compilation of the Holy Quran. Sad b. al As dictated,
and Zaid bin Thabit wrote the Holy Quran. These was checked by
the members of the Committee including Umar.
When
the work was completed it was further checked by Abu Bakr, and the
finally approved copy was kept by Abu Bakr in his personal
custody. The sacred compilation was given the name of 'Mashaf'.
During
his Caliphate, Umar took steps to ensure that the teaching of the
Holy Quran was spread extensively, and that a large number of
persons learnt the text by heart so that there could be no
possibility of any corruption in the text.
Under
the orders of Umar, hundreds of schools were opened throughout the
length and breadth of the Islamic world for the teaching of the
Holy Quran. Highly qualified teachers were appointed for the
purpose, and they were given good salaries.
Such
Companions who had learnt the Holy Quran by heart were sent to
distant places to teach the Holy Quran. Muadh b. Jabal; Ibada b
al Samit; and Abu Darda were prominent companions who knew the Holy
Quran by heart. They were sent to Syria where Ibada headed the school
at Hims: Abu Darda at Damascus; and Muadh at Jerusalem. It is
related that Abu Darda held his classes in the Jamia Masjid at
Damascus and the enrolment in his class was 1600.
Umar
took pains in promoting and popularizing the study of the Holy Quran.
All the Muslims were required to learn at least five Suras by
heart. Special stipends were granted for the learning of the Holy
Quran. In his instructions to the Army, Umar exhorted the men
to read and memories the Holy Quran.
Umar
was very particular about the use of correct vowels and the correct
pronunciation of the words in the Holy Quran. In his
instructions to the teachers of the Holy Quran, Umar said:
"Teach
them the vowels of the Quran, as you teach its learning by heart."
Umar
also instructed that along with the teaching of the Holy Quran, the
study of the Arabic language and literature should be made
compulsory so that the readers of the Holy Quran should themselves be
able to distinguish between right and wrong vowels.
Umar
also laid down that no one who was not versed in Arabic lexicology
should be permitted to teach the Holy Quran.
Umar And Mosques
As
the Islamic dominions extended progressively, Umar ordered that
mosques should be built in all conquered territories.
In
the newly founded cities of Kufa and Basra, Jami Masjids were built
in the center of the city and smaller mosques were built in
each tribal quarter.
In
the case of smaller towns in Iraq and Syria, a mosque was required to
be constructed in each town. According to one account as many
as 4000 mosques were constructed during the caliphate of Umar.
Umar
had the sacred mosque at Kaaba extended. In 739 AD Umar purchased the
surrounding houses at state expense. These were demolished, and
the area under them was included in the mosque. Heretofore
there was no wall round the mosque. Umar had a wall constructed for
the first time. Heretofore the mosques were not lit. Umar
provided lights for the mosques for the first time.
Formerly
the cover of the Kaaba was of ordinary cloth. Umar had the cover made
of a superior and finer cloth manufactured in Egypt.
The
bounds of the Haram, the sanctuary of the Kaaba extended to three
miles in one direction, and seven to nine miles in other
directions. The boundaries were not defined, and there was the risk
of this area being encroached upon. Umar had the area surveyed,
and the boundaries were demarcated. Stone pillars called Ansab
were fixed to mark the boundaries.
Umar
extended the Prophet's Mosque at Madina as well. In 739 AD, the same
year as the Kaaba was extended, Umar purchased the houses that
surrounded the Masjid i-Nabvi. After demolishing them, the area
was utilized for the extension of the mosque.
Abbas
whose house also surrounded the mosque refused to sell his house. He
sued the state in the Court of the Qazi Ubayy b. Kab. The Court
gave its verdict against the state, and held that the property
could not be acquired compulsorily. Umar accepted the verdict of the
Court. Thereupon Abbas voluntarily gifted his house for the
extension of the mosque. Umar accepted the gift gratefully, and
provided alternative accommodation to Abbas.
As
a result of extension the length of the mosque rose from 100 to 140
yards while its width rose from 60 to 80 yards.
Umar
was the first to provide lights for Masjid-i-Nabvi. Umar also made
arrangements for the burning of the incense in the mosque. The
floor of the mosque was paved and covered with mats.
The Hijri Calendar
Some
time in 638 AD, Abu Musa Asha'ari, the Governor of Basra wrote:
"Amir-ul-Mominin,
we receive instructions from you every now and then, but as the
letters are undated, and some times the contents of the letters
differ, it becomes difficult to ascertain as to which instructions
are to be followed."
That
set Umar thinking. In the meantime, he received from Yemen a draft
for some money which was encashable in Shaban. Umar thought
that the practice of merely mentioning the month in such cases was
defective for one could not be sure whether the month referred to was
of the current or the following year.
Umar
convened an assembly to consider the question of calendar reform.
Some
one suggested that the Roman calendar should be adopted. After
discussion the proposal was rejected as the Roman calendar
dated from too remote an era and was cumbersome.
It
was next considered whether the Persian calendar might be adopted.
Hormuzan explained the salient features of the Persian calendar
called 'Mahroz'. The consensus of opinion was that such a calendar
would not be suitable for the Muslims.
The
general opinion was that instead of adopting any alien calendar, the
Muslims should have a calendar of their own. This was agreed
to, and the point next considered was from when should such an era
begin?
Some
one suggested that the era should begin from the date of birth of the
Holy Prophet. Some suggested that it should begin from the
death of the Holy Prophet. Ali suggested that it should begin from
the date the Muslims migrated from Mecca to Madina. After discussion,
Ali's suggestion was agreed to.
The
Holy Prophet had migrated in the month of Rabi-ulAwwal, when the year
had already run two months and eight days. Next the question
arose from which month should the new era start.
Some
one suggested that the calendar should start with the month of Rajab
as in the pre-Islamic period this month was held sacred. Some
one proposed that the first month should be Ramzan as that is a
sacred month for the Muslims. Another proposal was that the first
month should be 'Zul Hajj' as that is the month of the
pilgrimage.
Usman
suggested that as in Arabia the year started with Muharram the new
era should also start with Muharram. This suggestion was
accepted. The date was accordingly pushed back by two months and
eight days, and the new Hijri calendar began with the first day of
Muharram in the year of migration rather than from the actual
date of migration.
Umar
accordingly issued instructions to all concerned regarding the
enforcement of the Hijri calendar.
Umar And Drinking
Drinking
was very common among the Quraish. Some accounts say that during the
days of ignorance even Umar was a wine bibbler. When Umar
became a Muslim, he never touched wine. Umar was a great
thinker. He thought that as under the influence of drink one becomes
oblivious of his duties and responsibilities, drink must be
prohibited by an injunction from God. Umar often talked to the Holy
Prophet on the subject, and prayed for an injunction to enforce
prohibition.
At
Madina the following verse was revealed to the Holy prophet:
"They
ask you about wine and games of chance. Say 'They lead to great sin,
and have some use for men. But the sin inherent in them exceeds
their usefulness." (2: 219)
The
Holy Prophet informed Umar of this revelation. Umar said: 'Holy
Prophet. This is not enough, pray to God for a specific
injunction."
Some
time later came another revelation, namely:
"Believers!
wine, games of chance, idols, and diving arrows are abominations
which are the handiwork of the Devil. Avoid them so that you
may prosper." (5: 90)
When
Umar was informed of this revelation, he said: "Holy Prophet;
this is a negative provision. Pray to God to give some positive
injunction."
Then
another verse was revealed which provided:
"The
Devil intends that by means of wine, games of chance, he should
provoke enmity and hatred among you; and stop you from
remembering Allah and saying your prayers. Will you not keep them
away from them?" (5: 91)
This
verse provided the necessary sanction for the prohibition of
drinking. In spite of this injunction many Muslims continued to
indulge in drinking.
When
Umar became the Caliph, and the Muslim conquests extended east and
west, bringing prosperity to the Muslims, Umar felt that in
order to safeguard the purity of faith some hard and fast policy
about drinking should be laid down. While the Holy Qur'an
provided specific punishments for some offences, no penalty was
specified in the case of drinking. That made some of the wine
bibblers take the plea that if God intended prohibition, the
penalty for the offence would have been prescribed.
Umar
convened a meeting of his Consultative Assembly to consider the
question. The first question that was taken up for
consideration was: whether the drinking of wine was lawful or
unlawful. The verdict was that it was unlawful.
The
next question was: if it was unlawful what should be the penalty
therefore. Umar agreed that no penalty in this behalf had been
laid down in the Holy Quran, but he held that a penalty therefore
could be laid down on the basis of analogy keeping in view the
penalty provided for offences of kindred character.
Ali
argued that the offence of drinking was of the same species as
calumny for under the influence of drink one was apt to say
many things which he should not have otherwise said. In the case of
calumny the Holy Quran provided punishment as follows:
"Give
eighty lashes to each one,
Of
those who accuse honorable women;
But
do not support their accusation with four witnesses.
Do
not accept their testimony,
For
it is they who break the law."
Ali
advised that for drinking the same penalty i. e. eighty lashes should
be provided.
This
advice was accepted by Umar. Umar issued orders to all concerned to
the following effect:
"Drinking
is banned under the Holy Quran. If any Muslim drinks and pleads that
this was lawful then cut off his head for what he says is a
violation of the Holy Word. If he says that it is unlawful but that
he fell into error then give him eighty lashes publicly."
These
instructions were enforced vigorously, and the Muslim society was
practically rid of the evil of drinking.
Slavery
When
Islam appeared on the world stage, the world economy was based on
slavery. Islam was the first religion to raise its voice
against slavery. Among the early converts to Islam, many were slaves.
Indeed one of the reasons for the hostility of the Quraish
against Islam was that they saw in Islam a hostile force to
slavery on which the economy of Mecca was based.
When
Umar became the Caliph of Islam, he took particular measures to
eliminate the evils of slavery as far as possible. He took a
very bold step when he declared that no Arab could be a slave. Arabia
was thus the first country in the world, which under the impact
of Islam abolished slavery. During the apostasy wars many Arabs
had been taken captive and made slaves. Umar emancipated all such
slaves.
Umar
also decreed that slave women who had borne a child to her master
stood emancipated.
The
Holy Quran laid down:
If
you see good in them (slaves), make agreement with them."
Umar
implemented this injunction and laid down that a slave could make an
agreement with the master that he would pay so much within the
specified period to secure his freedom. Anas had a slave Sirin by
name. The slave wanted to enter into an agreement with his master,
but Anas refused. When the matter was reported to Umar, he made
Anas enter into an agreement with his slave.
In
the matter of stipends allowed by the state, Umar made no distinction
between the master and the slave. The slaves were given the
stipends on the same scale as their masters.
Umar
issued orders that slaves could not be separated from their kindred.
Under these orders the child was not to be separated from its
mother. If there were two brothers it was obligatory that both of
them should be purchased by one master.
Umar
was considerate that when some very highly placed person was taken
captive, he should be ransomed and not kept as a slave. When in
Syria the daughter of the emperor Heraclius was taken captive,
she was returned to her father. When in the battle of Babylon,
Armanusa the daughter of Maqauqas was taken captive she was
returned to her father.
In
order to raise the status of slaves, Umar enjoined that the master
should generally take meals with their slaves. Occasionally
Umar invited slaves to dine with him. Umar said:
"The
curse of God be upon those who feel ashamed to sit to meals with
slaves."
Umar
laid down that if a Muslim slave gave protection to a non-Muslim such
protection was to be honored like the protection given by any
other Muslim.
Umar
took pains to provide facilities to slaves to rise to position of
importance in the State. During the caliphate of Umar Ikramah
who came to be regarded as an Imam of Hadith was a slave. Nafi who
was the teacher of Imam Malik was a slave. There were many
other slaves who became eminent during the caliphate of Umar.
Umar's Control Of Sexuality Laxity
In
the days of ignorance sexual laxity was the order of the day. Islam
stood for reform in the moral and social fields, and condemned
sexual laxity in all forms. Under Islam a limitation was placed on
the number of wives one could marry. Such number was not to
exceed four, and it was enjoined that all the wives should be
treated alike with due justice. Lapidation was provided as the
punishment for those found guilty of adultery.
When
Umar became the Caliph he took further steps to rid the society of
sexual laxity.
In
the days of ignorance poetry was pressed into service as an
instrument of moral laxity. The poets indulged in ribald poems.
They named their sweethearts in their poems and by indulging in
poetic license compromised the honor and integrity of ladies.
Then where ladies were no party to love the poets in their
imagination made their beloveds return their love in passionate
terms. Such poetry did considerable social harm, and disturbed
domestic peace in many a home. Umar took cognizance of this unsocial
practice. He commanded the poets not to mention the names of ladies
in their poems. He also issued directions that the poets should
not indulge in any versification calculated to encourage moral
depravity. Where some poets inadvertently or otherwise
contravened these instructions they were flogged or punished.
Mutah
in some form or the other was permissible or at least not expressly
forbidden before the time of Umar. Umar felt that Mutah
"hereunder a man married a woman for a specified number of days
amounted to disguised prostitution and this led to moral
laxity. Umar accordingly passed an order prohibiting Mutah. He
declared that it was open to a person to divorce a woman after
regular marriage for any valid reason, but a marriage which was
stipulated to be dissolved after a specified number of days was
repugnant to the spirit of Islam which stood for stability of
domestic homes. Umar elaborated that the purpose of marriage
was to set up homes with a view to getting children and Mutah negated
such objects. Moreover in the case of Mutah the children born
of such union were to be subject to social disability which was
detrimental to social order.
Under
the Islamic law divorce was permissible. The Holy Prophet however
took pains to explain that divorces which disrupted family life
were distasteful to God. People were enjoined not to be hasty in the
matter of divorce. Divorce could be effective only when three
divorces were given. The idea was to provide some opportunity
for reconciliation. When under Umar more countries were conquered
and women from other countries became available for the
Muslims, some Muslims resorted to the practice of announcing
three divorces simultaneously. In order to put a stop to this
unsocial practice Umar laid down that if a person gave three
talaqs simultaneously such divorce would be irrevocable.
With
the conquest of Iraq and Syria, Iraqi and Syrian women became
available to the Muslims. Attracted by the beauty of these
women, the Muslims divorced their Arab wives. That created a social
crisis which led to sexual laxity. Umar accordingly ordered
that marriages with foreign ladies should be permitted under
exceptional circumstances. Hudhaifa was the administrator of al
Madina and he married a Christian beauty of Iraq. When this was
brought to the notice of Umar he required Hudhaifa to divorce the
Christian beauty, Hudhaifa said that he would not comply with
the order unless he was told whether his marriage was unlawful
or else; the Caliph referred to the authority under which he wanted
him (Hudhaifa) to divorce his legally wedded wife. Umar wrote
to say that the marriage he had contracted was not unlawful,
but he had been advised to divorce the Christian beauty as it was
bound to adversely affect the interests of Arab ladies.
Moreover if the Muslims married non-Muslim ladies merely for their
beauty that would encourage sexual laxity. Thereupon Hudhaifa
divorced his Christian wife.
Besides
four lawful wives Islam permitted any man to take over any number of
slave girls to bed. These slave girls were to be the property
of the Master and he could sell them any time. With the extension in
conquests the number of available slave girls increased and Umar felt
that this would promote sexual laxity. He ordered that Umm ul
Walad that is such slave girls who bore children to their masters
would stand emancipated. This had the effect that such women
could no longer be treated as concubines and were to be given
the status of regular wives or divorced when they could, as free
women, marry other persons.
Army
In
the early days of Islam there was no standing army. On the occasion
of any battle contingents were raised from the various tribes
and these were disbanded when the battle was over. No regular
salaries were paid. Those who fought were compensated by
distributing the spoils of war among them.
Umar
was the first Muslim ruler to organize the army as a State
Department. This reform was introduced in 637 A.D. A beginning
was made with the Quraish and the Ansars and the system was
gradually extended to the whole of Arabia. A register of all
adults who could be called to war was prepared, and a scale of
salaries was fixed.
The
scale was:
- (l) Those who had fought in the battle of Badr 5,000 dirhams.
- (2) Those who had fought in the battle of Uhud 4,000 dirhams.
- (3) Those who had migrated before the conquest of Mecca 3,000 dirhams.
- (4) Those who had embraced Islam at the time of the conquest of Mecca 2,000 dirhams
- (5) Those who had fought in the battles of Yermuk or Qadissiya 2,000 dirhams.
- (6) For the Yamanites 400 dirhams
- (7) Those who had fought after the battles of Yermuk and Qadissiya 300 dirhams.
- (8) The rest 200 dirhams
All
men registered were liable to military service. They were divided
into two categories, namely:
- (l) those who formed the regular standing army; and
- (2) those who lived in their homes, but were liable to be called to the colors whenever needed.
For
the purpose of army administration, Umar established Military Centers
which were called 'Jund'. These Centers were set up at Madina;
Kufa; Basra; Mosul; Fustat; Damascus; Jordan; and Palestine. At
these centers barracks were built for the residence of troops.
Big stables were constructed where four thousand horses fully
equipped were kept ready for service at short notice at every
Military Center. All records pertaining to the army were kept
at Military Centers. Food stores of the commissariat were kept
at these places and there from sent to other places.
In
addition to Military Centers, cantonments were established in big
towns and places of strategic importance.
Under
the Army Department, there was a separate Commissariat Department.
All the food stores were collected at one place, and from there
disbursed on the first of every month.
Pay
and Bhatta were disbursed at different times. The pay was paid in the
beginning of the Mohurram. The Bhatta was paid in spring and
some extra allowances were paid during the harvesting season.
Every
tribal unit had its leader called Arifs. Such units if under Arifs
were grouped and each group was under a Commander called
Umar-ul-Ashar.
Promotions
in the army were made on the strength of the length of service or
exceptional merit.
Expeditions
were undertaken according to seasons. Expeditions in cold countries
were undertaken during the summer, and in hot countries in
winter. In spring the troops were generally sent to lands which had
a salubrious climate and a good pasturage.
