umar ibn al khattab

the type of individual who we cant come close to in all matters of religion & courage.

UMAR IBN AL KHATTAB: THE JUST CALIPH, A TRUE GEM.

A person for whom words of appraisal run low in justice to his personality is none other than the Just Caliph-Umar ibn Al Khattab (may God's peace be upon him). Majority of the figures, whether in the past or the present, always stir a controversy-some eyeing a certain person as a saviour, while the others eye the very same person as a heretic, but such was not the case of the Just Caliph. Umar ibn Al Khattab was a man of his words, a man of unfettered valour and a burning passion for knowledge that breathed life into his spirit of living life in the best way possible. Unfortunately, it is beyond the scope of this essay to indulge in his life with full essence-and for that, we must endeavour onto only the scrape of his life.

His full name was Umar son (the literal Arabic term being bin) Al Khattab bin Nufail bin Abdul-Uzza bin Riyah bin Ka'b bin Luai. By tribe, he was of one of the most esteemed tribes of the Quraysh-The Banu Makhzoum, banu here is the literal Arabic vocabulary of tribe. In lineage, towards the 8th forefather, his lineage connects with the Islamic figure, the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him. He was born and raised in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. At a young age he was made responsible to perform different tasks meant for dignatries which led him to become what he is known by (i.e. a leader in true sense). His physical appreiance were sharp. He was fair-complexioned (till he migrated to Medina) and was tall was such that it is reported that when he would sit on his horse, his legs would still be dragging against the ground. His cheeks lacked much flesh, while his beard and moustache were noticeable and thick. He also had baldness in the frontal part of his head, as per Ibn Asir. As of his youth, we know not much except that he would graze sheep and camels as a shepherd and endured harsh treatment from his father-so that he shapes into a proper moulded man his father desired him to be. He was, in accordance with Futuh Al-Buldan, one of the seventeen Quraishi people to have learnt to read and write, both. He also had mastered the sports of wrestling, sword fighting, and tradesmanship. All in all, his youth had been spent in gaining knowledge and skill.

When Islam first was introduced in Arabia, Umar ibn Al Khattab was very stern against the Islamic thought process and values-and was in fact very cruel with many early Muslims. It wasn't till the 6th year of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)'s prophethood that the Just Caliph took his testimony of faith-that started off with an intent of killing the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). We know by narration that Na'eem bin Abdullah, a man of Banu Makhzoum, was the one who changed Umar's direction of anger-to his sister and her husband, for he revealed their conversion to Islam. We can swiftly note that preceding physical harm done, Umar calms down, and upon reading the Quranic verses, he is moved immensely and that is when he meets the Prophet of God and gives his testimony of belief. We also find out later on that Umar ibn Al Khattab had found Islam in his heart prior to the incident as well, when he had heard the Quran being read (chapter 69 from verses 40 to 44) where Umar himself narrates that he felt he had a personal connection and interaction with God-as whatever thought he had, the next verse would clarify. But the pride of lineage and chieftains and worldly affairs had kept Umar from his conversion till at last he had converted due to the prayers of the blessed Prophet and the guidance of his sister and husband.

Umar ibn Al Khattab's conversion to Islam was a pillar for the fearful Muslims who were less in number. It is narrated by a dear companion (Ibn Masud) of the beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saying, "The day Umar accepted Islam, it continued to grow in honour. It was in fact a conquest for Islam." It is said that until Umar came, Muslims would hide their faith-but after his conversion, they dared to go further in their religious activities as many followed Umar's lead and openly announced their religion, with no fear of the repercussions society would bring their way. At this point of the narrative, he was also named 'Faruq', which is a term in Arabic which means 'the one who differentiates right from wrong' because of his courage when he suggested the Muslims do their religious activities openly because they considered themselves good-doers and on the right path. He spent the rest of the 7 years in Mecca helping the Muslims in all ways possible.

