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Omar, The Criterion (part 1 of 3): “Strengthen Islam with Omar”
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Description: How the second successor of the Prophet Muhammad embraced Islam.
By Aisha Stacey (© 2008 IslamReligion.com)
Published on 12 Jan 2009 - Last modified on 04 Oct 2009
Viewed: 7138 (daily average: 6) - Rating: 4.5 out of 5 - Rated by: 13
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Category: Articles
> The Prophet Muhammad
> Stories of His Companions
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_001.jpg) When the enemies of Islam heard the name of Omar, their
knees would tremble. When Satan saw Omar walking down the street, he would
turn the other way. Even Omar’s friends would sometimes find his presence
intimidating, and they too feared his anger. However, this man of strength and
power, cried easily, and had a soft and compassionate heart. Omar was humble
without being weak. Omar combined two opposing character traits and that made
him unique amongst the men around Prophet Muhammad. Omar’s path to the truth
began with a vehement hatred of Muhammad and the religion of Islam but that
hatred soon turned into a fierce love. Omar ibn Al Khattab strengthened Islam.
Omar belonged to a middle class family, neither rich nor
poor, of the Adi clan, part of the tribe of Quraish. He had a tough upbringing,
his father was known to be a harsh man who worked his son to exhaustion and
beat him when he considered it necessary. Despite this Omar is believed to
have been literate, which was an uncommon skill in pre Islamic Arabia. Born
approximately 11 years after Prophet Muhammad, Omar was a relatively fair-skinned
boy who grew into a tall, well-built, muscular man known for his fierce
demeanour and wrestling skills.
Omar began his working life as a shepherd for his father
and aunts, and he was paid a very small stipend, often only a handful of dates
for a full days work. He supplemented his income by engaging in wrestling
competitions but as he grew into manhood, he became a successful trader and
respected businessman. Omar was known as a man of strength. His posture and
bearing denoted strength and his voice was loud and commanding. When
Mohammad’s teachings became a problem for the men of Mecca, Omar pronounced his
hatred for Islam openly and took part in the abuse and torture of many of the
weaker converts to Islam.
The Two Omars
Although not known by his given name of Omar, there was
another strong, determined man opposed to Islam. This was the man originally
known as Abu Hakim, (the father of wisdom), but history remembers him as Abu
Jahl, (the father of ignorance), the avowed enemy of Islam. Prophet Muhammad, may
the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, gave him the name Abu Jahl to
denote his total ignorance in not recognising the truth of Islam. Traditional
accounts reveal that Prophet Muhammad on one occasion raised his hands in supplication
and begged God to strengthen Islam by whomever of the two Omar’s he loved most.
To the enemies of Islam and to the companions of Prophet Muhammad Omar ibn al
Khattab embracing Islam was an unthinkable notion.
Omar’s hatred of Islam was so strong that he volunteered
to kill Prophet Muhammad. Without a second’s hesitation, he strode down the
streets of Mecca intent on drawing his sword and ending the life of the Prophet
of God. One of the men of Mecca, who was secretly a Muslim saw the look on
Omar’s face and immediately knew that his beloved Prophet was in danger. Without
fear for himself, he approached Omar and asked him where he was going so
quickly. Omar replied that he was going, “to the man who has disunited our
people, cursed our gods and made fools of us”, and he said, “I am going to kill
him”.
The young Muslim man named Nu’aim felt terror rush into
his heart and tried to engage Omar in a discussion to divert him, but Omar was
intent on his mission and continued to stride along the street. Nu’aim
reluctantly spoke the words that lead Omar to Islam. He said, “why don’t you
take care of your own house first’. Omar stopped short and asked him what he
meant by those words. Omar’s beloved sister and her husband had secretly
embraced Islam and Nu’aim revealed their secret in order to save the life of
Prophet Muhammad.
Omar turned around immediately and walked with
determination towards his sister’s house. As he approached, he could hear the
sound of Quran being recited. Omar knocked on the door. Inside the
inhabitants scrambled to hide their copies of Quran but Omar entered and
demanded to know what the “humming” sound he had heard was. Omar’s sister
replied that it was nothing, just the sound of them talking, but Omar knew the
sound of Quran and asked menacingly, “Have you become Muslim?” Omar’s brother in
law answered in the affirmative, whereupon Omar fell upon him, wrestling him to
the ground. Omar’s sister tried to defend her husband and in the scuffle, Omar
hit her face, drawing blood.
