William Muir

“ O 'Ali, if the choice fall upon thee, see that thou exalt not the house of Hashim above their fellows. And thou, 'Othman, if thou art elected, or Sa'd, beware thou set not thy kinsmen over the necks of men. Arise, go forth, deliberate, and then decide. ”

“ Abu Bekr beat down the Apostate tribes; but at his death the armies of Islam had but just crossed the Syrian frontier. 'Omar began his reign master only of Arabia. He died the Caliph of an Empire embracing some of the fairest provinces under Byzantine rule, and with Persia to boot. Yet throughout this marvellous fortune he never lost the balance of a wise and sober judgment, nor exalted himself above the frugal habit of an Arab chief. "Where is the Caliph?" the visitor would ask, as he looked around the court of the Medina mosque ”

“ After a while he bade his son 'Abdallah go forth and see who it was that wounded him. Told that it was Abu Lu'lu'a, he exclaimed:—"Praise be to the Lord that it was not one who had ever bowed down before Him, even once, in prayer! Now 'Abdallah, my son, go in unto 'Aisha and ask her leave that I be buried in her chamber by the side of the Prophet, and by the side of Abu Bekr. If she refuse, then bury me by the other Muslims, in the grave yard of Al-Baki'1. And list thee, 'Abdallah, if the Electors disagree" (for he was to have a casting voice) "be thou with the majority ”

“ According to his desire, 'Omar was buried side by side with the Prophet and Abu Bekr, in the chamber of 'Aisha. Soheib, as presiding over the public Prayers, performed the funeral service, and the five Electors, with the Caliph's son, lowered the body into its last resting-place.
Stormy prospect.
The Muslim annalist may well sigh as, bidding farewell to the strong and single-minded Caliph, he enters on the weak, selfish, and stormy reign of his successor. ”