Omar, The Criterion
عمر الفاروق
When the enemies of Islam heard the name of Omar,
their knees would tremble. When Satan saw Omar walking down the street,
he would turn the other way. Even Omar’s friends would sometimes find his
presence intimidating, and they too feared his anger. However, this man
of strength and power, cried easily, and had a soft and compassionate
heart. Omar was humble without being weak. Omar combined two
opposing character traits and that made him unique amongst the men around
Prophet Muhammad. Omar’s path to the truth began with a vehement hatred
of Muhammad and the religion of Islam but that hatred soon turned into a fierce
love. Omar ibn Al Khattab strengthened Islam.
Omar belonged to a middle class family, neither rich
nor poor, of the Adi clan, part of the tribe of Quraish. He had a tough
upbringing, his father was known to be a harsh man who worked his son to
exhaustion and beat him when he considered it necessary. Despite this
Omar is believed to have been literate, which was an uncommon skill in pre
Islamic Arabia. Born approximately 11 years after Prophet Muhammad, Omar
was a relatively fair-skinned boy who grew into a tall, well-built, muscular
man known for his fierce demeanour and wrestling skills.
Omar began his working life as a shepherd for his
father and aunts, and he was paid a very small stipend, often only a handful of
dates for a full days work. He supplemented his income by engaging in
wrestling competitions but as he grew into manhood, he became a successful
trader and respected businessman. Omar was known as a man of
strength. His posture and bearing denoted strength and his voice was loud
and commanding. When Mohammad’s teachings became a problem for the men of
Mecca, Omar pronounced his hatred for Islam openly and took part in the abuse
and torture of many of the weaker converts to Islam.
The Two Omars
Although not known by his given name of Omar, there
was another strong, determined man opposed to Islam. This was the man
originally known as Abu Hakim, (the father of wisdom), but history remembers
him as Abu Jahl, (the father of ignorance), the avowed enemy of Islam.
Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, gave him the
name Abu Jahl to denote his total ignorance in not recognising the truth of
Islam. Traditional accounts reveal that Prophet Muhammad on one occasion
raised his hands in supplication and begged God to strengthen Islam by whomever
of the two Omar’s he loved most. To the enemies of Islam and to the
companions of Prophet Muhammad Omar ibn al Khattab embracing Islam was an
unthinkable notion.
Omar’s hatred of Islam was so strong that he
volunteered to kill Prophet Muhammad. Without a second’s hesitation, he
strode down the streets of Mecca intent on drawing his sword and ending the
life of the Prophet of God. One of the men of Mecca, who was
secretly a Muslim saw the look on Omar’s face and immediately knew that his
beloved Prophet was in danger. Without fear for himself, he approached
Omar and asked him where he was going so quickly. Omar replied that he
was going, “to the man who has disunited our people, cursed our gods and made
fools of us”, and he said, “I am going to kill him”.
The young Muslim man named Nu’aim felt terror rush
into his heart and tried to engage Omar in a discussion to divert him, but Omar
was intent on his mission and continued to stride along the street.
Nu’aim reluctantly spoke the words that lead Omar to Islam. He said, “why
don’t you take care of your own house first’. Omar stopped short and
asked him what he meant by those words. Omar’s beloved sister and her
husband had secretly embraced Islam and Nu’aim revealed their secret in order
to save the life of Prophet Muhammad.
Omar turned around immediately and walked with
determination towards his sister’s house. As he approached, he could hear
the sound of Quran being recited. Omar knocked on the door. Inside
the inhabitants scrambled to hide their copies of Quran but Omar entered and
demanded to know what the “humming” sound he had heard was. Omar’s sister
replied that it was nothing, just the sound of them talking, but Omar knew the
sound of Quran and asked menacingly, “Have you become Muslim?” Omar’s
brother in law answered in the affirmative, whereupon Omar fell upon him,
wrestling him to the ground. Omar’s sister tried to defend her husband
and in the scuffle, Omar hit her face, drawing blood.