So often, society has seen that when a new thought comes, people in arrogance and hatred for it throw out the people-and just the way it had been for the Americans who approached the humanist thought, it had been for the Muslims of Arabia. Persecution had reached limits, and even after some Muslims had travelled to Abyssinia, current day Ethiopia, there were still many in Mecca left to face the terrors the Quraishi gave the Muslims, and so the beloved Prophet sought a way out of this. And with the help of Yathrib's inhabitants and God's miraculous revelation encouraging the Muslims to migrate, the Muslims had started their migration to Yathrib, present-day Medina. Most Muslims had migrated secretly during the hours of night, but Umar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah's peace be upon him) was a man who feared none except his Lord, alone. According to authentic narration, he had during the broad daylight, when the sun shone on Mecca, circumambulated around the Kaaba, prayed to God, and then went to the seating of the Quraishi chiefs. He boldly stated, "May you be disgraced! Whoever likes to see his mother without a son and a wife without a husband, should face me," which sent terror right into the hearts of his enemies, who didn't dare stop him from his migration.

In Medina, Umar ibn Al Khattab was welcomed by the loving Muslims of Medina-and upon the Prophet's motive of strengthening brotherhood between Muslims, Umar received a Muslim brother of Medina. The two of them bonded together and would help one another when in need. It was a really tough time for the Muslims of Mecca to have left all they had, travelling into new territories, especially so when this was over 1,400 years ago when lands were uncharted territories. So the lending of hands from the Medinan Muslims who are known as Ansar, or the helpers, toward the Muhajirin, the Meccan Muslims, was a very emotional thing that plunged these Muhajirin into happiness and hope. Umar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah's peace be upon him)'s life in Medina during the Prophet's lifetime was filled with lessons and victories. He made many mistakes during this time which shaped his character for the better and made him a more reachable person in the eyes of Muslims of that generation and even this generation and the generations to come. In over 4 incidents, he had been inspired by his understandings of the religion that Allah from the heavens revealed exactly Umar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah's peace be upon him)'s suggestions! He was also of the finest companions who partook in the Battle of Badr, Battle of Uhud and so forth. He was a warrior and defender for what he considered right-the values of Islam. It was such that many a time the beloved Prophet would see Umar ibn Al Khattab in his dreams, showing positivity and proof of his immense faith. Further, he was promised Paradise in this worldly life and was beloved to the finest and best of men during those periods. On more than one occasion, Abu Bakr (this being his nickname, his real name is Abdullah) and Ali, may peace be upon them, stated that Umar was dearest to them than anyone else-and the beloved Prophet himself went as far as saying that Abu Bakr and Umar were his sight and hearing because they were always close to the Prophet of Allah, always steadfast in faith (and even their children-both of these companions' daughters were married to the Prophet).

Every human being has to go through the phase of death, and so was the case of the very Prophet of God. Upon his death, Umar was stricken with sadness and a megrim-but he was a dutiful servant of God, and he remained steadfast in faith, lending a hand to the first Caliph of Islam, Abu Bakr, may Allah's peace be upon him. Throughout Abu Bakr's reign, he was the backbone, always helping and guiding his dear friend alongside helping the Muslim community. He had intended to go for campaigns for the sake of God-but was requested to stop from doing so, since the Muslim empire needed him, and so he remained till Abu Bakr breathed his last during the age of 63-deciding that the caliphate, along with the top 10 best companions of the Prophet, should go into the hands of none other than Umar ibn Al Khattab.

Ba'iah, which means oath of allegiance, was given to Umar in the city of Medina during a Tuesday in the 13th A.H., and as per the Hijri calendar during the 23rd of Jumadul Ukhra. Upon taking the responsibility of caliphate, Umar focuses on improvising the inside bricks of the Ummah, as most of Abu Bakr's rule was focused on curbing revolts and uprisings. During Umar's period, knowledge and spreading of the religion of Islam to all corners of the earth were taken as the first priority.