Much
thought was given to climate and sanitation in the lay out of
cantonments and the construction of barracks. Special
provisions were made for roads and streets in cantonments, and Umar
issued instructions prescribing the width of roads and
streets.
When
the army was on the march, it always halted on Fridays. When on
march, the day's march was never allowed to be so long as to
tire out the troops. The stages were selected with reference to the
availability of water and other provisions.
Leave
of absence was given to army men at regular intervals. The troops
stationed at far off places were given leave once a year and
some time twice.
Each
army corps was accompanied by an officer of the treasury, an
Accountant, a Qazi, and a number of interpreters besides a
number of physicians and surgeons.
Umar
issued instructions laying stress on the teaching of four things to
the soldiers, namely: horse-racing; archery; walking barefoot,
and swimming.
On
the battlefield the army was divided into sections. These sections
were:
- (1) Qalb or the center;
- (2) Maqaddamah or the vanguard;
- (3) Maimanah or the right wing;
- (4) Maisarah or the left wing;
- (5) Saqah or the rear;
- (6) Rid-extreme rear
Other
components were:
- (1) Talaiah or patrols to keep watch over the movements of the enemy;
- (2) Ra'id or foraging parties,
- (3) Rukban or the camel corps;
- (4) Farsan or the cavalry;
- (5) Rajil or the infantry;
- (6) Ramat or the Archers.
According
to instructions every soldier was required to keep with him several
things of personal need. These included among other things
needles, cotton, twine, scissors, and a feeding-bag.
Catapults
were used extensively in siege operations. Under Umar another machine
employed in siege operations was Dabbabah. It was a wooden
tower which moved on wheels and consisted of several storeys.
The tower was wheeled up to the foot of the fort under siege, and
then the walls were pierced by stone throwers' wall-piercers
and archers who manned the Dabbabah.
Under
the instructions of Umar, suitable arrange, meets were made for the
clearance and construction of roads, and bridges. These
operations were usually performed by the conquered people under the
supervision of the Muslim army.
A
remarkable feature of the army organization under Umar was that he
had complete control over the army at all times as if he were
present in person at every field. The control was facilitated because
of the sense of awe and majesty that the person of Umar
inspired. The espionage and intelligence services in the army
were well organized. Reporters were attached to every unit, and they
kept the Caliph fully informed about everything pertaining to
the army.
Under
Umar vast conquests were made in Iraq, Persia, Syria, and Egypt and
this speaks for the efficiency of the army and the military
organization.
Judicial Administration
Umar
took particular pains to provide effective and speedy justice for the
people. He set up an effective system of judicial
administration, "hereunder justice was administered according to
the principles of Islam.
Qadis
were appointed at all administrative levels for the administration of
justice. Umar was the first ruler in history to separate
judiciary from the executive. The Qadis were chosen for their
integrity and learning in Islamic law. High salaries were fixed
for the Qadis so that there was no temptation to bribery. Wealthy
men and men of high social status were appointed as Qadis so that
they might not have the temptation to take bribes, or be
influenced by the social position of any body. The Qadis were not
allowed to engage in trade. Judges were appointed in sufficient
number, and there was no district which did not have a Qadi.
Umar
issued 'Farmans' from time to time laying down the principles for the
administration of justice. In one of the Farmans issued to
Judicial Officers, Umar laid down the following principles:
"Praise
to God.
Verily
justice is an important obligation to God and man. You have been
charged with this responsibility. Discharge the responsibility
so that you may win the approbation of God and the goodwill of the
people.
Treat
the people equally in your presence, in your company, and in your
decisions, so that the weak despair not of justice, and the
high-placed have no hope of your favor.
The
onus of proof lies on the plaintiff. He who denies must do so on
oath. Compromise is permissible, provided it does not turn the
unlawful into lawful, and the lawful into unlawful. Let nothing
prevent you from changing your previous decision if after
consideration you feel that the previous decision was
incorrect.
When
you are in doubt on a question and find nothing about it in the Quran
or in the Sunnah of the Prophet, think over the question over
and over again. Ponder over the precedents and analogous cases,
and then decide by analogy.
A
term should be fixed for the person who wants to produce witnesses.
If he proves his case, get him his right. Otherwise, the suit
should be dismissed.
All
Muslims are reliable, except those who have been punished with
flogging, or who have borne false witness or are doubtful in
integrity."
History
has preserved the names of some of the eminent persons who held
judicial office during the caliphate of Umar.
Zaid
bin Thabit was appointed by Umar as the Qadi of Madina. He was well
versed is Syriac and Hebrew, and was an expert in civil law.
Ka'b-b.
Sur al-Azdi was the Qadi of Basra. He was a man of keen insight and
wide learning. Many of the dicta laid down by him became
classical and were reported by Imam Ibn Sirin.
Ibada
b. al-Samat was the Qadi of Palestine. He was one of the five men who
had memorized the Holy Quran in the lifetime of the Holy
Prophet. Umar held him in great esteem.
Abdullah
b Masud was the Qadi of Kufa. He was a man of great scholarship and
judicial acumen. He is considered the Father of the Hanafi
law.
Qadi
Shuraih succeeded Abdullah b Masud as the Qadi of Kufa. He was well
known throughout the country for his intelligence and keen
sense of judgment. He was regarded as a model Judge. Ali used to
call him 'Aqd-ul-Arab'-i.e. the most judicious of all the Judges of
Arabia.
About
Qadi Shuraih's appointment as a Judge there is a story on record. It
is related that Umar purchased a horse on approval, and gave it
to somebody to try it. The horse got hurt in the ride, and Umar
wanted to return it, but the owner refused to take it back. In
the dispute that arose as a consequence, Shuraih was chosen as
the arbitrator. He gave the verdict that if the horse was ridden with
the permission of the owner it could be returned; otherwise
not. Umar said that that was the right decision and at once
appointed Shuraih as the Qadi of Kufa.
Public Treasury and Coins
In
the time of the Holy Prophet there was no public treasury. Whatever
revenues or other amounts were received were distributed
immediately. There were no salaries to be paid, and there was no
state expenditure. Hence the need for the treasury at public
level was not felt.
In
the time of Abu Bakr as well there was not treasury. Abu Bakr
earmarked a house where all money was kept on receipt. As all
money was distributed immediately the treasury generally remained
locked up. At the time of the death of Abu Bakr there was only
one dirham in the public treasury.
In
the time of Umar things changed. With the extension in conquests
money came in larger quantities, Umar also allowed salaries to
men fighting in the army. In A.D., Abu Huraira who was the Governor
of Bahrain sent a revenue of five lakh dirhams. Umar summoned a
meeting of his Consultative Assembly and sought the opinion of
the Companions about the disposal of the money. Most of the
Companions advised immediate distribution of the money. Usman
advised that the amount should be kept for future needs. Walid
bin Hisham suggested that like the Byzantines separate departments of
Treasury and Accounts should be set up.
After
consulting the Companions Umar decided to establish the Central
Treasury at Madina. Abdullah bin Arqam was appointed as the
Treasury Officer. He was assisted by Abdur Rahman and Muiqib. A
separate Accounts Department was also set up and it was
required to maintain record of all that was spent.
Later
provincial treasuries were set up in the provinces. After meeting the
local expenditure the provincial treasuries were required to
remit the surplus amount to the central treasury at Madina. According
to Yaqubi the salaries and stipends charged to the central
treasury amounted to over three crore dirhams.
In
most of the histories of the Muslim period it is stated that among
the Muslim rulers, the Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan
was the first to strike coins. Further historical research has
established that Umar has the distinction of being the first
Muslim ruler to strike Islamic coins.
It
is stated in Maqrizi's Kitab-ul-Nuqad ul-Islamia and Mawardi's
Al-Ahkam us-Sultaniyah that Islamic coins were first struck by
Umar. Umar struck the coins of dirhams. The coins of Umar resembled
the coins of Anusherwan. These, however, bore the legends
"Praise to Allah"; "Muhammad is the Apostle of
Allah"; and "There is no god but Allah".
According
to Mawardi when Persia was conquered three types of coins were
current in the conquered territories, namely Baghli of 8 dang;
Tabari of 4 dang; and Maghribi of 3 dang. Umar made an innovation
and struck an Islamic dirham of 6 dang.
Public Words
Umar
stood for simplicity and austerity. Consequently he did not believe
in any large scale program of public works involving
extravagance. Nevertheless as a consequence of the extension of the
Muslim rule to distant lands, the undertaking of works of
public utility became imperative.
As
Muslim conquests extended east and west, and more people embraced
Islam, it became necessary to construct mosques. The mosques
were not mere places for offering prayers; these were community
centers as well where the faithful gathered to discuss problems of
social and cultural importance. During the caliphate of Umar as
many as four thousand mosques were constructed extending from Persia
in the east to Egypt in the west Umar enlarged and improved the
Prophet's mosque in Madina. He also paved the Holy Kaaba.
During
the caliphate of Umar many new cities were founded. These included
Kufa, Basra, and Fustat. These cities were laid in according
with the principles of town planning. All streets in these cities led
to the Friday mosque which was sited in the central chauk.
Markets were established at convenient points. The cities were
divided into quarters, and each quarter was reserved for particular
tribes. In the construction of houses, strict instructions were
laid down prohibiting the construction of palatial buildings. The
houses were to be single storeyed, not exceeding specified
dimensions. These instructions were vigorously enforced, and if
any body constructed a double storey in violation of these
instructions, such double storeys were invariably demolished.
The houses did not reflect the opulence or poverty of the owners.
These were symbolic of the egalitarian society of Islam, where under
all were equal.
Many
buildings were built for administrative purposes. In the quarters
called "Dar-ul-Amarat" Government offices and houses
for the residence of officers were provided. Buildings known as
'Diwans' were constructed for the keeping of official records.
Buildings known as Bait-ul-Mal, were constructed to house
public treasuries. For the lodging of persons suffering sentences as
punishment, prison houses were constructed for the first time
in Muslim history. In important cities Guest Houses were constructed
to serve as rest houses. Roads and bridges were constructed for
public use. On the road from Madina to Mecca, shelters, wells,
and meal houses were constructed at every stage.
Military
cantonments were constructed at strategic points. Special stables
were provided for cavalry. These stables could accommodate as
many as 4,000 horses. Special pasture grounds were provided and
maintained for Bait-ul-Mal animals.
Canals
were dug to irrigate fields as well as provide drinking water for the
people. Abu Musa Canal was a nine mile long, canal which
brought water from the Tigris to Basra. Another canal known as Maqal
canal was also dug from the Tigris. A canal known as the Amirul
Mumnin canal was dug to join the Nile to the Red Sea. During
the famine of 639 A.D. food grains were brought from Egypt to Madina
through this canal and the sea. Saad canal dug from the
Euphrates brought water to Anbar. Amr bin Al Aas the Governor of
Egypt even proposed the digging of a canal to join the Mediterranean
to Red Sea. The proposal, however, did not materialize, and it
was 1200 years later that such a canal was dug in the shape of the
Suez Canal
Hadith and Fiqh
Umar and Hadith
During
his lifetime the Holy Prophet pronounced on various matters. When any
one met with a problem he went to the Holy Prophet for his
verdict. Such decisions remained know to the persons concerned and
were not publicized. As such the decisions of the Holy Prophet
remained wide spread. The traditions were not compiled in any
compendium and as such the sources remained scattered. In view of the
diffusion of resources there grew the risk that some traditions
reported might be spurious or colored with the views or
prejudices of the narrator.
Umar
was the first to realize the necessity of the proper sifting of the
traditions. Umar accordingly founded the science of Hadith. The
practice with Umar was that if any new problem cropped up, Umar
announced in the public assembly the point at issue, and inquired if
any of them remembered any tradition of the Holy Prophet on the
subject. Those who narrated any tradition were required to produce
some witnesses in support of the tradition. If such statement was
duly corroborated and was in accordance with the spirit of the
Holy Quran as well as common sense it was adopted and applied to the
facts of the case in hand. In this way a rich corpus of Hadith was
built up. These were recorded and copies were supplied to all
provinces for guidance. Umar deputed experts in Hadith to various
provinces to educate the provincial officers in Hadith.
Umar
classified the traditions in two broad categories. One category of
traditions pertained to religious, moral and social affairs
pertaining to the community at large. These matters emanated from the
prophetic mission of the Holy Prophet. The other traditions
revolved round the person of the Holy Prophet and pertained to
his words and deeds as a human being. Umar distinguished between
these two categories and took care to ensure that these two
categories did not get mixed up. All matters falling in the first
category were binding and had the status of law. The matters falling
in the second category remained as ideals to be followed, but
these did not have the status of law. Umar took particular care to
disseminate all traditions falling in the second category. The
traditions in the second category were sparingly reported or
publicized.
Umar
was alive to the danger that whatever was ascribed to the Holy
Prophet, right or wrong would obtain currency and venerable
acceptance. Umar evolved principles on the basis of which the
traditions were to be accepted. The basic principles were:
- (1) The report should be literally faithful;
- (2) Every Hadith narrated should carry with it the name of the narrator and the chain of narrators;
- (3) The narrators must be men of proven faith and integrity;
- (4) In judging the veracity of a report the occasion and circumstances involved should be taken into consideration;
- (5) The report should not be repugnant to the Holy Quran;
- (6) The report should be rational.
There
was some dispute about the number of takbirs to be said in funeral
prayers. Sufficient evidence was adduced to the effect that the
Holy Prophet offered four takbirs. It was accordingly laid down by
Umar that in funeral prayers four takbirs should be said. The matters
regarding bath for sexual impurity, Jizyah to be levied on
Magians and other allied matters were decided in the light of
authentic traditions of the Holy Prophet.
It
is related that Abu Musa Ash'ari the Governor of Basra once came to
see Umar and by way of permission said "Assalamulaikam".
Umar was busy and did not pay attention to Abu Musa. Abu Musa
repeated the greetings thrice and then went away. Umar had him
recalled and enquired why he had gone away. Abu Musa said that
he had heard the Holy Prophet say, "Ask permission thrice, and
if you do not get permission go away". Umar asked for
corroborative evidence in support of the tradition. Abu Musa
produced the evidence and the tradition was accepted as a guide.
In
the time of Umar a question arose whether a , woman who had been
divorced but the divorce had not become I effective could
remain in the house of her husband. A lady Fatima bint Qais stated
before Umar that she had it on the authority of the Holy
Prophet that such woman could no longer lodge with her husband.
The Holy Quran clearly provided that such woman could lodge with her
husband till the divorce became effective. Umar accordingly
ruled: "We cannot abandon the Book of Allah on the word of a
woman, for we do not know whether she remembers the tradition
correctly or has forgotten it."
Lest
the people should make mistakes in reporting Hadith direct from the
Holy Prophet, Umar forbade the Companions to report direct from
the Holy Prophet. Umar also enjoined that Hadith should not be mixed
with the Quran. Lest there might be mistake in reporting. Umar
enjoined, "Report sparingly from the Holy Prophet".
When Umar was asked to quote traditions he would usually say "Had
I not feared that I might make a mistake in reporting Hadith I
would have quoted one." Umar emphasized that extra care should
be taken to ensure that there was no mistake in reporting. The checks
and restraints imposed by Umar on the reporting of traditions
and the high standard of accuracy required by him paid dividends and
all the traditions that were accepted and publicized were free
from flaw.
Traditions On Religious Matters
Umar
was very close to the Holy Prophet. He was very careful and cautious
in reporting traditions. Over five hundred traditions are on
record which are said to have been reported exclusively on the
authority of Umar.
Some
of the traditions on religious matters reported by Umar are noticed
hereunder. The account is based on 'Sahih Bukhari'.
Umar
said that he heard the Holy Prophet say:
"God
created Adam, then passed His right hand over his back and brought
forth from it his offspring saying 'I have created these for
paradise and they will do the deeds of those who go to paradise'. He
then passed his hand over his back and brought forth from it his
offspring saying 'I have created these for hell and they will
do the deeds of those who go to hell'." A man asked what was the
good of doing anything. The Holy Prophet replied:
"When
God creates a man for paradise He employs him in doing the deeds of
those who will go to paradise, so that his final action before
death is one of the deeds of those who go to paradise, for which
He will bring him into paradise. But when He creates a man for hell
He employs him in doing the deeds of those who will go to hell,
so that his final actions before death are the deeds of those who go
to hell, for which He will bring him into hell."
Umar
stated that on the day of Khaibar some of the companions of the Holy
Prophet stated that so and so were martyrs, but when they came
to a man about whom they said "So and so is a martyr", the
Holy Prophet declared "By no means. I have seen him in
hell in a cloak which he took dishonestly."
The
Holy Prophet asked Umar: "Go, Ibn al-Khattab and announce among
the people three times that only the believers will enter
paradise."
In
compliance with these instructions, Umar went out and announced three
times "Only the believers will enter paradise."
Umar
reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"Do
not sit with those who believe in freewill and do not address them
before they address you."
The
Holy Prophet, according to Umar said:
"If
any one performs the ablution completely, then says 'I testify that
there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is His servant and
messenger', the eight gates of paradise will be opened for him, and
he may enter by whichsoever of them he wishes."
Umar
said, "The Prophet saw me standing and passing water and said
Umar do not pass water standing' and I never did it again."
The
Holy Prophet said, "Do not wash in water which has been exposed
to the sun for it produces leprosy."
The
Holy Prophet said:
"If
four persons give a good testimony about any Muslim, God will cause
him to enter paradise."
The
Holy Prophet was asked whether this would apply if three testified
and he said it would they further asked if it applied if two
testified and he said it would but they did not ask him about one.
Umar
reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"Should
any one fall asleep and fail to recite his portion of the Quran or a
part of it, if he recites it between the dawn and the noon
prayer, it will be recorded of him as though he had recited it during
the night."
