salahdin
Junior Member
Khalifa Umar bin al-Khattab
It was noon of a Friday. The faithful at Madina had gathered in the Prophet's mosque to offer the Friday prayers.
Umar, the Caliph arrived to lead the prayers. He said his preliminary prayer and then proceeded to deliver his address to the congregation. He began by reciting some verses from the Holy Quran. Then addressing the congregation he said "Now listen".
A young man from the congregation stood up to say, "We will not listen to you, until you give us the explanation that you owe to us."
The people were startled at this audacious interference. Umar paused for a moment, and then turning to the young man said, "Explanation for what?"
The young man said "The other day each one of us obtained a piece of cloth from the Baitul Mal. Today I find two pieces of cloth on the person of the Caliph. I want to know what right had the Caliph to get a share twice the share of an ordinary Muslim?"
Before Umar could explain Abdullah the son of Umar rose up and said, "Friends, the truth of the matter is that like every other person my father and myself obtained a piece of cloth each from the Baitul Mal. My father is so tall that the piece of cloth that he got from the Baitul Mal did not suffice him. So I gave him my piece of the cloth".
This explanation satisfied every one. The young man who had interrupted the Caliph said, "We are satisfied. You can now proceed with your address. We will listen to you and, obey your commands."
Turning to the audience Umar said, "What will you do, my friends, in case I deviate from the truth one day?"
Thereupon a man rose up and said, "When you willfully deviate from the truth, we will withdraw our allegiance to you and I for one would feel it my duty to kill you with my sword."
The Caliph said with an apparent show of anger "Man, do you know to whom you are speaking?"
The man said, "Yes, I am talking to Umar, the Commander of the Faithful".
"Then how dare you threat him with your sword" said the Caliph.
The man said, "You are our Caliph and Commander as long as you follow the truth. When you deliberately deviate from the path of the truth you no longer command our allegiance. Then we have the right to kill you, because you lead us in the wrong way."
At this the face of Umar lit up, and a smile of satisfaction played on his lips. Raising his hands towards the heaven he said in a voice choked with emotion "Great Allah, I offer you my thanks that there is no dearth of men among the faithful who have the courage to lift the sword even against the head of Umar when he deviates from the Truth."
Turning to the faithful, Umar said: "I enjoin you to follow me as long as I follow Allah and his Prophet. When there is any deviation on my part correct me. If I deliberately deviate from the Truth do not follow me. Play that you and I may steadfastly keep to the path of the Truth enjoined by Islam."
Umar and Self Remorse
Once Umar was busy with some important affairs of the State, when a person came to him and, complaining about some petty grievance, asked for immediate redress.
Thus disturbed, Umar felt very much annoyed. He took the lash and struck the man saying:
"When I sit for redressing the grievances of the common men you do not come, and when I am engaged in other important work you come with your grievances to disturb me."
The person walked away in a sullen mood. When the man went away, Umar felt struck with remorse for having treated the man shabbily.
Umar ran after the man, and overtaking him handed him his lash and said:
"I have been hard on you and lashed you. You take this lash, and strike me so that the account may be squared."
The man was overwhelmed with the sense of justice of Umar. He said:
"O Commander of the Faithful, how can I raise my hand against you. I seek no revenge. I forgive you. May Allah forgive you."
Umar went home and offered a special prayer of repentance. He upbraided himself loudly:
"O Umar, you were low but Allah elevated you. You were wandering astray but Allah guided you. You were base but Allah ennobled you and gave you sovereignty over the people. Now one of them comes and asks you for requital for the harm done to him, and you beat him.
What answer would you give before Allah?"
Umar kept chiding himself long. Holding a straw in his hand he said:
"I wish, I were a straw like this." Turning to himself he said, "I wish my mother had not given birth to me."
Friends Who Could Straighten Him
True to the title 'Al-Farooq', Umar was an embodiment of truth. He did not hesitate to speak the truth, in the best interests of the Muslim State. Such truth was sometimes bitter, and the people held him in awe.
Some people understood him, and appreciated his sterling qualities of courage, conviction, and truthfulness. Some people misjudged him and felt that he was unduly hard and harsh with the people.
Umar knew that he was more feared than loved. Under a stern exterior, Umar had a heart full of the milk of human kindness. Whenever Umar came across a person who was in distress or was in any way oppressed, Umar was all sympathy for him, and he did all he could to alleviate his distress.
Umar did often reflect and ponder over the responsibilities that had come to vest in him and the way he discharged them. He did not feel very happy with the equation between himself and the people. He regretted that the people did not understand him properly.
Hudhaifa a prominent companion has left on record that one day he went to see Umar and found that he was feeling much perturbed. Seeing the disturbed state of the mind of Umar, Hudhaifa enquired as to what was the matter.
Umar said:
"I was feeling unhappy that the people have awe of me. They generally avoid me, and hesitate to bring my shortcomings to my notice. I was just thinking as to what, would happen if I were to fall in erroneous ways, and because of the awe that the people have of me, no one comes forward to restrain me."
Thereupon Hudhaifa said:
"Your awe is because of the truth at your command. If you deviate from the path of truth, the people will not be afraid to call you to account. Verily if I see that you are in the wrong, I will fix you up, and straighten you."
At this Umar felt very happy. He said:
"Thank God, there are friends who will straighten me when I err. If I have such friends around me, I need have no fear of falling into error."
