Giving Someone Credit (Tazkiyah)

A man bore witness to ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab so ‘Umar said to him: “I do not know you, but it does not matter that I do not know you. Bring me someone who does know you.”

A man among the peole said: “I know him.” ‘Umar asked: “What do you know about him?” He said: “He is of good character and is virtuous.”

‘Umar asked: “Is he your neighbour who you know by night and by day, and you know when he comes in and goes out?” The man said: “No.”

‘Umar asked: “Did h have any financial dealings with you which is the way to know whether he is God-fearing or not?” The man said: “No.”

‘Umar then asked: “Has he been your companion on a journey, which is the best way to know whether he is of noble character and attitude?” The man said: “No.”

So ‘Umar said: “Then you do not know him.”

[Sunan Al-Bayhaqi, 10/125 & Mawsoo’ah Fiqh ‘Umar, p. 731]

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab “There Are Four Types Of Oceans”

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (ra) said:

“There are four types of oceans:

(1) passion is the ocean of sins,

(2) the nafs is the ocean of desires,

(3) death is the ocean of lives,

(4) and the grave is the ocean of regrets.”

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, “Remember The Fire A Great Deal”

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab is reported to have said:

“Remember the fire a great deal;

for its heat is intense,

its bottom is deep,

and the stay therein is long.”

Sound Advice From ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab

Sound Advice From ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab once said to Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qais:

“O Ahnaf, the more one laughs, the less dignity will he posses. Whoever jokes (excessively or indecently) is a person who will be taken lightly. Whoever does something frequently will become known by that thing.

Whoever speaks often, errs often; the more often one errs, the less modesty will he possess; whoever has a low level of modesty will also have a low level of piety; and when one has a low level of piety, then his heart dies.”

[Taken from “Glimpses Of The Lives Of Righteous People”, Darussalam publishing, Pp. 24-25, quoting from “Sifatus-Safwah”, 1/1449]

Upholding The Honor Of Your Muslim Brother And Sister

Upholding The Honor Of Your Muslim Brother And Sister

At the time of ‘Umar, there were two young righteous men who were as close as brothers. One of them went out to join one of the battles the Muslims were facing, and he asked his brother to look after his family.

One night he went to check on his brothers family and he saw a lamp burning in the house, and there was a Jew in the house with his brother’s wife, reciting lines of provocative verses (calling her to have sexual relations with him).

The young man went back to his own house and fetched a sword, then he entered his brother’s house and killed the Jew whom he then stripped and threw into the street.

The next morning they found the body and nobody knew who killed him. They went to ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab and told him about that.

‘Umar called out to the people, “As-Salaatu Jaami’ah (the prayer is about to begin).”

The people gathered, then ‘Umar ascended the mimbar (pulpit); he praised and glorified Allaah, then he said, “I adjure by Allaah any man who knows anything about this body to tell me about it.”

The young man (who killed him) stood up and told ‘Umar about what had happened.

‘Umar said, “May Allaah protect your hands,” and he regarded it as legitimate to have shed his blood.

[Taken from: ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab His Life And Times, by Dr. ‘Alee Muhammad As-Sallaabi, p. 526]

Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Innocent Until Proven Guilty

It was narrated that ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Aamir said:

I set out with a caravan and when we came to Dhu Al-Marwah, a cloak of mine was stolen, and one of those people (from Dhu Al-Marwah) was with us.

My companions said to him, “O So and so, give him back his cloak.”

He said, “I did not take it.”

So I went to ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab and told him about it.

He asked, “Who was there?”

I told him who they were and I named the one I thought took it and i said, “IO wanted to bring him in chains.”

‘Umar responded, “How could you bring him in chains without any proof!?”

[Taken from: ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab His Life And Times, by Dr. ‘Alee Muhammad As-Sallaabi, p. 511]

Think Good Of Your Brother

Think Good Of Your Brother

تظنن بكلمة خرجت من امرئ مسلم شرا وأنت تجد لها في الخير محملا

Umar’s once said:

“Do not think evil of anything that comes from your brother, Muslim’s tongue, whenver there is a way to interpret it in a good way.”

[Al-Farq bayna an-Naseehah wat-Ta’yeer – English: The Difference between Advising and Condemning]

Source

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab: “Those Who Came Before You Were Destroyed Because…”

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab: “Those Who Came Before You Were Destroyed Because…”

Places Their Prophets Prayed

It was narrated with a saheeh isnaad that ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab was on a journey and he saw people frequenting a place and praying there.

He asked, “What is this?”

They said, “A place where the Messenger of Allaah prayed.”

