"God has placed truth upon Umar's tongue and heart. (hadeeth)"
'Umar's Life
During his last illness Abu Bakr had conferred with his people,
particularly the more eminent among them. After this meeting they
chose 'Umar as his successor. 'Umar was born into a respected Quraish
family thirteen years after the birth of Muhammad (peace be on him).
Umar's family was known for its extensive knowledge of genealogy. When
he grew up, 'Umar was proficient in this branch of knowledge as well
as in swordsmanship, wrestling and the art of speaking. He also
learned to read and write while still a child, a very rare thing in
Mecca at that time. 'Umar earned his living as a merchant. His trade
took him to many foreign lands and he met all kinds of people. This
experience gave him an insight into the affairs and problems of men.
'Umar's personality was dynamic, self-assertive, frank and straight
forward. He always spoke whatever was in his mind even if it
displeased others.
'Umar was twenty-seven when the Prophet (peace be on him) proclaimed
his mission. The ideas Muhammad was preachingenraged him as much as
they did the other notables of Mecca. He was just as bitter against
anyone accepting Islam as others among the Quraish. When his
slave-girl accepted Islam he beat her until he himself was exhausted
and told her, "I have stopped because I am tired, not out of pity for
you." The story of his embracing Islam is an interesting one. One day,
full of anger against the Prophet, he drew his sword and set out to
kill him. A friend met him on the way. When 'Umar told him what he
planned to do,his friend informed him that 'Umar's own sister, Fatima,
and her husband had also accepted Islam. 'Umar went straight to his
sister's house where he found her reading from pages ofthe Qur'an. He
fell upon her and beat her mercilessly. Bruised andbleeding, she told
her brother,"Umar, you can do what you like,but you cannot turn our
hearts away from Islam." These words produced a strange effect upon
'Umar. What was this faith that made even weak women so strong of
heart? He asked his sister to show him what she hadbeen reading; he
was at once moved to the core by the words of the Qur'an and
immediately grasped their truth. He went straight to the house where
the Prophet was staying and vowed allegiance to him.
Umar made no secret of his acceptance of Islam. He gathered the
Muslims and offered prayers at the Ka'aba. This boldness and devotion
of aninfluential citizen of Mecca raisedthe morale of the small
community of Muslims. Nonetheless 'Umar was also subjected to
privations, and when permission for emigrationto Medina came, he also
left Mecca. The soundness of 'Umar'sjudgment, his devotion to the
Prophet (peace be on him), his outspokenness and uprightness won for
him a trust and confidence from the Prophet which was second only to
that given to Abu Bakr. The Prophet gave him the title 'Farooq'
whichmeans the 'Separator of Truth from False hood.' During the
Caliphate of Abu Bakr, 'Umar washis closest assistant and adviser.When
Abu Bakr died, all the people of Medina swore allegiance to 'Umar, and
on 23 Jamadi-al-Akhir, 13 A.H., he was proclaimed Caliph.
'Umar's Caliphate
After taking charge of his office, 'Umar spoke to the Muslims of Medina:
"...O people, you have some rights on me which you can always claim.
One of your rights is that if anyone of you comes tome with a claim,
he should leavesatisfied. Another of your rights is that you can
demand that I take nothing unjustly from the revenues of the State.
You can also demand that... I fortify your frontiers and do not put
you into danger. It is also your right that if you go to battle I
should look after your families as a father would while you are away.
"O people, remain conscious of God, forgive me my faults and help me
in my task. Assist me in enforcing what is good and forbidding what is
evil. Advise me regarding the obligations that have been imposed upon
me by God..."
The most notable feature of 'Umar's caliphate was the vast expansion
of Islam. Apart from Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine andIran also came
under the protection of the Islamic government. But the greatness of
'Umar himself lies in the quality of his rule. He gave a practical
meaning to the Qur'anic injunction:
"O you who believe, stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to God,
even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether
it concerns rich or poor, for God can best protect both." [4:135]
Once a woman brought a claim against the Caliph 'Umar. When 'Umar
appeared on trial before the judge, the judge stood up asa sign of
respect toward him. 'Umar reprimanded him, saying,"This is the first
act of injustice you did to this woman!"
He insisted that his appointed governors live simple lives, keep no
guard at their doors and be accessible to the people at all times, and
he himself set the example for them. Many times foreign envoys and
messengers sent to him by his generals found him resting under a palm
tree or praying in the mosque among the people, and it was difficult
for them to distinguish which man was the Caliph. He spent many a
watchful night going about the streets of Medina to see whether anyone
needed help or assistance. The general social and moral tone of the
Muslim society at that time is well-illustrated by the words of an
Egyptian who was sent to spy on the Muslims during their Egyptian
campaign. He reported:
"I have seen a people, every one of whom loves death more than he
loves life. They cultivate humility rather than pride. None is given
to material ambitions. Their mode of living is simple... Their
commander is their equal. They make no distinction between superior
and inferior, between master and slave. When the time of prayer
approaches, none remains behind..."
'Umar gave his government an administrative structure. Departments of
treasury, army and public revenues were established. Regular salaries
were set up for soldiers. A popuation census was held. Elaborate land
surveys were conducted to assess equitable taxes. New cities were
founded. The areas which came under his rule were divided into
provinces and governors were appointed. New roads were laid, canals
were lug and wayside hotels were built. Provision was made for he
support of the poor and the needy from public funds. He defined, by
precept and by example, the rights and privileges of non-Muslims, an
example of which is the following contract with the Christians of
Jerusalem:
"This is the protection which theservant of God, 'Umar, the Ruler of
the Believers has granted to the people of Eiliya [Jerusalem]. The
protection is for their lives and properties, their churches and
crosses, their sick and healthy and for all their coreligionists.
Their churches shall not be used for habitation, nor shall they be
demolished, nor shall any injury be done to them or to their
compounds, or to their crosses, nor shall their properties be injured
in any way.There shall be no compulsion forthese people in the matter
of religion, nor shall any of them suffer any injury on account of
religion... Whatever is written herein is under the covenant of God
and the responsibility of His Messenger, of the Caliphs and of the
believers, and shall hold good as long as they pay Jizya [the tax for
their defense] imposed on them."
Those non-Muslims who took part in defense together with the Muslims
were exempted from paying Jizya, and when the Muslims had to retreat
from a city whose non-Muslim citizens had paid this tax for their
defense, the tax was returned tothe non-Muslims. The old, the poor and
the disabled of Muslims and non-Muslims alike were provided for from
the public treasury and from the Zakat funds.
'Umar's Death
In 23 A.H., when Umar returned to Medina from Hajj;, he raised his
hands and prayed,
"O God! I am advanced in years, my bones are weary, my powers are
declining, and the people forwhom I am responsible have spread far and
wide. Summon me back to Thyself, my lord!" Some time later, when 'Umar
went to the mosque to lead a prayer, a Magian named Abu Lulu Feroze,
who had a grudge against 'Umar on a personal matter, attacked him with
a dagger and stabbed him several times. Umar reeled and fell to the
ground. When he learned that the assassin was a Magian, he sid, "Thank
God he is not a Muslim."
'Umar died in the first week of Muharram, 24 A.H., and was buried by
the side of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him).
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