the thread on Umar ibn-al Khattab r.a

[ibn suleman]

as promised ;)

The Bravery of Hadrat Umar ibn Khattab (r.a)

Hadrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (r.a) says, “I know of no person who did not make Hijrah secretly except for Umar ibn Khattab (r.a). When he decided to make Hijrah, he hung hi sword o from his neck, carried his bow on his shoulder and took a few arrows in his hands. He then proceeded to the ka’bah where the leaders of the Quraysh were sitting in their gatherings. He went around the Kabah seven times and then performed two rakaahs salaah by the Maqaam Ibraheem. Thereafter, he approached each gathering separately, saying “May your faces be disfigured! Whoever wants his mother to mourn him, his children to become orphans and his wife to become a widow should meet me behind this valley (to try and stop my Hijrah). None dared follow him out.

[ibn suleman]

Commander of the Faithful

One night, when Umar Bin Al Khattab was on his usual rounds in Madina, he saw an old woman busy cooking something while her children cried continuously. Feeling pity for them, Umar asked why they were crying and the woman sadly told him that she had no food in the house and that there was only water in the pot on the fire. She was pretending to cook something until the children fell asleep. Umar was shocked by the misery he witnessed and thought, being the Caliph, he was responsible for this tragedy..

Umar immediately hurried away with his servant to the state storehouse and came back carrying flour, butter, dates, clothes and money. He had even refused to let his servant carry anything saying that he was responsible for the welfare of his people and that his servant would not be there on the Day of Judgment to carry his sins.

Umar reached the woman?s house and started cooking the food himself. After every one had eaten, Umar started playing with the little kids and crawling around them as if he was a horse making them laugh and giggle. And he said ?I saw them crying and I hated to leave them until I saw them laugh.?

The woman replied: ?May Allah bless you. You are better than Umar Bin Al Khattab himself.?

So he said: ?And how is Umar supposed to know about you??

She said: ?He takes our welfare onto his shoulders (she is referring to him accepting the position of being Caliph) and forgets about us?

This made Umar cry and say: All the people are more knowledgeable than Umar.?

Source: "Glimpses From the Lives of the Sahaba and Tabi'een, Umar Ibn Al Khattab." By Dr. M. Jilani. Taiba Publishers, 2003.

[ibn suleman]

a Real leader

One afternoon a Roman emissary arrived in Madinah on important diplomatic business with the Caliph. When he enquired as to the whereabouts of Umar (RA), he was directed to a man sleeping peacefully under a tree: with no bodyguards, no weapons, no fortifications and no security. The Roman messenger marvelled at this sight: the sight of the leader of millions of people sleeping peacefully under a tree without a care in the world. He then remarked his famous words that remain etched into history until today: “O Umar! You ruled. You were just. Thus you were safe. And thus you slept.”

[ibn suleman]

Four Empowering Beliefs from Umar ibn Al-Khattab
http://www.ilmfruits.com/four-empowe...bn-al-khattab/

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), the second khalifa, had four beliefs that made it easier for him to bear calamities:

1. The situation could have been worse.
2. It didn’t strike him in his religion.
3. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will reward him with Jannah in return inshallah.
4. When he remembered the hardship of losing the Prophet(صلي الله عليه وسلم) everything else faded away.

Subhanallah, these are profound beliefs from the second khalifa that we can all benefit from! Reflect on them often inshallah in times of ease and hardship, until they spring to mind automatically.

[ibn suleman]

Some advices of Umar r.a

Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with
common folk brings safety.

----

"I looked at all friends and did not find a better friend than safeguarding the tongue. I thought about all dresses, but did not find a better dress than piety. I thought about all types of wealth, but did not find a better wealth than contentment in little. I thought of all types of good deeds, but did not find a better deed than offering good advice. I looked at all types of sustenance but did not find a better sustenance than patience."

----

"Judge yourselves before you are judged, evaluate yourselves before you are evaluated and be ready for the greatest investigation (the Day of Judgement)."

[Peacenik]

Subhaan-Allah !

May we all aspire to be like Hadrat Umar (ra) who in turn followed the beloved Messenger (saw).

Ameen.

[ibn suleman]

ameen ^



Who else but ‘Umar?!


‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud narrated:

“A man from among the humans went out and was met by a man from among the jinn, who said: “Will you wrestle with me? If you throw me to the ground, I will teach you an verse which, if you recite it when you enter your house, no devil will enter.”

So, he wrestled with him and threw him to the ground.

He said: “I see that you are very small and your forearms are like the front paws of a dog. Are all the jinn like this, or only you?”

He said: “I am strong amongst them. Let us wrestle again.”

So, they wrestled again and the human threw him to the ground.

So, the jinn said: “Recite Ayat al-Kursi, for no one recites it when he enters his house except that Satan leaves, passing wind like a donkey.”"

It was said to Ibn Mas’ud: “Was that man ‘Umar?”

He said: “Who else could it have been, other than ‘Umar?”

Majma’ az-Zawa’id’; 9/71, and it is authentic

http://istighfar.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/who-else-but-umar/

[Khadija222333]

:jkk: Very good thread.

Masha Allah.

[`asiya]

as promised ;)

The Bravery of Hadrat Umar ibn Khattab (r.a)

Hadrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (r.a) says, “I know of no person who did not make Hijrah secretly except for Umar ibn Khattab (r.a). When he decided to make Hijrah, he hung hi sword o from his neck, carried his bow on his shoulder and took a few arrows in his hands. He then proceeded to the ka’bah where the leaders of the Quraysh were sitting in their gatherings. He went around the Kabah seven times and then performed two rakaahs salaah by the Maqaam Ibraheem. Thereafter, he approached each gathering separately, saying “May your faces be disfigured! Whoever wants his mother to mourn him, his children to become orphans and his wife to become a widow should meet me behind this valley (to try and stop my Hijrah). None dared follow him out.

