Abdullah
Ibn Umar RA (Son of Umar Bin Al Khattab R.A)
Abdullah
Ibn Umar (R.A.) At Shaykhan, halfway between Madinah and Uhud, the
thousand strong Muslim army led by Rasulullah SAW stopped. The sun
had begun to sink beneath the horizon. Rasulullah SAW dismounted
from his horse Sakb. He was fully dressed for battle. A turban was
wound about his helmet. He wore a breastplate beneath which was a
coat of mail which was fastened with a leather sword belt. A shield
was slung across his back and his sword hung from his side. As the
sun set, Bilal RA called the adhan and they prayed. Rasulullah SAW
then reviewed his troops once more and it was then that he noticed in
their midst the presence of eight boys who despite their age were
hoping to take part in the battle. Among them were Zayd's son Usamah
and Umar's son Abdullah, both only thirteen years old. Rasulullah SAW
ordered them all to return home immediately. Two of the boys however
demonstrated that they were able fighters and were allowed to
accompany the army to the Battle of Uhud while the others were sent
back to their families.
From
an early age, Abdullah ibn Umar RA thus demonstrated his keenness to
be associated with Rasulullah SAW in all his undertakings. He had
accepted Islam before he was ten years old and had made the Hijrah
with his father and his sister, Hafsah, who was later to become a
wife of Rasulullah SAW. Before the Battle of Uhud he was also turned
away from the Battle of Badr and it was not until the Battle of the
Ditch that he and Usamah, both now fifteen years old and others of
their age were allowed to join the ranks of the men not only for the
digging of the trench but for the battle when it came. From the time
of his hijrah till the time of his death more than seventy years
later, Abdullah ibn Umar RA distinguished himself in the service of
Islam and was regarded among Muslims as "the Good One, son
of the Good One", according to Abu Musa al-Ashari.
He
was known for his knowledge, his humility, his generosity, his piety,
his truthfulness, his incorruptibility and his constancy in acts of
ibadah. From his great and illustrious father, Saidina Umar RA, he
learnt a great deal and both he and his father had the benefit of
learning from the greatest teacher of all, Rasulullah SAW. Abdullah
ibn Umar RA would observe and scrutinize closely every saying and
action of Rasulullah SAW in various situations and he would practice
what he observed closely and with devotion. For example, if Abdullah
RA saw, Rasulullah SAW performing Salat in a particular place, he
would later pray in the same place. If he saw Rasulullah SAW making
a supplication while standing, he would also make a dua while
standing. If he saw him making a dua while sitting, he would do the
same. On a journey if he saw Rasulullah SAW descend from his camel
at a particular place and pray two rakaats, and he had occasion to
pass on the same route, he would stop at the same place and pray two
rakaats.
In
a particular place in Makkah, he once observed Rasulullah's camel
making two complete turns before he dismounted and prayed two
rakaats. It might be that the camel did that involuntarily but
Abdullah ibn Umar RA when he happened to be in the same place at
another time, made his camel complete two turns before making it
kneel and dismounting. He then prayed two rakaats in precisely the
same manner as he had seen Rasulullah SAW do. Aishah RA noticed this
devotion of Abdullah ibn Umar RA to Rasulullah SAW and remarked;
"There
was no one who followed the footsteps of Rasulullah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, in the places where he alighted as did Ibn
Umar."
In
spite of his close observance of Rasulullah's SAW actions, Abdullah
RA was extremely cautious, even afraid, of reporting the sayings of
Rasulullah SAW.. He would only relate a hadith if he was completely
sure that he remembered every word of it. One of his contemporaries
said: "Among the companions of Rasulullah SAW , no one was more
cautious about adding to or subtracting from Rasulullah SAW than
Abdullah ibn Umar." Similarly he was extremely cautious and
reluctant to make legal judgments (fatwas).' Once someone came to him
asking for a judgment on a particular matter and Abdullah ibn Umar
replied: "I have no knowledge of what you ask." The man
went on his way and Abdullah clapped his hands in glee and said to
himself: "The son of Umar was asked about what he does not know
and he said: I do not know."
