As-salaamu'alaykum,
In a speech he delivered, Dr. Al-Khudaree told a story that involved the Empress of Rome and Umm Kulthoom (radiyAllahu anha), the wife of Umar (radiyAllahu anh) and the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radiyAllahu anh) (and by extension, the granddaughter of the Messenger of Allah
). When the emperor of Rome ceased attacking Muslim lands, he wrote a letter to Umar. A diplomatic channel was opened, and the emperor of Rome and the Leader of the Believers began to write letters to one another.
With tensions easing between the Roman Empire and the Muslim Nation, Umm Kulthoom decided to send gifts to the emperor's wife. She prepared a package that contained perfume, some beverages, and some other items, and she gave them to the messenger that Umar was sending to the Roman Emperor. The messenger agreed to take her package and give it to the Empress of Rome.
Upon receiving Umm Kulthoom's gifts the empress gathered a number of women and said to them,
"These are gifts that the wife of the Arab king sent to me; she is, in addition to being the wife of the Arab king, the daughter of their Prophet too."
The Empress wrote a reply, and sent along with her reply a number of gifts. One of those gifts was a necklace of the highest quality. When the messenger returned to Madeenah, Umar intercepted the package and was taken aback by the high value of the gifts.
Not sure what to do about the situation, Umar gathered the Muslim's together, led them in two units of prayer, and then said,
"Verily, there is no good in my personal affairs if final decisions regarding them are made before mutual consultation first takes place. So tell me what I should do regarding the gift that Umm Kulthoom sent to the Empress of Rome (and regarding the gifts that the Empress sent back)."
People expressed varying opinions, and in the end, Umar decided to place the Empress's expensive gifts in the Muslim Treasury, and to recompense Umm Kulthoom for the value of the gifts she had sent to the Empress.
(Al-Khulafaa ar-Raashidoon, pg. 245)
In a speech he delivered, Dr. Al-Khudaree told a story that involved the Empress of Rome and Umm Kulthoom (radiyAllahu anha), the wife of Umar (radiyAllahu anh) and the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radiyAllahu anh) (and by extension, the granddaughter of the Messenger of Allah
). When the emperor of Rome ceased attacking Muslim lands, he wrote a letter to Umar. A diplomatic channel was opened, and the emperor of Rome and the Leader of the Believers began to write letters to one another.With tensions easing between the Roman Empire and the Muslim Nation, Umm Kulthoom decided to send gifts to the emperor's wife. She prepared a package that contained perfume, some beverages, and some other items, and she gave them to the messenger that Umar was sending to the Roman Emperor. The messenger agreed to take her package and give it to the Empress of Rome.
Upon receiving Umm Kulthoom's gifts the empress gathered a number of women and said to them,
"These are gifts that the wife of the Arab king sent to me; she is, in addition to being the wife of the Arab king, the daughter of their Prophet too."
The Empress wrote a reply, and sent along with her reply a number of gifts. One of those gifts was a necklace of the highest quality. When the messenger returned to Madeenah, Umar intercepted the package and was taken aback by the high value of the gifts.
Not sure what to do about the situation, Umar gathered the Muslim's together, led them in two units of prayer, and then said,
"Verily, there is no good in my personal affairs if final decisions regarding them are made before mutual consultation first takes place. So tell me what I should do regarding the gift that Umm Kulthoom sent to the Empress of Rome (and regarding the gifts that the Empress sent back)."
People expressed varying opinions, and in the end, Umar decided to place the Empress's expensive gifts in the Muslim Treasury, and to recompense Umm Kulthoom for the value of the gifts she had sent to the Empress.
(Al-Khulafaa ar-Raashidoon, pg. 245)