Hadhrat Umar Farooq (May Allah be well pleased with him)

Hadhrat Umat Farooq (May Allah be well pleased with him) is the 2nd caliph of Islam. Through him, Allah Ta'ala promoted the message of Islam. Allah Ta'ala established truth on the tongue of Hadhrat Umar and made him the line of demarcation between truth and falsehood.

 

His birth

 

Imam Nawawi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written that Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) was born 13 years after the Year of the Elephants (which is described in Surah Feel)

 

(Tarikh Ul Khulafa, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 43)

 

His name and Kunniyah

 

His name is “Umar,” Kunniyah is “Abu Hafs” and he is famous as “Farooq.”

 

Embracing Islam

 

Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) embraced Islam 3 days after Hadhrat Ameer Hamzah embraced Islam in 6th year of Prophethood (6 Nabawi). Then his age was 27 years.

 

(Tarikh Ul Khulafa, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 43; Al Kamil Fi Asmair Rijaal)

 

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

 

Translation of Hadith: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Umar that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) prayed: O Allah! You honor Islam through either Abu Jahl or Umar Bin Khattab, whoever You love more.

 

(Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 4045)

 

In Sunan Ibn Majah, this prayer is mentioned:

 

Translation of Hadith: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with him), she said that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) prayed: O Allah! You honor Islam especially through Umar Bin Khattab

 

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 110)

 

The heavenly beings celebrated Hadhrat Umar’s embracing Islam

 

There is a Hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah:

 

Translation of Hadith: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them), he said: When Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) embraced Islam, Hadhrat Jibrail (Peace be upon him) came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and said: O Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), indeed the heavenly beings celebrated Hadhrat Umar’s embracing Islam.

 

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 108)

 

How he embraced Islam

 

The incident of his embracing Islam is that once he was going with a bare sword in hand. On the way, he met Hadhrat Na’eem Bin Abdullah (May Allah be well pleased with him). Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) did not know that Hadhrat Na’eem had embraced Islam. He asked him: O Umar! Where are you going with a bare sword in hand? He said: Today I will take the final decision about the Founder of Islam. Hadhrat Na’eem said: First look into your own house. Your sister Fatima Bint Khattab (May Allah be well pleased with her) and brother-in-law Sa’eed bin Zaid (May Allah be well pleased with him) have embraced Islam.

 

He went to his sister’s house and knocked on the door. Both of them were reciting the Holy Quran. Immediately, they stopped the recitation and the sister answered the door. Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) angrily said: You have also become a Muslim. Then he turned to his brother-in-law and threw him on the ground. He then sat on his chest and started beating him. When the sister came to intervene, Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) gave her such a slap that her face became bloody. His sister said in a strong voice: Umar! No matter what you do, Islam cannot leave our hearts now. The face of the sister and her words which were full of Iman moved Hadhrat Umar. He was silent for some time. Then he said: Whatever you were reading, show it to me. His sister said: You are unclean. Unless you clean yourself with a complete bath, you cannot touch the blessed pages of the Holy Quran. Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) immediately took a bath. When he took the pages of the Holy Quran, his eyes fell on a verse from Surah Taha. On reading this verse, his hair stood on end. At this time, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was in “Dar Arqam.” When Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) reached there with a sword in hand, the door was closed. The Muslims knew why he was there and there was a delay in opening the door. Hadhrat Hamza (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: Open the door! If he has come with good intentions, he will be welcomed. If not, with his sword, his head will be severed from his body.

 

Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) entered the house. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked: O Umar! Is it not time? Will you not give up? Embrace Islam! Hadhrat Umar recited the Kalima Tayyaba in a loud voice. Out of happiness, all the Muslims shouted “Allahu Akbar.” On this occasion, Jibrail (Peace be upon him) came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and said: O Prophet of Allah! On Umar’s embracing Islam, all the heavenly beings greeted each other and made celebrations.

 

Then on Hadhrat Umar’s request, Muslims openly offered Salaat in the Ka’aba.

 

(Al Mawahib Al Ladunniya Ma’a Hashiya Zurqani, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 4-5; Subul Ul Huda War Rashad, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 372)

 

His superiority and excellence

 

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah:

 

It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Hudhaifhah (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam): Follow the 2 after Me i.e. Abu Bakr and Umar (May Allah be well pleased with them).

 

(Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 4023; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 102)

 

Glad tidings of martyrdom

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation of Hadith: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said: The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with them) graced the mountain of Uhud with their presence. Out of happiness, the mountain of Uhud started swaying. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) tapped it with His foot and said: O Uhud! Steady! The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), 1 Siddiq and 2 Shaheed (martyrs) are on you.

 

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 3686)

 

His passing away at the age of 63 – a sign of his close relationship with the Holy Prophet

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

 

Hadhrat Mu’awiyah (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) passed away into the presence of Allah, His age was 63 years. Then Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him) passed away, his age was also 63 years. Then Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) passed away and his age was also 63 years.

 

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 3244)