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Because
of this attitude he was reluctant to be a qadhi even though he was
well qualified to be one. The position of qadhi was one of the most
important and esteemed offices in the Muslim society and state
bringing with it honor, glory and even riches but he declined this
position when it was offered him by the Khalifah Uthman RA. His
reason for so doing was not that he underestimated the importance of
the position of qadhi but because of his fear of committing errors of
judgment in matters pertaining to Islam. Saidina Uthman RA made him
agree not to disclose his decision lest it might influence the many
other companions of Rasulullah SAW who actually performed the duties
of judges and juris consults. Abdullah ibn Umar RA was once described
as the "brother of the night." He would stay up at night
performing Salat, weeping and seeking God's forgiveness and reading
Quran. To his sister, Hafsah, Rasulullah SAW once said: "What a
blessed man is Abdullah. Should he perform Salat at night he would be
blessed even more." From that day, Abdullah did not abandon
Qaiyam al Layl whether at home or on journeys. In the stillness of
the nights, he would remember Allah much, perform Salat and read the
Quran and weep. Like his father, tears came readily to his eyes
especially when he heard the warning verses of the Quran.
Ubayd
ibn Umayr RA has related that one day he read these verses to
Abdullah ibn Umar RA:
"How
then (will the sinners fare on Judgment Day) when We shall bring
forward witnesses from within every community and bring you (O!
Rasulullah) as witness against them? Those who were bent on denying
the truth and paid no heed to Rasulullah will on that Day wish that
the earth would swallow them but they shall not (be able to) conceal
from God anything that has happened." (Surah an-Nisa,
4:41-42).
Abdullah
Ibn Umar RA cried on listening to these verses until his beard was
moist with tears. One day, he was sitting among some close friends
and he read:
"Woe
unto those who give short measure, those who, when they are to
receive their due from people, demand that it be given in full but
when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give
less than what is due. Do they not know that they are bound to be
raised from the dead (and called to account) on an awesome Day, the
Day when all men shall stan d before the Sustainer of all the
worlds?" (The Quran, Surah
al Mutaffifin, 83: 1-6).
At
this point he kept on repeating "the Day when all men shall
stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds" over and over
again and weeping until he was faint. Piety, simplicity and
generosity combined in Abdullah Ibn Umar RA to make him a person who
was highly esteemed by the companions and those who came after them.
He
gave generously and did not mind parting with wealth even if he
himself would fall in want as a result. He was a successful and
trustworthy trader throughout his life. In addition to this he had a
generous stipend from the Bayt al-Mal which he would often spend on
the poor and those in need. Ayyub ibn Wail ar-Rasi RA recounted one
incident of his generosity:
“One
day Ibn Umar RA received four thousand dirhams and a velvet blanket.
The following day Ayyub RA saw him in the “suq” buying fodder for
his camel on credit. Ayyub RA then went to Abdullah's family and
asked: "Didn't Abu Abdur-Rahman (meaning Abdullah ibn Umar) get
four thousand dirhams and a blanket yesterday?" "Yes,
indeed," they replied. "But I saw him today in the suq
buying fodder for his camel and he had no money to pay for it."
"Before nightfall yesterday. he had parted with it all.
Then
he took the blanket and threw it over his shoulder and went out. When
he returned it was not with him. We asked him about it and he said
that he had given it to a poor person," they explained. Abdullah
ibn Umar RA encouraged the feeding and the helping of the poor and
the needy. Often when he ate, there were orphans and poor people
eating with him. He rebuked his children for treating the rich and
ignoring the poor. He once said to them: "You invite the rich
and forsake the poor." For Abdullah RA, wealth was a servant not
a master. It was a means towards attaining the necessities of life,
not for acquiring luxuries. He was helped in this attitude by his
asceticism and simple life-style.
One
of his friends who came from Khurasan once brought him a fine elegant
piece of clothing: "I have brought this thawb for you from
Khurasan," he said. "It would certainly bring coolness to
your eyes. I suggest that you take off these coarse clothes you have
and put on this beautiful thawb." "Show it to me then,"
said Abdullah and on touching it he asked: "Is it silk?"