:ahb: :sub:

:jkk:

[`asiya]

Malik related to me from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman from another of the ulama of that time that Abu Musa al-Ashari came and asked permission from Umar ibn al-Khattab to enter. He asked permission three times, and then went away Umar ibn al-Khattab sent after him and said, "What's wrong with you? Why didn't you come in?" Abu Musa said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Ask permission to enter three times. If you are given permission, then enter. If not, go away.

'Umar said, "Who can confirm this? If you do not bring me someone to confirm it, I will do such-and-such to you." Abu Musa went out until he came to an assembly in the mosque which was called the Majlis-al-Ansar. He said, "I told Umar ibn al-Khattab that I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Ask permission three times. If you are given permission, then enter. If not, go away.

' Umar said, 'If you do not bring me someone who can confirm it, I will do such-and-such to you'. If any of you have heard that, let him come with me.' " They said to Abu Said al-Khudri, "Go with him". Abu Said was the youngest of them. He went with him and told Umar ibn al-Khattab about that." Umar ibn al-Khattab said to Abu Musa, "I did not suspect you, but I feared lest people forge sayings of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace."

maliks muwatta

:lailah:

[ibn suleman]

:jkk:

subhan'Allah, what amazing insight Umar had, masha'Allah

[`asiya]

:jkk:

subhan'Allah, what amazing insight Umar had, masha'Allah

wa iyakka amin sah subhanAllah



The Prophet salAllahu alleyhi wa salam said: "Allah has placed the truth on the tongue of Umar and on his heart."

At-Tirmidhi

the Prophet (sas) bore witness to the superiority of Umar ibn Al-Khattab in his deen, saying: "While I was sleeping, I saw the people being presented to me. Each of them was wearing a shirt. Some reached to their breast and some reached farther than that. Then Umar was shown to me with his shirt reaching all the way to the ground." They asked: 'How do you interpret it, Allah's Messenger?' He said: 'Ad-deen (practice)"


Sahih Al-Bukhari

[Medievalist]

On the occasion of hearing that the Noble Wives had requested increased in expenditure from Nubuwwat :saw:

Sayyidina Umar said:

Ya Rasulullah :saw:! Had the wife of Umar requested an increase in expenditure, I would not have hesitated to ring her neck!


:rotfl:

[`asiya]

On the occasion of hearing that the Noble Wives had requested increased in expenditure from Nubuwwat :saw:

Sayyidina Umar said:

Ya Rasulullah :saw:! Had the wife of Umar requested an increase in expenditure, I would not have hesitated to ring her neck!


:rotfl:

have u got a reference for this plz insha Allah

[salahuldin786]

the letter to the nile


It has been related that after the conquest of Egypt, the people there came to Amr Bin A'as and said:
" It is one of our ancient customs to make some offering to the River Nile in this month of the year. And if we don't do that, then the water level does not rise. Our offering to the River Nile is made on the 12th of this month. We select a - she has to be the only child of her parents whom we pay heavily to hand her over to us. Then we take the child, dress her up, and adorn her with all sorts of jewelry. Then we cast her into the river. Thereafter, the water level rises, otherwise it doesn't. "
The valiant conquerer of Egypt Amr Bin A'as replied, "This is a foolish custom reeking of ignorance. Islam does not permit anything like that. Islam has wiped out all such customs. " So the people refrained from it.

The water level of the Nile did not rise. The entire month passed but the river-bed remained dry. As people could not bear it any longer (because they depended on the water of the river) they decided to leave Egypt. Amr Bin A'as (R.A) thought it appropriate to inform the Caliph- Sayyidina Umar Bin Al-Khattab- about the situation. Sayyidina Umar sent the following reply; " You did the right thing. I am sending you a letter addressed to the River Nile. Take it and throw it into the river."
Sayyidina Amr Bin A'as took the letter which read as follows;
" From Allah's slave, the commander of the faithful, Umar,
to the Nile, the river of the people of Egypt.
After praising Allah and invoking blessings on Allah's messenger, ( i proceed to say that) If you flow on your own and according to your own will and pleasures, then don't flow. And if Allah, the One, the Omnipotent makes you flow, then we pray to Allah to make you flow again. "
Sayyidina Amr took this letter and threw it into the Nile as instructed. One night had barely past, and the water level of the Nile had risen to 16 cubits. Aridity and famine gave way to fertility and affluence. Hardship gave way to comfort and ease. Through the blessings of this letter, Egypt became verdant and green. The River Nile has been flowing since. And there was no need for any further human sacrifices. Thus Egypt was purged once and for all from this impure custom.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir 4/213)

[salahuldin786]

Narrated 'Amr bin Maimun:
I saw 'Umar bin Al-Khattab a few days before he was stabbed in Medina. He was standing with Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman and 'Uthman bin Hunaif to whom he said, "What have you done? Do you think that you have imposed more taxation on the land (of As-Swad i.e. 'Iraq) than it can bear?" They replied, "We have imposed on it what it can bear because of its great yield." 'Umar again said, "Check whether you have imposed on the land what it can not bear." They said, "No, (we haven't)." 'Umar added, "If Allah should keep me alive I will let the widows of Iraq need no men to support them after me." But only four days had elapsed when he was stabbed (to death) ..