Umar
said:
"I
heard Hisham b Hakim b Hizam reciting Sura al Furqan in a different
way from my way of reciting it the way that God's Messenger had
taught me. I nearly spoke sharply to him, but I delayed till he had
finished, and then catching his cloak at the neck I brought him
to God's Messenger and said: 'Messenger of God, I heard this
man reciting Sura al Furqan in a manner different from that in which
you taught me to recite it'. The Holy Prophet told me to leave
him, and then turning to him asked him to recite. When he recited it
in the manner in which I had heard him recite it, God's
Messenger said, 'Thus was it sent down'. He then asked me to
recite it, and when I had done so, he said 'Thus was it sent down'. I
was surprised and the Holy Prophet said, 'The Quran was sent
down in seven modes of reading, so recite according to what
comes most easily."
About
the Holy Quran, Umar reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"By
this Book, God exalts some people, and lowers others." Umar said
that God's Messenger used to seek refuge in God from five
things, namely:
- (1) Cowardliness;
- (2) Niggardliness;
- (3) Evils of old age;
- (4) Evil thoughts; and
- (5) Punishment of the grave.
Umar
reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"Among
God's servants there are people who are neither prophets nor martyrs
but whose position in relation to God will be an object of
desire by the prophets and martyrs on the day of resurrection."
The
people wanted to know who were such people and the Holy Prophet
said:
"They
are people who have loved one another by reason of God's spirit, and
were giving gifts to one another without being related or
having common property. I swear that their faces will be light, and
they will be placed upon light, neither fearing when men fear,
nor grieving when men grieve."
Umar
said that the Holy Prophet sent to Najd an expedition which took much
booty and came back quickly.
A
man who had not gone out said, "We have never seen an expedition
return more quickly or bring finer booty than this one".
Thereupon
the Holy Prophet said:
"Shall
I not indicate to you people who have most excellent booty and a most
excellent return? They are people who have been present at the
morning prayer, then sat mentioning of God till the sun rose. They
have the quickest return and the most excellent booty."
Umar
stated that he heard God's Messenger say:
"Four
rakaat before the noon prayer after the sun has passed the meridian
are reckoned equivalent to a similar number at the dawn prayer.
There is nothing which does not glorify God at that hour."
Umar
said that then the Holy Prophet recited:
"Their
shadows turn round from the right and the left prostrating themselves
to God."
Umar
said that he asked the Holy Prophet about the injunction:
"You
may shorten your prayer if you fear those who are infidels may
afflict you."
About
this the Holy Prophet elaborated:
"It
is an act of charity which God has done to you, so accept His
charity."
About
the call to prayer, Umar reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"When
the Muezzin says 'God is most great, God is most great', and you make
the response 'God is most great, God is most great', then says
'I testify that there is no god but God', then says 'I testify that
Muhammad is God's Messenger', and you make the response 'I testify
that Muhammad is God's Messenger', then says 'Come to prayer',
and you make the response 'There is no might and no power
except in God', then says 'Come to salvation', and he makes the
response 'God is most great; God is most great', then says
There is no god but God', and if you say this from heart, you will go
to paradise."
Traditions Of Ethical Importance
Some
traditions of the Holy Prophet of ethical importance have been
reported by Umar.
Umar
reported that the Holy Prophet said:
"Deeds
are to be judged only by intentions, and a man will have only what he
intended. When one's emigration is to God and His Messenger his
emigration is to God and His Messenger, but when his emigration
is to a worldly end at which he aims or to a woman whom he marries
his emigration is to that to which he has emigrated".
Umar
reported God's Messenger as saying:
"If
any one says, on seeing some one who is suffering affliction 'Praise
be to God Who has kept me free from the affliction He has
brought on him and has shown me favor above many whom He has
created, that affliction, whatever it may be, will not smite
him."
Umar
said that he had heard the Holy Prophet say: "An oath or a vow
to disobey the Lord or to break ties of relationship or about
something over which one has no control is not binding on you."
Umar
stated that he heard the Holy Prophet say "Give the road its
due". He was asked what was the road's due. The Holy
Prophet replied:
- Lowering the eyes.
- Removing anything offensive.
- Returning salutations.
- Recommending what is reputable.
- Forbidding what is disreputable.
- Helping the sorrowful.
- Guiding people on their way.
Umar
reported that the Holy Prophet taught him to say:
"O
God make my inner nature better than my outer, and make my outer
nature good. O God I ask Thee to give me some of the abundance
Thou givest to men, in family, property and children, which neither
strays nor leads astray. "
Umar
stated that he heard the Holy Prophet say:
"He
who is humble for God's sake will be exalted by God, for though he
considers himself lowly he is great in the eyes of men; but he
who is proud will be abased by God for though he considers himself
great he is lowly in the eyes of men to such an extent that he
is of less value in their estimation than a dog or a pig."
Umar
reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"In
the last days my people will be afflicted with distresses from their
rulers from which no one will escape but a man who knows God's
religion and strives on its behalf with his tongue, his hand and his
heart, that being the one who will have surpassing felicity in
Heaven; a man who knows God's religion and believes in it; and
a man who knows God's religion but keeps quiet about it, who if he
sees some one doing good loves him for it; that one will escape
for all that he kept concealed in his heart."
Umar
stated that once he went to see the Holy Prophet and found him lying
on a reed mat without any cover. The marks of the mat were on
the body of the Holy Prophet. The room was bare and there was no
sign of any comfort.
Umar
said to the Holy Prophet:
"O
Messenger of God supplicate God to enrich your people for He has
enriched the Persians and the Byzantines, and yet they worship
him not."
The
Holy Prophet replied, "Is that how you feel, Ibn-ul-Khattab?
These people have been given their good things in advance in
the present world. Are you not pleased that they should have the
present world, and we should have the next?"
Umar
said that he went one day to the Prophet's mosque, and in the way
found Mu'adh b Jabal sitting on the Prophet's grave weeping.
Umar asked him what was making him weep and he replied that it was
something which he had heard from God's Messenger. He had heard him
say, "A little hypocrisy is polytheism, and any one who is
hostile to a friend of God has gone forth to fight with God. God
loves the upright, pious and retiring ones who are not missed
when they are absent, and are not given invitations or treated
with honor when they are present. Their hearts are the lamps of
guidance and they come forth from every dusty and dark place."
Umar and Fiqh
Umar
was the founder of Fiqh or Islamic jurisprudence. Over one thousand
juristic pronouncements of Umar are on record. All the four
schools of law in Islamic jurisprudence follow the law laid down by
Umar. The pronouncements of Umar are cited in the Musannaf of
Ibn Abi Shaiba. These are also found in Shah Wali Ullah's book
Faraq's Fiqh.
Umar
not only declared the law; he also established principles of
inference and construction and formulated rules therefore. He
distinguished between the acts of the Holy Prophet performed in
pursuance of his prophetic mission and the acts that he
performed as an ordinary man. All that the Holy Prophet did in
the first capacity was held by Umar to be binding and a basic source
of law. In matters falling in the second category room remained
for devising new laws to suit the changing conditions and
circumstances.
Umar
also laid down the principle of Qiyas or logical deduction. According
to this principle when the Quran and the Hadith did not mention
the details of law on any point, such law could be arrived at by
logical deduction. In his instructions to his judicial officers
Umar said:
"When
you do not find a judgment on an issue in the Quran or Hadith and you
are in doubt about it, ponder over the question and ponder
again. Then look for dicta on like and similar issues, and decide
accordingly."
In
addition to these fundamental principles Umar enunciated numerous
rules about inference and generalization of laws which form the
basis of Islamic jurisprudence,
When
some one asked Umar's verdict on a mere academic question which had
not actually arisen, Umar forbade people raising hypothetical
propositions.
Umar
held that one should not urinate standing.
Umar
was asked whether one could perform the ablution with sea water. Umar
answered the question in the affirmative.
Umar
was asked whether one could perform ablution with water taken from a
non-Muslim. Umar found no objection to such ablution.
Umar
was asked whether one who has had sexual intercourse could perform
Tayammum and offer prayers. Umar said that for him bath was
essential.
Umar
was very strict about the offering of prayers. He issued instructions
to the provincial Governors that their foremost duty was the
offering of prayer.
Umar
was asked as to the time for the morning prayer. He said "In the
shadow of the twinkling stars".
Umar
held that the prayer of Zuhr should be delayed as far as possible and
the prayer of Isha should be offered as early as possible.
Umar
was asked: if the meals are ready and it is also the time for
prayers, which should be given priority. Umar said "first
take your meals".
When
Umar saw a person offering prayer by the roadside he was advised to
pray in the mosque.
Umar
forbade the people to talk loudly in the mosque.
Umar
enjoined that one should not come to the mosque having eaten some
thing which produces a bitter smell.
Umar
was very particular that when offering prayers in congregation the
lines should be straight.
Umar
held that journey on a Friday was not forbidden.
Umar
enjoined that around a person on death bed one should recite the
article of faith.
When
one of the wives of Umar died Umar led the funeral prayers himself.
Umar
held that in one's shroud three sheets were enough.
Umar
ruled that on the occasion of a funeral prayers four Takbirs should
be offered.
Umar
held that in a garden those trees the fruit whereof was reserved for
distribution among the poor were exempt from Zakat.
Umar
held that if any thing was given as Sadaqa it could not be
repurchased whatever the price or consideration.
Umar
held that when a man was under debt, he should offer Zakat on the
value of his property after deducting the amount of the debt.
Umar
held that one should not fast unless he had seen the moon of Ramazan
and he should not fast after he had seen the Eid moon.
Umar
advised the people to keep a fast on the tenth of the Muharram.
Umar
insisted that in the month of Hajj priority should be given to the
Hajj and not to Umra.
Umar
prohibited the sale of wine.
Umar
held that one should not purchase anything already mortgaged with
him.
Umar
held that if one passed through a garden he could pick up fruit that
had fallen on the ground.
Umar
forbade Mutah.
Umar
held that where three talaqs were announced simultaneously such
divorce would be irrevocable.
Umar
held that a slave woman who bore children to her master stood
emancipated.
Umar
held that justice should not be delayed.
Umar
enjoined his officers to dispatch the State business expeditiously.
Umar
held that in the court the Judge should not be praised.
All
acts should be judged according to the test of public interest.
Any
act which did not harm any one and was otherwise not forbidden under
law was permissible.
In
the famous Fidak case Umar held that the property which vested in the
Holy Prophet vested after him in the State and not in his
heirs.
Matters About Fiqh
Umar
said:
"I
provided a man with a horse to ride on God's path, but as he who had
it did not look after it well, I wanted to buy it, and I
thought he would sell it at a cheap price. I therefore asked the
Prophet, but he said 'Do not buy it, and do not take back what
you gave as Sadaqa even if he gives it to you for a Dirham, for
the one who takes back what he gave as Sadaqa is like a dog which
returns to its vomit."
Umar
said:
"Once,
captives came to the Holy Prophet among whom was a woman whose breast
was oozing with milk. She was running and when she found a
child among the captives she took him, put him to her breast
and suckled him. Then the Prophet said to us 'Do you think this woman
will cast her child into the fire?' We replied 'Not so long as
she is in a position not to do so'. He said 'God is more merciful to
His servants than this woman to her child."
Umar
reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"Gold
for gold is usury unless both hand over on the spot; silver for
silver is usury unless both hand over on the spot; wheat for
wheat is usury unless both hand over on the spot; barley for barley
is usury unless both hand over on the spot; dates for dates is
usury unless both hand over on the spot."
Umar
reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"He
who brings goods for sale is blessed with good fortune, but he who
keeps them till the price rises is accursed."
Umar
also reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
"If
any one keeps grain from the Muslims waiting for the, price to rise,
God will smite him with tubercular leprosy and insolvency."
Umar
said:
"God
sent Muhammad with the truth and sent down the Book to him, and the
verse of stoning was included in what God Most High sent down.
God's Messenger had people stoned to death and we have done it
also since his death. Stoning is a duty laid down in God's Book for
married men and women who commit fornication when proof is
established, or if there is pregnancy, or a confession."
Umar
said that a man called Abdullah whose nome-de-plume was 'ass' used to
make the Prophet laugh. The Prophet had beaten him because of
wine drinking, but when he was brought to him one day and he
gave orders and had him beaten, and then one of those present said,
"O God curse him; how often he is brought', the Prophet
said, "Do not curse him. I swear by God that for all I know he
loves God and His Messenger."
Umar
reported the Holy Prophet as saying:
When
you find that a man has been unfaithful with regard to spoils in
God's way, burn his goods and beat him."
Umar
stated that the Holy Prophet reserved three things exclusively to
himself namely: the Banu an Nadir; Khaibar; and Fidak. The Banu
an-Nadhir property was kept wholly for his own purposes. Fidak was
kept for travelers. Khaibar was divided into three sections, two for
the Muslims and one for the maintenance of his family. If
anything remained after meeting the needs of his family, that was
divided among the poor Muhajreen.
Friends Who Could Straighten Him
True
to the title 'Al-Farooq', Umar was an embodiment of truth. He did not
hesitate to speak the truth, in the best interests of the
Muslim State. Such truth was sometimes bitter, and the people held
him in awe.
Some
people understood him, and appreciated his sterling qualities of
courage, conviction, and truthfulness. Some people misjudged
him and felt that he was unduly hard and harsh with the people.
Umar
knew that he was more feared than loved. Under a stern exterior, Umar
had a heart full of the milk of human kindness. Whenever Umar
came across a person who was in distress or was in any way
oppressed, Umar was all sympathy for him, and he did all he could to
alleviate his distress.
Umar
did often reflect and ponder over the responsibilities that had come
to vest in him and the way he discharged them. He did not feel
very happy with the equation between himself and the people. He
regretted that the people did not understand him properly.
Hudhaifa
a prominent companion has left on record that one day he went to see
Umar and found that he was feeling much perturbed. Seeing the
disturbed state of the mind of Umar, Hudhaifa enquired as to
what was the matter.
Umar
said:
"I
was feeling unhappy that the people have awe of me. They generally
avoid me, and hesitate to bring my shortcomings to my notice. I
was just thinking as to what, would happen if I were to fall in
erroneous ways, and because of the awe that the people have of
me, no one comes forward to restrain me."
Thereupon
Hudhaifa said:
"Your
awe is because of the truth at your command. If you deviate from the
path of truth, the people will not be afraid to call you to
account. Verily if I see that you are in the wrong, I will fix you
up, and straighten you."
At
this Umar felt very happy. He said:
"Thank
God, there are friends who will straighten me when I err. If I have
such friends around me, I need have no fear of falling into
error."
The Man Who Came To Murder Became A Convent
By
638 A.D., the whole of Syria was under the occupation of the Muslims.
Heraclius the Byzantine emperor had left Syria and withdrawn
his forces. His parting words were:
"Farewell
Syria, never again will I come to this beautiful land. What a fine
country I am leaving for the enemy."
Some
of the Christian Arabs felt grieved at the discomfiture of the
Christians at the hands of the Muslims. In a spirit of
fanaticism they vowed vengeance against the Muslims. Having failed to
defeat the Muslims on the battlefield they decided to resort to
underhand means and murder some high ranking Muslims. A
Ghassanid Arab Wasiq by name undertook to murder Umar the Caliph of
Islam.
Wasiq
waited on Heraclius at Constantinople, and volunteered to rid the
Byzantine emperor of his enemies. The scheme appealed to
Heraclius. He paid Wasiq a huge sum and promised to pay much more
when he succeeded in his mission. Thus patronized, Wasiq decided to
proceed to Madina.
Arab
as he was, Wasiq found no difficulty in coming over to Madina in
cognito. He posed himself as a Muslim coming from the interior
of the desert to pay a visit to Madina. Wasiq carried a poisoned
dagger carefully hidden in the folds of his cloak. Having
reached Madina, he was on the look out for a suitable
opportunity when he could come face to face with the Caliph of Islam,
and kill him with his dagger in an unguarded moment.
He
had thought that the ruler of the Muslim state would be surrounded by
heavy body-guards at all times and it would be difficult to
reach him. He was surprised to learn in Madina that there were no
body-guards around the Caliph of Islam. Wasiq felt happy that
unguarded as the Caliph was, he could easily get an opportunity
to fulfill his mission.
Wasiq
waited for a suitable opportunity. One day at noon Wasiq found Umar
sleeping under a tree, all alone and without any guard. There
was no body near at hand. Wasiq thought that this was a golden
opportunity for him and he could dispatch the Caliph of Islam without
any difficulty.
Cautiously
with measured steps and hushed breath Wasiq stepped upto Umar and
took his sword. He was about to plunge his sword in the body of
Umar when his eyes fell on the face of Umar. The sight of the
unadorned majesty of the pious Caliph sent a shudder through the body
of Wasiq, and the sword dropped from his trembling hands. With
the noise of the dropping of the sword, Umar opened his eyes.
He was quick to take hold of the fallen sword and then rising up
faced his would be assassin.
Wasiq
fell at the feet of the Caliph, implored his forgiveness and embraced
Islam.
Criticism Against Umar
One
day in a Friday address Umar said that he had tried to serve Islam
and the Muslims to the best of his capacity. He added that
being a human being he was apt to make mistakes. He requested the
faithful to point out his mistakes if any, so that he may
correct himself.
After
the prayers Umman bin Sawad stepped upto Umar and said that he wanted
to apprise him of his mistakes. Umar invited him to come along
to his house where they could talk over the matter at leisure.
Umman
bin Sawad said that he had no intention of criticizing the Caliph; as
a well wisher he merely wanted to bring some points to his
notice. Umar said that such observations and counsels were most
welcome to him.
Umman
bin Sawad said that he had four objections and these were:
- (1) That Umar had prohibited Umra in the month of Hajj;
- (2) That Umar had declared Mut'ah unlawful.
- (3) That Umar had emancipated slave girls who bore their masters children.
- (4) That Umar was harsh and stern.