"No, it is cotton," replied his friend. For a little while,
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was pleased. Then with his right hand he pushed
away the thawb and said: "No! I am afraid for myself. I fear
that it shall make arrogant and boastful. And Allah SWT does not love
the arrogant boaster."
Maymun
ibn Mahran RA relates the following: "I entered the house of Ibn
Umar. I estimated everything in his house including his bed, his
blanket, his carpet and everything else in it. What I found was not a
hundred dirhams' worth." That was not because Abdullah ibn Umar
RA was poor. Indeed he was rich. Neither was it because he was a
miser for indeed he was generous and liberal.
Abdullah
ibn Umar RA ( another version and stories).
Abdullah
ibn Umar RA was a great and venerable companion, one of the most
knowledgeable and virtuous oh people and one of the best of the beat
of the companions in following the example of Rasulullah SAW. He did
not change or substitute anything after Rasulullah SAW demised, in
fact, he said: I took the oath of allegiance to Rasulullah SAW and I
did not violate it nor did I alter anything to this day. And in spite
of the fact that he was descended from one of the noblest of
families, what raised him to this exalted level was not his lineage,
what raised him were his deeds, his diligence, his striving and his
sincerity in calling to Allah SWT.
He
is Abdullah bin Umar bin Al-Khattab RA, his mother was Zainab bint
Maz`un RA and his maternal uncle was the great and venerable
companion, Uthman bin Maz`un. His father was the great and venerable
companion and one of the rightly-guided Caliphs who was a shining
example of fairness and a vigorous upholder of the truth, and he
bears a high rank and outstanding virtues, as transmitted by the
books of Sirah and the books written about him.
Rasulullah
SAW said of him: if there were to be a Prophet after me, it would
have been Umar bin Al-Khattab. And it is reported on the authority of
Aishah RA that Rasulullah said:I see the devils among the jinn and
mankind fleeing from Umar. His son, Abdullah was born in the third
year following the start of Rasulullah’s mission.
His
Acceptance of Islam
When Saidina Umar bin Al-Khattab RA pronounced the Shahadatan in the presence of Rasulullah, the companions raised their voices glorifying Allah SWT. But some of the companions advised him to keep his Islam a secret, he said:
“By
Allah, I will proclaim my Islam as I used to proclaim my disbelief,
bin Umar RA said that when Umar bin Al-Khattab RA embraced Islam, he
asked: which of the people of Makkah is the best at spreading news?”
They
said: Jamil bin Ma`mar Al- Jamhi.
So
Umar went out and followed him and I was a young boy who understood
everything that was said the he came to him and said: Oh, Jamil! Do
you know that l have embraced Islam? By Allah, he did not reply to
these words, but stood up and raced off and Omar followed behind him
and I went with him, until he stood at the door of the Haram and
cried out:Oh, people of Quraish! Umar has apostatized ! He said: you
have lied, but I have embraced Islam.
Abdullah
ibn Umar RA was a good soul, which was still upon the natural
state(Fitrah) in which Allah SWT created it and so it was ready to
receive the new religion. He used to hear Rasulullah SAW, his
truthfulness and his trustworthiness, and his soul was filled with
wonder by the personality of Rasulullah, which no one mentioned
except to say good things about it, so when his father embraced Islam
, his young son felt that a heavy stone which had been blocked the
way to his proclaiming his conversion to Islam had been remover and
he embraced Islam while still at a young age and he become a good
Muslim may Allah pleased with him and may He pleased him.
His
Love for Rasulullah SAW and His Obedience to Him
Ibn
'Umar was one of the best of the Companions in following the example
of the Messenger. And truly love causes one to follow the example of
the beloved, for Allah, the Most High has said to Rasulullah : ''Say
(0 Muhammad of to mankind): If you (really) love Allah, then follow
me (i.e., accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the
Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive your sins. And Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful .
lbn
'Umar did understood the true meaning of this his love for Rasulullah
SAW a was converted into absolute obedience. He used to do as
Rasulullah SAW did and carry out whatever he commanded him to do and
abstain from whatever he forbade him from doing. Indeed, he used to
follow the footsteps of Rasulullah SAW , go wherever he went, sit
wherever he sat and preach wherever he preached. If he preached
sitting in that place, he would also preach sitting in it and if he
preached standing there, he would do likewise. If Rasulullah SAW a
sat beneath a tree, then lbn 'Umar must also sit beneath the tree as
Rasulullah SAW sat.
