Omar
bin Al-Khattab, of the Bani Adi clan, was a famous
leader. His father, Khattab Bin Nufail, well-known for
his violent temper, was not rich, yet Omar was one of a
very few people in his clan who could read and write. So
he was frequently chosen to represent them whenever
there was any internal dispute or a disagreement between
them and other clans.
Omar bin Al-Khattab was an extraordinarily tall, strong
man, well-built with broad- shoulders and large hands
and feet; a man who always walked quickly and whose
presence was so strong that it forced people to listen
whenever he spoke.
Before Omar embraced Islam, he took a very hostile stand
towards the Prophet (PBUH), and had even gone so far to
think of killing him in order to reunite his people.
However, in the sixth year of the Mission, two powerful
citizens of Mecca, belonging to the big tribe of Quraish,
embraced Islam which greatly increased the momentum of
spread of the new religion.
These two were Hamzah Bin Abdul Muttalib, the Prophet’s
uncle, and Omar Bin Al-Khattab himself.
At that time, Omar was a mature man in his thirties and
was well known for his temperamental nature. On that
crucial day, the Prophet(PBUH) was meeting with his
companions at the house of Ibn Al-Arqam. Omar got wind
of the meeting and prepared to go there, intent on
killing him. With this goal in his mind, Omar drew his
sword and set out on his murderous mission.
On the way he met a friend who asked him why he looked
so upset. Omar told him what he was going to do.
"You’d better take care of your own kin first," said the
friend. "Your sister and her husband have gone over to
Islam."
These words changed the focus of Omar's anger. He went
straight to his sister Fatima’s house. Inside someone
was reciting the Quran. Fatima was terrified when she
heard Omar's voice. She hid the section of the Quran she
was reading and opened the door.
"What was it that you were reciting just now?" Omar
demanded.
"Oh, nothing," said the sister.
"Nothing?" he shouted in rage. "I heard you well enough.
I know you have both embraced Mohammed's faith."
So saying, he began to beat his brother-in-law, Saeed.
Fatima ran to help her husband and received a blow to
the head and began to bleed.
"Yes, we have become Muslims," they shouted at Omar. "Do
what you will."
The sight of his bleeding sister deeply moved Omar.
Surely there must be some truth in the Quran which had
won her innocent heart?
"Would you let me have a look at the Quran?" said Omar.
Fatima handed him the few pages of the book she had.
Omar sat down to read the pages, and soon his face
changed. His anger cooled. The fear of Allah gripped his
heart. He wept and declared, "Surely this is the word of
Allah. I bear witness that Mohammed (PBUH) is the
Messenger of Allah."
He went straight to the Prophet. At the door of the
house, he asked the Prophet's permission to go in and
was made welcome. Omar announced there and then that he
had seen the truth and that he had come to embrace
Islam. Filled with delight the Prophet shouted, "Allahu
Akbar! Allah is Greatest," and all the Companions
repeated it after him.
Omar’s conversion to Islam opened a new era and Muslims
started to practice it fearlessly in Mecca. The
believers no longer concealed their worship within their
own homes but with conscious strength and defiant
attitudes assembled in companies around Al-Kaabah and
performed their rites openly. The conversion of Omar
caused a further division in Quraish; it reduced their
power and made them reconsider their position. In fact,
it had increased the Muslims' power greatly.
Soon the believers, led by the Prophet, were going out
in two streams, the first being headed by Hamzah and
the second by Omar. All headed to Al-Kaabah and, there,
performed the circumambulation and said the prayers,
with the leaders of the Quraish watching them without
daring to utter a single word.
Omar stood by the side of the Prophet in all his battles
and expeditions. Great was his love for Allah and His
Apostle and he would never allow any blood ties or
friendship to stand in the way of this love.
The death of the Prophet was a stunning shock to Omar.
He could not believe it, so much so that he drew his
sword and swore that he would cut off the head of any
man who said the Messenger of Allah was dead. He was
overwhelmed with grief and would not let the funeral
arrangements proceed at all. Life without the Prophet
was unthinkable. And if the Prophet was really no more,
what was going to happen to Islam and the Muslims? These
dark thoughts blotted out all reason from Omar's head.
But the great Abu Bakr, recently returned to Medina,
reminded him of the words of the Quran:
"Muhammad is but a messenger; messengers (the like of
whom) have passed away before him. If, then, he dies or
is killed, will you turn back on your heel?"
Omar was able then at last to accept the Prophet’s
death.
Abu Bakr, during his Caliphate, depended heavily on Omar
for advice not least because Mohammed (PBUH) himself,
during his life-time, gave great credence to Omar. When
Abu Bakr fell ill and realized that his end was close,
he chose Omar to succeed him.