Quran Enters His Heart
Omar’s sister seemed to have the strength her brother
was so famous for, she stood up and faced her angry brother saying, “You enemy
of God! You would hit me just because I believe in God. Whether you
like it or not, I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is
His slave and messenger. Do whatever you will!” Omar saw the blood
running down his sister’s face, her words echoed in his ears, and he stood
up. Omar demanded that the words of Quran he had heard as he approached
the house be recited for him.
“We have not sent down the Quran unto you (O Muhammad) to cause you
distress, but only as a reminder to those who fear (God). A revelation from Him
who has created the earth and high heavens. The Most Beneficent rose over
the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). To Him belongs all
that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and all that is between
them, and all that is under the soil. And if you (O Muhammad) speak
aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is yet more
hidden. No one has the right to be worshipped but He! To Him belong
the Best Names.” (Quran 20:2-8)
Omar’s eyes filled with hot tears. “Is this what
we were against”, he asked. “The One who has spoken these words needs to
be worshipped.” Omar left his sister’s house and rushed to Muhammad.
Those with Prophet Muhammad were afraid, but they admitted Omar and restrained
him until he was in Muhammad’s presence. Prophet Muhammad grabbed him and
said, “Why did you come here, son of Khattab?”
Omar faced Prophet Muhammad with humility and joy and
said, “O Messenger of God, I have come for no reason except to say I believe in
God and his Messenger.” Prophet Muhammad was overcome with joy and cried
out that God was Great! Within days, Omar lead a procession of Muslims to
the house of God where they prayed openly. It was on this occasion that
Prophet Muhammad gave him the nickname Al Farooq – the criterion[1].
It denotes one who is able to distinguish truth from falsehood. Islam was
strengthened with Omar, his fierce hatred melted into a love that knew no
bounds. His life and his death were now for the sake of God and his
Messenger.
Omar ibn Al Khattab was a strong and assertive man,
his heart filled with burning hatred for Islam. The supplications of
Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and the
sublime beauty of Quran changed his mind, his heart, and his life. When
Omar accepted Islam he became a man devoted to the Ummah of Muhammad, as a
Muslim, he was pleased when the Ummah was pleased and displeased when the Ummah
was displeased.
Ummah is an Arabic word, roughly translated to mean
nation, but as with many Arabic words, it does not translate well into
English. The root of the Arabic word Ummah is amma, which means to go or
to go see. The word imama means to lead the way, for example, the one who
leads the prayer is the Imam. Also derived from this root is the word umm
meaning mother, source or origin.
In English speaking and Western countries, the word
nation usually defines the nation state, whose members live between a set of
predefined borders often set by religious, racial or ethnic differences. This
is not the definition of Ummah. Ummah means the community of believers bound
together with a purpose - to worship God. Together they are strong,
divided they are weak. Each member is united with all of the others in a
spiritual way that can even have physical manifestations. When one part
of the Ummah is in pain, the whole Ummah hurts. [2]
“And verily this Ummah of yours is One Ummah and I am your Lord
and Cherisher: therefore fear Me (and no other).” (Quran 23:52)
To illustrate this we can look at images you may have
seen on TV, Muslims decrying the abuse and mistreatment of their brothers in
far off countries. In the Ummah of Muhammad when one member is hurting,
the pain in the hearts of the other members is real. Muslims stand up for
what is morally correct and inhumanity has no part in the religion of Islam.
Omar ibn Al Khattab recognised this unique quality at once and declared himself
a man of the Ummah.
When Omar ibn al Khattab accepted Islam he wanted to
be part of his community and wanted to proclaim his membership of this
unique nation. Omar wanted to join the Ummah in their happiness and in
their pain. At the time of his conversion, the weaker members of the Ummah
suffered systematic abuse and oppression, often by Omar himself, but his heart
now felt their pain and he wanted to experience it. Omar did not want his Islam
to go unnoticed; he immediately informed the enemies of Islam that he was
Muslim.