It
is reported on the authority of Nafi' that Ibn 'Umar RA, used to
follow the footsteps of Rasulullah SAW and pray in every place where
he prayed, to the extent that the Prophet sat beneath a tree and lbn
'Umar used to care for that tree and pour water over its roots so
that it would not become dry. He did not only sit beneath the tree
underneath which Rasulullah SAW used to sit, rather, he used to care
for it by watering it.
Nafi
reported on the authority of Ibn 'Umar RA that Rasulullah SAW said:
''lf we left this door for the women'' Nafi' said: ''After that, Ibn
'Umar never entered by that door until the day he died.
The
other Companions noticed Ibn 'Umar's imitation of Rasulullah SAW's
actions, including 'Aishah RA, who said: ''No one followed in the
footsteps of the Prophet in more closely than Ibn 'Umar RA did.
Due
to the great pains he took in following the actions of Rasulullah
SAW, he would go to a place which Rasulullah SAW had passed by and in
which he had unintentionally pulled on his camel's halter, causing it
to turn around once or twice and he would turn with his camel in the
same place in which Rasulullah SAW's camel had turned, in hope that
he would retrace its steps.
His
Continued Adherence to the Pledge
Ibn
'Umar, continued to demonstrate his love for Rasulullah SAW after his
death and whenever he was mentioned, his eyes would fill with tears;
Asim bin Muhammad Al-Amri narrated from his father that he said:
''Whenever l heard lbn 'Umar mention Rasulullah SAW he would weep.
He
was extremely careful not to misquote Rasulullah SAW , or to add or
omit anything from his sayings.
He
did not change after the death of Rasulullah SAW , so much so that
one of his contemporaries said in his supplication: ''Oh, Allah! Keep
'Abdullah bin 'Umar alive for as long as l live, so that 1 can
amulet: him, for l do not know of anyone else who adheres so closely
to what Rasulullah of and his Companions used to follow.
And
'Aishah RA' said: ''I have not seen anyone who adhered more closely
to the Sunnah of Rasulullah' and his Companions than lbn 'Umar.'' And
he continued to discharge his obligation: and to imitate Rasulullah
SAW until the day he parted from this temporary abode.
This
is why Ibn Al-Musayyab RA said:
''On
the day he died, Ibn 'Umar was the best of those who remained.''
He
refused to accept the Post of Judge
The
Caliph Saidina Uthman Affan RA ordered 'Abdullah bin 'Umar to take
up the post of judge, saying: ''Judge between the people's But lbn
'Umar said: ''1 will not judge between two persons, nor will I lead
two persons in prayer.
'Uthman
said: ''Do you disobey men?
He
said:
''No,
but l have been informed that judges are of three types: a man who
judges with ignorance and he will be in the Fire, a man who deals
unjustly and according to his whim and he will be in the Fire and a
man exercises juristic reasoning (Ijtihad) and he is just he has no
reward and there is no burden upon him.”
‘Uthman
replied: ''Your father used to judged “
He
said: ''My father used to judge and when he was not sure about
something, he would ask Rasulullah; and when he was not sure about
it, he would ask Gabriel, but l find no one to ask. Did you not hear
Rasulullah SAW say that whoever sought refuge with Allah has sought a
fitting refuge? 'Uthman said: ''Yes.'' 'Abdullah bin 'Umar said:
''Then I seek refuge with Allah from you appointing me as a judged,
so 'Uthman excused him, but he said: ''Do not inform anyone of this.'
He
also refused to accept any Position of Authority
It
is reported on the authority of 'Umar bin Nafi' from his father, from
lbn 'Umar '' that he said: 'Ali sent for me and said: ''Oh, Abu
'Abdur-Rahman! You are a man who is obeyed by the people of Ash-sham,
so go there, for l have appointed you as governor over theme. But l
said: ''Let me remind you by Allah of my kinship to Rasulullah and
my close companionship with him and therefore, would you excuse me?