The new Caliph chose a title of “Amir Al Mu’mineen”
(Commander of the Faithful). But he became widely known
as Al Farooq, which means “…the one who knows the
difference between right and wrong”. During Omar’s
time, the Muslims’ power and presence spread to many
places, including Persia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria,
Palestine, Jordan, Egypt and other parts of North
Africa.
Omar was known at the time for his sense of justice and
his wisdom. Amru Ibnul A’as was the Muslim leader who
conquered Egypt and became its ruler. One day, Amru’s
son was racing with an Egyptian youth who won the race.
Amru's son was displeased and struck the Egyptian saying
to him: "How dare you beat the son of the most notable
parents"?
The Egyptian went to the Caliph in Medina and presented
his grievance: Omar sent for Amru and his son to come
straight away to Medina.
When they arrived he said to the Egyptian in public:
"Now, beat the son of the most notable parents."
Then, turning to Amru, Omar gave his famous dictum: "How
dare you enslave people who have been born free?"
Another incident occurred when Palestine was conquered.
Omar came in person to Jerusalem, where he signed the
famous Peace Treaty. It ran as follows:
"From the servant of Allah and the Commander of the
Faithful, Omar: The inhabitants of Jerusalem are granted
security of life and property. Their churches and
crosses shall be secure. This treaty applies to all
people of the city. Their places of worship shall remain
intact. These shall neither be taken over nor pulled
down. People shall be quite free to follow their
religion. They shall not be put to any trouble..."
The gates of the city were now opened. Omar went
straight to the place of the Dome of the Rock, where he
said his prayers. Next he visited the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre in the city. He was in the church when the
time for the afternoon prayer came.
"You may say your prayers in the church," said the
Bishop.
"No," replied Omar, "if I do so, the Muslims may one day
make this an excuse for taking over the church from you
to build a mosque in its place."
So he said his prayers on the steps of the church. Even
then, he gave the Bishop a written undertaking stating
that the steps were never to be used for congregational
prayers nor was the Adhan (call to prayer) to be said
there.
Omar wanted to build a mosque in Jerusalem. He asked the
Bishop which place would be suitable for the purpose.
The Bishop suggested the "Sakhra," or the rock on which
Allah had talked to the Prophet Jacob. Here the
Christians had heaped garbage to bait the Jews.
Immediately the Sakhra was cleared of garbage. Omar
himself worked like a labourer with the rest of his men.
Jerusalem, the city of David and of Christ, witnessed
the equality of Islam. When the Sakhra had been cleared
of every trace of dirt, a mosque was built on the site.
The mosque stands to this day and is known as Omar's
Mosque.
After Egypt was conquered its Christian Coptic
inhabitants came to know of Omar’s humanity. They used
to hold a major festival in the early summer every year.
This was a day of general merrymaking. However, the day
was also marred by human sacrifice. A beautiful maiden,
dressed as a bride, was thrown into the Nile. People
thought that the sacrifice was necessary to please the
Nile in order for the flood to happen and water their
parched fields. If the Nile were displeased, they
believed, there would be no flood and no crops.
The Copts asked Amru Ibnul Aa’s to permit the sacrifice
of a maiden as usual. But he would never allow such a
savage act. It so happened that the Nile had very little
water that year. Crops failed and many of the peasants
were forced to leave the country. Amru wrote to the
Caliph for advice.
The Caliph approved Amru's action. He also sent a
letter, addressed to the Nile.
"From the servant of Allah and Commander of the Muslims
to the River of the Nile of Egypt. O Nile, if you flow
of your own will, then do not flow. But if your flow is
controlled by Allah, the Almighty, we pray to Him to
keep you flowing."
This letter was thrown into the river, as directed by
the Caliph and the river overflowed its banks that year.
Such a flood had not been seen for many years and the
country was once again green with crops. The peasants
were happy and the savage practice of human sacrifice
came to an end for ever.
This great leader was destined to meet his end at the
hands of a Persian youth, Fairouz Abu-Lu'lu'ah. One day,
as Omar was leading the prayer in the Mosque at dawn,
Abu-Lu'lu'ah came unnoticed out of his hiding place in a
dark corner of the mosque. He went straight towards the
Caliph and, with a dagger in his hand, aimed deadly
stabs at his body in the back, at which the Commander of
the Faithful fell down on the ground bleeding profusely.
Above all, what concerned him was the continuation of
the prayer. He took the hand of Abdur-Rahman-ibn-'Awf
and sent him ahead to lead the prayer.
Omar was afterwards carried to his home. He was
unconscious. As the end approached and there was no hope
of recovery, he regained consciousness and commanded his
son, Abdullah, to go to `Aisha, the wife of the Prophet
and ask her permission to have him buried beside his
favourite brothers: the Prophet, Allah's Peace and
Blessings be upon him, and Abu-Bakr, Allah be pleased
with him. She gave him that permission and it was so
completed.
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