He said, “Those who came before you were destrpyed because of this. They took the places where their Prophets went as places of worship. If a person is there when the time for prayer comes, let him pray, otherwise let him move on.”

Ignoring The Divinely Revealed Book

It was narrated from ‘Amr Ibn Maymoon that his father said:

“A man came to ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab and said, ‘O Ameer al-Mu’mineen (Leader of the Believers), when we conquered Al-Madaa’in we found a book in which were some amazing words.’

He said, ‘From the Book of allaah?’

He said, ‘No.’

He called for his stick and started hitting him with it and reciting the words:

“Alif-Lam-Ra. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Clear Book [the Qur’an that makes clear the legal and illegal things, legal laws, a guidance and a blessing]. Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an in order that you may understand. We relate unto you [Muhammad] the best of stories through Our Revelations unto you, of this Qur’an. And before this [i.e. before the coming of Divine Inspiration to you], you were among those who knew nothing about it [the Qur’an].”

[Qur’aan, Surah Yusuf (12), Verses 1-3]

Then he said, ‘Those who came before you werre destroyed because they turned to the books of their scholars and bishops, and ignored the Torah and Gospel, until they were neglected and the knowledge in them was lost.’ ”

[Taken from ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, His Life And Times, By ‘Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabi, Vol. I, Pp. 296-297 & 298]

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab And His Zuhd (Forsaking Of The Pleasures Of This World)

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab And His Zuhd (Forsaking Of The Pleasures Of This World)

He Caused Pain

It was narrated from Ash-Shifa’ Bint ‘Abdullaah that she saw some people who walked slowly and spoke slowly.

She asked, “Who are these (people)?”

They said, “They are Ascetics (people who forsake the pleasures of this world).”

She said, “By Allaah, when ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab spoke, he could be heard, when he walked, he walked fast. and when he hit, he caused pain, and by Allaah he was a true ascetic.”

What Made Him Better Than The Rest

Asceticism was a prominent feature of his character.

Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas (r.a) said, “By Allaah, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab was not the earliest of us to migrate, but I know why he was better than us; he was the most abstemious of us towards worldly matters.

Garbage Dump

It was narrated that Abu Al-Ashhab said: ” ‘Umar passed by a garbage dump and stopped there, and it was as if his companions were bothered by it (the smell). He said, ‘This is the world of yours which you are so eager  for and you weep over.’ ”

[Taken from ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, His Life And Times, By ‘Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabi, Vol. I, Pp. 236, 238 & 288]

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab: “Every Muslim Should Kiss The Forehead Of ‘Abdullaah Ibn Hudhaafah”

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab: “Every Muslim Should Kiss The Forehead Of ‘Abdullaah Ibn Hudhaafah”

The Romans captured the great Sahaabai ‘Abdullaah Ibn Hudhaafah As-Sahami, and took him to their king, who said to him, “Become Christian and I will share my kingdom with you and give you my daughters hand in marriage.”

He (‘Abdullaah Ibn Hudhaafah As-Sahami) said to him, “Even if you give me all that you posses and all that the Arabs possess to make me give up the religion of Muhammad (saw) for the blink of an eye, I would not do it.”

He said, “Then I will kill you.”

He said, “It’s up to you.”

So the king ordered that he be crucified and that the archers shoot him near his hands and feet, whilst he was telling him to become Christian, but he refused to do so.

Then he ordered that he be taken down and a huge pot of coper be heated up.

Then one of the Muslim prisoners was brought and thrown into it, and when he looked, there was nothing left but bones. He again told him to become Christian, but he refused.

Then he ordered that he be thrown into that pot, and he was lifted on a pulley to be thrown in, but he wept and the king hoped that he would respond and he again told him to become Christian.

But ‘Abdullaah said, “I am only weeping because I have but one soul to be thrown into this pot for the sake of Allaah. I wish that I had as many souls as hairs on my body, so that they may all receive  this torture for the sake of Allaah.”

According to some reports, the king imprisoned him and deprived him of food and drink for several days, then he sent wine and pork to him but he did not touch them.

The king summoned him and said, “Why did you not eat?”

He said, “They were permissible for me (in that situation), but I did not want to give you the satisfaction.”

The king said to him, “Kiss my head and I will let you go.”

He said, “And will you let all the Muslim prisoners go?”

He said, “Yes.”

So he kissed his head, and he let him go and he let all the Muslim prisoners go with him.

When he came back, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab said, “Every Muslim should kiss the forehead of ‘Abdullaah Ibn Hudhaafah, and I will be the first,” and he stood up and kissed his head.

[Taken from ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, His Life And Times, By ‘Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabi, Vol. I, Pp. 273 – 274. Quoting from Tafsir Ibn Kathir 2/610]