Umar
enquired whether these were all the objections against him or whether
there were any other objections as well. Umman said that these
were the only points of criticism against him.
About
the first charge Umar said:
"I
have not prohibited Umra. My only instructions are that in the month
of Hajj priority should be given to Hajj over the Umra. Some of
the persons were prone to think that when they had performed the
Umra that was enough and that thereafter Hajj need not be
performed. Such a course was derogatory to Hajj and in order to
preserve the integrity and sanctity of Hajj. I have merely instructed
that in the month of Hajj, the pilgrims should concentrate on
the Hajj. In the other months it is open to them to perform
Umra."
About
the Mutah, Umar said:
"Mutah
was an ancient practice with the Arabs. The Holy Prophet did not like
the practice though he tolerated it on some occasions due to
special circumstances. Even then on at least two occasions he
prohibited the practice. God has spoken of the sanctity of the
marriage ties, and if the marriage is held sacred on one side
and Mutah is allowed on the other that would be inconsistent. If
Mutah is allowed that would be a sort of sanctioned
prostitution. That is repugnant to Islam. If any person marries the
idea is to establish a home. If a person marries for a few
specified days that is foreign to the establishment of a home.
Mutah is thus repugnant to Islam. If any person wants to dissolve the
marriage after a few days it is open to him to give the divorce
in the usual way. I have prohibited Mutah in the interests of the
sanctity and integrity of Muslim homes. That is a social
reform. There is no express injunction allowing Mutah and by
disallowing it I have not contravened any provisions of Islamic
law."
As
regards the emancipation of slave girls, Umar explained:
"We
have already laid down that no Arab can be a slave. If the slave
girls were not emancipated there would have been the anomaly
that while the children were free their mother was not free. Moreover
for every marriage there is a dower. In the case of slave girls
the dower is that when they become mothers they would be
emancipated. This is a humanitarian reform strictly in accordance
with the Spirit of Islam."
As
regards the fourth charge Umar said:
"I
am harsh and stern only for the wrong doer, the tyrant and the
oppressor. For the weak and the meek I am never harsh or
stern."
After
hearing these explanations Umman bin Sawad said: "Verily Umar
you have spoken the truth. You have done well in whatever you
have done. You have acted in the interests of Islam. May God bless
you. No blame rests on you."
The Eid Moon
Uqba
bin Farqad was the Governor of Azarbaijan. It was the month of the
Ramadan. When 29 fasts were over the faithful gathered to sight
the Eid moon, but no moon was seen. Uqba bin Farqad accordingly
ordered that the fast should be kept for the thirtieth day of the
Ramdan as well.
The
next day Uqba kept the fast, and went on tour in the interior of the
country. The Governor said the noon prayers and then retired to
rest. When he woke up, he was told that the new moon was visible in
the sky. Uqba went out and he saw that though there were yet a few
hours for the sun to set, the moon was visible in the sky.
On
sighting the moon, the Governor summoned the Ulema and sought for
their opinion about the observance of the fast in the Eid. The
consensus of opinion was that after the noon had been sighted
the observance of the fast was not lawful. In deference to this
opinion Uqba broke the fast before sunset and other Muslims did
likewise.
A
difficulty, however, arose about the celebration of the Eid. It was
so late in the day that Eid could not be celebrated hat day.
After consulting the Ulema Uqba decided that trough the fast was to
be broken, the Eid was to be celebrated he following day.
As
the issue involved an important question of religious aw, Uqba
referred the case to Umar for the final verdict in matters
concerning the sighting of the moon in daylight and the celebration
of the Eid.
When
the case was referred to Umar, he gave the following decision:
"When
you see the moon in the earlier part of the day you should break the
fast and celebrate the Eid. A moon appearing in the earlier
part of the day is indicative of the fact that it actually appeared
on the horizon the previous night, but for some reason could
not be seen. When you see the moon in the later part of the day
keep the fast an celebrate the Eid on the following day. Sometimes
the moon is bigger and it becomes visible before the evening
but it is not a moon of the previous day. It is really for the day
to follow. Moon seen in the earlier part of the day belongs to
the previous day and the moon seen in the later part belongs to
the following day."
Umar's Attitude To Sinners
Some
time in 639 A.D. the year of the famine and the plague some Muslims
in Syria drank wine. When called to question, they argued that
in the Holy Quran, no definite punishment was prescribed for
drinking and as such they were not liable to any punishment.
Abu Ubaida reported the matter to Umar.
In
reply, Umar instructed Abu Ubaida to call the delinquents to the
mosque and there before the congregation ask them whether they
considered drinking lawful or unlawful. If they considered it lawful
they should be deemed to have apostatized and in that case they
should meet the penalty for apostasy namely death. If they held
that drinking was unlawful then they should be inflicted eighty
lashes. Umar explained that although the Holy Quran did not
provide the penalty for drinking, it did not forbid the
prescription of such penalty. The State could therefore in public
interest prescribe a penalty. The State had after due
deliberation provided a penalty of 80 lashes and this was in no way
repugnant to Islam.
When
the instructions of Umar were received at Emessa, Abu Ubaida called
the delinquents to the mosque. These included Zarrar bin Azwar
and Abu Jandal. There before the congregation Abu Ubaida put
them the question whether they regarded drinking as lawful or
unlawful. They held that they regarded it unlawful. Abu Ubaida
then said that if they had done an unlawful thing they exposed
themselves to punishment. They argued that no punishment was
due as none had been prescribed by the Quran. Abu Ubadia
explained in the terms of the instructions of Umar that when a person
was guilty of an unlawful act, the State could prescribe a
penalty. Abu Ubaida accordingly inflicted on the delinquents the
punishment of eighty stripes.
The
delinquents took the punishment to heart. Abu Jandal was particularly
very disconsolate. He locked himself in his house and refused
to come out and face the people. Abu Ubaida felt for him and
reported the matter to Umar. Thereupon Umar wrote a
conciliatory letter. He wrote:
"It
is a fact that when you violate the principle of the unity of God,
and create rivals to Allah the sin is too serious to be
forgiven. Allah does not forgive this sin. As regards other sins God
in His Mercy and Kindness forgives such sins when one is
repentant. Allah says 'O my people, if you transgress and then repent
do not despair of the mercy of Allah for He is Forgiving and
Merciful."
In
the letter Umar advised Abu Jandal to seek the forgiveness of Allah
and come out of his house and attend to the affairs of the
world as usual. To the general public Umar advised in the letter:
"Do
not exult over the sins of others. Do not ridicule them. If they are
repentant help them in the process of repentance so that Allah
may forgive them."
When
the letter of Umar was received, Abu Ubaida called Abu Jandal and
other delinquents to the mosque and there read the letter of
Umar before the gathering. The letter had the necessary solacing
effect. The delinquents repented and then applied for being sent to
some expedition on Jihad. Abu Ubaida sent them to fight and
they fought with a sense of dedication.
Umar's Wife Acts As A Midwife
It
was the usual practice of Umar that he would patrol the streets and
suburbs of Madina to watch the interests of the people, and
attend to their needs.
One
day Umar noticed a tent pitched in an open space outside Madina. A
person was sitting outside the tent, and some one inside the
tent was groaning.
Umar
went to the man, greeted him, and wanted to know who he was.
The
man said that he was a man of the desert, and had come to Madina to
wait on the Commander of the Faithful and seek his assistance.
Umar
next asked who was groaning inside the tent. The man said that inside
the tent his wife was groaning with labor pains. He said that
he was a stranger in Madina and did not know what to do. Umar
enquired whether he had any woman to look after the confinement of
his wife. He said that there was none.
Umar
said, "Do not worry. I will make the necessary arrangements."
Umar
came home, and asked his wife Umm Kulsum to accompany him on a
mission of service. Umm Kulsum got ready and took with her such
things as might be needed for the purposes of confinement. Umar took
with him some provisions for the purposes of cooking a meal.
Umar
returned to the camp with his wife. Umm Kulsum went inside the tent
to attend to the woman in pain, while Umar sat outside the tent
with the Bedouin and began cooking some meals for him.
After
an hour or so when the meals had been cooked, Umm Kulsum from inside
the tent addressed Umar: Amirul Mominin! Congratulate your
guest on the birth of a son."
Hearing
this the Bedouin felt much embarrassed. Turning to Umar he said,
"Amirul Mominin, why did you not reveal your identity? You
have overwhelmed me with your benevolence."
Umar
put all his fears to rest saying: "That's all right. There is
nothing to worry about. Thank God I have been of some service
to you at the time of your need. You may come to me tomorrow and I
will see what can be done further to help you".
It
was late at night when Umar and Umm Kulsum left. The Bedouin thanked
God and said: "God be praised. I came to seek the
Commander of the Faithful, and God sent the Commander of the Faithful
to seek me."
Umar Marries A Milkmaid To his Son
One
night, Umar as usual went in disguise with his comrade Ibn Abbas to
see the condition of the people. They strolled from one quarter
to another. At last they came to a colony where very poor people
lived.
While
passing by a small hutment, the Caliph heard a whispering talk
within. The mother was telling her daughter that the amount
fetched by her that day on account of the sale of milk was very
little. She told her that when she was young, and used to sell
milk, she always mixed water with milk, and that led to
considerable profit. She advised her daughter to do the same.
The
girl said, "You adulterated milk, when you were not a Muslim.
Now that we are Muslims, we cannot adulterate milk."
The
mother said that Islam did not stand in the way of he adulteration of
milk.
The
daughter said, "Have you forgotten the Caliph's order? He wants
that the milk should not be adulterated."
The
mother said, "But the Caliph has forgotten us. Were so poor,
what else should we do but adulterate milk in order to win
bread?"
The
daughter said "Such a bread would not be lawful, and as a Muslim
I would not do anything which is against he orders of the
Caliph, and whereby other Muslims are deceived."
The
mother said, "But there is neither the Caliph nor any of his
officers here to see what we do. Daughter you are still a
child. Go to bed now and tomorrow I will myself mix the milk with
water for you."
The
girl refused to fall in with the plan of her mother. She said,
"Caliph may or may not be here, but his order is order,
and it must be obeyed. My conscience is My Caliph. You may escape the
notice of the Caliph and his officers, but how can we escape
the notice of Allah and our own conscience?"
Thereupon
the mother remained quiet. The lamp was extinguished and the mother
and the daughter went to sleep.
The
next day, Umar sent a man to purchase milk from the girl. The milk
was unadulterated. The girl had kept her resolve.
Umar
turned to his companion and said, "The girl has kept her resolve
in spite of the exhortation of her mother. She deserves a
reward. What reward should I give her?"
"She
should be paid some money" said Ibn Abbas.
Umar
said, 'Such a girl would become a great mother Her integrity is not
to be weighed with a few coins; it is to be measured in the
scale of national values. I shall offer her the highest award in my
gift, and which shall also be in the highest interest of the
nation."
The
Caliph summoned the daughter and the mother to his court. The mother
trembled as she stood before the mighty ruler. But the girl
faced the Caliph boldly and with great equanimity. She was
beautiful, and there was an impressive dignity about her.
Then
before the gathering, Umar related how he had overheard the mother
and the daughter, and how in spite of the exhortations of the
mother the daughter had kept he resolve.
Someone
suggested that the mother should be taken the task. The Caliph said
that ordinarily he would have punished the mother, but he had
forgiven her for the sake of he daughter. Turning to the girl the
great Caliph said, "Islam needs daughters like you, and as a
Caliph of Islam it devolve on me to reward you by owning you as
a daughter".
The
Caliph called his sons, and addressing them said "Here is a gem
of a girl who would make a great mother. I desire that one of
you should take this girl as wife. I know of no better bride than
this girl of sterling character. In matters of wedlock, it
should be the character, and not the stature in life that should
count."
Abdullah
and Abdur Rahman the elder sons of the Caliph were already married.
Asim the third son was yet unmarried, and he offered to marry
the girl. Thereupon with the consent of the milkmaid and her
mother Asim was married to the girl, and the milkmaid became the
daughter-in-law of the Caliph.
From
this union was born a daughter Umm Asim, who became in due course the
mother of Umar bin Abdul Aziz. Umar bin Abdul Aziz became a
Caliph in due course.
While
other Caliphs of the Ummayad dynasty reveled in luxury, Umar bin
Abdul Aziz as a Caliph set up standards for austerity and
simplicity following in the footsteps of Umar the second Caliph of
Islam. It is said that if ever there was a noble Caliph after
the 'Rightly guided Caliphs', such a man was Umar bin Abdul
Aziz. And he inherited the noble qualities of the milkmaid who
married the Caliph's son, and those of Umar Farooq who had the
eye to discern the nobler qualities of sterling character in a poor
girl.
Umar Flogs His Son To Death
Abu
Shahma was a son of Umar. He fought in the battles in Egypt. After
the conquest of Egypt he built a house for himself in Fustat.
One
day in the company of a friend he inadvertently drank wine and became
unconscious. The following day he went with his friend to Amr
bin Al Aas, confessed their guilt, and wanted to be punished. Amr bin
Al Aas said that as they had drunk the wine inadvertently, and
were feeling repentant, that was enough and no further
punishment was called for.
Abu
Shahma did not wish to avail of the benefit of inadvertence. He
insisted that he should be punished according to law, failing
which he would bring the matter to the notice of the Caliph.
Thereupon Arm bin Al Aas inflicted the usual punishment of
lashes in the compound of his house. Abu Shahma's head was also
shaved off in the house of the Governor.
The
Reporter reported the matter to Umar, and Umar addressed a letter to
Amr b. Al Aas in strong terms as follows:
"O
Amr bin Al Aas it has come to my notice that you have been derelict
in the performance of your duty. You have shown undue favor to
Abu Shahma by awarding him punishment in your house rather than at
a public place. You were apparently moved by the consideration that
he is my son. You should know that in such matters I cannot
tolerate any concession to a person on the ground that he is related
to me. As soon as you get this letter send Abu Shahma to Medina
on a naked camel."
Amr
bin Al Aas complied with the instructions and dispatched Abu Shahma
to Madina. In the way Abu Shahma fell sick and when he reached
Madina he could hardly walk.
Umar
was furious, and he ordered that Abu Shahma should be lashed in the
public. Abdul Rahman b. Auf pleaded that the boy had already
been lashed in Egypt and no further punishment was called for Abu
Shahma said that he was suffering, and the punishment should be
deferred till he was recovered.
Umar
brushed aside these pleadings Abu Shahma was flogged publicly. Abu
Shahma could not withstand the ordeal He fell senseless after a
few stripes had been inflicted. He remained in a state of agony for
a few days and then died a martyr to the highly developed sense
of justice of his father.
The Woman Who Pined For Her Husband
In
the wars that were conducted during the rule of Umar, the soldiers on
the front remained absent for considerable periods. Umar
introduced the reform that leave should be granted to every soldier
after he had served on the front for four months. A story is
recorded as to how this reform was brought about.
It
is related that one night Umar went on his round in Madina as usual.
It was the dead of night, and every where was quiet. From one
of the houses in the street, Umar heard a lady lamenting. She said:
"The
night is wearisome and keeps me sleepless;
For
I have none to keep me company.
I
fear Allah, Who keeps watch over our souls,
And
would not take another companion,
But
who could tell Umar,
That
he should not be so cruel,
As
to keep my husband away from me,
For
such a long period."
Umar
knocked at the door, and when the lady came to the door he said:
"I
have heard, what you wanted to be conveyed to Umar.
How
long has your husband been away."
The
lady said, "About a year."
Umar
said, "Rest assured your husband would come back to you
shortly."
Umar
consulted Hafsa as to the maximum period for which a man might remain
separate from his wife. She suggested a period of four months.
Umar accordingly issued orders to the effect that unless a man of
the armed forces could take his wife with him, he should be allowed a
spell of leave after every four months of active service on the
front.
Umar And His Whip
It
is related that once while riding a camel, the whip of Umar dropped.
Many persons who saw the whip fall rushed to pick up the whip
to hand it over to the Caliph. Umar asked them to mind their own
business, and not to bother about his whip. Umar dismounted and
picked up his whip himself.
Iqbal
has dramatized the episode in his classic poem 'The Secrets of the
Self'. Iqbal exhorts:
"Like
Umar, come down from the camel,
Beware
of incurring obligations, beware"
From
this episode, Iqbal deduces a code of conduct, the highlights whereof
are:
"Do
not incur the obligation of any person,
Do
not debase yourself by receiving benefits.
Self
is weakened by asking; asking disintegrates the Self,
By
asking, poverty is made more abject.
By
begging, the beggar is made poorer,
Even
if you are poor and overwhelmed by affliction,
Do
not seek your bread by the bounty of another."
Iqbal
further elaborates:
"God
loves a man that earns his living;
Woe
to him that accepts bounty from another's table.
The
more your hands are empty, the more you are master of yourself.
Seek
no favors and walk with your head erect like the pine.
Sweet
is a little dew gathered by one's own hand,
Be
a man of honor, and like the bubble
Keep
the cup inverted even in the midst of the sea."
Umar's Care For The Poor
It
was the year of the famine. Umar took pains to ensure that adequate
relief reached all people, and that there were no persons in
the city who went to sleep hungry.
One
night as usual Umar went on his round. He was accompanied by his
slave Aslam. As he strolled from street to street all was quiet
and the people seemed to be asleep. Umar thought to himself, "Thank
God, there is no one in this city whom the famine has
afflicted."
Then
as he turned a corner he saw a cottage where light was burning, and
from where the sound of the weeping of the children was heard.
Umar went to the cottage. He saw that the lady of the house was
cooking something on the hearth, and the children were crying.
Umar
knocked at the gate, and addressing the lady of the house Umar
enquired why were the children crying. She said that they were
crying because they were hungry. "And what are you cooking",
asked Umar. The lady said that in the kettle there was only
water and stones. That was to while away the children that food
was being cooked for them. She hoped that exhausted the children
would go to sleep.