The day he was stabbed, I was standing and there was nobody between me and him (i.e. Umar) except Abdullah bin 'Abbas. Whenever Umar passed between the two rows, he would say, "Stand in straight lines."
When he saw no defect (in the rows), he would go forward and start the prayer with Takbir. He would recite Surat Yusuf or An-Nahl or the like in the first Rak'a so that the people may have the time to Join the prayer. As soon as he said Takbir, I heard him saying, "The dog has killed or eaten me," at the time he (i.e. the murderer) stabbed him. A non-Arab infidel proceeded on carrying a double-edged knife and stabbing all the persons he passed by on the right and left (till) he stabbed thirteen persons out of whom seven died. When one of the Muslims saw that, he threw a cloak on him. Realizing that he had been captured, the non-Arab infidel killed himself, 'Umar held the hand of 'Abdur-Rahman bin Auf and let him lead the prayer.
Those who were standing by the side of 'Umar saw what I saw, but the people who were in the other parts of the Mosque did not see anything, but they lost the voice of 'Umar and they were saying, "Subhan Allah! Subhan Allah! (i.e. Glorified be Allah)." Abdur-Rahman bin Auf led the people a short prayer. When they finished the prayer, 'Umar said, "O Ibn 'Abbas! Find out who attacked me." Ibn 'Abbas kept on looking here and there for a short time and came to say. "The slave of Al Mughira." On that 'Umar said, "The craftsman?" Ibn 'Abbas said, "Yes." 'Umar said, "May Allah curse him. I did not treat him unjustly. All the Praises are for Allah Who has not caused me to die at the hand of a man who claims himself to be a Muslim. No doubt, you and your father (Abbas) used to love to have more non-Arab infidels in Medina." Al-Abbas had the greatest number of slaves. Ibn 'Abbas said to 'Umar. "If you wish, we will do." He meant, "If you wish we will kill them." 'Umar said, "You are mistaken (for you can't kill them) after they have spoken your language, prayed towards your Qibla, and performed Hajj like yours."
Then Umar was carried to his house, and we went along with him, and the people were as if they had never suffered a calamity before. Some said, "Do not worry (he will be Alright soon)." Some said, "We are afraid (that he will die)." Then an infusion of dates was brought to him and he drank it but it came out (of the wound) of his belly. Then milk was brought to him and he drank it, and it also came out of his belly. The people realized that he would die. We went to him, and the people came, praising him. A young man came saying, "O chief of the believers! Receive the glad tidings from Allah to you due to your company with Allah's Apostle and your superiority in Islam which you know. Then you became the ruler (i.e. Caliph) and you ruled with justice and finally you have been martyred." 'Umar said, "I wish that all these privileges will counterbalance (my shortcomings) so that I will neither lose nor gain anything."
When the young man turned back to leave, his clothes seemed to be touching the ground. 'Umar said, "Call the young man back to me." (When he came back) 'Umar said, "O son of my brother! Lift your clothes, for this will keep your clothes clean and save you from the Punishment of your Lord." 'Umar further said, "O 'Abdullah bin 'Umar! See how much I am in debt to others." When the debt was checked, it amounted to approximately eighty-six thousand. 'Umar said, "If the property of 'Umar's family covers the debt, then pay the debt thereof; otherwise request it from Bani 'Adi bin Ka'b, and if that too is not sufficient, ask for it from Quraish tribe, and do not ask for it from any one else, and pay this debt on my behalf."
'Umar then said (to 'Abdullah), "Go to 'Aisha (the mother of the believers) and say: "Umar is paying his salutation to you. But don't say: 'The chief of the believers,' because today I am not the chief of the believers. And say: "Umar bin Al-Khattab asks the permission to be buried with his two companions (i.e. the Prophet, and Abu Bakr)." Abdullah greeted 'Aisha and asked for the permission for entering, and then entered to her and found her sitting and weeping. He said to her, "'Umar bin Al-Khattab is paying his salutations to you, and asks the permission to be buried with his two companions." She said, "I had the idea of having this place for myself, but today I prefer Umar to myself." When he returned it was said (to 'Umar), "'Abdullah bin 'Umar has come." 'Umar said, "Make me sit up." Somebody supported him against his body and 'Umar asked ('Abdullah), "What news do you have?" He said, "O chief of the believers! It is as you wish. She has given the permission." 'Umar said, "Praise be to Allah, there was nothing more important to me than this. So when I die, take me, and greet 'Aisha and say: "Umar bin Al-Khattab asks the permission (to be buried with the Prophet ), and if she gives the permission, bury me there, and if she refuses, then take me to the grave-yard of the Muslims."
Then Hafsa (the mother of the believers) came with many other women walking with her. When we saw her, we went away. She went in (to 'Umar) and wept there for sometime. When the men asked for permission to enter, she went into another place, and we heard her weeping inside. The people said (to 'Umar), "O chief of the believers! Appoint a successor." Umar said, "I do not find anyone more suitable for the job than the following persons or group whom Allah's Apostle had been pleased with before he died." Then 'Umar mentioned 'Ali, 'Uthman, AzZubair, Talha, Sad and 'Abdur-Rahman (bin Auf) and said, "Abdullah bin 'Umar will be a witness to you, but he will have no share in the rule. His being a witness will compensate him for not sharing the right of ruling. If Sad becomes the ruler, it will be alright: otherwise, whoever becomes the ruler should seek his help, as I have not dismissed him because of disability or dishonesty." 'Umar added, "I recommend that my successor takes care of the early emigrants; to know their rights and protect their honor and sacred things.
I also recommend that he be kind to the Ansar who had lived in Medina before the emigrants and Belief had entered their hearts before them. I recommend that the (ruler) should accept the good of the righteous among them and excuse their wrong-doers, and I recommend that he should do good to all the people of the towns (Al-Ansar), as they are the protectors of Islam and the source of wealth and the source of annoyance to the enemy. I also recommend that nothing be taken from them except from their surplus with their consent. I also recommend that he do good to the 'Arab bedouin, as they are the origin of the 'Arabs and the material of Islam. He should take from what is inferior, amongst their properties and distribute that to the poor amongst them. I also recommend him concerning Allah's and His Apostle's protectees (i.e. Dhimmis) to fulfill their contracts and to fight for them and not to overburden them with what is beyond their ability." So when 'Umar expired, we carried him out and set out walking. 'Abdullah bin 'Umar greeted ('Aisha) and said, "'Umar bin Al-Khattab asks for the permission." 'Aisha said, "Bring him in." He was brought in and buried beside his two companions.

Sahih Bukhari
Volume 5, Book 57, Number 50

[salahuldin786]

Even Satan Takes Another Way...


Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas Narrated, Umar bin Al-Khattab asked the permission of Allah's Apostle to see him while some Quraishi women were sitting with him, talking to him and asking him for more expenses, raising their voices above the voice of Allah's Apostle. When 'Umar asked for the permission to enter, the women quickly put on their veils..

Allah's Apostle then allowed him to enter and 'Umar came in while Allah's Apostle was smiling, 'Umar said "O Allah's Apostle! May Allah always keep you smiling." The Prophet said, "These women who have been here, roused my wonder, for as soon as they heard your voice, they quickly put on their veils." 'Umar said, "O Allah's Apostle! You have more right to be feared by them than I." Then 'Umar addressed the women saying, "O enemies of yourselves! You fear me more than you do Allah's Apostle?!" They said, "Yes, for you are harsher and sterner than Allah's Apostle." Then Allah's Apostle said, "O Ibn Al-Khattab! By Him in Whose Hands my life is! Never does Satan find you going on a way, but he takes another way other than yours." Source: Sahih Bukhari

[salahuldin786]

Inspirations


From Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet (saw) once said, "There were among those who came before you individuals spoken to. If anyone among my nation is one of these, it is surely Umar.."

Those "spoken to" means individuals who, while not prophets, receive inspirations which match or foretell the actual Communication from Allah received by the prophet of their time. These people do not have the status of the prophets, and their ideas or inspirations are of no use or validity until confirmed by the actual Communication. In the absence of a prophet, this is one of the greatest gifts which an imam or scholar of fiqh can possess. The texts and other scholars can define the perimeter within which the truth must lie, but a great individual such as Umar has the added advantage of their gift of "instinct" or inspiration which leads them in the right direction. Any claim of inspiration, dreams, etc. which is at odds with the evidence, whether during the time of a prophet or not, is falsehood and is from Shaitaan regardless of the apparent knowledge, station or good works of the individual involved. In a different version of the above hadith found in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (saw) said, "There were among those who came before you among the Jews men who were spoken to without being prophets. If there are any such among my nation, it is Umar." From At-Tirmidhi, the Prophet (saw) said: "Allah has placed the truth on the tongue of Umar and on his heart." Source: From Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and At-Tirmidhi.

[salahuldin786]

The Best of Friends


In old, worn out shabby looking clothes, Amir Al-Mu’minin, Ali Bin Abi Taleb, sat saying grace to Allah. Abu Mariam, one of the servants, sat on his knees close to Ali and whispered: “Amir Al-Mu’minin, I have something to ask of you.” Ali said: “What is it that you want to ask?”

Abu Mariam said: “That you throw away the clothes you are wearing. They are old and ripped and do not go well with your position.” Ali Bin Abi Taleb put the tip of his clothes on his eyes and started to cry until his weeping was loud. In embarrassment, Abu Mariam said: “O Amir Al-Mu’minin, if I knew that it meant so much to you I would not have asked you to take it off.” Ali said while wiping his tears: “O Abu Mariam, my love for this jacket is increasing. It was a gift from my friend and beloved companion.” Oddly, Abu Mariam asked: “And who is this friend of yours O Amir?” Ali said: “ ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattab. He was the best of friends.” He then started to weep once again until the sound of his suppressed cries could be heard from afar. Source:Translated from "100 Stories from the Life of Ali Bin Abi Taleb" by Muhammad Sedeeq Al Minshawi, Dar Al Fadeela Publishing, 2002.

[salahuldin786]

''To the hill Sariya, To the Hill!''


One Friday, while leading the congregational (Juma'a) prayer in the Great Mosque at Medina, Umar Bin Al Khattab suddenly started shouting "To the hill Sariya! To the hill!!" Those who were in the mosque with Umar asked him what the matter was..

Umar explained that a group of enemies was about to attack the Muslims --led by a man whose name was Sariya-- during one of their expeditions in Persia. Foreseeing the danger he wanted to warn Sariya to rush back to the hill where he and his men would be safe and win the battle. Several weeks after the incident, a messenger from the battle field brought the news of the Muslim's victory. He also related how the voice of the Caliph had warned them in time. By that miracle, Sariya had heard Omar's warning and led his men to the hill to a position of safety where they had easily defeated the enemy . In this incident, we see that by the Grace of Allah (swt), Umar has a vision that shows him the army in danger hence shouting his directions to the leader who by the Grace of Allah (swt) heard this shout hundreds of miles away and acted upon it. Source:Al-Isabah by Ibn Hajar

[vorsprung]

Anyone has the story of Omar, goes something like:

During his nightly patrols, he found these couple camping (they were outsiders) the wife was in labour, so Omar rushed home to his wife and asked her to assist.

The outsiders didnt know it was the Khalif helping and tending to the fire until Omar's wife refer to him as Amir ul Mu'Minneen?

[souljaa]

Commander of the Faithful

One night, when Umar Bin Al Khattab was on his usual rounds in Madina, he saw an old woman busy cooking something while her children cried continuously. Feeling pity for them, Umar asked why they were crying and the woman sadly told him that she had no food in the house and that there was only water in the pot on the fire. She was pretending to cook something until the children fell asleep. Umar was shocked by the misery he witnessed and thought, being the Caliph, he was responsible for this tragedy..

Umar immediately hurried away with his servant to the state storehouse and came back carrying flour, butter, dates, clothes and money. He had even refused to let his servant carry anything saying that he was responsible for the welfare of his people and that his servant would not be there on the Day of Judgment to carry his sins.

Umar reached the woman?s house and started cooking the food himself. After every one had eaten, Umar started playing with the little kids and crawling around them as if he was a horse making them laugh and giggle. And he said ?I saw them crying and I hated to leave them until I saw them laugh.?

The woman replied: ?May Allah bless you. You are better than Umar Bin Al Khattab himself.?

So he said: ?And how is Umar supposed to know about you??

