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| The Kind Hearted Khalifah |
During
the time of his Khilafat, Amir-ul-Mominin Hadhrat ‘Umar , used to
himself patrol the streets and suburbs of Madinah during the night to
keep watch. During one of his night-patrols, he noticed a camel-hair
tent pitched in an open space. He had never seen this particular tent
before. When he approached the tent, he found a person sitting
outside and heard a sort of groan coming out of the tent. Hadhrat
‘Umar greeted the stranger with “Assalaam-o-alaikum” and sat
down beside him. Hadhrat ‘Umar asked him: “From where are you
brother?”
The
person replied: “I am from the desert and a stranger to this place.
I have come to request Amir-ul-Mo’minin for some help in my need.”
Hadhrat ‘Umar asked: “Who is groaning like this inside the tent?”
The
person angrily replied: “Please mind your own business.”Hadhrat
‘Umar pleaded: “Do tell me please. Maybe I can be of assistance
you.” The person replied: “If you must know, then inside there is
my wife groaning with labour pains.” Hadhrat ‘Umar asked: “Is
there anybody else to attend her?” “No one,” replied the
person. Thereupon, Hadhrat ‘Umar got up and hurried to his house.
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| Loving The Poor - Umar Al Khatab. |
He
brought up the subject with his wife Hadhrat Umme- Kulsum thus:
“Allah has brought you an opportunity to receive great blessings.”
“What is it, O, Amir-ul-Mo’minin?” asked his wife. Hadhrat
‘Umar replied: “Out there, is a poor woman of the desert in child
birth, with nobody to attend her.” His wife offered herself saying:
“I am ready to attend her, if it may please you so.”
Hadhrat
Umme-Kulsum was, after all the daughter of Hadhrat Fatimah and the
grand-daughter of Nabi SAW. How could she hesitate to be of service
to a desperate sister at the time of need, such a service and a
devotion which Allah loves best?Hadhrat ‘Umar requested her: “Then
you should hurry up. Also take a pan, some butter, provisions and
other things needed during the child birth.”
Hadhrat
Umme-Kulsum did as she was requested and left for the place where the
tent was pitched. Hadhrat ‘Umar followed her closely. She entered
the tent while Hadhrat ‘Umar made a fire and occupied himself with
cooking something which those people could eat. After some time,
Hadhrat Umme-Kulsum called out from inside the tent, “O,
Amir-ul-Mominin, congratulate your friend on the birth of a son.”
The
person was embarrassed when he heard the address of ‘Amir-ul-Mominin’
and realized the position of the person who had been serving him, but
Hadhrat ‘Umar put all his fears to rest, saying: “That is all
right, there is nothing to worry about.” He then placed the pan
near the tent and asked his wife to take it and feed the woman. She
fed her and returned the pan. Then Hadhrat ‘Umar asked the Bedouin
to partake of the food, as he had kept awake the whole night. Having
rendered this service, Hadhrat ‘Umar returned home with his wife,
telling the person, “Come to me tomorrow and I shall see what I can
do for you.”
Is
there any king, or even a petty chief, or even an ordinary middle
class person of our time, who will take his wife out in the dead of
night, out in the wilderness, to attend to a poor strange woman while
he himself gladly engages in making a fire and cooking food? Leave
the worldly rich class aside, how many of the religious people would
do that? We should realize that unless we really follow in the
footsteps of those Allah fearing people, whom we claim to look up to
as our models, we cannot deserve and wish for the special blessings
that Allah bestowed on them.
