The Rightly Guided Caliphs

Caliphate of Hazrat Umer Farooq

He was born in 13th year of elephant 583 A.D and he was thirteen years younger than
the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
He belonged to Banu Adi Tribe, a sub-tribe of the Quraish.
His ancestral lineage is linked with the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬forefather Murrah, eight
generations back.
He was son of Khattab who was an educated and a well-to-do merchant and his
family was highly influenced among the Quraish.
He was fair, simple and a successful merchant and considered to be a prince amongst
the Quraish.
He was firm and strong-willed of his resolution.
He was highly intelligent and well educated among the few Makkans; he was a good
poet and orator as he won a name in oratory at the famous fair of Ukaz.
He was known for his physical strength, as he was skilled in archery, horse riding and
wrestling and earned name in bodily contests at Ukaz.
He had been brought up to reverence the Kaaba and to respect everything that was
associated with it in the way of gods and goddesses.
He was a very staunch character and was open about his idolatry and opposition to
Islam and he strongly felt that with Islam the unity and the faith had been split which
is followed and practiced by his forefathers hence he became a fervent enemy of
Islam and the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
Hazrat Umar R.A embraced Islam in the 6th year of Prophet hood.
When the Quraish envoys sent to Abyssinia and returned unsuccessful, he became
highly frustrated and, in a rage, picked up his sword and advanced towards the
Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬home to assassinate him.
On the way, Hazrat Umar R.A met with his clansmen, Nu’yam ibn Abdullah, who
informed him about the conversion of his sister Hazrat Fatima R.A and her husband
Hazrat Saeed bin Zaid R.A.
This news made him furious and he rushed to his sister’s home, as he approached, he
overheard Khabbab ibn Aratt reading them part of Surah Taha.
He asked for the parchment on which the verses of Surah Taha were written, but his
sister and her husband resisted and severely tortured by Hazrat Umar R.A even she
got injured.

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 The Rightly Guided Caliphs

He took the parchment and recite the verse of Surah Taha. ‘’We have not sent down
the Quran to distress you, but only as an admonition to those who fear Allah. A
revelation from Him who created the earth and the heavens on high.’’
(Surah Taha, Chapter 20 Verse 2-5).
The prayer of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬to Allah for strengthening Islam by Umar R.A and
verses of the Quran miraculously opened the heart of Hazrat Umar R.A for Islam and
he rushed to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and embraced Islam and became fortieth Muslim.
Hazrat Umar’s R.A conversion sent a wave of happiness among the persecuted
Muslims and greatly strengthened Islam.
Soon, after his conversion, Muslims offered first public congregational prayer openly
in Kabah with the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬under the shadow of courageous and brave companion
Hazrat Umar R.A.
His daring personality and proclamation of Faith openly, made him famous with the
title Al-Farooq (a person who distinguish between true and false) which was bestowed
to him by the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
Hazrat Hudhaifah R.A is reported that “When Umar accepted the Faith, Islam rose
like a fortunate person making progress at every step, and it continued retreating with
his martyrdom and its fortuned was decline’’ (The History of Islam)
Hazrat Umar R.A migrated to Madina with the majority of Muslims openly with an
unsheathed sword in his hand by challenging the Quraish with following words ‘’May
you be disgraced! Whosoever likes to see his mother without a son and wife
without a husband, should face me. But none of them moved from their place.’’
He participated in all the battles, expeditions, treaties and Conquest of Makkah
alongside the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
After the battle of Badr, the relationship between Hazrat Umar R.A and the Prophet
‫ ﷺ‬got strengthened, when the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬married with his daughter, Hazrat Hafsa
R.A.
He was among those who formed a defensive ring around the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬at the Battle
of Uhad.
He took part in digging the trench in the Battle of Khandaq.
He was caring and protective to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and never bore mistreatment of
anyone with him as at the treaty of Hudaybiyya he rejected to making peace with the
people who had insulted and mistreated with the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and Muslims. But Hazrat
Abu Bakr R.A convinced him to accept the terms of the treaty.
He shared half of his wealth at Tabuk expedition.
He has narrated 539 Ahadith from the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

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 The Rightly Guided Caliphs

Hazrat Umar R.A was a devoted companion of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and served his life for
the sake of Allah and in expansion of Islam, his remarkable and manful personality
made him beloved and prominent before Allah and His Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, and he received
great honors such as the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬once said: “Had there been a Prophet after me,
he would have been Umar” (Tirmidhi)
Hazrat Umar R.A was so dispirited and saddened with the demise of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬
even he began to threaten anyone who claimed that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had died, he will
cut off the hands and legs of that person.
His sincerity, firmness and deep-hearted love towards the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and Islam,
blessed him with the glad tiding of the heaven in the world.

Question # 1

(a) Write about the role of ‘Umar in the lifetime of the Prophet ]10[ .‫ﷺ‬
(May/June 2015 11)
Candidates should expand on the points below and write a clear and concise narrative.
Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab :

He accepted Islam at the age of 26/27.

Before his conversion, he had gone to kill the Prophet ‫ ;ﷺ‬when told his own
sister and brother-in-law had converted, he went to her house.
He found them reciting verses from sura Taha; ‘Umar was angry with them then
asked to see the writing which they were reading, but his sister said only those who
have been purified can read it, and so ‘Umar made wudu’ before being given the
Qur’an. After his conversion, ‘Umar refused to keep Islam a secret, after which
Muslims could pray openly.
He didn’t emigrate in secret, he fought in all the battles, giving half his wealth for
the campaign of Tabuk, and is one of the ten promised paradise.
He was one of the witnesses for the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, although he was
initially not satisfied with the terms.
On the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬death, in his grief, he said he would kill anyone who said
that the Prophet had died.

Details about ‘Umar’s life after the Prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬death will not be credited.

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 The Rightly Guided Caliphs

(b) What lessons can Muslims learn from ‘Umar’s conversion? [4]
(May/June 2015 11)
 Why was ‘Umar’s conversion important for the early Muslims?
(May/June 2013)
 In what ways did the conversion of ‘Umar help the young Muslim community?
(Oct/Nov 2009)
Good answers here should show an understanding of the significance of ‘Umar’s
conversion.
Answers here should reflect upon the character of ‘Umar, and give reasons as to
why his actions were important.
Candidates could write about his staunch character and that people feared him,
which meant that his conversion was a boost for the morale of the Muslims.
Yet his conversion meant that the Qur’an was able to affect someone who on the
outside looked like an enemy of Islam, therefore Muslims should still try to convey
the good in Islam to non-Muslims even if they seem against it.
He was an open persecutor and oppressor of Muslims, but upon conversion was the
most open about public praying. Muslims couldn’t pray at the Ka’ba until he
became Muslim.
His conversion meant Muslims had someone to stand up and defend them, and he
was not afraid of letting people know about his new faith, so Muslims should also
try to be open about their faith and not hide it.
He helped the Muslims gain confidence in practicing Islam openly; no-one dared
interfere with ‘Umar when he was praying.
He was known for his temper and his physical strength.
All this gave a physical protection to the vulnerable Muslims as no-one dared
challenge him.
Candidates can offer other answers but should try to give an explanation or details to get
higher marks.

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