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"God has placed truth upon Umar's tongue
and heart. (hadeeth)"
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 preaching enraged 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 of the Qur'an. He fell upon her and beat her mercilessly. Bruised
and bleeding, 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 had been
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 an influential
citizen of Mecca raised the morale of the small community of Muslims.
Nonetheless 'Umar was also subjected to privations, and when permission
for emigration to Medina came, he also left Mecca. The soundness of 'Umar's
judgment, 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' which means the 'Separator of Truth from False hood.' During
the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, 'Umar was his 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.
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 to me with a claim,
he should leave satisfied. 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 and Iran 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 as a 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 the servant 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
for these 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 to the 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.
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 for whom 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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