At first, the men of Mecca who had not embraced Islam
were shocked and did not react to Omar’s conversion, but as word spread, they
came together at the House of God and attacked Omar. Eventually Omar, the
strong, muscular wrestler sat in the midst of his attackers and they beat him.
Omar recovered from his beating and because of him, Islam became strong.
Omar’s heart was filled with love for his brothers and sisters in Islam.
Prophet Muhammad said, “if there was to be a Prophet after me it would have
been Omar ibn al Khattab.”
More than Strength
Abu Bakr As Siddiq, and Omar were the two companions
closest to Prophet Muhammad. Ali Ibn Abu Talib is reported to have said that
Prophet Muhammad went out in the morning with Abu Bakr and Omar and he would
return at night with Abu Bakr and Omar. T he Prophet himself called Abu Bakr
and Omar his eyes and ears, and said they were his advisors from the
inhabitants of earth. [3]
Omar stood beside Prophet Muhammad in all of the trials and tribulations that
faced the Muslim Ummah.
When the Muslims of Mecca migrated to the city of
Medina, all left in a well planned, secret migration, but not Omar. He was the
only Muslim to make the migration openly, in fact, he proclaimed that he was
leaving and invited any man who thought he was strong enough, to challenge him.
Omar flung his sword around his neck and strode through the streets of Mecca
with his head held high and his heart, which was no longer filled with hate,
burning with a fierce love for God, His Prophet Muhammad and his fellow
believers. As Prophet Muhammad created his Ummah, Omar stood by his side.
Although remembered for his strength, Omar was also
known to be a pious and generous man. He would spend the nights in
worship, often waking his family in the last part of the night to join him in
his devotions. He was a staunch believer, confident in God’s promise of
Paradise and readily spent his wealth for the sake of God to benefit the
believers. One of Prophet Muhammad’s companions narrates[4]
that Omar once distributed 22,000 dirhams to the needy and had a habit of
giving away bags of sugar. When Omar was asked why he distributed the
sugar he said, “Because I love it and God said in the Quran,
“By no means shall you attain piety, unless you spend (in God’s Cause)
of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, God knows it well.”
(Quran 3:92)
Omar was one of ten men to whom Prophet Muhammad gave
the joyous news that they would be admitted to Paradise. [5]
However, this did not stop him from working tirelessly, all of his life
to please God. He was a man of knowledge, a man known for his generosity
and tireless devotion to the worship of God and perhaps above all he was
devoted to the Ummah of Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad counselled us all when he
said, “A man is not a true believer until he loves for his brother what he
loves for himself” [6].
Omar wanted Paradise but he also wanted it for every man, woman or child who has
ever believed that there is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger. This
was Omar, who distinguished truth from falsehood; he was a man of the Ummah.
Omar Ibn Al Khattab was the second Caliph of the Muslim Ummah (Nation),
and the first Muslim leader to be called the Commander of the Faithful.
After Prophet Muhammad’s death, his closest friend Abu Bakr became his
successor and led the Muslims for around two years. When Abu Bakr felt
his own death approaching, he gathered his closest friends and advisors around
him and informed them that their allegiance to him was over. Abu Bakr
hoped that these men would choose his successor from among themselves.
However, after much discussion Abu Bakr’s companions returned to him and asked
him to choose for them for they trusted his choice beyond question. Abu
Bakr chose Omar.
Some of the men around Abu Bakr voiced their concern that Omar, known to
be a very harsh and tough man would be too hard on the people. Abu Bakr
responded by saying that he considered Omar to be the best among them. Despite
these initial reservations among some men of Medina, Omar was appointed as the
second Caliph of the Muslims. He began his reign by addressing the people
and immediately explaining his expectations for himself. Omar knew the
people were wary of his reputation for toughness and he addressed this issue.
