Our social:

TAG: Umar

Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (RA) The Second Caliph Of Islam

Election
Before he passed away, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) consulted the senior Sahaba and elected Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) as the second Caliph of the Muslims.

Early Life
He was the son of Khattab and is famous in Islamic history as “Al Farooq” or “One who Distinguishes between Right and Wrong.” His acceptance of Islam is also very famous.

As Caliph
Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) was a very brave and straightforward person. He was tough and uncompromising in Islamic principles. He was a great and talented ruler. During his Khilaafat, vast areas of the Roman and Persian empires and the whole of Egypt were brought under Islamic rule. He was also a gifted orator. He was very concerned for the welfare of the Muslims. He left a honorable legacy for Muslims after him. The Holy Quran was given to him by Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) for safekeeping.

Appoints New Commander
Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anu) was a strong disciplinarian. He noticed the tremendous popularity of Sayyiduna Khalid bin Walid (radi Allahu anhu). He felt that people will lose trust in Almighty Allah and put all their trust in Sayyiduna Khalid bin Walid (radi Allahu anhu). He feared that the people may think too highly of him, thereby possibly increasing the self-esteem of Sayyiduna Khalid bin Walid (radi Allahu anhu) which would also breed arrogance, so he removed Sayyiduna Khalid (radi Allahu anhu) and appointed Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (radi Allahu anhu) as the Commander in Chief of the Muslim army.

Sayyiduna Khalid bin Walid (radi Allahu anhu) happily accepted the orders of Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) and then served as an ordinary soldier. This is an example of the Islamic teachings of obedience to leadership!

Defeat Of The Persians
Sayyiduna Khalid bin Walid (radi Allahu anhu) had left Sayyiduna Muthanna (radi Allahu anhu) in command of the Muslim forces on the Iraqi front when he rushed to Yarmuk. Sayyiduna Muthanna (radi Allahu anhu) was finding it difficult to counter the enemy and went personally to Madinatul Munawwarah to ask Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) for reinforcements. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) had by that time passed away.

Sayyiduna Muthanna (radi Allahu anhu’s) absence from the Iraqi front made things worse there. The Iranians regrouped under the command of Rustam and recaptured the lands taken by the Muslims. Rustam sent 2 columns of his army, one to Hirah and the other to Kaskar.

Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) sent Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah (radi Allahu anhu), as Commander, to deal with the situation. Both the Persian columns were defeated. Rustam sent an even larger army and defeated the Muslims.

Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) raised another army and defeated the Persians. But the Persian court sent yet another larger army and forced Sayyiduna Muthanna (radi Allahu anhu) to withdraw. The report of the new situation was sent to Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) and reinforcements under the command of Sayyiduna Saad bin Abi Waqas (radi Allahu anhu) were sent.

The Persian and Muslim armies met at Qadisiyah. After a long battle on several fronts, the outnumbered Muslim army defeated the 120000 Persian soldiers and recaptured Hirah and their areas in the year 14 A.H. (636 C.E).

Defeat Of The Romans
Muslims laid siege to Damascus during Sayyiduna Abu Bakr’s (radi Allahu anhu’s) rule as Caliph. It continued, after he passed away, and lasted 70 days during the rule of Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu). After the long siege, Sayyiduna Khalid bin Walid (radi Allahu anhu) took the Romans by surprise and entered the city. The Governor surrendered and a peace treaty was signed.

Conquest Of Jerusalem
Meanwhile, Sayyiduna Amr ibn As (radi Allahu anhu) was laying siege to Jerusalem. Sayyiduna Khalid, Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah and other Sahaba (radi Allahu anhumul ajma’in) also joined him. The Christians had little hope and decided to give in. They also suggested that the keys of Jerusalem be given to Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) himself personally. Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) went to Jerusalem. An agreement was signed that guaranteed the safety of the city and the safety of the Christians.

Assassination
A Persian non-Muslim, named Firoz and nicknamed “Abu Lulu,” complained to Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) about his master, Sayyiduna Mughirah bin Shuba (radi Allahu anhu), who imposed tax on him. Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) told Firoz that the tax was reasonable. This made Firoz angry.

The next day, during the Fajr Salah, he stabbed Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) 6 times in the back, severely wounding the Caliph. Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) passed away 3 days later in 23 A.H. He was 63 years old. He ruled the Islamic State for 10 years, 6 months and 4 days.