Hearing
this tale of woe, Umar felt guilty. He had thought that because of
the arrangements made by him, no one was afflicted in the city
and here was a family which was starving. Umar said to the lady that
he would arrange relief for her family immediately.
Umar
went to the Baitul Mal. There he put the necessary provisions in a
bag and carried the bag to the cottage. His slave insisted that
he would carry the bag, but Umar said that he would carry his burden
himself. Umar handed over the bag of provisions to the lady. Umar sat
by the hearth and helped the lady cook the meals. When the
meals were ready the children were awakened and served with the
delicious meals. As the children ate to their fill and were
satisfied they smiled the smile of happiness. Seeing the
destitute children smile Umar also felt happy.
Umar
enquired of the lady whether there was none to support. She said that
the father of the children had died, and there was no body to
support. Whatever little was in the house had been gradually used
up and they were starving since the last three days.
Umar
asked the lady why she had not brought her distress to the notice of
the Caliph. The lady said that in spite of her poverty she had
some sense of self-respect and she could not go and beg the Caliph
for any favor. She added that it was incumbent on the Caliph to
ascertain that there was no one in his charge who was
starving.
Umar
said, "You are right. Please excuse me for the remissness in the
past. For the future it will be my responsibility to see that
your wants are satisfied."
And
when the lady realized that the man who had come to her relief was
the Caliph himself, she felt satisfied that the Caliph had
discharged his onerous responsibilities creditably.
A Persian Stabbed Umar
After
the battle of Nihawand, many Persians, men, women, and children were
taken as captives by the Muslims. The captives were sold as
slaves. One of these slaves was Firoz alias Abu Lulu. He was
purchased by Mughirah Shu'bah the Governor of Basra. This Firoz was a
craftsman, a carpenter, an iron smith and a painter. Umar did
not allow non-Muslim adult captives to reside in Madina. Mughirah
sought special permission for the residence of Firoz in Madina
on the ground that as he was a skilled craftsman, he would be
of service to the people. Umar gave the permission as a special
case.
One
day, Firoz waited on Umar and complained that the tax which his
master Mughirah was exacting from him was too high. He wanted
the Caliph to reduce the levy. Umar enquired what work did he do. He
said that he worked as a carpenter, painter, and an ironsmith.
He added that he could make windmills as well. Umar next
enquired as to the amount of the tax that he was required to pay to
his master. He said that he had to pay two dirhams a day. Umar
said that keeping in view the lucrative nature of the jobs done by
him, the levy of two dirhams a day was prima facie not excessive.
Umar said that he would, however, write to Mughirah, and
examine the question further in the light of what Mughirah said. That
did not satisfy Firoz, and he went away sulking.
Umar
wrote to Mughirah, and in reply Mughirah quoted facts and figures to
establish that what he took from his slave was by no means
excessive. When Firoz called on Umar again, Umar explained to him
that as the levy was not excessive, no reduction therein was
called for that made Firoz angry. In order to humor Firoz, Umar
said, "I understand you make windmills; make one for me as
well." In a sullen mood, Firoz said, "Verily I will
make such a mill for you, that the world would talk about it."
As Firoz went away, the Caliph told the people around him that
the Persian slave had threatened him.
There
were Persian children slaves in Madina. Seeing them, Firoz would say,
"You have been enslaved at such a tender age. This Umar
sees eaten my heart. I will take his heart out". He made for
himself a dagger with a very sharp edge and smeared it with
poison.
On
the 1st of November 644 A.D. at the time of the morning prayer, Firoz
went with his dagger to the Prophet's mosque and hid himself in
a corner in one of the recesses of the mosque. When the faithful
stood for prayer after straightening the lines, and Umar took up his
position as the Imam to lead the prayer, Firoz emerged from his
place of hiding and rushed at Umar. Firoz struck Umar six
consecutive blows with his dagger, and Umar fell on the floor
profusely bleeding.
Other
persons rushed at Firoz, but he had the fury and frenzy of a
desperate man about him. He struck right and left, and thirteen
Muslims were wounded, some of them fatally, before Firoz could be
overpowered. At last realizing that he could not escape, Firoz
stabbed himself to death with his own dagger.
Umar On Death Bed
From
the mosque Umar was carried home. When he regained consciousness he
asked who was his murderer. He was told that his murderer was
the Persian slave Firoz. Thereupon Umar said, "Praise be to
God that I have not been murdered by a Muslim".
The
physician administered him date cordial and milk. These could not be
digested and gushed out of his wounds. That indicated that the
wounds were fatal and that he could not survive for long.
The
people around him praised him for his virtues and sterling qualities.
He asked them not to praise him. He said:
"All
praise is to Allah. If all the treasures of this world were to be at
my disposal, I would offer them as a ransom to be saved from
the trial at the Day of Judgment."
He
then recited the Arabic verse:
"I
have been unjust to my soul,
Except that I am a Muslim,
Say my prayers and fast."
Except that I am a Muslim,
Say my prayers and fast."
Umar
asked his son Abdullah to wait on Ayesha and beg her permission for
his burial by the side of the Holy Prophet and Abu Bakr. Ayesha
wept as she came to know that Umar was about to die. She said, "I
had reserved this place for my own burial, but I give Umar precedence
over myself. Let him be buried there". When Umar was told
that Ayesha had given the permission, he felt happy and said, "God
bless Ayesha. She has fulfilled my greatest wish. Now I can die
in peace."
Then
he asked his son to estimate the debt that he had to pay. He was told
that the debt amounted to eighty six thousand dirhams. This
included the salary that he had drawn from the Baitul Mal during the
period of his caliphate. He instructed that the debt should be paid
by the sale of his property. Thereafter Umar gave detailed
instructions to his son regarding his funeral. He said:
"Be
moderate in the expenses of my shroud, for verily if there is
anything of good with God in my favor, He will give me in
exchange what is better than it, and if I have been otherwise, He
will strip me of all that I have. And be moderate in the grave
that you dig for me, for verily if there be anything of good with
God in my favor, He will widen it for me, and if I have been
otherwise, He will make it narrow for me to squeeze my body.
And let no woman go with my funeral. Praise me not for that which is
not in me, for the Lord knows best what I am. Therefore when
you carry me to the grave, hasten in your going for if there is
anything of good with God in my favor you will speed me to that which
is good, and if I have been otherwise, you will cast from your
necks an evil that you bear."
Thereafter
Umar turned his face to the Qibla and breathed his last. There was
serene smile on his face as he lay dead.
Umar And His Successor
When
Umar was on his death bed, he was asked that he should nominate his
successor. Umar sighed and said, "Whom should I nominate
my successor? If Abu Ubaida had been alive, I would have nominated
him as my successor for about him the Holy Prophet had said that he
was the trustee of the Muslim community. If Salam the liberated
slave of Abu Huzaifa had been alive, I would have nominated him as
my successor for about him the Holy Prophet had said that among
the Muslims he loved Allah most."
Some
one said, "I propose the name of your son Abdullah for the
office."
Thereupon
Umar said:
"May
God curse you for tempting me to nepotism by nominating my son when I
am going to meet my Creator. The Caliphate is an affair
affecting the entire Muslim community, and I would not like to make
it an hereditary office in my family. I swear it by God that I
never coveted the caliphate for myself. Therefore what I never
coveted for myself I would not like to pass on to my family. If the
caliphate is something good then by holding the office for the
last ten years, I have had the blessing for my family. If the
caliphate is something bad then why should I pass on this bad thing
to my family? God is my witness that during my caliphate I
showed no favor to my family members. On the other hand I was more
hard with them than with the other Muslims. I have tried to
fulfill the obligations of the office always under the shadow
of the fear lest I may at any stage falter in the performance of my
duties. I do not know whether I have succeeded in my purpose,
but I will be happy if my achievements and failures just balance, so
that I am neither rewarded nor punished for holding the office
of the caliphate. Remember ye men, that if I nominate my
successor, a better man than me (namely Abu Bakr) also nominated his
successor. And again if I do not nominate a successor, remember
that the best of men, namely Muhammad (peace be on him) did not
nominate a successor. Whatever the case I am confident that Allah
will Himself protect the interests of Islam."
At
this, the persons around Umar went away. Umar had some sleep. Then
the men came again and they said:
"O
Amirul Mominin, if you are not going to nominate a successor at least
leave some instructions for the selection of your successor."
Thereupon
Umar said:
"After
hearing you and weighing the pros and cons of the case carefully I
had decided that I should nominate my successor who should lead
the Muslims on the path of righteousness. But then I lost
consciousness, and in that state of unconsciousness I had a dream. I
saw that a man who had laid out the garden was plucking all
ripe and unripe fruit from all the trees, and gathering it on the
ground. I interpret this dream to mean that I will die, and
Allah will Himself attend to the affairs of the Muslim
community. I therefore refrain from nominating a successor for I do
not wish that even after death I should continue to carry the
burden of the caliphate."
When
pressed to leave some guidance for the people to choose his
successor, Umar said that he would nominate a Committee
comprising Ali, Usman, Abdur Rahman b. Auf; Sad bin Abi Waqqas;
Zubair b. Awwam; and Abu Talha. All these were eminent
Companions whom the Holy Prophet gave the tidings of paradise
in their lifetime. Umar said:
"I
enjoin that this Committee should elect one of themselves as the
Caliph."
The
following, day Umar called the members of the Committee (except Abu
Talha who was cut of station) and enjoined them that they
should deliberate and choose one from among themselves as the
Caliph. The Committee retired to hold a meeting. It was soon
found that there were strong dissensions among the members, and
loud voices were raised highlighting the differences. Thereupon Abdul
Rahman b. Auf addressing the members of the Committee said:
"The
Amirul Mominin is not yet dead, and you have started quarrelling over
the question of succession."
When
this state of affairs was brought to the notice of Umar he
instructed:
"Defer
the consideration of this issue for the present. When I die you take
up the issue and then settle it within three days. On the
fourth day after my death the person chosen by you should take the
oath of office. He should be some one out of you. Abdullah b.
Umar will sit with the Committee as Adviser and Moderator, but
he will have no vote, nor will he be eligible for election as the
Caliph. If during this period Abu Talha joins you he will be a
member. If he does not come within three days, the rest of the
members of the Committee will have the authority to take the
decision. During these three days, Suhaib will lead the
prayers. Thereafter, whosoever, is elected as the Caliph will lead
the prayers."
Testament Of Umar
On
his death bed Umar was requested to make a testament for the guidance
of his successor. Umar addressed the following testament to his
successor:
"I
enjoin upon you to have trust and faith in God, He Who has no peer.
Be
kind and generous to the Muhajreen and the Ansar. Those out of them
who are good, be good to them; those who are bad overlook their
lapses.
Be
good to the people of the conquered lands. They are the outer line of
our defense; they are the target of the anger and distress of
our enemies. They contribute to our revenues. They should be taxed
only on their surplus wealth.
Be
gracious to the Bedouins as they are the backbone of the Arab
nation.
I
instruct you to be good to the Dhimmis for they are your
responsibility. Do not tax them beyond their capacity. Ensure
that they pay the Jizya without undue inconvenience.
Fear
God, and in all that you do keep His pleasure in view. In the matter
of people fear God, and in the matter of Allah do not be afraid
of the people.
With
regard to the people, I enjoin upon you to administer justice with an
even hand. See that all the legitimate requirements of the
people are met. Be concerned for their welfare. Ensure the safety of
their person and property.
See
that the frontiers of our domains are not violated. Take strong steps
to guard the frontiers.
In
the matter of administration do not prefer the rich to the poor. Be
hard against those who violate the law. Show them no mercy. Do
not rest content until you have brought the miscreants to book.
Treat
all the people as equal. Be a pillar of strength for those who are
weak and oppressed. Those who are strong but do wrong, make
them pay for their wrong-doings.
In
the distribution of booty and other matters be above nepotism. Let no
consideration of relationship or selfish interest weigh with
you.
The
Satan is at large; it may tempt you. Rise above all temptations and
perform your duties in accordance with the injunctions of
Islam.
Get
guidance from the Holy Quran and Sunnah. Freely consult the wise men
around you. Apply your own mind in difficult cases, and seek
light from God.
Be
simple in your living and your habits. Let there be no show or
ostentation about you. Lead life as a model Muslim. As you are
the leader of the Muslims, justify your leadership by being the best
among them all. May God bless you."
His
son Abdullah also desired some words of parting advice. Umar asked
him to hold fast to the fundamentals of faith. Abdullah asked
what these fundamentals were.
Umar
said that these were:
- Keep fast in the intense heat of the summer when the Ramazan falls in such a season.
- Kill the enemies of Islam with sword.
- In the event of any calamity or distress exercise patience.
- In the cold of the winter perform your ablutions in full.
- On a cloudy day hurry up in offering prayers.
- Abstain from the mud of destruction.
Abdullah
enquired what was the mud of destruction, and Umar said it was
wine-bibbling.
Elegies And Tributes On The Death Of Umar
Atika
the wife of Umar burst into the following elegy on the death of
Umar:
"Eye,
let thy tears and weeping be abundant,
Death has afflicted me in the fall of a horseman
Distinguished in the day of battle and of contumely,
The stay of faith, the defense against inclement fortune,
And a champion unto the afflicted and oppressed,
Say unto the hopeless die,
Since Death hath given us to drink the cup of dissolution."
Death has afflicted me in the fall of a horseman
Distinguished in the day of battle and of contumely,
The stay of faith, the defense against inclement fortune,
And a champion unto the afflicted and oppressed,
Say unto the hopeless die,
Since Death hath given us to drink the cup of dissolution."
She
also said:
"Firoz
has deprived us of such a fair complexioned, fair minded person
Who was fastidious about his prayers
Who was regular in the recitation of the Holy Qur'an,
Who was a source of strength for the weak;
And who was stern and harsh against the oppressors."
Who was fastidious about his prayers
Who was regular in the recitation of the Holy Qur'an,
Who was a source of strength for the weak;
And who was stern and harsh against the oppressors."
Another
wife of Umar mourned his death in the following terms:
"The
death of Umar has overwhelmed me with such grief
That the entire world now appears to be a place of sorrow and distress."
That the entire world now appears to be a place of sorrow and distress."
Bint
Abi Hashma said:
"We
mourn the death of Umar
Who disentangled every knot,
Who solved every difficulty,
Who put an end to all mischief,
Who revived the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet,
He has departed from this world
Free from all blame."
Who disentangled every knot,
Who solved every difficulty,
Who put an end to all mischief,
Who revived the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet,
He has departed from this world
Free from all blame."
Hafsa
expressed her grief in the following terms:
"I
am bearing this bereavement with patience,
The Holy Qur'an condoles me,
You are not alone to die,
Every one is to die in turn."
The Holy Qur'an condoles me,
You are not alone to die,
Every one is to die in turn."
A
poet mournfully said:
"Because
of the leadership of Umar,
The Muslims became a disciplined community,
Apparently it's impossible that after him,
Any one should carry the burden of the State
As effectively as he did."
The Muslims became a disciplined community,
Apparently it's impossible that after him,
Any one should carry the burden of the State
As effectively as he did."
Sa'id
bin Zaid, the brother-in-law of Umar, wept grievously. He was
asked why he was weeping so profusely. He said:
"I
am not weeping for Umar. I am weeping for Islam in which cracks will
appear after his death."
Seeing
the face of Umar, Ali said:
"Salutations
of God to thee,
Verily, there is no man
Other than this shrouded one,
Whose deeds I envy."
Verily, there is no man
Other than this shrouded one,
Whose deeds I envy."
'Usman
seeing the face of Umar said:
"Out
of us, who can equal Umar?"
Distinctions of Umar
Umar was a man of many distinctions. A study of his life shows that in many respects he had the unique distinction of being the first or foremost. Hereunder an attempt is made to catalogue the matters in which Umar was the foremost.
He was unique in his power of discrimination. The Holy Prophet conferred on him the title of 'Al-Farooq'.
Among his contemporaries he was the foremost in the matter of knowledge and learning.
He had the unique distinction of having his views confirmed by the Holy Quran.
His superiority over his contemporaries was acknowledged when the Holy Prophet said that if there was to be a prophet after him, it would have been Umar.
He was the first Muslim ruler to be known by the title of Amir-ul-Mo'minin.
The conquests made by him exceeded in extent the conquests made by any other Muslim ruler throughout the course of history.
He was the first Muslim ruler to establish public treasury.
He was the first Muslim ruler to establish courts of justice and appoint judges.
He was the first Muslim ruler to establish the Army Department and assign regular salaries to the men in the armed forces.
He was the first to create army reserves.
He established the land revenue department for the first time.
He was the first ruler under whom the survey and assessment work of lands was undertaken.
He was the first Muslim ruler to take a census.
He was the first Muslim ruler to strike coins.
He was the first Muslim ruler to dig canals.
He was the first Muslim ruler to found cities.
He was the first Muslim ruler to divide the country into provinces and provinces into districts.
He imposed the customs duty for the first time.
He was the first to set up jails.
He was the first to organize the Police Department.
He was the first among the Muslim rulers to establish Military Centers and Military Cantonments at strategic points.
He established cavalry. He set up stables at strategic points. He created the distinction of pedigree and nonpedigree horses.
He established guest-houses in all cities. He established rest-houses on the road from Madina to Mecca for the comfort of travelers.
He provided for the care and bringing up of foundlings.
He laid down that no Arab could be made a slave.
He gave stipends to the poor.
He established schools throughout the country. He allowed liberal salaries to school teachers.
He was the first who instituted the prayers of Tarawih in congregation in the mosque in the month of Ramazan.
He was the first to formulate the principle of Qiyas.
He had the formula "Prayer is better than sleep" inserted in the call for morning prayers.
He was the first to provide light in mosques at nights.
He was the first to provide salaries for Imams and Muezzins.
He was the first to organize sermons in mosques.
He was the first to punish for writing satires and lampoons.
