Umar’s Islam (Part 2)

Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) reached the house of his sister and heard words from behind her door. Both Fatima and her husband Saeed Ibn Zayd were reciting Qur’an under the tuition of Khabab Ibn Arat.

When Umar knocked on the door and they saw that it he was there, the immediately stopped reciting, Khabab Ibn Arat hid himself and Fatima hid the scroll of upon which Qur’an was written, under her thighs.

Umar came in and demanded what was the humming sound he had heard. They said it was nothing. He repeated his question and demanded to know if they had become Muslim and left the religion of their tribes. Saeed Ibn Zayd replied:

“Well what if Islam is better than your religion?”

At that point Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) attacked Saeed Ibn Zayd. He threw him to the ground, sat on top of him and began to beat him. Fatima, seeing her husband being attacked in this way, tried to intervene in vain to help him, and was struck in her face by Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu). She began to bleed as a result and so she rebuked her brother:

“You enemy of Allah! You hit me just because I believe in Allah. Whether you like it or not, I bear witness that there is no God except Allah and Muhammed is His Messenger. Do whatever you like!”

Seeing the bleeding face of his own sister and hearing the strength and conviction in her voice, Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) calmed down and became silent. He regretted his actions and felt sorry for her. He moved away from Saeed and sat down. He asked her to hand over the scrolls to him. Fatima refused. He told her that her words, had struck a cord in his heart and he promised that he would return them to her safely. She replied:

“No. You are a Mushrik (see glossary), you are in a state of impurity, so you have to go and make ghusl (see glossary) first.”

Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) did so and took the scrolls from his sister, sat down and recite the verses of Qur’an written upon them. He recited the first verses of Surat TaHa from Qur’an which are translated as follows:

“Ta Ha. We have not revealed the Quran to you that you may be unsuccessful. Nay, it is a reminder to him who fears: A revelation from Him Who created the earth and the high heavens. The Beneficent Allah is firm in power. His is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth and what is between them two and what is beneath the ground. And if you utter the saying aloud, then surely He knows the secret, and what is yet more hidden. Allah – there is no god but He; His are the very best names.” – Surat TaHaa (1-8:20)

Umar was quiet and reflective. He said upon reading these verses:

“Is this what Quraish and the other tribes are fighting …? The one who has spoken these words (Allah, The Almighty) needs to be worshipped. Where is Muhammed?”

They told him the location where the Prophet Muhammed (SalAllahu Alayhi WaSallam) was meeting with his companions. So Umar left to meet with him, now… in a completely different frame of mind.

Umar’s Islam (Part 1)

The following story is one of the most famous and well-loved narrations in the history of this Ummah. I personally find it both moving and exhilarating at how the likes of Umar Ibn Al Khattab (RadiAllahu Anhu) who was such a staunch enemy of Islam, turned from being an enemy to being one of it’s greatest figures and brightest stars. It demonstrates clearly that Hidayah (guidance) is only from Allah ‘azza wa jal. And we surely ask Allah ‘azza wa jal to guide us to His path.

The story of Umar’s Islam continues. Despite the numerous events that took place that began to soften his heart towards Islam, he was still very much an enemy to Islam and the Messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam).

One day, while the Mushrikeen of Makkah were in discussion on how to deal with the ‘problem’ of Muhammed (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam), they asked each other who would volunteer to kill him. Umar said he would do it and they all agreed. This demonstrates how bold and decisive Umar was, even in his days of misguidance.

It was a hot day in Makkah. Umar took out his sword, and stalked down the streets of Makkah, resolved on his deadly mission: to kill, the Messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam). There were few Muslims left in Makkah other than those close to the Prophet himself. Most had been ordered to migrate (make Hijrah) to Abyssinia. Umar was heading for the house of al-Arkham where it was known that the Prophet and his companions held their gatherings.

One of the companions of the Prophet (who was a Muslim in secret due to the persecution in Makkah) saw the stalking Umar striding with purpose down the street with a look of evil in his eyes. So he stopped Umar and asked him where he was going. Umar replied:

“To this man… who has disunited our people, and who has made fools out of us, and who has cursed our gods. I am going to kill him.”

So the companion replied:
“It seems that you are too confident of yourself. Do you think that the tribe of the Prophet are going to let you walk on the face of this earth after you have killed their man?”

Umar was upset so they started an arguement. Judging by the protective tone of voice of this man, Umar judged that he must be a Muslim so he told him the he would start by killing him first! The whole point of this companion’s attempt to divert Umar from his deadly mission was to save the life of the Prophet. So when he saw that there was no convincing Umar, the companion replied:

“Well perhaps you should start by sorting your household out first.”

Umar demanded what he meant by this, and the companion told him, that Umar’s own sister and her husband had become Muslim. It must be undstood that this companion only resorted to this when he saw that nothing else would stop Umar. The sister of Umar (Fatima) was Muslim in secret and so was her husband (Saeed Ibn Zayd). By telling Umar of their Islam he knew he was jepordising their lives by exposing their secret. But for the sake of saving the Prophet (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam), anything and everything is to be sacrificed for him.

Umar, at this point, changed his course and headed straight for the house of his sister, Fatima (RadiAllahu Anha).

Umar’s Farahssa

The definition of the Arabic word ‘Farahssa’ is intuition. It is the ability to be able to read and judge a person’s personality/intensions, just by looking at their face. It is certainly a gift from Allah The Almighty and it was a gift He had bestowed upon Umar Ibn Al Khataab (radiAllahu Andu). In fact farahssa was seen as an art that could also be taught to people and it is narrated that Imam Muhammed Idris As-Shafiee travelled to Yemen in order to learn it.

Umar’s son Abdullah Ibn Umar (radiAllahu Andu) related that one day, he and his father were walking the streets of Makkah (before Umar’s acceptance of Islam). A handsome man walked in front of them. So Abdullah Ibn Umar (radiAllahu Andu) relates:

“My father looked at the man’s face and said “If my intuition is correct, this man was the the foretuneteller of his people.”"

By just looking at his face Umar Ibn Al Khataab (radiAllahu Andu) was able to read who and what this man was. They called him over and told him this. The man was amazed and exclaimed he was indeed the fortueteller of his people and that he had never witnessed any intuition like this before!

Abdullah Ibn Umar (radiAllahu Andu) relates that rarely was his father’s intuition wrong. He would always hit the target with this gift from Allah The Almighty. Umar then asked the man:

“Tell me the strangest thing that your Jinn (see glossary) has told you.”

The man replied, “My Jinn came to me and spoke to me about the coming of a Prophet.”

These along with a number of other incidents were part of the preparation of the great event of Umar Ibn Al Khataab (radiAllahu Andu) acceptance of Islam.

Umar’s dislike of Position and Power

During the battle of Khaibar, there was a particular fortress that was causing problems for the advancing army of Muslims. The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) would appoint leaders from among the Companions to open it, but they would all be unsuccessful.

Then, during one evening, the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), said:

“Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man for whom Allah will open for him (the fortress). He loves Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him.” [Bukhari]

What an amazing and beautiful honour!

The next day all of the Companions presented themselves to the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) in order to have the honour of this position as mentioned in the statement of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) above.

Umar Ibn Al Khataab (radiAllahu Andu) then made an a profound statement in relation to this event. He said:

“I never loved position of authority, ever, except on that day.” [Muslim]

Loving to be in a position of power, authority, fame and leadership is something all humans crave to a lesser or greater degree. However in Islam, it is something that is not encouraged as something to be sought after. When the uncle of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) Al Abbas came to him asking him for him to appoint him to a position of authority, the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) responded by telling him that authority is not given to someone who asks for it, or is eager to have it. This is the tarbiyyah of Islam.

Umar Ibn Al Khataab (radiAllahu Andu) reached to such a level in his adherance to Islam that he did not even want authority. For him it was not simply a case of surpressing a desire for it, he did not even want it in the first place!

The exception for Umar Ibn Al Khataab (radiAllahu Andu) was that day when the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) promised that Allah and His Messenger love that individual, which is something every Companion dearly wanted for themselves.

Shaytaan (the Devil) fears Umar

The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated about Umar Ibn Al Khataab (may Allah be pleased with him) that when As-Shaytaan (the Devil) sees you walking down one path, he (As-Shaytaan) takes another.

The allusion here is yet another amazing accolade for Umar Ibn Al Khataab (may Allah be pleased with him). The Shaytaan actually feared to be in his presence, so he would go out of his miserable way, to avoid interacting with Umar Ibn Al Khataab (may Allah be pleased with him). It is testimony to the strength and resolve of this great individual that he would not be duped by the tricks of As-Shaytaan in trying to fool him with the transient desires and distractions of this wordly life.