As-salaamu'alaykum,
(Sorry for late second post in relation to Umar (radiyAllaahu anh) and just a brief snippet from his life).
Umar was a proactive leader. He would not wait until people came to him with their problems; instead, he sought people out and asked them if they had any problems he could fix or any needs he could fulfil. However, he would forbid people from coming to him with their personal problems when he was busy taking care of the needs of the many – when he was preoccupied with a matter that affected Muslims in general.
(al-Faarooq by ash-Sharqaawee, pg. 222)
One day, while Umar was preoccupied with a matter that affected the general population of Muslims, a man went to him and said,
“O Leader of the believers, come with me and help me against such and such person, for he has indeed wronged me.”
Umar picked up a stick, hit the man on the head with it, and then said,
“You steer clear of Umar when he comes to you, offering his help; but then, when he becomes busy with the affairs of the Muslims, you come to him!”
The man then left in an obviously soured mood.
Umar then said,
“Call the man back.”
When some of Umar’s companions brought the man back, Umar said to him.
“Take hold of this stick and hit me with it just as I did to you.”
The man replied,
“No, O Leader of the believers. I will abstain from doing so for the sake of Allah and for you.”
Umar said,
“That is no good. Either you abstain (from hitting me) for the sake of Allah and out of a desire to receive His rewards or you do to me what I did to you...”
The man replied,
“I will abstain (from hitting you) for the sake of Allah, O Leader of the believers.”
The man then left. As for Umar, he walked back to his home –
(Ibid, pg. 222)
- in the company of a group of men, one of whom was Al-Ahnaf ibn Qais. Al-Ahnaf later recounted what happened next,
“Umar commenced his prayer, performed two units of prayer, and then sat down.”
Al-Ahnaf then said to Umar.
“O ibn al-Khattab, you were a simple person, and then Allah raised you; you were a misguided person and then Allah guided you; and you were a lowly figure and then Allah honoured you. After that, Allah granted you authority over all Muslims. Then a man came to you, seeking out your help. And in response to his appeal for help, you struck him! What will you say to your Lord tomorrow when you will go to Him?”
Al-Ahnaf later said,
“Umar began to reproach himself so severely that I began to think that he was the best person on earth.”
(Mahd as-Sawaab, 2/503)
(Sorry for late second post in relation to Umar (radiyAllaahu anh) and just a brief snippet from his life).
Umar was a proactive leader. He would not wait until people came to him with their problems; instead, he sought people out and asked them if they had any problems he could fix or any needs he could fulfil. However, he would forbid people from coming to him with their personal problems when he was busy taking care of the needs of the many – when he was preoccupied with a matter that affected Muslims in general.
(al-Faarooq by ash-Sharqaawee, pg. 222)
One day, while Umar was preoccupied with a matter that affected the general population of Muslims, a man went to him and said,
“O Leader of the believers, come with me and help me against such and such person, for he has indeed wronged me.”
Umar picked up a stick, hit the man on the head with it, and then said,
“You steer clear of Umar when he comes to you, offering his help; but then, when he becomes busy with the affairs of the Muslims, you come to him!”
The man then left in an obviously soured mood.
Umar then said,
“Call the man back.”
When some of Umar’s companions brought the man back, Umar said to him.
“Take hold of this stick and hit me with it just as I did to you.”
The man replied,
“No, O Leader of the believers. I will abstain from doing so for the sake of Allah and for you.”
Umar said,
“That is no good. Either you abstain (from hitting me) for the sake of Allah and out of a desire to receive His rewards or you do to me what I did to you...”
The man replied,
“I will abstain (from hitting you) for the sake of Allah, O Leader of the believers.”
The man then left. As for Umar, he walked back to his home –
(Ibid, pg. 222)
- in the company of a group of men, one of whom was Al-Ahnaf ibn Qais. Al-Ahnaf later recounted what happened next,
“Umar commenced his prayer, performed two units of prayer, and then sat down.”
Al-Ahnaf then said to Umar.
“O ibn al-Khattab, you were a simple person, and then Allah raised you; you were a misguided person and then Allah guided you; and you were a lowly figure and then Allah honoured you. After that, Allah granted you authority over all Muslims. Then a man came to you, seeking out your help. And in response to his appeal for help, you struck him! What will you say to your Lord tomorrow when you will go to Him?”
Al-Ahnaf later said,
“Umar began to reproach himself so severely that I began to think that he was the best person on earth.”
(Mahd as-Sawaab, 2/503)