Reforms
In a short space of 10 years, Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) had been well-known for his outstanding achievements and reforms in Islam. Some of these reforms were:-

  1. He established the “Baitul Maal” (People’s Treasury for the state and public).
  2. Judicial courts of Justice were set in the country. Judges and Magistrates handled all cases.
  3. Establishment of an army headquarters for the defense of the country.
  4. Construction of roads and canals.
  5. Schools were established. Salaries for Imams, Mu’azzins, and Ustaads were organized.
  6. Masjids were improved and built-in Makkatul Mukarramah and Madinatul Munawwarah. This included facilities for the Haajis.
  7. Police Stations and prisons were built.
  8. The establishment of the first Islamic Lunar calendar began from the Hijrah.
  9. Proper weights and measures were introduced.
  10. Population census established.
  11. Built orphanages and welfare homes.
  12. Established a proper punishment system and banned slavery.

Personal Life
Simplicity and devotion were the main characteristics of Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu). He used to wear clothes that had many patches and yet received Governors, convoys, and diplomats. He took just enough allowance from the State to have a simple meal and wear simple clothes. At times he was very poor. He used to visit the old people and sick and even do their housework. He used to visit the houses of the soldiers and inquire about their families. He stayed awake at night in Salah and often kept Fast. He always supported and upheld the cause of Islam, with his wisdom, energy, dynamism, bravery, and little wealth.

Hafsah: The Qur’an’s Keeper

The wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) shared all the normal traits that women have in common. They competed for the Prophet’s love and feelings. Therefore, if one of them was able to do something that pleased him while the others could not do the same she would not hesitate to do it. Zaynab bint Jahsh used to give the Prophet a special type of honey, which he particularly liked. The Prophet used to stop at each of his wives’ homes every afternoon, enquiring whether they needed anything. Then he would spend the night with whoever it was her turn. One day, he came into Ayesha’s place after having had his honey at Zaynab’s. As he entered, Ayesha said to him: “You have had some Maghafir.” (Maghafir was a sweet drink that gave an unpleasant smell). He said that he only had honey at Zaynab’s. She said: “Then the bees that produced that honey must have fed on Maghafir.” The Prophet was unhappy because he was keen that he should always have a good smell.

He then went to Hafsah, and she said to him the same thing. He was really upset, and he said that he would not have that honey again. God then revealed Surah 66, which opens with a statement that the Prophet should not forbid himself something God made lawful to him. It warns the Prophet’s two wives that they must never collude in a scheme against him, or else they would face God’s anger.

An event that shocked the Muslim community in Madinah was that the Prophet’s wives asked him for a more comfortable standard of living. He felt that worldly comforts should not be their preoccupation. When they persisted, he was angry and swore that he would not come near them for a month. They were very unhappy to have so displeased him. After a month was over he acted on God’s instructions, giving them a choice between staying with him, even though he was a life of hardship, or leaving him for a more comfortable life. He would then divorce anyone who chose the latter option and give her good gifts. Every one of them chose to remain his wife. None would prefer anything to be a wife of the Prophet and a mother of all believers.

That was perhaps the last point of disagreement in which Hafsah was involved. After that, she realized that she had to restrain her feelings in order to be more worthy of her position. She turned to her devotion with more dedication.

During Abu Bakr’s short reign as Caliph, the Qur’an was collected in a single volume. This was the first complete copy of the Qur’an. It remained with the Caliph until he passed away. It was then kept by the second Caliph, Umar until he died. Thereafter, it was with Hafsah and remained in her custody as long as she lived. During Uthman’s reign, the Qur’an has collated anew, and several copies were written down. When these copies were completed, the first copy that was with Hafsah was used to check their accuracy. A copy was sent to each main population center to serve as the reference copy. Hafsah’s copy was returned to her and remained in her custody until she died.

– By Adil Salahi

Bidding Final Farewell To The Most Beloved

When news of the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was known, people were stunned. The believers felt that the whole city of Madinah sank into total darkness. They were like young children losing their parents. They did not know what to do. Despite the repeated hints by the Prophet of his impending death and the fact that the Qur’an mentions that possibility clearly, to lose him was, for his companions, something they could not imagine or visualize. He lived among them as one who was dearer to them than their souls. He was the sun of their lives. His death meant that they had to live in absolute darkness. For the Prophet to be withdrawn from their lives meant to them a vacuum that could never be filled. It was an event, which they could not imagine or comprehend. Some of them were physically paralyzed, others were dumb, and others still made statements, that they could not have thought out properly.