He refused to excuse me and so I brought Hafsah RA to plead on my
behalf, but he refused. So I set out by night for Makkah. And he was
heard to say while he was prostrating: ''You know, my Lord, that
nothing prevents me from competing with Quraish for the life of this
world except fear of You.'
His
Ascetism
He
was extremely ascetic regarding the life of this world; we have seen
how he refused appointments as an administrator and a judge. And he
was not happy with his wealth unless he gave it in charity. And it
was said that he would sometimes go for a whole month without eating
meat. It is reported on the authority of Jabir that he said:
"I
have not seen, or I have not observed anyone who was not swayed by
the life of this world or inclined towards it, except 'Abdullah bin
'Umar.''
On
one occasion, the slave of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar arrived from lraq and
he came to give salutations to him and he said: 'I have brought you a
gift. Ibn 'Umar asked: ''And what is it? He replied: ''Jawarish.'' He
asked: ''And what is Jawarish?'' He said: ''It helps the digestion of
food'. Ibn 'Umar said: ''I have not filled my stomach with food for
forty years, so what will I do with it?
One
of those who loved him, whose name was bazaar said: I observed Ibn
'Umar wearing coarse garments and I said to him: ''Oh Abu 'Abdul
Rahman! 1 have brought you a soft garment which was made in Khurasan,
and it would please me to see you wearing it, for truly, the clothes
you are wearing are rough He said: ''Show it to me, so that 1 may
examine it's So he felt it then he asked: ''Is this Silk? I replied:
''No it is cotton He said: ''1 fear to wear it; I fear that 1 will
become arrogant and proud and Allah loves not prideful boasters.' It
was also said that the value of all of the furniture in his house did
not equal a hundred Dirham. He had understood the life of this world
and he had rejected it and he understood the life of the Hereafter
and he strove to achieve it. He used to say: ''What have l to do with
the life of this world? My relationship to it is no more than that of
a man who seeks shade under a tree, then he leaves it and moves on.
He
used to restrain His Tongue from speaking Evil. It is reported on the
authority of Salim: ''Ibn Umar never reviled a slave except on one
occasion and after that, he manumitted him. Indeed,so careful was lbn
'Umar in guarding his tongue that he would not reply even to one who
reviled him. It is reported on the authority of Zaid bin Aslam that a
man began to revile lbn 'Umar, but he remained silent. Then when he
reached the door of his house, he turned to him and said: ''1 and my
brother 'Asim we do not revile anyone.
His
Kindness and Generosity
lbn 'Umar RA upon was kind and generous and would not refuse any petitioner and he would distribute charity as one who did not fear poverty, seeking thereby the reward which is with Allah SWT, as he preferred the life of the Hereafter over the life of this world. Nafi' said: ''Anything of lbn 'Umar's property which pleased him, he would give away. Once, when he was traveling on his camel, he began to admire it and made it kneel down. Then he said: ''Oh, Nafi'! Remove its saddle and tie it up. And he placed it among his camels. And Ayub bin W`il said: ''Abdullah ibn Umar RA came with ten thousand dirhams and he distributed them, then he sought feed for his camel worth one dirham on credit.
Abdullah
lbn 'Umar RA would not eat unless there were poor and needy persons
sitting with him at his table who would eat with him. Nafi' said..
''Before he died, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA had freed a thousand or more
s1aves.''
His
Piety
Abdullah lbn 'Umar RA used to worship Allah much and he was God-fearing; he would stand in prayer at night often and he would fast much and he performed Hajj many times and remembered Allah frequently. For this reason, Ibn Al-Musayyab said: ''If I were to testify that anyone was one of the people of Paradise, it would be Ibn 'Umar.'' And it was said to Nafi': ''What did lbn 'Umar used to do in his house? He replied: ''You cannot do it; he used to perform ablution for every prayer and read the Quran between the ablution and the prayer.
Abdullah
Ibn 'Umar RA did not use to fast when he was traveling and he used to
fast frequently when at home. He used to sleep at night like a bird;
he would sleep for a while, then he would get up and pray, then he
would sleep, then get up and pray and he would do this four or five
times during the night.