She said: ?He takes our welfare onto his shoulders (she is referring to him accepting the position of being Caliph) and forgets about us?

This made Umar cry and say: All the people are more knowledgeable than Umar.?

Source: "Glimpses From the Lives of the Sahaba and Tabi'een, Umar Ibn Al Khattab." By Dr. M. Jilani. Taiba Publishers, 2003.

SubhanAllah! :crying:

[souljaa]

Everyone knows how courageous and strong and fearless Hadhrat Umar (RA) was so much so that even Shaytaan use to run away from him just be seeing his shadow!......Yet whenever the Qur'an was recited in front of him...A sense of calmness and a sense of tranquility would descend upon him that he would remain quiet after this...

Once in the time of Hadhrat Umar (RA), he was giving a speech about the war booty and how it should be distributed amongst everyone...A man walked into the gathering furious and angry and he proclaimed 'Oi Umar!...' No proper address nor respect was shown to the Ameerul Mumineen...Upon hearing this, Hadhrat Umar (RA) became furious and went forward to the man and grabbed him...Hadhrat Umar (RA)'s nephew who was sitting nearby saw this and recited a verse from the Qur'an... 'Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them will Allah turn in mercy: For Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.' (Surah Nisaa, Ayaah 17)

Upon hearing this, Hadhrat Umar (RA) became calm and and let go of the man and started weeping...Look! if a man as fearless as Hadhrat Umar (RA) can weep like this from hearing the words of Allah...What should our attitude be to the words of Allah?...We should listen to the Qur'an attentively and try to weep and if we can't weep, we should at least try and induce weeping as it creates love and fear for Rabb Izzat.

[urban_rose]

Anyone has the story of Omar, goes something like:

During his nightly patrols, he found these couple camping (they were outsiders) the wife was in labour, so Omar rushed home to his wife and asked her to assist.

The outsiders didnt know it was the Khalif helping and tending to the fire until Omar's wife refer to him as Amir ul Mu'Minneen?

ohh, ive read that somewhere, i think it might be Hayatus Sahaba, i'll try and check it out for you as soon as i can inshAllah :)

[Zesty]

BUMP! :inlove:

[Medievalist]

ohh, ive read that somewhere, i think it might be Hayatus Sahaba, i'll try and check it out for you as soon as i can inshAllah :)

Its in Hayaat e Sahaabah and also Fazaa'il.

[LiveIslam]

Justice and Equality
Ibn al-Jawzi narrated that Amr ibn al-As carried out the punishment for wine-drinking on Abdur-Rahman ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab when he was his governor in Egypt. Such punishments were usually carried out in the public square of the city, so as to teach a lesson to the masses, but Amr carried out the punishment on the son of the caliph in his house. When news of that reached Umar, he wrote to Amr ibn al-As saying:
“from the slave of Allah Umar the commander of the faithful to the sinner Ibn al-AS. I am amazed at you, O son of al-As and your audacity towards me in doing something other than what I told you to do. I gave you precedence over the people of Badr who are better than you, and I chose you so that you would do what I tell you to do. But you have betrayed me and sunk to this low level. I think the only thing I can do is to dismiss you in the most humiliating manner, you beat Abdur Rahman in your house, and you know this is against my instructions. Abdur Rahman is just one of your people when it comes to carrying out the Hadd punishment prescribed by Allah. When this letter of mine reaches you, send him wearing a cloak on a mount so that he will realize how bad his action was”.
He was brought to madeenah and the hadd punishment was carried out publicly. This was narrated by Abdur-Razzaq in a lengthy report with a saheeh isnad from Ibn Umar. Here we can see equality before the shariah in the clearest way. The accused was the son of the caliph, but the governor did not exempt him from punishment. However Umar noticed that his son enjoyed some special treatment, which upset him greatly, so he punished this governor the conqueror of Egypt severely and carried out on his son the punishment that he deserved, out of keenness to carry out the hadd punishment prescribed by Allah and to discipline his son and straighten him out.
If this was the way in which he dealt with the closest people to him, how do you think he dealt with others?
Source: 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattab His life & Times' by Dr ali muhammad as-sallahi

[`asiya]

The prophet salAllahu alleyhi wa salam said

"While sleeping, I saw myself at a well on which there was a water bucket. I took from the well the amount which Allah wished. Then, Abu Bakr took the bucket and took out a bucket or two and in his drawing of water was weakness - and Allah forgive him his weakness. Then it (the bucket) was transformed into a huge barrel. Umar took this barrel and began drawing water. I never saw any leader among the people who could pull the water like Umar ibn Al-Khattab until the people sent their camels to their pens." sahih al bukhari

(The meaning of "sent their camels to their pens" is that that the people got all the water they needed for themselves, and for all of their animals until their camels were fully loaded with water.)

:ahb:

[`asiya]

While Abu-d Dardaa was still in Syria, the Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab came on an inspection tour of the region. One night he went to visit Abu-d Dardaa at his home. There was no light in the house. Abu-d Dardaa welcomed the Caliph and sat him down.

The two men conversed in the darkness. As they did so, Umar felt Abu-d Dardaa's "pillow" and realized it was an animal's saddle. He touched the place where Abu-d Dardaa lay and knew it was just small pebbles. He also felt the sheet with which he covered himself and was astonished to find it so flimsy that it couldn't possibly protect him from the cold of Damascus. Umar asked him:

"Shouldn't I make things more comfortable for you? Shouldn't I send something for you?"

"Do you remember, Umar," said Abu-d Dardaa, "a hadith which the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, told us?"

"What is it?" asked Umar.

"Did he not say: Let what is sufficient for anyone of you in this world be like the provisions of a rider?"

"Yes," said Umar. "And what have we done after this, O Umar?" asked Abu-d Dardaa.

Both men wept no doubt thinking about the vast riches that had come the way of Muslims with the expansion of Islam and their preoccupation with amassing wealth and worldly possessions. With deep sorrow and sadness, both men continued to reflect on this situation until the break of dawn.