He was the first to prohibit the mention of women's names in lyric poems, an ancient custom in Arabia.
He was the first to inflict eighty stripes for indulgence in wine.
He was the first to prohibit 'Muta'ah'-marriage for a limited term.
He was the first to forbid the sale of female slaves, who had borne children to their masters.
He was the first who assembled the people to prayers over the dead with four Takbirs.
He was the first to enlarge and pave the Prophet's mosque at Madina.
He was the first to expel non-Muslims from Arabia. The Jews from Hijaz were transferred to Syria, and the Christians from Nijran were transferred to Kufah.
He was the first to place the law of inheritance on a sound basis.
He was the first to establish trusts.
Holy Prophet's Assessment Of Umar
A
number of traditions have come down to us which speak of the Holy
Prophet's assessment of Umar.
Before
the conversion of Umar to Islam, the prayer of the Holy Prophet is on
record wherein he prayed "O God, glorify Thy faith by the
conversion of Umar."
There
is a tradition that when Umar was converted to Islam the Holy Prophet
said that Gabriel had visited him to say "O Muhammad,
verily the dwellers in Heaven rejoice with you at the conversion of
Umar."
According
to Abu Hurrayrah, the Holy Prophet once related a dream in the
presence of Umar. The Holy Prophet related, "While I was
asleep, I saw myself in paradise, and beheld there a woman performing
her ablutions by the side of a house. I enquired whose house it
was, and I was told that it was Umar's. The lady said that she
belonged to Umar. Then recollecting how jealous Umar was in the
matter of women, I turned back, and thereafter I woke up".
Hearing this, Umar said, "O Prophet of God, everything of mine
is at your service; how can I be jealous of you in any
matter?"
On
another occasion, the Holy Prophet had another dream. He related:
"While
I was asleep, I dreamt that I drank milk. Then that milk began to
flow from my fingers. That milk I asked Umar to drink, and he
drank to his fill." The Holy Prophet was asked to interpret the
dream and he said that the dream signified that among his
followers, Umar would excel every one in knowledge.
According
to another tradition, the Holy Prophet said, "While I was
asleep, I saw the people presented to me. These people wore
garments. Some had garments reaching to their breasts, and some had
garments which reached their toes. Then Umar was presented, and
upon him was a garment which was so long that he dragged it as
he moved". The Holy Prophet was requested to interpret the
dream. The Holy Prophet said that the significance of the dream
was that Umar would be a source of strength and service to
Islam.
Al-Bukhari
carries a tradition according to which the Holy Prophet said that
there was to be no prophet after him, but if there were to be
no bar to such prophethood, Umar would have been the prophet. That
was the highest tribute that the Holy Prophet could pay to Umar.
According
to another tradition the Holy Prophet said, "Verily God has
placed truth upon the tongue of Umar, and upon his heart."
According to an allied tradition, the Holy Prophet said, "Never
did a thing come upon the people, and they said one thing
regarding it, and Umar another, but the Qur'an revealed it after
the manner that Umar had said. The greatest tribute was paid to Umar,
when the Holy Prophet said, "God speaks through the tongue
of ;Umar."
There
is a tradition that Gabriel once came to the Holy Prophet and said,
"Greet Umar with a salutation, and tell him that his anger
is glory and his approval, command."
According
to a tradition, the Holy Prophet said, "Umar is the lamp of the
dwellers in paradise."
A
tradition is on record according to which pointing to Umar the Holy
Prophet said, "Umar is a strongly bolted gate against
discord. As long as he lives in your midst, there will be no discord
among the Muslims."
We
have it on the authority of 'Ayesha that the Holy Prophet said,
"Verily I behold the evil spirits among genii and men,
fleeing from Umar". In the same strain the Holy Prophet said,
"Verily Satan avoideth Umar."
There
is another tradition according to which the Holy Prophet said, "There
is not an angel in Heaven, but he revereth Umar, and not a
demon on earth but he fleeth from Umar.",
On
the occasion of the last pilgrimage the Holy Prophet said, "Verily
God approved of the conduct of the pilgrims at Arafat in
general and Umar in particular".
There
is a tradition that in the days of his illness the Holy Prophet said,
"The Truth after me is with Umar, wherever he may be."
About
Umar's victory against Satan, the Holy Prophet said, "Verily
Satan hath never met Umar since his conversion, but he hath
fallen prostrate on his face."
According
to a tradition the Holy Prophet said, "Gabriel said to me,
'verily Islam will weep at the death of Umar."
According
to a tradition the Holy Prophet expressed his attachment to Umar in
the following terms: "He who hateth Umar hates me, and he
who loveth Umar loves me".
The Holy Prophet's Joint Tributes To Abu Bakr And Umar
Some
traditions have come down to us "hereunder the Holy Prophet paid
joint tributes to Abu Bakr and Umar.
Abu
Hurrayrah said:
"I
heard the Holy Prophet say, 'while a shepherd was in the midst of his
flock, a wolf rushed upon it and carried from it a sheep and
the shepherd pursued it, the wolf turned to him and said, who will be
a protector to it on the day of resurrection-the day when there
will be no other shepherd than myself. As a man was driving an
ox which he had laden, it turned to him and said, Verily I was not
created for this but for tillage."
The
companions cried, "Good God! Should an ox talk." The Holy
Prophet said:
"I
believe in it, and likewise Abu Bakr and Umar."
This
is indicative of the Holy Prophet's trust in the faith of Abu Bakr
and Umar.
The
Holy Prophet said:
"There
was never a prophet but he had two Ministers from the dwellers in
heaven and two Ministers from among the dwellers on earth. My
two Ministers of the dwellers of heaven are Gabriel and Michael, and
of the earth Abu Bakr and Umar'."
It
is related in a tradition that one day the Holy Prophet entered the
mosque with Abu Bakr and Umar, one of them on his right hand,
and the other upon his left. He held their hands and said:
"Thus
shall we arise on the Day of Judgment."
According
to another tradition, the Holy Prophet looked on Abu Bakr and Umar
and said:
"They
are my hearing and my sight."
There
is another tradition according to which turning to Abu Bakr and Umar,
the Holy Prophet said:
"Praise
be to God, Who has strengthened me with ye two." On one
occasion, addressing Abu Bakr and Umar, the Holy Prophet said:
"If
you two are agreed upon any matter, I would not oppose you."
The
Holy Prophet also said:
"Every
prophet has chosen ones among his people and verily my elect from
among my companions are Abu Bakr and Umar."
The
Holy Prophet said:
"Love
towards Abu Bakr and Umar is faith; hatred towards them is
infidelity."
The
Holy Prophet said on another occasion:
"Love
towards Abu Bakr and Umar and a knowledge of them is an injunction of
the law."
The
Holy Prophet also said:
"Verily
I hope for the same benefit for my people by their profession of love
towards Abu Bakr and Umar that I hope for them by their
profession of faith there is no god but God'."
Assessment Of Umar By The Companions
Abu
Bakr said about Umar, "There is not upon the face of the earth a
man dearer to me then Umar." When Abu Bakr was on his
death bed, it was said to him, "What will you say to God, now
that you have appointed Umar as your successor?" Abu Bakr
said, "I will say to Him that I appointed over His people the
man who was the best among them all."
After
the death of Umar, Ali said in the course of one of his sermons:
"When
Umar became the Caliph, there were some people who approved of his
caliphate and there were some who disagreed. During his
caliphate he administered the affairs of the State strictly on the
lines laid down by the Holy Prophet and his successor Abu Bakr.
He followed them in the same way as a child follows its mother.
Verily he was a pillar of strength for the weak, the poor, and the
aggrieved. He was for the Muslims a source of honor, prosperity
and victory. Nothing stood in his way in promoting the cause of
Truth. He was so discriminating in truth that we come to believe that
the angel spoke through his tongue. By being converted to
Islam, he became a source of honor and strength for Islam His
migration was a cause of strengthening the religion of Islam.
God made the infidels fear Umar, and the pious Muslims love
him. As he was very harsh with the enemies of Islam, the Holy Prophet
compared Umar to Gabriel. As he had a fiery temper the Holy
Prophet compared him to Nuh, O ye Muslims bear in mind that after the
Holy Prophet, among his followers the two best persons were Abu
Bakr, and Umar."
Ali
used to say, "When the righteous are mentioned, then be quick
and mention Umar." Ali also said "We used to say not
without reason that the Divine Presence spoke by the tongue of
Umar."
Abu
'Ubaida bin Al-Jarah, the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim forces in
Syria said:
"When
Umar will die, Islam will be disgraced. I do not wish that I should
survive Umar. I wish to die during the life-time of Umar."
'Abdullah
bin 'Abbes said:
"May
God bless the soul of Umar. By God he was a pillar of strength for
Islam. He was the shelter for the orphans and the widows. By
his conduct he fortified the faith of others. He was a model Muslim.
The weak relied on him for the redress of their grievances. He
was a great helper of the people. As a Caliph he promoted the
interests of Islam. Under him the standard of Islam was carried east
and west, and the call to prayers could be heard in plains and
on hills even in distant lands. In the states when he was hard or
humble he maintained the dignity of Islam. He remembered God at all
times. He was indeed the gem of a man. May Allah humiliate the
person who talks ill of Umar, or bears him any enmity."
Ibn
Masiud said:
"If
the wisdom of Umar were placed in the scale of a balance, and the
wisdom of living things upon the earth in the other scale, the
wisdom of Umar would outweigh them, and verily the people used to
think that Umar carried nine-tenth of the wisdom of the
world."
Ibn
Mas'ud on another occasion said:
"Verily
Umar was the most learned of us all in the Book of God, and most
profoundly versed in the religious ordinances of Allah."
On
the death of Umar, Ibn Mas'ud said:
"Umar
was the fort of Islam. The people could enter the fort but could not
come out of it. With the death of Umar that fort has fallen and
now people would come out of it." 'Abbas said about Umar:
"I
was a neighbor of Umar. After the Holy Prophet I have not found any
person superior to Umar in the love of God. He spent the
greater part of night in prayer. Throughout the day he worked hard to
win the pleasure of Allah".
On
the death of Umar, Saeed b. Zaid said:
"With
the death of Umar, Islam has come to grief. His death has caused a
breach in the citadel of Islam which would not be filled up."
Abu
Hudhaifa said:
"It
is as if the wisdom of mankind lay hidden in the bossom of Umar. By
Allah I know not a man whom the reproof of the censurer in what
relateth to the service of God, does not touch, but Umar." He
also said, "In the time of Umar Islam attained the climax
of glory. After his death Islam will have to face difficulties."
'Ayesha
said of him "By Allah, Umar was active in affairs, singly
undertaking their management."
Abu
Talha Ansari said, "By God, there is no Muslim household which
has not suffered because of the death of Umar."
Ibn
Umar said, "I never saw any one after the Holy Prophet, from the
time that he died, any person more vehement and yet more
beneficent than Umar."
Ibn
'Abbas was asked about Umar, and he said, " Umar was like a wary
bird who apprehended a snare at every step to trap it."
Amir
Muawiyah said, "Abu Bakr sought not the world, and the world
sought him not. In the case of Umar, the world sought him, but
he sought it not."
Assessment
By Western Writers
In
his book "Lives of Successors of Muhammad", Washington
Irving estimates the achievements of Umar in the following
terms:
"The
whole history of Umar shows him to have been a man of great powers of
mind, inflexible integrity and rigid justice. He was more than
any one else the founder of the Islamic empire; confirming and
carrying out the inspirations of the Prophet; aiding Abu Bakr with
his counsels during his brief Caliphate; and establishing wise
regulations for the strict administration of the law throughout the
rapidly-extending bounds of the Muslim conquests. The rigid
hand which he kept upon his most popular generals in the midst
of their armies, and in the most distant scenes of their triumphs,
gives signal evidence of his extra-ordinary capacity to rule.
In the simplicity of his habits, and his contempt for all pomp and
luxury, he emulated the example of the Prophet and Abu Bakr. He
endeavored incessantly to impress the merit and policy of the
same in his letters to his generals. 'Beware' he would say of Persian
luxury both in food and raiment. Keep to the simple habits of
your country, and Allah will continue you victorious; depart from
them and He will reverse your fortunes'. It was his strong conviction
of the truth of this policy which made him so severe in
punishing all ostentatious style and luxurious indulgence in his
officers. Some of his ordinances do credit to his heart as well
as his head. He forbade that any female captive who had borne a
child should be sold as a slave. In his weekly distributions of the
surplus money of his treasury, he proportioned them to the
wants, not the merits of the applicants. 'God' said he, 'has bestowed
the good things of this world to relieve our necessities, not
to reward our virtues: those will be rewarded in another
world'."
In
his book "The Caliphate, its Rise, Decline and Fall" Sir
William Muir says as follows about Umar:
"Umar's
life requires but few lines to sketch. Simplicity and duty were his
guiding principles; impartiality and devotion the leading
features of his administration. 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 stalk of grass instead!' In
early life, of a fiery and impatient temper, he was known, even in
the later days of the Prophet, as the stern advocate of
vengeance. Ever ready to unsheathe the sword, it was he who at Badr
advised that the prisoners should be put to death. But age, as
well as office, had now mellowed this asperity. His sense of
justice was strong. And except it be the treatment of Khalid, whom
according to some accounts, he pursued with an ungenerous
resentment, no act of tyranny or injustice is recorded against him;
and even in this matter, his enmity took its rise in Khalid's
unscrupulous treatment of fallen foe. The choice of his
captains and governors was free from favoritism and (Al-Mughira and
Ammar excepted) singularly fortunate. The various tribes and
bodies in the empire, representing interests the most diverse,
reposed in his integrity implicit confidence, and his strong
arm maintained the discipline of law and empire. . . Whip in
hand he would perambulate the streets and markets of Madina, ready to
punish slanders on the spot; and so the proverb Umar's whip is
more terrible than another's sword'. But with all this he was tender
hearted, and numberless acts of kindness are recorded of him, such as
relieving the wants of the widows and the fatherless."
In
his classical work "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,
Gibbon refers to Umar in the following terms:
"Yet
the abstinence and humility of Umar were not inferior to the virtues
of Abu Bakr: his food consisted of barley bread or dates; his
drink was water; he preached in a gown that was torn or tattered in
twelve places; and a Persian satrap, who paid his homage as to
the conqueror, found him asleep among the beggars on the steps
of the mosque of Muslims. Economy is the source of liberality, and
the increases of the revenue enabled Umar to establish a just
and perpetual reward for the past and present services of the
faithful. Careless of his own emolument, he assigned to Abbas, the
uncle of the Prophet, the first and most ample allowance of
twenty-five thousand dirhams of pieces of silver. Five thousand were
allotted to each of the aged warriors? The relics of the field
of Badr and the last and the meanest of the companions of
Mohammad was distinguished by the annual reward of three thousand
pieces. Under his reign and that of his predecessors, the
conquerors of the East were the trusty servants of God and the
people; the mass of public treasure was consecrated to the
expenses of peace and war; a prudent mixture of justice and
bounty maintained the discipline of the Saracens, and then united, by
a rare felicity, the dispatch and execution of despotism with
the equal and frugal maxims of a republican government."
In
his book "History of the Arabs" Professor Philip K. Hitti
has assessed the achievements of Umar in the following terms:
"Simple
and frugal in manner the energetic and talented Umar (634-644) who
was of towering height, strong physique and bald headed,
continued at least for some time after becoming the Caliph to
support himself by trade and lived throughout his life in a
style as unostentatious as that of a Bedouin Sheikh. In fact,
Umar, whose name according to Muslim tradition is the greatest in
early Islam after that of Mohammad, has been idolized by Muslim
writers for his piety, justice and patriarchal simplicity and
treated as the personification of all the virtues a Caliph
ought to possess. His irreproachable character became an
exemplar for all conscientious successors to follow. He owned, we are
told, one shirt and one mantle only, both conspicuous for their
patchwork, slept on a bed of palm leaves, and had no concern other
than the maintenance of the purity of the faith, the upholding
of justice and the ascendancy and security of Islam and the
Arabians. Arabic literature is replete with anecdotes extolling
Umar's stern character. He is said to have scourged his own son
to death for drunkenness. Having in a fit of anger inflicted a number
of stripes on a Bedouin who came seeking his succor against an
oppressor, the Caliph soon repented and asked the Bedouin to
inflict the same number on him. But the latter refused. So Umar
retired to his home with the following soliloquy: 'O son of
Al-Khattab humble thou wert and Allah has elevated thee, thou went
astray, and Allah hath guided thee; thou were weak, and Allah hath
strengthened thee. Then He caused thee to rule over the necks
of thy people, and when one of them came seeking thy aid thou didst
strike him! What wilt thou have to say to thy Lord when thou
presentest thyself before Him'. The one who fixed the Hijrah as
the commencement of the Muslim era, presided over the conquest of
large portions of the then known world, instituted the state
register and organized the government of the new empire, met a
tragic and sudden death at the very zenith of his life when he was
struck down by the poisoned dagger of a Christian Persian slave
in the midst of his own congregation."
"The
Encyclopedia Britannica" remarks about Umar:
"To
Umar's ten years' Caliphate belong, for the most part, the great
conquests. He himself did not take the field, but remained in
Madina; he never, however, suffered the reins to slip from his grasp,
so powerful was the influence of his personality and the Muslim
community of feeling. His political insight is shown by the
fact that he endeavored to limit the indefinite extension of Muslim
conquest, to maintain and strengthen the national Arabian
character of the commonwealth of Islam; also by making it his
foremost task to promote law and order in its internal affairs. The
saying with which he began his reign will never grow
antiquated: 'By God, he that is weakest among you shall be in my eye
the strongest, until I have vindicated for him his rights; he
that is strongest I will treat as the weakest, until he complies
with the law'. It would be impossible to give a better general
definition of the function of the State."