Abdullah
lbn 'Umar RA would go to the market even though he did not want to
buy or sell anything and he would deliver salutations of peace to
everyone he met. When he was asked about this, he said: ''We only go
out in order to greet the people with salutations of peace.
His
Fighting
From
a young age, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar RA use was keenly interested to
fight the enemies of Allah SWT, for he realized, in spite of his
youth, he realized the high status accorded by Allah to those who
strive in His Cause and those who are martyred. For this reason, he
set out to fight while he was still not of adult age.
In
the Battle of Badr, when the Muslims set out to fight the
disbelievers, Abdullah Ibn 'Umar RA went with them, due to his keen
desire to be a soldier in the army of Rasulullah. However, Rasulullah
SAW sent him back due to his young age, and he was at that time, no
older than ten years. And
when came the time for the Battle of Uhud, he set out desiring again
to fight, but he was again sent back by the Messenger of Allah due to
his young age with others who had not yet reached puberty.
Then
when the time came for the Battle of the Trench, he volunteered to
the Messenger of Allah and he was afraid that he would reject him as
he done on previous occasions, for he was still a young boy at that
time, being only fifteen years old. However, on this occasion the
Messenger of Allah a permitted him to fight and 'Abdullah was
delighted, because it was now his right to participate in the battle
against the enemies of Allah and to defend the true religion.
Abdullah
ibn Umar RA loved to participate in the war in Allah's Cause and he
did not cease to perform it after the death of Rasulullah SAW. He was
one of the soldiers of Saidina Abu Bakr As-Siddiq RA in the wars
against the apostates. Abdullah
lbn 'Umar RA also took part in battles during the rule of the Caliph
'Umar bin Al-Khattab. And during the Caliphate of 'Uthman bin 'Affan
he took part in the conquest of North Africa and witnessed the
conquest of Nahawand under the command of Nu`man bin Muqarrin. Then
during the rule of Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan , he was with the army
which was sent by Mu'awiyah , under the leadership of his son, Yazid,
to join up with the army of Sufyan bin 'Awl, who went to fight
against Constantinople.
His
Knowledge and Understanding of Islamic Jurisprudence
Abdullah
Ibn 'Umar RA was a scholar with a wide knowledge of Islamic
Jurisprudence and he spent his life in acquiring knowledge and
memorizing it. Malik said: ''lbn 'Umar lived for sixty years after
the death of the Messenger of Allah delivering legal verdicts to the
people during the Hajj season and at other times.'' And Malik also
said: Abdullah lbn Umar RA was one of the Imams of the Muslims.''
The
people used to feel at ease with his legal verdicts, because he was
so strict in following what Rasulullah SAW had said and when
delivering verdicts, he would always refer to the Book of Allah, the
Most Glorified, the Most High and if he did not find what he wanted,
he would refer to Sunnah of Rasulullah SAW and if he did not find
what he sought there, he would refer to the juristic reasoning of the
Companions, and he would follow them if they were unanimous in their
view. However, if they differed, he would choose from among their
opinions what seemed right to him.
An
example of a matter in which the Companions differed and in which
Abdullah Ibn 'Umar RA exercised his juristic reasoning is found in
the narration of 'Amr bin Shu`aib RA, in which it is stated that a
thief bored a hole in a store belonging to Ibn Wabash and he was
found therein, having collected the things, but he had not left it.
Then lbn Az-zubair came and ordered that his hand cut off. Ibn 'Umar
(to' passed by and asked what had taken place and he was informed
about it, so he went to Az-zubair and said to him: ''Did you order
that his hand be cut off, He replied: ''Yes.'' lbn 'Umar said: ''He
is not considered to be a thief until he leaves the house with the
stolen goods.
He
used to attach particular importance to the sayings of the senior
Companions, if they conformed with the Quran and Sunnah. Child
Companions around Rasulullah SAW, It has been reported that a man
asked Abdullah Ibn 'Umar RA about a one-eyed man whose eye had been
removed by mistake. 'Abdullah bin Safwan said: ''Umar bin A1Khattab
RA ruled regarding it that blood money should be paid. The man said:
''I am not asking you, I am asking Abdullah lbn 'Umar.RA'' . Ibn
'Umar said: ''you are informed by 'Umar and you are asking me?
