Ibn Abi Ukhti
10th September 2008, 04:48 AM
بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و براكته
الحمد الله
It would be no exaggeration to say that the Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Umar bin al-Khattab رضي الله عنه was so much feared by the Muslims that once he heard a group of men talking about a certain lady. So ‘Umar رضي الله عنه wanted to know about this Muslimah and thus he summoned for her. This Muslimah was pregnant and when she saw ‘Umar رضي الله عنه and he saw her, she had a miscarriage!
Once ‘Umar رضي الله عنه was getting his hair cut suddenly he coughed and because of this the barber urinated on himself because of the fear. The other Sahabah رضي الله عنهم got to know about this incident and ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan, ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf, Az-Zubayr bin ‘Awwam رضي الله عنهم gathered to discuss this issue about the immense fear of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه in the hearts of the believers. They came up with the idea that they will choose from themselves a person who would go speak to ‘Umar رضي الله عنه about it and the boldest of them was ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf رضي الله عنه thus he was sent. He went to ‘Umar رضي الله عنه and told him how much the believers feared him. ‘Umar رضي الله عنه responded, “O’ ‘Abdur Rahman, sometimes I feel that I am too strict so I soften whilst sometimes I feel that I am too lenient so I become strict I don’t know what will happen of me when I meet Allah سبحانه و تعالى!” Hearing this, ‘Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه started weeping and he left saying, “Woe to you O’ Ummah of Muhammad, what will happen to you when you (‘Umar) will leave!”
Lessons to be learnt from this incident:
1)The gathering of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم to discuss the issue. Whenever a situation arises in which we have some incidents that are affecting the people around us or for any issue, we must group up and unite to talk about the matter as Allah سبحانه و تعالى says,
“And those who answer the Call of their Lord [i.e. to believe that He is the only One Lord (Allah), and to worship none but Him Alone], and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and who (conduct) their affairs by mutual consultation, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them.” {Surat ash-Shoora, ayah # 38}
In the tafseer of this ayah Imam Ibn Kathir رحمه الله quotes the incident when ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه was chosen as the Khalifah by the a group of 6 Sahabah رضي الله عنهم which included ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan himself, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, az-Zubayr bin al-‘Awwam, Talhah bin ‘UbaydiLlah and Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنهم. They chose ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه from mutual consultation amongst themselves after Abu Lu’lu’ al-Majusi murdered ‘Umar رضي الله عنه. So this was a time of fitnah and Sahabah رضي الله عنهم employed the way of Shoora to solve the problem of Khilafah.
2)The sending of the most capable person to speak to ‘Umar رضي الله عنه, ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Awf رضي الله عنه. We learn that whenever we send someone as an envoy or an ambassador, we should send the person who is best suitable for the job. For example for da‘wah purposes, a person ignorant of in-depth knowledge of ‘Aqeedah wont be very effective for preaching Tawheed therefore a person who can understand, and then explain the details of Tawheed and answer questions of non-Muslims should be sent for da‘wah. An example from the life of RasuluLlah صلى الله عليه و سلم we can see when he sent ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه to Makkah to ask the permission of Quraysh to allow them to do ‘Umrah due to his family status.
3)The care of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه for this Ummah. He tried his very best at all times to be just with the people whether they were Muslims or not by applying the Laws of Allah سبحانه و تعالى.
4)The Taqwa ‘Umar رضي الله عنه had of Allah سبحانه و تعالى that he wasn’t sure what would happen to him in the Aakhirah even though Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had told him that he would be of the people of Jannah. If this is not humility then what is?!
5)‘Umar رضي الله عنه was the real Ameer of the Muslims which we can understand from the statement of ‘Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه when he said, ““Woe to you O’ Ummah of Muhammad, what will happen to you when you (‘Umar) will leave!” Indeed after the Khilafah of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه and then end of ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه’s time, the Muslim Ummah was filled with fitnah. As Imam Bukhari رحمه الله narrates, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه, who was addressing the Sahabah رضي الله تعالى عنه, asked them, “Who is the most knowledgeable from amongst you regarding the fitan?” Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه jumped up and said, “Me O’ Ameer ul-Mu’mineen!” And then he began to mention certain fitan. Umar bin al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه said, “It’s not these fitan I would like to know about but the Fitnah Ta muju ka maujul bahr! Which the waves would be like the waves of the ocean.” Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه asked, “Why do you want to know about these fitan Ya Ameer ul-Mu’mineen? Between you and that Fitnah is a closed door.” And ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه asked, “Will that door will be opened or broken?” And Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه replied, “It will be broken.” And then ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه replied, “Then it will not be closed till the Day of Judgement!” Abu Wail رضي الله تعالى عنه, the narrator, mentions we asked Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه, “Did ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab knew who the door was?” And Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه said, “I swear by Allah ‘Umar knew who that door was like he knew the night preceded the day.” Then Abu Wail رضي الله تعالى عنه said that he asked, “Masruq رضي الله تعالى عنه to ask Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه who was that door?” And Masruq رضي الله تعالى عنه asked, “Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه that who was that door?” And Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه replied, “That door was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه”
And, indeed, Allah سبحانه و تعالى knows best.