The first action Umar took was reducing Khalid ibn Waleed to a general in the Muslim army, as he (Khalid) had a tendency to go on par with dangerous decisions and plans-which was a risk for the just new Muslim empire. Umar, by reducing his status, proved two things: one, the safety of the Muslim army, and the second was teaching the Muslims that victory was not due to a commander, but because of the Almighty. Further, he took the step of uprooting any future rebellions by those heretic to Islam by removing them from the Arabian Peninsula. This was an essential step in protecting the Muslim community from further damage, as it so had happened that during the Prophet and Abu Bakr's rule, these heretics had been a cause in rift between party of Muslims. In his other aspects with conquering land, he had made smart decisions in choosing military commanders which helped the Muslims conquer the lands of Persia, Iraq, Jazirah, Khurasan, Baluchistan, Syria, Egypt, Armenia, and even the sacred land of Palestine. It is a necessity to mention here that European historians stress that the superpowers of that time (Rome and Persia) were already in ruins, about to collapse, and that enabled the Arabs to win over the land. However, they forget the origins of these very Arabs. These Arabs were Bedouins and mostly illiterate; they were also very small in number, so in any case, their conquests of these lands were major boosts and successes, especially so since we are aware that the Persians and Romans had paused their feud with intentions to eliminate their mutual foe-the Muslims.

Beyond Umar ibn Al Khattab's military acumen and success, he also showed promise in other fields of the Muslim empire. In the Muslim empire, Umar ibn Al Khattab, by the 14 A.H., already provided Muslims with free healthcare systems-which had not yet been established in European societies. In Europe, such a system was first established by the United Kingdom in the glorious 1367 A.H. In this case, Umar had brought in things before the rest of the world. He further had a national treasury with people assigned different posts-all to ensure that no one would steal from the general people's money. He even was the first person to allow rival empires' tradesmen to trade with the Muslims, and furthermore, he ensured peace for those who asked for a peace treaty, and created a society which was built on the pillars of love, integrity, trust, and safety. During the last days of the 17th A.H., plague broke out in Iraq, Syria, and Egypt which became extreme during the 18th A.H., which caused a scarcity in the produce of food-so Umar ibn Al Khattab, with his visionary understanding, swiftly planned and helped the people of those areas, curbing the consequences and damages of the scarcity in food. He was once heard saying in a public assembly, "...I should deem myself fortunate if I served you in a manner that secured your sound and tranquil sleep in your homes, but I would be a miserable wretch if it were my desire to make you wait constantly upon me...". He sternly stated how his desire was not that of a king but that of a man who would serve the Muslims as a whole, and that he did, as the Muslim empire flourished during his rule, and it was surprising that the poorest in the whole empire was none other than the Caliph himself!

It is rare to see a man who even after having the riches of the world under his very feet to be humble and Almighty-fearing-but that was exactly what Umar ibn Al Khattab was. He was such a man that he had not a pillow to sleep on and he would sleep on rocks! His dress was only one, and so it had been that he went to lead prayers late-all because that cloth of his was drying. He put his whole focus onto the Muslim Ummah that he had no time for trading or satisfying his own needs, to the extent that he, a Caliph, requested the Muslims to offer him some small salary, and it was fixed that he was not allowed to have more than 2 meals. On one occasion, a companion of the Prophet rose in anger questioning the clothes distribution-it seemed that the Caliph had taken 2 clothes, instead of one, and so Umar, accountable to the Muslim empire, answered that the reason was that his son allowed him his share of the cloth. This wonderful Caliph would even be put in front of the court for legal judgements! He was like any other Muslim, accountable for his deeds to the public. Beyond that, he was also the one to bring justice. It happened on many occasions that people would travel from Egypt to seek his assistance, and he would swiftly comply and ensure the person's justice was received.