Assessment Of Umar By Oriental Writers
In
his book "History of Egypt", Jurji Zaidan, a Christian
historian has paid a tribute to Umar in the following words:
"In
his time various countries were conquered, spoils were multiplied,
the treasures of the Persian and Roman Emperors were poured in
streams before his troops, nevertheless he himself manifested a
degree of abstemiousness and moderation which was never
surpassed. He addressed the people clad in a garment patched
with leather. He was himself the first to practice what he preached.
He kept a vigilant eye over the Governors and Generals and
enquired strictly into their conduct. Even the great Khalid bin
Walid was not spared. He was just to all mankind and was kindly even
to non-Muslims. Iron discipline was maintained every where
during his reign."
In
his well known book "History of the Saracens", Justice Syed
Amir Ali has rated Umar in the following terms:
"The
death of Umar was a real calamity to Islam. Stern, but just,
far-sighted, thoroughly versed in the character of his people,
he was especially fitted for the leadership of the unruly Arabs. He
had held the helm with a strong hand and severely repressed the
natural tendency to demoralization among nomadic tribes and
semi-civilized people when coming in contact with the luxury and
vices of cities. He had established the Diwan or the Department
of Finance, to which was entrusted the administration of the
revenues; and had introduced fixed rules for the government of the
provinces. He was a man of towering height, strong build, and
fair complexion. Of simple habits, austere and frugal, always
accessible to the meanest of his subjects, wandering about at
night to inquire into the condition of the people, without any
guard of court, such was the greatest and the most powerful ruler of
the time."
Shah
Wali Ullah has described the talents and achievements of Umar
graphically in the following terms:
"Imagine
the heart of Umar as a house with many gates. At each gate is seated
a noble genius. At one gate stands Alexander the Great with all
his genius for conquering countries, commanding armies and
vanquishing foes. At another gates sits Anushirwan with all his
gentleness, magnanimity, justice, and love of his subjects. And
yet at another gate sits a spiritual leader like Syed Abdul Qadir
Gilani or Khawaja Bahauddin. At another gate sits Hadith
specialists like Abu Huraira and Ibn Umar, and yet at another gate
sit thinkers of the caliber of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi and Sheikh
Fariduddin Attar. And people are standing around this house and
every needy one represents his need to the Imam of his branch of
knowledge and goes away satisfied."
Put
in simpler words, this tribute means that:
- Umar was a great Conqueror, greater than Alexander;
- Umar excelled Anushirwan in justice;
- Umar was a great spiritual leader;
- Umar was a specialist in Hadith;
- Umar was a great thinker;
- Umar excelled in all branches of knowledge.
Sayings Of Umar
Umar
was known for his great knowledge and wisdom. He often expressed his
thoughts in words conspicuous for their wisdom. A number of his
sayings have come down to us, and these show the depths and
dimensions of his thoughts and expressions. We give hereunder the
various sayings attributed to Umar, which we have been able to
gather from various sources:
"He who keeps his own counsel keeps his affairs in his own hands."
"Fear him, whom you hate."
"The wisest man is he who can account for his actions."
"Do not put off today's work for tomorrow."
"Money cannot help lifting its head."
"What regresses. never progresses."
"He who does not know evil will fall into it."
"When a man puts me a question, I judge of his intelligence."
"Don't forget your own self while preaching to others."
"The less of the world, the freer you live."
"Avoidance of sin is lighter than the pain of remorse."
"On every dishonest man, there are two watchmen, his possessions, and his way of living."
"If patience and gratitude had been two she camels, it would have mattered little on which I rode."
"May God have mercy on him who sends me my faults as a present."
"Preserve the sayings of those people who are indifferent to the world. They say only that what God wishes them to say."
"Fear God, for He alone lives; all other things are liable to perish."
"The wisest among you is he whose sustenance is the fear of God."
"Praise God, for by praise His blessings multiply."
"Fear God, for that is fortune; indifference to God is misfortune."
"Be patient; patience is a pillar of faith."
"Acquire knowledge and teach it to the people"
"Be dignified, honest, and truthful"
"Do not be an arrogant scholar, for scholarship cannot subsist with arrogance".
"When you see that any scholar loves the world, then his scholarship is in doubt".
"God forbid, men should be jealous of knowledge as they are jealous of women."
"May God bless the man who says less and does more."
"The criterion of action is that today's work should not be deferred till the following day."
"Trust is that there should be no difference between what you do and say and what you think."
"Learn the Arabic language; it will sharpen your wisdom." "Luxury is an obstacle, and so is the fatness of the body."
"A man may be as straight as an arrow, but even then he will have some critics."
"O Allah do not give me in excess lest I may be disobedient to You. And do not give me less, lest I may forget You."
"Allah loves moderation and hates extravagance and excess."
"He who went to the kings to seek favors went away from God."
"Sit with those who love God, for that enlightens the mind."
"Before Allah that is the best dinner which people eat together."
"As long as you are pure of heart, you speak the truth."
"The pilgrims are the delegations of God."
"If your ruler is just, praise God; if he is unjust, pray to God to rid you of him."
"Allah is happy with such rulers whose slaves are under their control."
"Forgive the people so that God may forgive you."
"For the people prefer that which you prefer for yourself.
Which you do not wish for yourself, do not impose on others."
"In the eyes of God he is the best ruler who has secured prosperity and comfort for the people."
"That ruler is most accursed whose misconduct leads to the distress of the people."
"Every ruler should keep his door open to the people."
"Understand the teachings of the Holy Quran for that is the source of knowledge."
"Relate as few traditions as possible, lest by being involved in traditions the people overlook the Quran."
"All the injunctions of Islam are based on reason."
"The way to express gratitude to God is to give Zakat out of the property that He has bestowed on you."
"In my view your greatest obligation is to offer prayers.
He who fulfils this obligation with great regularity will be secure in his religion."
"He who sleeps without offering the night prayer, may he never enjoy a sound sleep."
"Women should offer Zakat on their ornaments."
"Blessed are those who are martyred in the way of Allah."
"In the preparation of Islam, commit no excess."
"Without consultation, the caliphate is unlawful."
"The ruler whose intention is good will have the help of God in the administration of his affairs; he whose intention is bad will come to disgrace."
"Do not accept gifts; that is bribery."
"The Judge should always uphold the principle of equality before law."
"May God curse the people who hesitate to dine with the slaves."
"Do not be misled by a person's prayers and fasting; look to his sincerity and wisdom."
"Do not be misled by hearing of any one's reputation."
"He trusts in God who sows seed in the ground then depends on God."
"Earning of livelihood by following some profession is better than living on charity."
"He who has any public responsibility should perform his duties without caring for criticism."
"He is to be preferred who has the urge to sin, but does not sin."
"Do not depend upon the morality of a person until you have seen him behave while in anger."
"I am surprised at three things. Man runs from death while death is inevitable. One sees minor faults of others, but overlooks his own major faults. When there is any defect to one's cattle he tries to cure it, but does not cure his own defects."
"To flatter is to slaughter."
"He, who pretends to be what he is not, is a hypocrite."
"If a person has ten habits out of which nine are good and one bad, that bad one will destroy the good ones."
"Do not overeat; that invites disease."
"He who wins through fraud is no winner."
"He who wants paradise should hold fast to the community. "
"The efficacy of a prayer depends not on the words but on the sincerity of intention."
"In the narration of facts refrain from poetising."
"When you do not know of a thing say so plainly."
"O I am not worried about the poverty of the Muslims. I am afraid lest by getting rich they might become proud and thereby invite destruction. "
"In the performance of your duties neither be over zealous, nor indifferent."
Umar's Gift Of Forecasting
Umar
was blessed with the gift of forecasting events by playing upon the
meaning of words.
When
on the eve of the battle of Nihawand, the Governor of Kufa sent a
messenger to Umar, he forecast the coming events by asking the
messenger his name and the name of his father. When the messenger
said that his name was 'Qareeb' meaning 'near', and his father's name
was 'Zafar' meaning 'victory', Umar forecast that for the
Muslims victory was near.
It
is recorded that once a man waited on Umar. He asked him what was his
name. He said that his name was 'Jamrah', meaning a live coal.
Umar
then asked him about his father's name, and he said that his father's
name was 'Shihab' meaning 'flame'.
Umar
then enquired to which tribe he belonged. He said that he belonged to
the tribe of 'Al-Harrah', meaning 'heat'.
He
was asked where did he live and he replied 'Al-Harqah' meaning
'warmth'.
Umar
asked him what was his clan and he said 'sat Ladha' meaning
'blazing'.
Then
Umar said:
"Go
home, for all your people have been burnt."
When
the man went home, he found that his family had been burnt to death.
It
was a custom with the Egyptians that a virgin was thrown in the river
Nile to secure a rise in the surface of the water. When the
Muslims conquered Egypt this inhuman practice was stopped. Instead
of a virgin a card written by Umar was thrown in the river, and
immediately the water rose in the river.
It
is on record that when a contingent of the Muslim army under Sariyah
fighting in Fars were exposed to danger, Umar while delivering
Friday sermon in the Prophet's mosque shouted 'Sariyah to the hills'.
The command was listened to by the Muslims in the battlefield
thousand miles away and was complied with resulting in victory
for the Muslims.
Umar
had a highly developed sense of discriminating the truth from
falsehood. Whenever a person spoke the truth, Umar would listen
to him attentively, but whenever a person spoke anything false, Umar
would promptly say "withhold that".
It
is related that the people of Kufa pelted their Governor with stones.
When Umar heard of this he was much annoyed. He was distracted
even in his prayer. When he came to the salutation he said:
"O
God verily they have put confusion on me. O Allah you put confusion
upon them, and place over them a youth of the Banu Thaqif who
may rule over them after the manner of the rule of the time of
Ignorance."
This
forecast came true when al Hajjaj came to rule over Iraq in the time
of the Umayyads.
When Allah Corroborated Umar
Many
instances are on record when Umar gave a particular opinion and that
opinion was later on corroborated by Allah and conurmation
thereof was communicated to the Holy Prophet through Gabriel.
That is why the Holy Prophet repeatedly said:
"God
speaks through the tongue of Umar."
Umar
suggested that the station of Abraham in Mecca should be used as a
place of prayer. Later an injunction to this effect was
revealed to the Holy Prophet.
Umar
suggested that the wives of the Holy Prophet should be veiled. Later
a verse was revealed enjoining the wives of the Holy Prophet to
be veiled.
Umar
suggested that the use of wine should be prohibited. Thereafter God
enjoined the prohibition of wine.
'Abdullah
b. Ubbay though a Muslim was insincere in his professions and was the
enemy of God and the Holy Prophet. When he died the Holy
Prophet led his funeral prayer. Umar suggested that the Holy
Prophet should not pray at the funeral of those who were the enemies
of God and the Prophet. A verse was later revealed enjoining
the Holy Prophet not to pray at the funeral of those who were the
enemies of God and His Prophet.
When
there was an imputation against the conduct of 'Ayesha, Umar said
that this was a grievous calumny. Later a verse was revealed
declaring the episode as a calumny and establishing 'Ayesha's
innocence.
After
the battle of Badr, it was decided that the prisoners of the Quraish
should be released on ransom. Umar said that the prisoners
being the enemies of God should be killed. Later according to a
revelation the Holy Prophet was enjoined that the enemies of
God should be killed.
When
the Azan was originally proposed the contents of the call were:
"I
testify that there is no god but Allah-come ye to prayers."
Umar
suggested, "The words 'I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger
of God' should be added". A revelation corroborated this
suggestion.
The
practice was that people went to see the Holy Prophet unannounced.
Umar suggested that all visitors should seek permission before
being admitted to the presence of the Holy Prophet. A verse was
later revealed enjoining the asking of permission before entering the
presence of the Holy Prophet.
Once
two persons to a dispute referred the case to the Holy Prophet and
the Holy Prophet gave his verdict. One of them appealed against
the decision of the Holy Prophet. Umar slew him with his sword. A
verse was revealed absolving Umar from the death of the person who
did not believe in the judgment of the Holy Prophet.
Once
a Jew said to Umar, "Verily Gabriel who speaks to your Master is
our enemy." Umar retorted, "Whosoever is an enemy to
God, or His angels, or His Apostles, or Gabriel, or Michael, verily
God is an enemy to the unbelievers." Later a verse was
revealed declaring that God was the enemy of unbelievers.
Wives And Children Of Umar
Before
his conversion to Islam, Umar had three wives. They were:
- Zainab bint Mazaun Jamiah;
- Malaika bint Jarul Khuzai; and
- Qariba bint Umayya Makhzumi.
When
Umar was converted to Islam, Zainab alone accepted Islam. After the
Hudaybiah pact when God sent the words that Muslims should not
marry idolatresses, Umar divorced Malaika and Qariba.
After
the Hudaybiah-pact the first Muslim woman who fled from the Quraish
and sought shelter with the Muslims was Sabiha bint Al-Haris.
Her husband did not accept Islam. When the Quraish came to demand
the restoration of Sabiha, the Holy Prophet refused to return her
saying that the condition in the pact applied to men only and
not to women. The Holy Prophet had Sabiha married to Umar.
In
Madina, Umar married an Ansar lady Asiah bint Sabat Ansari. On
marriage Umar changed her name to Jamila. Umar resided with her
at Quba, and it is reported that there was great love between Umar
and Jamila. A few years later Umar divorced her and shifted to
Madina.
'Atika
bint Zaid was a cousin of Umar. She was married to 'Abdullah a son of
Abu Bakr. When her husband died, Atika felt very disconsolate.
In sympathy, Umar married her in the first year of his caliphate.
Umm
Hakim was the wife of 'Ikramah the son of Abu Jakl. 'Ikramah died
fighting and thereafter Umm Hakim married Khalid bin Sa'id.
Khalid bin Sa'id was also martyred on the Syrian front. Umm Hakim
doubly bereaved was much grieved, and Umar consoled her by
marrying her.
In
639 A.D., Umar married Umm Kulsum the daughter of 'Ali and Fatima.
Till his death in 644 A D., Umm Kulsum remained his favorite
wife.
Besides
these wives, Umar had two slave girls who bore him children. These
were Fakiah and Layiah.
Umar's
sons included: 'Abdullah; 'Asim; Abu Shahma; Abdur Rahman; Zaid;
'Iyad and Mujir. 'Abdullah became a convert to Islam at an
early age along with his father. He made a great name for himself as
an expert in Fiqh and Hadis. 'Ubaidullah was well known for his
bravery and fighting qualities. In revenge for the
assassination of Umar, 'Ubaidullah killed Hormuzan and some other
persons. 'Asim was known for his poetry and piety. Umar bin
'Abul 'Aziz the puritan Uyymaid Caliph was his daughter's son. Abu
Shahma was flogged to death by Umar for the offence of
drinking.
The
daughters of Umar included: Hafsah Fatimah, Ruqiya and Zainab. Of
these Hafsah was the most well-known as she was the wife of the
Holy Prophet.
'Abdullah,
'Abdur Rahman Akbar, and Hafsah, were born to Zainab bint Mazaun.
'Ubaidullah
and Zaid Asghar were the sons of Umm Kulsum who was divorced after
the Hudaybiah pact.
Umm
Hakim was the mother of Fatimah.
'Asim
was the son of Jamila bint Sabat Ansari.
Umm
Kulsum bint'Ali was the mother of Zaid and Ruqiya.
'Iyad
was the son of 'Atika.
Layiah
was the mother of 'Abdur Rahman al-Wast.
Fatimah
was the daughter of Umm Hakim.
Zainab
was the daughter of Fakiah.
Umar's Standards Of Integrity For His Family Members
Umar
set up very high standards of integrity for himself and his family
members. He took particular care to see that such standards
were followed strictly. Whenever Umar issued any instructions for the
people to follow, he brought home to his family members that he
expected them to conform to such instructions strictly.
He
issued strict orders that no member of his family should accept any
gift from any person. Hence Umar found a new carpet with his
wife Atika. He wanted to know from where the carpet had come. She
said that it had been presented by Abu Musa Ashari, the
Governor of Basra. Umar had the carpet immediately returned to
Abu Musa. Abu Musa was reprimanded in strong terms for sending a gift
to the wife of the Caliph.
'Abdullah
the son of Umar purchased some camels. They were lean and were
purchased cheaply. 'Abdullah sent these camels to the state
pasture where they fattened. These were then sold in the market
and fetched a high price. When this was brought to the notice of Umar
he ordered that as the camels had been fed at the state pasture
whatever profit had accrued in the sale of the camels should be
deposited in the state treasury.
Once
Umar saw a small girl who was lean, thin, and emaciated. Umar
enquired who the girl was. 'Abdullah the son of Umar said that
she was his daughter, and that she had lost weight because with the
allowance that Umar allowed to his family nourishing food could not
be provided. Umar said that he was giving them what he gave to
other families and he could not give his family anything more than
what he did to other families.
Once
'Abdullah and 'Ubaidullah two sons of Umar went to Basra. There they
obtained a loan from Abu Musa on the condition that the amount
would be paid to the state treasury at Madina. With this amount
they purchased some merchandise and sold it at Madina. They earned
considerable profit which they kept for themselves and credited
the principal amount in the state treasury. When Umar came to know of
this transaction he wanted his sons to credit the entire profit
to the state treasury as the money with which they had traded
was state money. 'Abdullah kept quiet but 'Ubaidullah protested. He
said that if there had been a loss the state would not have
shared it. Umar stuck to his decision, but 'Ubaidullah protested
again. Some other companions intervened and it was decided that it
should be treated as a case of partnership. Umar allowed his
sons to retain one half of the profit and to deposit the other half
in the state treasury.
Once
Umar received a considerable quantity of musk. It had to be weighed
and then distributed. Umar was in search of a person who could
weigh musk with meticulous care. Atika the wife of Umar offered to
do so as she was expert in the job. Umar did not accept the offer on
the ground that when she weighed and distributed it some musk
would be attached to her hands and clothes and that would be
misappropriation in state property.