He said, “Oh people, know that I have been appointed to govern your
affairs, so recognise that my roughness is now weakened, but I will continue to
be rough and harsh on the people of oppression and transgression and will put
their cheeks into the dirt[7].
Know also that I will put my own cheek into the dirt to defend the people of
piety.”
Omar went on to explain to the people that he would take nothing from what
their land produced or from the spoils of war except what God ordained and that
he would only spend that money in a way that was pleasing to God. Omar was
acutely aware of the importance of financial justice, and that he would be held
accountable for every penny or dirham that belonged to the Muslim Ummah.
Omar also informed the people that he would increase their salaries and
provisions and guard their borders.
The young Muslim nation that Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him,
and his companions had worked so hard to establish was an Ummah unlike no
other. Benefits were paid to every member of the Ummah from the Muslim
treasury; it was not necessary to be a government employee, the wealth of the
ever-expanding nation was shared equally. Omar did not institute this, he
was merely following the already established way of his predecessors, but he
did promise to increase the payments.
Omar also promised not to send the Muslim armies “into destruction”,
meaning that he would not send the armies out unless the risks were evaluated
and deemed acceptable. He promised not to keep the soldiers away from their
families for an extended period and reassured the men that while they were away
fighting for the Muslim Ummah, and if they did not return, he, the Caliph would
be the father of their children and the caretaker of their wives. Omar believed
the role of the leader was to protect the people.
This concept seems very unusual now days when we see Presidents and
Prime Ministers surrounded by bodyguards and willing to trample over anyone to
protect themselves and their power. Omar Ibn al Khattab, although he was
the leader of an Empire, never felt it necessary to have a bodyguard. He
walked the streets of Medina like any ordinary citizen, even at night. In
fact, it was during the nights that he roamed the streets checking up on those
under his protection and anonymously distributing charity.
One of the years of Omar’s reign came to be known as the Year of Ashes.
This year was a great test for the Muslim Ummah. It was a time of drought and
famine, when the wind was so hot it burnt the skin as if with hot ashes. Meat,
butter, and milk became unavailable, and the people existed on little more then
dry bread sometimes dipped in oil. Omar took an oath that he would not eat or
drink anything that was not available to the people. Even when foodstuffs
became available in the markets again, Omar refused to buy them for inflated
prices. He was heard to say, “How can I be concerned about and understand my
own subjects if I am not going through the same trials that they go through?”
More then fourteen hundred years after his reign Omar, is still
remembered as a man of justice. Drawing on the principles of justice,
mercy and compassion inherent in Islam, Omar treated all those under his care
equally, whether they were rich or poor, black or white, powerful or
weak. He constantly feared that God would question him about his actions.
He worried that there may be sick or poor people among the believers that he
had not cared for correctly. Omar ibn Al Khattab never appointed judges
or governors who expressed a desire for such a job but chose wisely from the
most pious members of the Ummah.
Omar considered himself an ordinary Muslim but history has
recorded that he was anything but ordinary. Omar was strong, physically and
spiritually, he was generous, noble and lived a life of humility. Omar followed
in the footsteps of his beloved Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings
of God be upon him, he followed his example and upheld his traditions. Omar’s
whole being was focused on pleasing God; he feared God’s punishment but hoped
for Paradise. Omar was able to distinguish between the truth and falsehood, he
felt pain when the Ummah or any member of it was hurting, and he felt joy when
those under his care were content and happy worshipping their Lord. Omar
was one of four rightly guided Caliphs. Even today, he continues to be a
role model for strength, justice, love, and mercy.
[1] Taken from the historical works of At
Tabari, & The Life and times of Omar Ibn Al Khattab by Sheikh Ali Muhammad
Salladi.
[7] This was an expression used by the Arabs of
that time, to denote a harsh response, one that leaves no doubt that oppression
of others and the transgression of their rights will not be tolerated.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar