Turning To Allah
Turning to Allah individually and collectively is the only way to safety, peace, and security both in this world and in the hereafter.
Umar ibn Al-Khattab – a companion of the Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him) and caliph (ra – may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We were lowly and weak then Allah made us mighty with Islam. So when we seek mightiness in other than Islam, Allah humiliates us and brings us low.”
Umar (ra) could see this in his time. Imagine how much clearer it has become since! Once the Romans captured the great Companion of the Prophet Muhammad(may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Hudhaifa (ra) and a number of other Muslims took them to their king. The king asked him to leave Islam and become Christian, but he refused. Then the king imprisoned him and tortured him but he still refused. Then the king didn’t feed him long enough and offered him pork and wine, but Hudhaifa (ra) refused them both. He preferred hunger and thirst to them.
Next, the king offered to marry him to his daughter and share his property with him if he would leave Islam and become a Christian. Still, Hudhaifa (ra) refused. Next, thee brought a huge vat of boiling water, threw one of the other Muslims in it, and cooked him alive while Hudhaifa (ra) watched. The King told him that either he leaves his religion or he will cook him too.
Hudhaifa (ra) began to cry and the king thought he had broken him. He asked him “What has made you cry?” Hudhaifa (ra) replied: “I was wishing that I had one hundred souls so I could offer them all in the path of Allah now as I die.” Hercules was shocked at his resolve and said, “Just come and kiss my head and I will let you go.” Hudhaifa (ra) said: “No, not unless you release all of the Muslims along with me.” Hercules said: “I give you that.” So, Hudhaifa (ra) kissed his head and all of the Muslim prisoners were released and they returned to Madinah.
When he returned, the Khalifa (caliph) Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra) called him and asked him all about what happened which Hudhaifa (ra) told him all about. Then, Umar (ra) said: “I want to ask you two questions. First: Why didn’t you eat the pork and drink the wine when Allah has made it lawful for the one in necessity saying
{But whoever is driven by necessity in a critical situation…} (Al-Ma’idah: 3)
Hudhaifa (ra) said: “O commander of the faithful (Umar – ra), in order that they would have no chance to detract from Islam.” Umar (ra) was pleased with this answer. Then, Umar (ra) asked: “Why did you kiss Hercules the leader of the Romans?” Hudhaifa (ra) answered “When I placed my mouth on his head I did not kiss him. Rather, I spat on his head but he thought I kissed it. Umar (ra) was again pleased with Hudhaifa’s (ra) actions and he kissed Hudhaifa’s (ra) head in front of a crowd of people. Then he said: “It is upon every Muslim to kiss the head of Hudhaifa (ra)!”.