Once
Umm Kulsum a wife of Umar purchased perfume for one dirham and sent
it as a gift to the Byzantine empress. The Byzantine empress
returned the empty phials of perfume filled with gems. When Umar
came to know of this he sold the gems. Out of the sale proceeds
he handed over one dirham to his wife and the rest was
deposited in the state treasury.
Once
some gifts were received in the Baitul Mal. Hafsa waited on Umar and
wanted a share. Umar said:
"Dear,
you have a share in my personal property, but I cannot give you a
special share out of the property that belongs to the Muslims
as a whole. You can get only what other Muslims get."
His
son-in-law once waited on him and wanted some assistance from the
Baitul Mal. Umar paid him some money from his own pocket, and
did not give him anything from the Baitul Mal.
Once
after distribution a ladies scarf was found surplus. The custodian of
the Baitul Mal suggested that this might be offered to Umm
Kulsum the wife of Umar. Umar said:
"No.
Present it to Umm Salit the lady who carried the water skin on her
back on the day of the battle of Uhud to distribute water among
the Muslim warriors."
Once
after accounting, one dirham was found surplus in the Baitul Mal. The
treasurer gave the dirham to a small son of Umar. When Umar
came to know of that he had the dirham returned immediately.
'Abdullah
a son of Umar fought in the battle of Jalaula. He got his share of
the spoils and sold it on the spot. This fetched a high value.
When Umar came to know of that he said that he was allowed the high
price because people thought that he was the Caliph's son. He ordered
that the profit earned beyond the market value should be
credited to the state treasury.
One
of the sons of Umar drank wine inadvertently in Egypt. He submitted
himself voluntarily to the punishment of 80 stripes at Egypt
Umar was not satisfied. He called the boy to Madina and flogged him
to death. When the boy was on death bed Umar said to him, "When
you meet the Holy Prophet tell him that Umar is following hi'
injunctions strictly."
Umar In History
During
the ten years of his rule from 634 to 644 A.D., Umar changed the
course of history. Emerging from the deserts of Arabia, the
Arabs fortified with the faith of Islam overpowered the Byzantine
power in the west and the mighty Persian empire in the east.
During the short space of ten years the Muslims conquered
countries comprising an area of 2,251,030 square miles. Under Umar
the Islamic dominions assumed the dimensions of a continent.
These extended from Mecca 1,036 miles to the north, 1.087 miles
to the east, and 483 miles to the south. These countries included
Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Khuzistan, Fars, Isfahan, Azarbeijan;
Armenia, Makran and Khurasan. The dominions extended from the Oxus to
the Nile.
There
have been many conquerors in the course of history and the record of
the conquests of Umar compares very favorably with the record
of other conquerors. In one point the conquests of Umar surpass
the conquests of all other conquerors. Whereas the conquests of other
conquerors did not endure for long, the conquests of Umar in
the name of Islam have endured for the last 1,400 years.
In
the history of the world, Umar accordingly occupies a prominent
position. He is one of the greatest men of all times. The
passage of time has in no way dimmed the glory of his greatness. The
life-story of Umar which we have tried to narrate in these
pages projects in unmistakable terms all the qualities that male
greatness. Umar lives in history as a great conqueror, a great ruler
and the founder of the Muslim state. Umar lives in legend as an
embodiment of all that a great ruler or a great man should be.
The
qualities and characteristics of the personality of Umar include:
towering personality; robust constitution; great power of mind;
inflexible integrity; strong sense of justice; simplicity of habits;
contempt of pomp and luxury; strong faith in his mission; strong
conviction for the truth; highly developed sense of duty;
absolute impartiality; devotion to Islam; extreme sense of
dedication; very strong sense of justice; sympathy for the
aggrieved; courage against the oppressor; energy; piety; humility;
discipline; frugality; morality; political insight;
accessibility; vigilance; patience; perseverance; accountability
before law; equality for all; and indeed all the virtues that a
ruler or a leader of men should possess.
Umar
was a man of great knowledge and learning. He was a good orator.
Every Friday he would address the faithful in the Prophet's
mosque at Madina. Some of the addresses that he delivered on such
occasions have come down to us and are masterpieces of religious
teaching. While sending his forces on various expeditions he
addressed them in very inspiring terms. He was a good writer and some
of his letters which have come down to us show the skill of his
penmanship. The instructions that he issued to his officers to
regulate statebusiness are very much modern in content. Many
anecdotes about him have come down to us, and these project his
greatness, wisdom, and foresightedness. He was a good judge of
poetry. He could freely quote appropriate verses to suit the
occasion. He was a good judge of men. He could discern the
truth from falsehood. He always called a spade a spade, and would
never mince matters. Whatever he regarded as the truth he spoke
it even though it might appear to be bitter. He enjoyed the
reputation of being hard and harsh, but that was primarily because he
always valued the truth, and had no hesitation in expressing it
even though it might be displeasing. Howsoever stern or angry
he might be, if the verses of the Holy Qur'an were read before him he
would at once soften, and even burst into sobs.
Physically
as well as intellectually he was a man of towering personality. But
he never tried to give the impression that he was in any way
superior to the people around him. He was a good critic, but his
criticism was not meant for others; alone it was meant for himself as
well He listened to his critics with great respect and if such
criticism was unfounded he tried to explain things to them. He
subjected himself to rigorous self-criticism. Whenever there
was any lapse on his part, he would shut himself in a room of
his house and then loudly reprimand himself. If he beat any body with
his whip inadvertently and such punishment was found to be
unjustified he would ask the person concerned to beat him with the
whip in the same way as he had beaten him. During the famine he
refused to take ghee or meat simply because the people of
average means could not afford such food. He was the ruler of vast
dominions but he denied himself all privileges of rulership.
The allowance that he drew was just enough for a person of
average means. When the people around him insisted that his allowance
should be raised, he refused to accept any increase. And when
he died he willed that after the sale of his property the entire
amount of the allowance that he had drawn should be refunded to
the treasury.
He
set very high standards of integrity, and was the first to practice
what he preached. His son 'Abdullah was a very talented man but
he refused to give him any office. One of his sons Abu Shama was
found guilty of drinking and Umar had him flogged to death.
Once a Governor gave some gift to one of his wives. Umar
returned the gift and rebuked the Governor. Once a wife of Umar sent
some perfume as a gift to the wife of the emperor of Byzantine.
The wife of the emperor of Byzantine sent some gift in return. Umar
sold the gift and credited the proceeds to the state treasury.
He
ate the coarsest of food, and wore clothes of the coarsest of cloth.
Once he was late for the Friday prayer and the explanation that
he offered was that he had his clothes washed, and they took some
time to dry which delayed his departure for the mosque Umar the
ruler of the largest empire of the time had only one shirt in
his wardrobe and that too was patched. When the envoy of the
Byzantine emperor came to Madina, he expected that the Caliph
would be living in a heavily guarded palace. The envoy found no
palace and no guard. He found the Caliph sitting in the mosque in the
company of ordinary people. Umar was the living embodiment of
the doctrine of equality before law. Once he appeared in a suit in a
law court and when the Judge wanted to show him some respect
for the office he held, he desired that no preference should be
shown to him in any way and that the law must have its course. When a
messenger riding a dromedary came from Iraq carrying the news
of the victory of the Muslims at the battle of Qadisiyya, Umar
met the messenger a few miles outside Madina and ran all the way by
the side of the dromedary of the messenger hearing the news and
without disclosing his identity to the man who had brought the
news. When Umar went to Palestine to receive the surrender of the
city of Jerusalem the world witnessed the strange spectacle of
Umar's slave riding the camel, and Umar the mighty Caliph,
walking on foot holding the reins of the camel.
Umar
would perambulate the streets of Madina at night carrying his whip in
his hand. The whip would freely descend on any one found guilty
of any lapse or excess regardless of his status. Once a chief was
found passing through the streets of Madina at the head of a
procession of his followers. Umar whipped him for this display
of arrogance. A prince of Syria who had accepted Islam and was
staying at Madina and Mecca as a state guest slapped a man who
accidentally trod on his feet in the course of the Hajj. Umar
laid down that the man who had been slapped could in turn slap the
prince.
Umar
kept a watch over the people as a shepherd would keep a watch over
his animals. A blind woman in Madina had no one to attend to
her needs. Umar visited her frequently and attended to her needs. In
a cottage a woman was found cooking stone in a kettle merely to
give the children the impression that food was being cooked for
them whereas there was nothing in the house to be cooked. Umar
carried a bag of flour and other eatables on his own back and
handed them over to the lady. A Bedouin and his wife came to
Madina and were in a predicament as the lady suffered from the pains
of childbirth. Umar's wife acted as a midwife and Umar sat all
the time outside the tent awaiting the birth of a child.
He
took particular care to appoint men of approved integrity to high
offices under the state. He watched over them like a hawk, and
as soon as any lapse on their part came to the notice of Umar
immediate action was taken. People were free to complain
against their officers. Impartial enquiries were held and when
any officer was found guilty he was removed and punished. All the
Governors were required to assemble at Mecca on the occasion of
the Hajj, and here any person could complain against any officer.
Umar exhorted all concerned to realize that the officers were not
meant to rule; they were there to serve the people, and build
up a welfare state. Umar's concept of administration was:
"By
God he that is weakest among you shall be in my eyes the strongest
until I have vindicated for him his right. He that is strongest
I will treat as the weakest until he complies with law."
No
political thinker or ruler since Umar has been able to come forward
with a better concept of the purpose of the state than the
concept enunciated by Umar. About the ruler and the ruled
relationship, Umar said:
"People
generally hate their ruler and I seek protection of Allah lest my
people should entertain similar feelings about me."
Some
of his standing instructions to his executive were: "Avoid vain
suspicions; keep away from malice; do not encourage people to
cherish vain hopes; be careful in respect of Allah's property in your
charge; be accessible to the people; guard yourself against
evil men; seek the company of the righteous; attend to your job
with due diligence; do not procrastinate in the dispatch of state
business; watch your subordinates; take immediate action
against those who are corrupt or inefficient; and award merit."
All these instructions given 1,400 years ago would be as true
today as these were then.
Umar
stood for quick and impartial justice. Umar appointed capable and
upright persons as Judges. He instructed his Judges in the
following terms:
"Justice
is an important obligation. Treat the people equally in your
presence, in your company, and in your decisions, so that the
weak despair not of justice and the high placed have no hope of your
favor . When you are in doubt on a question and find nothing
about it in the Quran or in the Sunna of the Prophet think over
the question; ponder over the precedents and analogous cases and then
decide by analogy."
Umar
took special pains to project Islam in the proper perspective as a
living faith. There was a school of thought who held that
religion was mystical and supra-rational and as such the injunctions
of religion including Islam were not to be tested on the basis
of intellect or reason. Umar founded what later came to be
called Israr Ilmuddin. He held that Islam was a rational religion and
all its injunctions and practices could be tested and justified
on the basis of reason and intellect. He was the first Muslim to
undertake Ijtihad, and lay down new laws in keeping with the
spirit of Islam. In the Holy Quran no punishment was laid down
for drinking. Umar laid down a penalty of 80 lashes in this behalf.
The position about Mutah was not clear. ' Umar forbade Mutah.
The position about three divorces was not clear. Umar held that even
when three divorces were announced at one sitting the divorce was
irrevocable. In the month of Ramadan Umar enjoined upon the
Muslims to offer Tarawik in congregation.
Umar
took pains to ensure that the faish of Islam should remain pure and
should have no characteristic of idolatry about it. The tree
under which the Holy Prophet took the oath of allegiance on the
occasion of the Hudaybiah pact came to he regarded by the
people as something sacred. Umar had the tree uprooted to avoid
idolatrous veneration thereof. On the way from Madina to Mecca there
was a mosque where the Holy Prophet had once said his prayers.
It became the practice that the pilgrims offered extra prayers at
the mosque. Umar forbade the practice. The Black Stone at the Kaaba
came to be held as sacred. Umar held that it was just a stone.
At one stage the Holy Prophet had ordered Rummal in Hajj, under which
the first rounds in the case of the Kaaba were to be performed
running. Umar was of the view that Rummal had been provided
under circumstances which no longer existed. He did not abrogate the
practice but nevertheless held that if some body could not run
that did not matter.
Umar
is known for his humanitarian reforms. He provided privileges for
slaves. He emancipated girl slaves who bore their masters
children. Full protection was afforded to the Dhimmis. In the matter
of citizenship they were treated at par with other citizens.
In
the social field Umar took particular steps to build a social order
according to the teachings of Islam. Prohibition was enforced
with great strictness. It was the practice with Arab poets to mention
the names of their beloveds in their poetry. Umar prohibited
the practice. The poets also indulged in satires and lampoons.
Umar issued strict instructions that no poet should write satires and
lampoons. Umar also ordered that in their verses the poets
should not extol non-Islamic virtues. Umar laid down that no
person, howsoever rich should build a double storeyed house, and no
house should comprise more than three rooms.
The
political and social order that Umar set up by applying the
principles of Islam was more democratic than the democracies of
today and more socialist than the socialist countries of today. That
order has remained the ideal for all Muslim countries to
revive.
Because
of his achievements, Umar occupies an outstanding place in the
history of the world. We do not come across any other ruler in
world history who led so simple a life and yet inspired awe and
terror among his people and his foes alike. The awe and fear
that Umar commanded was because of his high moral character
People feared him because he feared God. Umar was an embodiment of
the virtues of Islam. About him the Holy Prophet said:
"If
God had wished that there should have been another prophet after me,
he would have been Umar."
About
Umar we can appropriately say what Girami said of Iqbal, namely:
"In
the eyes of those who know the secret of things, He fulfilled a
prophet's role, but he cannot be called a prophet."
Chronology
Umar
led a very eventful life. We narrate hereunder in chronological order
the main events in the life of Umar.
Umar
was born in Mecca around 580 A.D. He started independent business
around 600 A.D. He married in the first decade of the seventh
century.
He
was converted to Islam in 616 A.D. at the age of 26. He migrated to
Madina in 622 A.D.
He
participated in the battle of Badr in 623 A.D.
He
participated in the battle of Uhud in 625 A.D. A few months after the
battle of Uhud, Hasah the daughter of Umar was married to the
Holy Prophet of Islam.
In
627 Umar participated in the battle of the Ditch and the campaign
against Banu Mustaliq.
In
628 Umar was present on the occasion of the Hudaybiah pact.
Thereafter he participated in the Khyber campaign. He divorced
his wives Qariba and Malaika who did not accept Islam. He married
Sabiha and Jamila.
In
630 Umar participated in the conquest of Mecca and in the campaigns
of Hunain and Ta'if.
In
632 he participated in the farewell pilgrimage. This year the Holy
Prophet died. Umar played an important role in getting Abu Bakr
elected as the Caliph.
Abu
Bakr died in 634, and Umar became the Caliph. During this year the
Muslims captured Damascus on the Syrian front. On the Iraq
front there was the battle of Namaraq in September; the battle of
Kaskar in October and the battle of the Bridge in November 634
A D.
In
635 Umar married Atika. During the Ramadan Umar organized Tarawih on
congregation basis. On the Syrian front the battle of Fahl was
fought in January. Beisan and Tabariyya were captured in March. The
battle of Marj Rum was fought in March whereby Damascus was
reoccupied. In April the Muslim forces reached Emessa and a
truce was arrived at. In the Southern Iraq sector Ubala was captured
in April. The region of Aburqubaz and Meisan was occupied in
November.
In
636 Umar introduced the Hijri calendar. In Central Syria the city of
Emessa was captured in March. In Southern Syria the Muslims won
the battle of Yermuk in August. the battle of Ajnadin was fought in
December. On the Iraq front the battle of Qadisiyya was won by the
Muslims in November. Thereafter began the march to Al-Mada'in.
The battles of Burs, Babylon and Sura on the way to Mada'in were
fought in December.
In
637 Umar married Umm Hakim. This year stipends and allowances were
sanctioned for the Muslims. On the Syrian front Qinissrin,
Aleppo, and Antioch were captured. The whole of North Syria was
cleared of the Byzantines. On the Iraq front Mada'in was
captured in April. Takeet and Mosul were occupied in May. The
battle of Jalaula was won in November. Khanqueen and Qirqassia were
occupied in December.
In
638 Umar adopted the title of 'Amir-ul-Mumnin.' The Jews and
Christians were expelled from Arabia proper and settled in Iraq
and Syria. On the Syfian front Jerusalem and Caesaria were captured.
On the Iraq front Hulwan, Masabzan, Heet and Ahwaz were
captured. During the year the city of Kufa was established in
Central Iraq, and the city of Basra in Southern Iraq.
In
639 Arabia was afflicted by a severe famine. Umar organized relief
measures on a large scale. Plague broke out in Syria and Iraq
and caused considerable havoc. Amr bin Al-Aas marched to Egypt. On
the Iraq front Ahwaz, Dauraq and Ram Hormuz were occupied by
the Muslims.
In
640 there were battles of Farma, Bilbeis and Babylon in Egypt which
were won by the Muslims. On the Iraq front there was the battle
of Tustar which was won by the Muslims, In 641 the Muslims captured
Alexandria on the Egyptian front Sus was occupied on the Iraq front
in January. On this front Jande Sabur was occupied in March.
The historic battle of Nihawand was won by the Muslims in December.
In
641 an expedition was undertaken to Nubia. The Muslims advanced to
Burqa and Fezzan in North Africa. During this year the city of
Fustat was founded as the capital of Egypt. On the Persian front war
was carried and the Muslims occupied Hamadan, Isfahan, Rayy,
Tabaristan, Fars and Sistan.
In
643 the Muslims occupied Sabrata and Tripoli but these advance posts
were subsequently abandoned and the Muslims withdrew to Egypt.
On the Persian front Khurasan and Azerbaijan were occupied by the
Muslims during the year.
During
644 Makran and Armenia were occupied. During this year Umar was
assassinated and that was the end of a glorious and eventful
career.
