Umar ibn al-Khattab.

[parkman]

I saw a reference to this man in another thread. It stated that he began as
an enemy of Islam went on to become a great Muslim. Would someone be kind
enough to post a link to any site(s) that relate his history?

Or give me a lesson yourself?

Many thanks in advance.

[***AlIyAh***]

Salams
I know some basic stuff abt him. I'll try 2 find u a weblink if i can.
Hazrat Umar (ra) was a companion of Prophet (saw) . He was known as an excellent warrior .
Once, the enemies of the prophet (saw), the Quraish, decided that they wanted to kill the Prophet (saw(. For this Umar volunteered to kill him . While he was on his way, he met a companion of the prophet (saw) whom he also decided to kill. Neverthelss, the companino said that "before you kill me why dont you check in your own family , your sister and her husband have become muslims". On hearing this, Umar was furious and hurried to his sisters house.
When he got there , he began beating the two up very violently. Then his eyes fell on a few scrolls with writing on them. He ordered his sister to pass him the papers. She refused saying that he wasn't clean to touch them. Then he demanded that she read what was written on the papers. She did. On hearing the quraanic verses, Umar was awstruck and understood the beuty of the words.
There and then, he asked his sister to take him to the Prophet (saw). When he arrived to the prophet, he said that he wanted to become a muslim. He was a man who set off to kill the Propher but on hearing the quraan, came back as a companion of the Prophet! After his acceptance of Islam, the muslims could pray openly infront of the kaaba, because people were scared of him due to his skills in fighting. he was of the 10 people who recieved the 'glad tidings of Jannah' in his lifetime.
Umar was the second caliph and reigned from 663 until his assassination in 664. Umar's time as caliph would see the Islamic empire grow at an unprecedented rate, taking Iraq and parts of Iran from the (and effectively ending that empire), and taking Egypt, Paletian, Syria, North Africa and Armenia from the Byzantines. Umar also codified Islamic Law, and was known for his simple lifestyle and modest living. So much so, that a famous story tells of him arriving in Jerusalem walking beside his camel upon which his servant was sitting.
Umar died in 644, the victim of an assassin's dagger. Umar's killer was a persian slave who was angered by a personal quarrel with Umar; he stabbed the Caliph six times as Umar led prayers in the Masjid Nabwimosque in Madina. Umar died two days later, and was buried there alongside Muhammad and Abu Bakr.
That's all i got...........hope it helped.

[***AlIyAh***]

http://www.sunnah.org/publication/kh...en/caliph2.htm

http://www.islamonline.com/cgi-bin/n...service_id=675

http://www.java-man.com/Pages/BestGe...rations04.html

[parkman]

Thank you my Friend. I will read the links later but I enjoyed your "basic
stuff about him" very much. I see why he is respected now.

It is kind of you to take the trouble to reply. Thank you again.

[parkman]

"One of his firmans read:

Glory to Allah! Verily Justice is an important obligation to Allah and to man. You have been charged with this responsibility. Discharge this responsibility so that you may win the approbation of Allah and the good will of the people. Treat the people equally in your presence, and in your decisions, so that the weak despair not of justice, and the high-placed harbor no hope of favoritism. The onus of proof lies on the plaintiff, while the party who denies must do so on oath. Compromise is permissible, provided that it does not turn the unlawful into something lawful, and the lawful into something unlawful. Let nothing prevent you from changing your previous decision if after consideration you feel that the previous decision was incorrect. When you are in doubt about a question and find nothing concerning it in the Qur’an or the Sunna of the Prophet, ponder the question over and over again. Ponder over the precedents and analogous cases, and then decide by analogy. A term should be fixed for the person who wants to produce witnesses. If he proves his case, discharge for him his right. Otherwise the suit should be dismissed. All Muslims are trustworthy, except those who have been punished with flogging, those who have borne false witness, or those of doubtful integrity."

So true even today.

"From Malik al-Dar: The people suffered a drought in `Umar’s khilafa, whereupon a man came to the grave of the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Ask for rain for your Community, for verily they have but perished." After this the Prophet appeared to him in a dream and told him: "Go to `Umar and give him my greeting, then tell him that they will be watered. Tell him: Be clever!" The man went and told `Umar. The latter said: "My Lord! I spare no effort except in what escapes my power.""

True again for us all; spare no effort except in that which is beyond your
power: as we English would say, if it's worth doing, do it well.

From Yahya ibn Abi Kathir: "If it were announced from the heaven: ‘O people! You are all entering Paradise except one,’ I would fear to be he; and if it were announced: ‘O people! You are all entering the Fire except one,’ I would hope to be he." This is surely in the heart of every one of us.

These are taken from the Sunnah.org link. It is very fine. Ha! Again I must
thank you, ***A|Iyah***!

[parkman]

Aargh! I posted it twice. Sorry. So I delete this one as best I can.

[parkman]

[QUOTE=All Muslims are trustworthy, except those who have been punished with flogging, those
who have borne false witness, or those of doubtful integrity."
[/QUOTE]

Well, maybe the "flogging" bit is no longer true.

[parkman]

from the java-man link:

From At-Tirmidhi, the Prophet (sas) said: "Allah has placed the truth on the

tongue of Umar and on his heart."

I am content. He was a great man. For the last time (in this thread, at least,)
thank you, ***A|Iyah***!