[`asiya]

The Prophet salAllahu alleyhi wa salam said: "In the nations long before you were people who were spoken to [by the angels] although they were not prophets. If there is anyone of them in my Community, truly it is `Umar ibn al-Khattab."

This narration is elucidated by the two narrations whereby "Allah has engraved truth on the tongue of `Umar and his heart" and "If there were a Prophet after me verily it would be `Umar."

Al-Tirmidhi said that according to Ibn `Uyayna "spoken to" (muhaddathûn) means "made to understand" (mufahhamûn), while in his narration Muslim added: "Ibn Wahb explained ‘spoken to’ as ‘inspired’ (mulham)." This is the majority’s opinion according to Ibn Hajar who said: "‘Spoken to’ means ‘by the angels’." Al-Nawawi and Ibn Hajar said respectively in Sharh Sahih Muslim and Fath al-Bari.

[`asiya]

It is reported that a man once came to 'Umar, the second Caliph, with the intention of bringing to his notice certain complaints he had against his wife. When he reached the door of Umar's house, he heard the Caliph's wife railing against him....

Hearing this, he went back as he thought that the Caliph himself was in the same predicament and could, therefore, be hardly expected to set matters right for him. "Umar, coming out of his house, saw the person going back. So he called him out and inquired as to the purpose which had brought him to his house. He said that he had come to him with some complaints against his wife, but turned back on finding that the Caliph himself was subject to the same treatment from his wife...

`Umar said to him that he patiently bore the excesses of his wife because she had certain rights over him. "Is is not true that she cooks my food, washes my clothes and suckles my children, thus reliving me of the necessity of employing a cook, a washerman and a nurse although she is not in the slighted degree responsible for this?

Not only that, I enjoy peace of mind on account of her and I am protected from committing the sin of adultery. In view of these advantages, I put up with her excesses. You should also do the same."

[`asiya]

Anyone has the story of Omar, goes something like:

During his nightly patrols, he found these couple camping (they were outsiders) the wife was in labour, so Omar rushed home to his wife and asked her to assist.

The outsiders didnt know it was the Khalif helping and tending to the fire until Omar's wife refer to him as Amir ul Mu'Minneen?


One of the unique incidents relating to sympathy and equality in the history of mankind is that 'Umar came by one night. It was usual with him to go out during the nights to see with his own eyes the conditions under which people were living. One night he found himself in one of the many valleys of Madinah. All of a sudden he heard somebody crying in a nearby tent, at whose door was standing a man. 'Umar greeted him in the proper manner and asked him who he was. He said in reply that he was a beduin who had come to Madinah to ask the Amir of the believers for help. Then 'Umar asked him about the crying and wailing inside the tent, which question the beduin tried to evade, saying that since it did not concern him, he should not interest himself in it and go his way. Little he knew that he was talking to the Amir of the believers. However, on the insistence of 'Umar he told him that his wife was in labour pain and has no one to help her with the delivery.

'Umar came back home and asked his wife, Umm-Kulthum whether she was interested in the reward from Allah which He might have brought her way. And on her asking what was that, he told her in some detail, and asked her to take with her the requisites of a new born and the delivered mother and also some provisions for food. He took all those things from her and started, Umm-Kulthum following him. Soon they came to the Bedouin's tent and 'Umar sending his wife inside, himself sat with the husband, and lighting a fire started cooking food with the provisions he had brought with him. The Bedouin was even now unaware that he was sitting beside a great man of the world.

Meanwhile the woman in the tent was delivered of a babe and Umm-Kulthum called him from inside the tent, addressing him as Amir-al Muminin, and asked him to congratulate his friend on the birth of his child. The Bedouin on hearing her words became conscious of the fact that he had been with the head of the Islamic state all this time and had been rude to him, and was awe-struck and began receding from 'Umar. But 'Umar reassured him and asked him to keep sitting where he was, unceremoniously. And when he asked Umm-Kulthum to offer the mother the food that he had cooked. And when she had eaten, he offered food to her husband, saying "Partake of it, you have kept up the whole night and have been inconvenienced. Come to me tomorrow and I shall see to it that your needs are pro-vided." When he came to him ('Umar) the next morning he granted an allowance for his new born babe and he too was liberally helped.

[ibn suleman]

a slightly more extended version of post 2

:crying:


Once Hadhrat Umar (ra) was going on his usual round towards Harrah (a suburb of Madinah) with his slave Aslam, when he saw a distant fire in the desert. He said:

“There seems to be a camp. Perhaps, it is a caravan that could not enter the town due to night fall. Let’s go and look after them and arrange for their protection during the night.”

When he reached there, he found a woman and some children. The children were crying. The woman had a pan of water over the fire. Hadhrat ‘Umar (ra) greeted her with salaam and, with her permission, went near her.

Umar: “Why are these children crying?” The Woman: “Because they are hungry.” Umar: “What is in the pan?”

The Woman: “Only water to soothe the children, so that they may go to sleep in the belief that food is’being prepared for them. Ah! Allah will judge between Umar (ra) and me, on the Day of Judgement, for neglecting me in my distress.”

‘Umar (weeping): “May Allah have mercy on you! How can Umar know of your distress?”

The Woman: “When he is our Amir, he must keep himself informed about us.”

Hadhrat ‘Umar (ra) returned to the town and straightway went to Baitul-Mal to fill a sack with flour, dates, fat and clothes, and also drew some money.
When the sack was ready, he said to Aslam:

“Now put this sack on my back, Aslam.”

Aslam: “No please, Amir-ul-Mo’mineen! I shall carry this sack.”

‘Umar refused to listen to Aslam, even on his persistent requests to allow him to carry the sack, and remarked:

“What! Will you carry my load on the Day of Judgement? I must carry this bag, for it is I who would be questioned (in the Hereafter) about this woman.”

Aslam most reluctantly placed the bag on Umar’s (ra) back, who carried it with a swift pace right to the woman’s tent. Aslam followed at his heels. He put a little flour and some dates and fat in the pan and began to stir. He blew (with his mouth) into the fire to kindle it. Aslam says:

“I saw the smoke passing through his thick beard.”

After some time, the pottage was ready. He himself served it to the family. When they had eaten to their fill, he made over to them the little that was left for their next meal. The children were very happy after their meal and began to play about merrily. The woman felt very grateful and remarked:

“May Allah reward you for your kindness ! In fact you deserve to take the place of Khalifah instead of ‘Umar.”

‘Umar consoled her and said: “When you come to see the Khalifah, you will find me there.”

He sat for a while at a place close by and kept on watching the children. He then returned to Madinah. On his way back, he said to Aslam:

“Do you know why I sat there, Aslam? I had seen them weeping in distress; I liked to see them laughing and happy for some time.”

[Tawhid1]

Umar Ibn al-Khattab's advice to Sa'ad Ibn Abi Waqqas for the conquest of Persia
Ibn Katheer, Al Bidayah wan -Nihayah

"Causes of Victory"

Umar bin Al Khattab sent an army under Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas for the conquest of Persia.

Umar wrote him a convention as follows:

I command you and your army to fear Allah at all times because piety is the best weapon against the enemy and the best strategy in the battle.

And I command you and your soldiers to fear disobedience to Allah more than you fear the enemy. If an army fears sins more than the enemy, Allah brings them victory. Muslim victory is the outcome of the disbelievers' disobedience of Allah. There is no power except with Allah for they always outnumber us and have better weapons and tools. If we become equal in disobedience, they will conquer us due to more power; and unless we defeat them by righteousness, we cannot defeat them by power.

You must learn that you have some angels with you to protect you and your deeds. So be careful and do not commit any sins while you are fighting in the way of Allah. And never say our enemy is worse than us and that they cannot win even if we commit sins. Many nations have suffered at the hands of others who were less faithful as the magian who won over the Children of Israel when they committed sins.

You have to ask Allah victory over your own selves in the same way you ask victory over the enemy. Ask it from Allah for us and you.



.

[al-ghazalli]

Anas said: "I heard `Umar say as he was alone behind a wall: ‘By Allah! You shall certainly fear Allah, O son of al-Khattab, or He will punish you!"

From `Ubayd Allah ibn `Umar ibn Hafs: `Umar was see carrying a slaughtered animal on his back. He was asked why, and he replied: "I was infatuated with myself and wanted to humble myself." Al-Hasan narrated: "`Umar gave a sermon when he was Caliph wearing a waist-wrap patched in twelve places."

From al-Aswad ibn Hilal al-Muharibi: When `Umar was made Caliph he stood on the pulpit and said: "O people! I am going to invoke Allah, therefore say âmîn. O Allah! I am coarse, so make me soft, and I am stingy, so make me generous, and I am weak, so make me strong."

Taken from al-Dhahabi, Siyar A`lam al-Nubala & Abu Nu`aym, Hilya al-Awliya’

[OBL]

The Stone of Justice

Umar came and people forgot the justice of Kisra,
Such was the legacy of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs…’

During the caliphate of Umar bin Al-Khattab (radiallahu ‘anh), Amr bin Al-Aas (radiallahu ‘anh) was appointed the Governor of Egypt. One of Amr’s first projects was to expand the main mosque of Cairo, which was at the time surrounded by the dwellings of ordinary Egyptians. Amr’s workers proceeded to buy the houses of the Egyptians so that they could be destroyed to pave the way for the expansion. All the people agreed to sell their houses except one Coptic Christian man. He refused to give up his home as it was of sentimental value to him. The matter reached all the way to Amr, so he asked to see the Copt. Amr offered the Copt double, triple and quadruple the value of his house but the Copt refused to sell it whatever the price. After much persuasion the Copt refused to budge so Amr became angry and ordered the Copt’s house to be destroyed by force and for him to be offered to take or leave its price.

The Copt was distraught and felt that he had been wronged by this new Muslim Governor of Egypt. Unsure who to seek help from he was eventually advised: “Go to Madinah and speak to the Caliph, Umar bin Al Khattab, for no man is wronged in his lands.” So the Copt decided to travel to Madinah to complain to the Caliph about how he had been unjustly treated by one of his governors. When he arrived in Madinah and asked to see the Caliph he was told, “Go to the Sacred Mosque of the Prophet (salallahu ‘alayhe wasalam) and there you will find a man sweeping the floor. Speak to him.” The Copt thus went to the Sacred Mosque hoping that its sweeper would be able to direct him to the Caliph.

When the Copt entered the Sacred Mosque, he found this man sweeping its floor so the Copt asked him if he could help him get to the Caliph. The Sweeper asked him, “And what business do you have to speak to the Caliph about?” The Copt replied, “I have been wronged by one of his governors so the people asked me to complain to the Caliph as he is a just man and no one is wronged in his lands,” and he related to the Sweeper the story of what had happened to his house in Cairo.

Having listened attentively to the Copt’s story, the Sweeper picked up a stone and with another stone he scratched two lines on it, one crossing the other at right angles. He gave the stone containing the lines to the Copt and told him to give it to the Governor of Egypt with the words, “This stone is from the Sweeper of the Sacred Mosque of Allah’s Messenger .” The Copt thought that the Sweeper was mocking him but the Sweeper reassured him to do as he said and his problem would be resolved. The Sweeper made no mention of the Caliph. The Copt thus returned to Egypt with the stone given to him by the Sweeper of the Sacred Mosque of Allah’s Messenger .

When the Copt arrived back in Egypt he went to Amr straight away and gave him the stone saying that it was from the Sweeper of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. No sooner had Amr seen the lines on the stone except that his face went pale in fright. Amr began to apologise profusely to the Copt and immediately ordered that the part of the mosque built over the Copt’s house must be rebuilt exactly as and where it was. Puzzled by this sudden change of heart in the Governor, the Copt asked Amr what the significance was of a simple stone with two lines on it. Amr thus related to him the story behind The Stone of Justice.

During their early adulthood in Makkah before the advent of the Prophet , Umar bin Al Khattab and Amr bin Al-Aas were the best of friends. They were also business partners, trading in fine Arabian horses. Once they received an order for a significant quantity of horses from King Numan, the Arab King of the Al-Mundhir Governate which, being under the rule of the Persian Empire was a buffer region between Arabia and Persia (represented today by parts of modern-day Iraq). King Numan made a down payment to Umar and Amr, who promptly set about finding and training horses to meet the King’s requirements. When the horses were ready, the two friends set off to Al-Mundhir to deliver them to their buyer, King Numan.

Whilst they were travelling through the desert in Al-Mundhir, they came across a royal entourage. It turned out to belong to a Persian prince, a son of the Emperor Kisra, who had come on a hunting expedition to Al-Mundhir. The Prince, upon sighting the fine Arabian horses, asked to see their owners. He offered to buy the horses from the two friends but was told by them that they had already been sold to a buyer, but that he could place a fresh order with them if he wanted to. The Prince doubled and trebled his offer but Umar and Amr refused to go back on their contract with King Numan, so they politely declined the Prince’s offers. After much haggling the pompous Prince grew impatient and ordered his guards to seize (without payment) the horses from the two men and to send them away.

Distraught, Umar and Amr were unsure of what to do. Local tribesmen advised them to travel to the capital of the Persian Empire itself and speak to the Emperor, Kisra, as he was a just man and no one was wronged in his empire. The two friends thus journeyed into Persia and, weary and dishevelled, eventually reached Kisra’s court. They complained to him that their horses had been stolen by a man who claimed to be a son of the Emperor. Kisra listened to them intently and then asked the two men to return to him the following day whilst he looked into the matter. He ordered his palace courtiers to arrange hospitality for the two men, as guests of the Emperor.

The following day Umar and Amr went to Kisra and he came down to them from his throne, asking the two to accompany him. He led them to a courtyard where, lo and behold, they saw their stolen horses. Kisra asked them to confirm if these were their horses that the Prince had seized from them and if so, that they should check that they were okay. Umar and Amr carefully checked each horse and informed Kisra that everything was just fine. Kisra then profusely apologised to the two for what had happened and he asked them if he could be of any further assistance to them. They told him that they were satisfied now and would like to continue on their journey. Kisra ordered his staff to give the men some provisions and he guaranteed them safe passage until they left the precincts of his territory. Just before they left, Kisra asked the two to leave the palace grounds from their two different gates: the Eastern Gate and the Western Gate.

Umar bin Al Khattab left via the Eastern Gate and, to his astonishment, he saw hanging there half of the body of the Persian Prince, son of Kisra, as if he had been sawn in two. When he rejoined Amr, Amr told him that he had seen the other half of the Prince’s corpse hanging from the Western Gate. Kisra was not prepared to let a spoilt son of his damage his widespread reputation as the beacon of justice in the East. He not only wanted justice to be done, but he wanted that justice must be seen to be done.

Having related this story to the Copt, Amr bin Al Aas , by now Governor of Egypt, told the Copt that the man sweeping the Sacred Mosque of the Prophet was none other than the Caliph himself: Umar bin Al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. And what Amr understood from the two lines scratched on the stone was that if he did not return the house to the Copt then Umar would cut him not in two halves like the Persian prince was, but into four quarters. Since Amr knew that whenever Umar said something he meant it, he took no chances and ordered the Copt’s house to be rebuilt, albeit at the expense of destroying part of the newly built mosque. No sooner had the Copt seen with his own eyes the concept of justice amongst the Muslims that he accepted Islam immediately and gave his consent for the mosque grounds to remain on the same spot where his house used to be.

Justice is a bedrock of every successful nation, society and civilisation. Justice, especially when given to the poor and downtrodden, creates an atmosphere of secure, peaceful coexistence in which not only the people, but the society itself prospers for the good of humankind. Kisra’s intolerance of injustice, even if perpetrated by his own kith and kin, was one reason why the Persian Empire flourished as a superpower for over 500 years. Since the Emperor was just, all of his subjects were just and people felt safe in his lands. Had the Persian Empire not been conquered by a Muslim army whose soldiers established individual justice (through the fear of Allah) as well as societal justice, then it may have remained a world superpower until today. The Persians’ rejection of the Divine Message eventually led to the decay which destroyed their civilisation. When the Muslims arrived, people forgot the justice of the Persians. When Umar bin Al Khattab came, people forgot the justice of Kisra.

And what was the justice of Umar? Ink will dry and paper will finish before it is possible to describe all the living examples of justice established by the Prophet and embodied in the legacies of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who succeeded him. Yet one statement, made by a Roman, reveals a glimpse into the justice of Umar , the second Caliph after the death of the Prophet . One afternoon a Roman emissary arrived in Madinah on important diplomatic business with the Caliph. When he enquired as to the whereabouts of Umar , he was directed to a man sleeping peacefully under a tree: with no bodyguards, no weapons, no fortifications and no security. The Roman messenger marvelled at this sight: the sight of the leader of millions of people sleeping peacefully under a tree without a care in the world. He then remarked his famous words that remain etched into history until today: “O Umar! You ruled. You were just. Thus you were safe. And thus you slept.”

Such is the security that justice brings to both the ruler and the ruled. Umar was just to his people so he had nothing to fear from them. He rendered to everyone their rights so they had no grievances against him. His people slept in peace. So he too slept in peace. How the world yearns for this sleep!

O Umar! If only you would return,

To spread justice so the world would learn,

That even a stone of your justice,

Would rescue it from this fathomless abyss.

By Babar Ahmad

May Allah :Swt: hasten the brother's release, Aameen