He would try his best to keep a strong Muslim empire and would often be seen crying as he would share his fear that even if a mule stumbled in Iraq, he would be questioned for it on the Day of Reckoning. He would on multiple occasions call assemblies just to mention how he once was a shepherd and would receive dates as his earning-just to ensure that he would never have pride or arrogance. On another occasion, he had travelled to Palestine for drafting a peace treaty with his only possessions in the long travel being a bag of parched meal, a wooden cup, his slave and camel. His slave narrated that he and Umar would take turns to sit on the camel and it had so happened that when they were reaching Palestine, it was the slave's turn, who suggested the Caliph sit, but the Caliph sternly denied, saying they had made a fair deal and he could not go against it. He truly proved himself a ruler for the people, not a ruler of his personal desires.

Death is inevitable. That is a fact one must succumb to-and so that is the fate of all the people of the old, and the present, and the future. Umar, just like the others, had to pass away. His death, though, was not a common one; rather it was a brutal murder which left him as a martyr. He was murdered by a Christian slave named Firoz, whose nickname was Abu Lulu ('Abu' means father; this is a loving nickname given by the Arabs to address a person with their firstborn children). He once came by Umar ibn Al Khattab complaining of his master, Mughirah's, heavy burdens on him. He said that he had a tax of two dirhams when he worked as a carpenter, painter, and ironsmith. The Caliph said that was not a lot considering he had many jobs-which displeased Abu Lulu deeply. Umar then asked if Firoz could make windmills, and he dismissed his question by answering he would make the best ones for the Caliph. The following day, which was a Wednesday (27th of Dhul Hijjah, 23 A.H.), during dawn prayers, Abu Lulu reached the mosque early and stood in the first lines in the congregation. When Umar ibn Al Khattab started leading the prayer, Abu Lulu instantly ran ahead and struck Umar ibn Al Khattab 6 times with his dagger. Umar ibn Al Khattab, fearing for the Muslims missing the prayer, ordered Abdurrahman bin Auf (may Allah be pleased with them both) to lead the prayer, and then he succumbed to the wounds, falling down unconscious. Abu Lulu tried to escape but was caught, and in the process, he inflicted harm on multiple Muslims, killed Kulaib bin Al Bukair, and then himself committed suicide. When Umar awoke from his slumber, he asked of his assassin, and when he was informed that it was no Muslim, he was satisfied, for he feared the Muslim would be punished. He was then instructed to eat dates and milk, but none of them would go through, and it was then understood that Umar was soon to die. Umar ensured that he gave the Muslims options to choose among the best candidates for next Caliph, and then next, he asked his son for the permission from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) to be buried next to the beloved Prophet and Abu Bakr-and she complied, giving immense happiness to Umar ibn Al Khattab.

On the 1st of Muharram on the 24th A.H., the burial process of Umar ibn Al Khattab took place, as the Muslim empire turned gloomy with the death of one of the greatest men. It was said by the companions, that the day Umar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) died, the devils were let loose-after all, the Prophet of God had mentioned Umar as the man who was scared by the devil himself. Umar ibn Al Khattab had left with him conquered land that spread over 22.5 thousand square miles and a Muslim empire whose base was of good equipment of patience, fear of sins over their enemies, and a love for God and the people around them. He had left the Muslims with lessons to learn over-for he was, after all, the man whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stated as a prophet had there been a prophet after him. He was a man whom anger would take over, but with the smallest mention of God, he would silence himself. He was a man who loved his Lord and not the world. He was a man who knew right from wrong, and he was a man who put the Muslims over himself. He is a model of what a ruler should be, and he is a model of what a normal person should try to achieve to be-even though we can't even come as close to the dust of his feet. Simply put, he was a man of justice and a man that none can come up to-except the two who passed before him.

CITATION:

Najeebabadi, Akbar Shah. The History of Islam: Volume 1. Revised by Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri, Darussalam.

Ahmad, Abdul Basit. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab: The Second Caliph of Islam. The Golden Series of the Prophet's Companions, Darussalam.

Murad, Khurram. The Kingdom of Justice: Stories from the Life of Umar. Islamic Foundation.

Al-Bukhari, Muhammad. Sahih al-Bukhari. Dar-us-Salam Publications, 1997.