It was noon of a Friday. The faithful at Madina had gathered in the Prophet's mosque to offer the Friday prayers.
Umar, the Caliph arrived to lead the prayers. He said his preliminary prayer and then proceeded to deliver his address to the congregation. He began by reciting some verses from the Holy Quran. Then addressing the congregation he said "Now listen".
A young man from the congregation stood up to say, "We will not listen to you, until you give us the explanation that you owe to us."
The people were startled at this audacious interference. Umar paused for a moment, and then turning to the young man said, "Explanation for what?"
The young man said "The other day each one of us obtained a piece of cloth from the Baitul Mal. Today I find two pieces of cloth on the person of the Caliph. I want to know what right had the Caliph to get a share twice the share of an ordinary Muslim?"
Before Umar could explain Abdullah the son of Umar rose up and said, "Friends, the truth of the matter is that like every other person my father and myself obtained a piece of cloth each from the Baitul Mal. My father is so tall that the piece of cloth that he got from the Baitul Mal did not suffice him. So I gave him my piece of the cloth".
This explanation satisfied every one. The young man who had interrupted the Caliph said, "We are satisfied. You can now proceed with your address. We will listen to you and, obey your commands."
Turning to the audience Umar said, "What will you do, my friends, in case I deviate from the truth one day?"
Thereupon a man rose up and said, "When you willfully deviate from the truth, we will withdraw our allegiance to you and I for one would feel it my duty to kill you with my sword."
The Caliph said with an apparent show of anger "Man, do you know to whom you are speaking?"
The man said, "Yes, I am talking to Umar, the Commander of the Faithful".
"Then how dare you threat him with your sword" said the Caliph.
The man said, "You are our Caliph and Commander as long as you follow the truth. When you deliberately deviate from the path of the truth you no longer command our allegiance. Then we have the right to kill you, because you lead us in the wrong way."
At this the face of Umar lit up, and a smile of satisfaction played on his lips. Raising his hands towards the heaven he said in a voice choked with emotion "Great Allah, I offer you my thanks that there is no dearth of men among the faithful who have the courage to lift the sword even against the head of Umar when he deviates from the Truth."
Turning to the faithful, Umar said: "I enjoin you to follow me as long as I follow Allah and his Prophet. When there is any deviation on my part correct me. If I deliberately deviate from the Truth do not follow me. Play that you and I may steadfastly keep to the path of the Truth enjoined by Islam."
Umar and Self Remorse
Once Umar was busy with some important affairs of the State, when a person came to him and, complaining about some petty grievance, asked for immediate redress.
Thus disturbed, Umar felt very much annoyed. He took the lash and struck the man saying:
"When I sit for redressing the grievances of the common men you do not come, and when I am engaged in other important work you come with your grievances to disturb me."
The person walked away in a sullen mood. When the man went away, Umar felt struck with remorse for having treated the man shabbily.
Umar ran after the man, and overtaking him handed him his lash and said:
"I have been hard on you and lashed you. You take this lash, and strike me so that the account may be squared."
The man was overwhelmed with the sense of justice of Umar. He said:
"O Commander of the Faithful, how can I raise my hand against you. I seek no revenge. I forgive you. May Allah forgive you."
Umar went home and offered a special prayer of repentance. He upbraided himself loudly:
"O Umar, you were low but Allah elevated you. You were wandering astray but Allah guided you. You were base but Allah ennobled you and gave you sovereignty over the people. Now one of them comes and asks you for requital for the harm done to him, and you beat him.
What answer would you give before Allah?"
Umar kept chiding himself long. Holding a straw in his hand he said:
"I wish, I were a straw like this." Turning to himself he said, "I wish my mother had not given birth to me."
Friends Who Could Straighten Him
True to the title 'Al-Farooq', Umar was an embodiment of truth. He did not hesitate to speak the truth, in the best interests of the Muslim State. Such truth was sometimes bitter, and the people held him in awe.
Some people understood him, and appreciated his sterling qualities of courage, conviction, and truthfulness. Some people misjudged him and felt that he was unduly hard and harsh with the people.
Umar knew that he was more feared than loved. Under a stern exterior, Umar had a heart full of the milk of human kindness. Whenever Umar came across a person who was in distress or was in any way oppressed, Umar was all sympathy for him, and he did all he could to alleviate his distress.
Umar did often reflect and ponder over the responsibilities that had come to vest in him and the way he discharged them. He did not feel very happy with the equation between himself and the people. He regretted that the people did not understand him properly.
Hudhaifa a prominent companion has left on record that one day he went to see Umar and found that he was feeling much perturbed. Seeing the disturbed state of the mind of Umar, Hudhaifa enquired as to what was the matter.
Umar said:
"I was feeling unhappy that the people have awe of me. They generally avoid me, and hesitate to bring my shortcomings to my notice. I was just thinking as to what, would happen if I were to fall in erroneous ways, and because of the awe that the people have of me, no one comes forward to restrain me."
Thereupon Hudhaifa said:
"Your awe is because of the truth at your command. If you deviate from the path of truth, the people will not be afraid to call you to account. Verily if I see that you are in the wrong, I will fix you up, and straighten you."
At this Umar felt very happy. He said:
"Thank God, there are friends who will straighten me when I err. If I have such friends around me, I need have no fear of falling into error."