Quran Enters His Heart
Omar’s sister seemed to have the strength her brother
was so famous for, she stood up and faced her angry brother saying, “You enemy
of God! You would hit me just because I believe in God. Whether you like it
or not, I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave
and messenger. Do whatever you will!” Omar saw the blood running down his
sister’s face, her words echoed in his ears, and he stood up. Omar demanded
that the words of Quran he had heard as he approached the house be recited for
him.
“We have not sent down the Quran unto you (O Muhammad) to
cause you distress, but only as a reminder to those who fear (God). A revelation
from Him who has created the earth and high heavens. The Most Beneficent rose
over the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). To Him belongs
all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and all that is
between them, and all that is under the soil. And if you (O Muhammad) speak
aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden. No
one has the right to be worshipped but He! To Him belong the Best Names.” (Quran
20:2-8)
Omar’s eyes filled with hot tears. “Is this what we
were against”, he asked. “The One who has spoken these words needs to be
worshipped.” Omar left his sister’s house and rushed to Muhammad. Those with
Prophet Muhammad were afraid, but they admitted Omar and restrained him until
he was in Muhammad’s presence. Prophet Muhammad grabbed him and said, “Why did
you come here, son of Khattab?”
Omar faced Prophet Muhammad with humility and joy and
said, “O Messenger of God, I have come for no reason except to say I believe in
God and his Messenger.” Prophet Muhammad was overcome with joy and cried out
that God was Great! Within days, Omar lead a procession of Muslims to the
house of God where they prayed openly. It was on this occasion that Prophet
Muhammad gave him the nickname Al Farooq – the criterion. It denotes one
who is able to distinguish truth from falsehood. Islam was strengthened with
Omar, his fierce hatred melted into a love that knew no bounds. His life and
his death were now for the sake of God and his Messenger.
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Omar, The Criterion (part 2 of 3): A Man as a Nation
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Description: Omar’s love for his brothers and sisters in Islam
By Aisha Stacey (© 2008 IslamReligion.com)
Published on 19 Jan 2009 - Last modified on 04 Oct 2009
Viewed: 5490 (daily average: 5) - Rating: 4.5 out of 5 - Rated by: 8
Printed: 463 - Emailed: 2 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> The Prophet Muhammad
> Stories of His Companions
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Omar ibn Al Khattab was a strong and assertive man, his
heart filled with burning hatred for Islam. The supplications of Prophet
Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and the sublime
beauty of Quran changed his mind, his heart, and his life. When Omar accepted
Islam he became a man devoted to the Ummah of Muhammad, as a Muslim, he was
pleased when the Ummah was pleased and displeased when the Ummah was
displeased.
Ummah is an Arabic word, roughly translated to mean
nation, but as with many Arabic words, it does not translate well into English.
The root of the Arabic word Ummah is amma, which means to go or to go see. The
word imama means to lead the way, for example, the one who leads the prayer is
the Imam. Also derived from this root is the word umm meaning mother, source
or origin.
In English speaking and Western countries, the word
nation usually defines the nation state, whose members live between a set of
predefined borders often set by religious, racial or ethnic differences. This
is not the definition of Ummah. Ummah means the community of believers bound
together with a purpose - to worship God. Together they are strong, divided
they are weak. Each member is united with all of the others in a spiritual way
that can even have physical manifestations. When one part of the Ummah is in
pain, the whole Ummah hurts.
“And
verily this Ummah of yours is One Ummah and I am your Lord and Cherisher:
therefore fear Me (and no other).” (Quran 23:52)
To illustrate this we can look at images you may have
seen on TV, Muslims decrying the abuse and mistreatment of their brothers in
far off countries. In the Ummah of Muhammad when one member is hurting, the
pain in the hearts of the other members is real. Muslims stand up for what is
morally correct and inhumanity has no part in the religion of Islam. Omar ibn
Al Khattab recognised this unique quality at once and declared himself a man of
the Ummah.
When Omar ibn al Khattab accepted Islam he wanted to be
part of his community and wanted to proclaim his membership of this unique
nation. Omar wanted to join the Ummah in their happiness and in their pain. At
the time of his conversion, the weaker members of the Ummah suffered systematic
abuse and oppression, often by Omar himself, but his heart now felt their pain
and he wanted to experience it. Omar did not want his Islam to go unnoticed; he
immediately informed the enemies of Islam that he was Muslim.
At first, the men of Mecca who had not embraced Islam were
shocked and did not react to Omar’s conversion, but as word spread, they came
together at the House of God and attacked Omar. Eventually Omar, the strong,
muscular wrestler sat in the midst of his attackers and they beat him.Omar
recovered from his beating and because of him, Islam became strong. Omar’s
heart was filled with love for his brothers and sisters in Islam. Prophet
Muhammad said, “if there was to be a Prophet after me it would have been Omar
ibn al Khattab.”
More than Strength
Abu Bakr As Siddiq, and Omar were the two companions
closest to Prophet Muhammad. Ali Ibn Abu Talib is reported to have said that
Prophet Muhammad went out in the morning with Abu Bakr and Omar and he would
return at night with Abu Bakr and Omar. The Prophet himself called Abu Bakr and
Omar his eyes and ears, and said they were his advisors from the inhabitants of
earth. Omar stood beside
Prophet Muhammad in all of the trials and tribulations that faced the Muslim
Ummah.
When the Muslims of Mecca migrated to the city of Medina, all left in a well planned, secret migration, but not Omar. He was the only Muslim
to make the migration openly, in fact, he proclaimed that he was leaving and
invited any man who thought he was strong enough, to challenge him. Omar flung
his sword around his neck and strode through the streets of Mecca with his head
held high and his heart, which was no longer filled with hate, burning with a
fierce love for God, His Prophet Muhammad and his fellow believers. As Prophet
Muhammad created his Ummah, Omar stood by his side.
Although remembered for his strength, Omar was also
known to be a pious and generous man. He would spend the nights in worship,
often waking his family in the last part of the night to join him in his
devotions. He was a staunch believer, confident in God’s promise of Paradise
and readily spent his wealth for the sake of God to benefit the believers. One
of Prophet Muhammad’s companions narrates
that Omar once distributed 22,000 dirhams to the needy and had a habit of
giving away bags of sugar. When Omar was asked why he distributed the sugar he
said, “Because I love it and God said in the Quran,
“By no
means shall you attain piety, unless you spend (in God’s Cause) of that which
you love; and whatever of good you spend, God knows it well.” (Quran 3:92)
Omar was one of ten men to whom Prophet Muhammad gave
the joyous news that they would be admitted to Paradise. However, this did
not stop him from working tirelessly, all of his life to please God. He was a
man of knowledge, a man known for his generosity and tireless devotion to the
worship of God and perhaps above all he was devoted to the Ummah of Muhammad. Prophet
Muhammad counselled us all when he said, “A man is not a true believer until he
loves for his brother what he loves for himself”.
Omar wanted Paradise but he also wanted it for every man, woman or child who
has ever believed that there is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger.
This was Omar, who distinguished truth from falsehood; he was a man of the
Ummah.
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Omar, The Criterion (part 3 of 3): The Commander of the Faithful
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Description: Omar was a model of justice, generosity, and piety.
By Aisha Stacey (© 2009 IslamReligion.com)
Published on 26 Jan 2009 - Last modified on 04 Oct 2009
Viewed: 5500 (daily average: 5) - Rating: 3.9 out of 5 - Rated by: 7
Printed: 444 - Emailed: 8 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> The Prophet Muhammad
> Stories of His Companions
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_001.jpg) Omar Ibn Al Khattab was the second Caliph of the Muslim
Ummah (Nation), and the first Muslim leader to be called the Commander of the Faithful.
After Prophet Muhammad’s death, his closest friend Abu Bakr became his successor
and led the Muslims for around two years. When Abu Bakr felt his own death
approaching, he gathered his closest friends and advisors around him and
informed them that their allegiance to him was over. Abu Bakr hoped that these
men would choose his successor from among themselves. However, after much
discussion Abu Bakr’s companions returned to him and asked him to choose for
them for they trusted his choice beyond question. Abu Bakr chose Omar.
Some of the men around Abu Bakr voiced their concern
that Omar, known to be a very harsh and tough man would be too hard on the
people. Abu Bakr responded by saying that he considered Omar to be the best
among them. Despite these initial reservations among some men of Medina, Omar was appointed as the second Caliph of the Muslims. He began his reign by addressing
the people and immediately explaining his expectations for himself. Omar knew
the people were wary of his reputation for toughness and he addressed this
issue.
He said, “Oh people, know that I have been appointed to
govern your affairs, so recognise that my roughness is now weakened, but I will
continue to be rough and harsh on the people of oppression and transgression
and will put their cheeks into the dirt.
Know also that I will put my own cheek into the dirt to defend the people of
piety.”
Omar went on to explain to the people that he would take
nothing from what their land produced or from the spoils of war except what God
ordained and that he would only spend that money in a way that was pleasing to God.
Omar was acutely aware of the importance of financial justice, and that he
would be held accountable for every penny or dirham that belonged to the Muslim
Ummah. Omar also informed the people that he would increase their salaries and
provisions and guard their borders.
The young Muslim nation that Prophet Muhammad, may God
praise him, and his companions had worked so hard to establish was an Ummah
unlike no other. Benefits were paid to every member of the Ummah from the
Muslim treasury; it was not necessary to be a government employee, the wealth
of the ever-expanding nation was shared equally. Omar did not institute this,
he was merely following the already established way of his predecessors, but he
did promise to increase the payments.
Omar also promised not to send the Muslim armies “into
destruction”, meaning that he would not send the armies out unless the risks
were evaluated and deemed acceptable. He promised not to keep the soldiers away
from their families for an extended period and reassured the men that while
they were away fighting for the Muslim Ummah, and if they did not return, he,
the Caliph would be the father of their children and the caretaker of their
wives. Omar believed the role of the leader was to protect the people.
This concept seems very unusual now days when we see Presidents
and Prime Ministers surrounded by bodyguards and willing to trample over anyone
to protect themselves and their power. Omar Ibn al Khattab, although he was
the leader of an Empire, never felt it necessary to have a bodyguard. He
walked the streets of Medina like any ordinary citizen, even at night. In fact,
it was during the nights that he roamed the streets checking up on those under
his protection and anonymously distributing charity.
One of the years of Omar’s reign came to be known as the
Year of Ashes. This year was a great test for the Muslim Ummah. It was a time
of drought and famine, when the wind was so hot it burnt the skin as if with
hot ashes. Meat, butter, and milk became unavailable, and the people existed on
little more then dry bread sometimes dipped in oil. Omar took an oath that he
would not eat or drink anything that was not available to the people. Even when
foodstuffs became available in the markets again, Omar refused to buy them for
inflated prices. He was heard to say, “How can I be concerned about and
understand my own subjects if I am not going through the same trials that they go
through?”
More then fourteen hundred years after his reign Omar,
is still remembered as a man of justice. Drawing on the principles of justice,
mercy and compassion inherent in Islam, Omar treated all those under his care
equally, whether they were rich or poor, black or white, powerful or weak. He
constantly feared that God would question him about his actions. He worried
that there may be sick or poor people among the believers that he had not cared
for correctly. Omar ibn Al Khattab never appointed judges or governors who
expressed a desire for such a job but chose wisely from the most pious members
of the Ummah.
Omar considered himself an ordinary Muslim but
history has recorded that he was anything but ordinary. Omar was strong,
physically and spiritually, he was generous, noble and lived a life of humility.
Omar followed in the footsteps of his beloved Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy
and blessings of God be upon him, he followed his example and upheld his
traditions. Omar’s whole being was focused on pleasing God; he feared God’s
punishment but hoped for Paradise. Omar was able to distinguish between the
truth and falsehood, he felt pain when the Ummah or any member of it was
hurting, and he felt joy when those under his care were content and happy
worshipping their Lord. Omar was one of four rightly guided Caliphs. Even today,
he continues to be a role model for strength, justice, love, and mercy.
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