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و براكته
الحمد الله
It would be no exaggeration to say that the Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen ‘Umar bin al-Khattab رضي الله عنه was so much feared by the Muslims that once he heard a group of men talking about a certain lady. So ‘Umar رضي الله عنه wanted to know about this Muslimah and thus he summoned for her. This Muslimah was pregnant and when she saw ‘Umar رضي الله عنه and he saw her, she had a miscarriage!
Once ‘Umar رضي الله عنه was getting his hair cut suddenly he coughed and because of this the barber urinated on himself because of the fear. The other Sahabah رضي الله عنهم got to know about this incident and ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan, ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf, Az-Zubayr bin ‘Awwam رضي الله عنهم gathered to discuss this issue about the immense fear of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه in the hearts of the believers. They came up with the idea that they will choose from themselves a person who would go speak to ‘Umar رضي الله عنه about it and the boldest of them was ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf رضي الله عنه thus he was sent. He went to ‘Umar رضي الله عنه and told him how much the believers feared him. ‘Umar رضي الله عنه responded, “O’ ‘Abdur Rahman, sometimes I feel that I am too strict so I soften whilst sometimes I feel that I am too lenient so I become strict I don’t know what will happen of me when I meet Allah سبحانه و تعالى!” Hearing this, ‘Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه started weeping and he left saying, “Woe to you O’ Ummah of Muhammad, what will happen to you when you (‘Umar) will leave!”
Lessons to be learnt from this incident:
1)The gathering of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم to discuss the issue. Whenever a situation arises in which we have some incidents that are affecting the people around us or for any issue, we must group up and unite to talk about the matter as Allah سبحانه و تعالى says,
“And those who answer the Call of their Lord [i.e. to believe that He is the only One Lord (Allah), and to worship none but Him Alone], and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and who (conduct) their affairs by mutual consultation, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them.” {Surat ash-Shoora, ayah # 38}
In the tafseer of this ayah Imam Ibn Kathir رحمه الله quotes the incident when ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه was chosen as the Khalifah by the a group of 6 Sahabah رضي الله عنهم which included ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan himself, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, az-Zubayr bin al-‘Awwam, Talhah bin ‘UbaydiLlah and Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنهم. They chose ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه from mutual consultation amongst themselves after Abu Lu’lu’ al-Majusi murdered ‘Umar رضي الله عنه. So this was a time of fitnah and Sahabah رضي الله عنهم employed the way of Shoora to solve the problem of Khilafah.
2)The sending of the most capable person to speak to ‘Umar رضي الله عنه, ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Awf رضي الله عنه. We learn that whenever we send someone as an envoy or an ambassador, we should send the person who is best suitable for the job. For example for da‘wah purposes, a person ignorant of in-depth knowledge of ‘Aqeedah wont be very effective for preaching Tawheed therefore a person who can understand, and then explain the details of Tawheed and answer questions of non-Muslims should be sent for da‘wah. An example from the life of RasuluLlah صلى الله عليه و سلم we can see when he sent ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه to Makkah to ask the permission of Quraysh to allow them to do ‘Umrah due to his family status.
3)The care of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه for this Ummah. He tried his very best at all times to be just with the people whether they were Muslims or not by applying the Laws of Allah سبحانه و تعالى.
4)The Taqwa ‘Umar رضي الله عنه had of Allah سبحانه و تعالى that he wasn’t sure what would happen to him in the Aakhirah even though Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had told him that he would be of the people of Jannah. If this is not humility then what is?!
5)‘Umar رضي الله عنه was the real Ameer of the Muslims which we can understand from the statement of ‘Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه when he said, ““Woe to you O’ Ummah of Muhammad, what will happen to you when you (‘Umar) will leave!” Indeed after the Khilafah of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه and then end of ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه’s time, the Muslim Ummah was filled with fitnah. As Imam Bukhari رحمه الله narrates, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه, who was addressing the Sahabah رضي الله تعالى عنه, asked them, “Who is the most knowledgeable from amongst you regarding the fitan?” Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه jumped up and said, “Me O’ Ameer ul-Mu’mineen!” And then he began to mention certain fitan. Umar bin al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه said, “It’s not these fitan I would like to know about but the Fitnah Ta muju ka maujul bahr! Which the waves would be like the waves of the ocean.” Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه asked, “Why do you want to know about these fitan Ya Ameer ul-Mu’mineen? Between you and that Fitnah is a closed door.” And ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه asked, “Will that door will be opened or broken?” And Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه replied, “It will be broken.” And then ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه replied, “Then it will not be closed till the Day of Judgement!” Abu Wail رضي الله تعالى عنه, the narrator, mentions we asked Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه, “Did ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab knew who the door was?” And Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه said, “I swear by Allah ‘Umar knew who that door was like he knew the night preceded the day.” Then Abu Wail رضي الله تعالى عنه said that he asked, “Masruq رضي الله تعالى عنه to ask Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه who was that door?” And Masruq رضي الله تعالى عنه asked, “Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه that who was that door?” And Hudhayfah رضي الله تعالى عنه replied, “That door was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله تعالى عنه”
And, indeed, Allah سبحانه و تعالى knows best.