Umar ibn Al-Khattab himself could not make a proper judgment. He stood up to address the people and said: “Some hypocrites are alleging that God’s Messenger has died. God’s Messenger has not died. He has gone to his Lord as Moses (peace be upon him) had done before and was away from his people for 40 nights. He then returned after people had said that he had died. I swear that God’s Messenger shall return and chop off the hands and legs of those who allege that he has died.”

As Umar was making his speech, Abu Bakr arrived. He paid no attention to anything going on around him until he went into the room of his daughter Lady Ayesha, the Prophet’s wife. Abu Bakr went straight to uncover the Prophet’s face, knelt down, and kissed him, saying: “My father and my mother may be sacrificed for your sake. The one death that God has decreed that you shall experience, you have now had. You shall never die again.”

He covered the Prophet’s face and went out to find Umar still speaking to the people. Abu Bakr said to him: “Listen to me.” Abu Bakr began by praising God and thanking Him for His grace. He then said: “People, if any of you has been worshipping Muhammad, let him know that Muhammad is dead. He who worships God knows that God is always alive; He never dies.” He then recited a verse of the Qur’an, which may be translated as follows: “Muhammad is but a messenger before whom other messengers have passed. Should he die or be slain, would you turn back on your heels? He who turns back on his heels shall do God no harm. God shall reward those who give thanks to Him.” (3: 144)

When people heard Abu Bakr reciting that verse of the Qur’an, they seemed as if they had never heard it before. They had indeed heard it repeatedly, and they repeated it then. Umar said: “When I heard Abu Bakr reciting that verse I was stunned and perplexed. I fell down to the ground, feeling that my legs could not support me. I realized, however, that God’s Messenger was dead.”

The next thing to be done was to prepare the Prophet’s body for burial. His body needed to be washed like every dead person. Ali ibn Abu Talib, the Prophet’s cousin, and Al-Abbas’ two sons, Al-Fadl and Qutham, as well as Usamah ibn Zaid and Shaqran, the Prophet’s servant, were given that task. Aws ibn Khawli, a man from the Ansar, appealed to Ali to let him also attend. Ali supported the Prophet’s body on his chest, Al-Abbas and his two sons helped him turn the Prophet’s body while Usamah and Shaqran poured the water and Ali washed him.

Ayesha reports that when they were about to start washing the Prophet’s body, they did not know whether to take off his clothes or to wash him with his clothes on. They were in disagreement when they were overtaken by sleep. All of them sat down and dozed off. They heard a voice telling them to wash the Prophet’s body with his clothes on, so this was how they did it. They poured the water over his shirt and rubbed his body holding his shirt. They did not insert their hands underneath his shirt.

When they had finished washing him, they wrapped him in three robes. There were several suggestions concerning where to bury the Prophet. Some people suggested that he should be buried in his mosque. Others suggested that he should be buried alongside his companions. Abu Bakr, however, told them that he heard the Prophet say: “Every Prophet was buried in the place where he died.” That settled the matter. The bed on which the Prophet died was removed and his grave was dug there.

After the Prophet was wrapped for burial, he was put on his bed. Abu Bakr and Umar entered the room and said: “Peace be upon you, Messenger of God, with God’s mercy and blessing.” A number of the Muhajirin and the Ansar went in with them, as many as the room could accommodate. They spoke the same greetings and stood up in rows to offer the prayer for the deceased, the Janazah prayer. No one led the prayer as an Imam. Abu Bakr and Umar, however, were in the first row next to the Prophet. They said: “Our Lord, we bear witness that he has conveyed to us what has been revealed to him, given good counsel to his nation, struggled for God’s cause until God has given triumph to His religion at his hands, and until God’s words were complete. People believed in Him alone without partners. Our Lord, place us with those who follow the word revealed to him and join us to him so that he recognizes us and You make us known to him. For he was compassionate and merciful to those who believed.

When they had finished they left the room to allow another group of the Muslims to go in and offer the Janazah prayer for the Prophet. They were followed by other groups as the room could accommodate. When all men had offered their prayers, women went in also in groups to do the same. Children then followed in groups. However, there was no congregational prayer for the deceased. Everyone prayed on his own. This took the whole of Tuesday and the Prophet was buried on Wednesday.

Most reports confirm that the Prophet was 63 when he died, although some suggest that he was 65. Normally, prophets start to receive their revelations at the age of 40. The Prophet lived after that for 13 years in Makkah and 10 years in Madinah. That he was 63 is perhaps more accurate.