Az-zuhri
said: ''We cannot ignore lbn 'Umar's opinion, because he lived for
sixty years after the death of Rasulullah SAW and nothing of his
Sunnah was hidden from him, nor that of his companionship.
Some
of His Supplications
Abdullah
lbn 'Umar RA used to supplicate Allah much and implore Him; some
wordings of his supplications include: ''Oh, Allah! Protect me with
Your religion, obedience to You and obedience to Your Messenger; oh,
Allah! Keep me away from the limits which You have set; oh, Allah!
Make me one of those who love You, who love Your angels and who love
Your righteous slaves; oh, Allah! Make me love You, Your angels, Your
Rasul and Your righteous slaves; oh, Allah! Smooth for me the path of
ease and make me far from difficulty and forgive me in the Hereafter
and in this world and make me one of the leaders of the righteous;
oh, Allah! You said: 'invoke Me and l will respond to your
invocation.' And You do not break Your Promise. Oh, Allah! After You
have guided me to Islam, do not turn me away from it and do not turn
it away from me, so that You take my soul while I remain firm upon
it.'
Some
of his Sayings
A
man said to him: ''Oh, best of people'' or: ''Oh son of the best of
people'' Abdullah Ibn 'Umar RA use replied: ''1 am not the best of
people, or son of the best of people. I am only one of the slaves of
Allah, the Most High and I fear Him. By Allah, you would stay with a
man until you destroy him.
He
also said: 'I took the oath of allegiance to Rasulullah SAW of and I
did not violate it nor did I alter anything to this day and l have
not pledged allegiance to any person who causes trials, nor have l
woken a believer from his sleep (i.e., disturbed or annoyed him.)
Abdullah
lbn Umar RA said: ''Breaking one's promise is one third of hypocrisy
and fulfilling one's promise is one third of faith.
It
was said to Abdullah Ibn 'Umar RA : ''Zaid bin Haritah RA has died
and left a hundred thousand dirhams.'' He said: ''But they have not
left him.
His
Martyrdom
The people loved Abdullah Ibn 'Umar RA very much and as we have seen, they considered him to be a perfect example of a Companion who emulated Rasulullah SAW and who neither changed nor substituted anything and whose excellent life story has spread throughout the Islamic world from one end to the other.
In
the year of martyrdom, he was in Makkah during the days of Hajj and
'Abdul-Malik bin Marwan was the Umayyid Caliph at the time and he had
sent Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf Ath-Thaqafi to lead the Hajj. The Hajj
pilgrims were gathered around Abdullah lbn 'Umar RA, for in the
hearts of the people, he has a high rank. And they had left
Al-Hajjaj, although he was in charge of the Hajj.
This
cut into the heart of Al-Hajjaj deeply and it did not please him, so
he ordered a man who was with him to stab him with a poisoned spear.
So when the people dispersed from 'Arafat, the man came close to him
and stuck his spear in his foot and he was ill from it for a few
days, during which time Al-Hajjaj came to visit him and asked him:
''Who poisoned you, oh, Abu 'Abdur-Rahman?'' Ibn 'Umar asked: ''What
will you do with him? Al-Hajjaj replied: ''May Allah kill me if l do
not kill him” lbn 'Umar said: ''I do not think that you will do
so. It is you who ordered the man who pricked me with a spear.
Al-Hajjaj said: ''Why do you say that, may Allah have mercy on you?
Abdullah lbn 'Umar RA lingered on for a few days, then he died.
On
his deathbed, Abdullah Ibn 'Umar RA said to his son, Salim: ''Oh, my
son! When I die, bury me outside the Sacred Precincts for I dislike
to be buried within them after l migrated from here. He said: ''Oh,
my father! We will do so, if we are able to. He said: ''You hear me
say something to you, I said Al-Hajjaj will prevail against us and he
will pray over you. So he became silent.
He
was buried may Allah SWT have mercy on him in the graveyard of the
Muhajirun in Fakhkh Dhi Tuwa. He died in the year 73 AH, aged
eighty-six years, may Allah have mercy on him.
