Umar ibn al-Khattab

“ Al-Ḥûsain ibn-al-Aswad from Ḥârithah ibn-Muḍarrib:—ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb, desiring to divide as-Sawâd among the Moslems, ordered that they be counted. Each Moslem had three peasants for his share. ʿUmar took the advice of the Prophet's Companions, and ʿAli said, "Leave them that they may become a source of revenue and aid [11] for the Moslems." Accordingly, ʿUmar sent ʿUthmân ibn-Ḥunaif al-Anṣâri who assessed on each man 48, 24, or 12 [dirhams] . ”

“ Shaibân ibn-Farrûkh from as-Saffâḥ ash-Shaibâni:—ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb wanted to collect the poll-tax from the Christian tribe, banu-Taghlib; but they took to flight and some of them went to a distant land. An-Nuʿmân ibn-Zurʿah (or Zurʿah ibn-an-Nuʿmân) addressed ʿUmar saying: "I plead in Allah's name for the banu-Taghlib. They are a body of Arabs too proud to pay poll-tax, but severe in warfare. Let not thy enemy, therefore, be enriched by them to thy disadvantage." [1] Thereupon ʿUmar called them back and doubled the ṣadaḳah laid on them. ”

“ In the year 23, ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb directed ʿAbdallâh ibn-Budail ibn-Warḳâʾ al-Khuzâʾi to Iṣbahân. Others assert that ʿUmar wrote to abu-Mûsa-l-Ashʿari ordering him to direct ʿAbdallâh at the head of an army to Iṣbahân, which abu-Mûsa did. ʿAbdallâh ibn-Budail conquered Jai, [2] which capitulated after a fight, agreeing to pay kharâj and poll-tax, provided the population be guaranteed the safety of their lives and all possessions with the exception of the arms in their hands. ”

“ Some of them would sometimes throwstones at him. When he was through with Talbas [27] and ʿÂnât, [28] he came to an-Naʾûsah, Âlûsah [29] and Hît where he found out that ʿAmmâr ibn-Yâsir, the ʿâmil of ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb over al-Kûfah, had sent an army for the invasion of the region above al-Anbâr, under the leadership of Saʿd ibn-ʿAmr ibn-Ḥarâm al-Anṣâri. The holders of these forts had come to Saʿd and demanded peace, which he arranged with them, retaining one-half of the church of Hît. ʿUmair, therefore, kept on his way to ar-Raḳḳah. ”

“ Avho succeeded Abu Bakr, a.h. 13 (a.d. (J34) , and was assassinated by Firoz, a Persian slave, a.h. 23 (a.d. 644) , after a prosperous reign of ten years. His conversion to Islam took place in the sixth year of Muhammad's mission, and the Prophet took 'Umar's daughter Hafsah as his third wife.
'Umar is eminent amongst the early Khalifahs for having chiefly contributed to the spread of Islam. Under him the great generals, Abu 'Ubaidah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Yazid, drove the Greeks out of Syria and Phoenicia ”

“ Those who lost an eye or suffered martyrdom. Abu-Sufyân ibn-Ḥarb was one-eyed. He had lost his eye in the battle of aṭ-Ṭâʾif. In the battle of al-Yarmûk, however, al-Ashʿath ibn-Ḳais, Hâshim ibn-ʿUtbah ibn-abi-Waḳḳâṣ az-Zuhri (i. e. al-Mirḳâl) and Ḳais ibn-Makshûḥ, each lost an eye. In this battle ʿÂmir ibn-abi-Waḳḳâṣ az-Zuhri fell a martyr. It is this ʿÂmir who once carried the letter of ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb assigning abu-ʿUbaidah to the governorship of Syria. Others say he was a victim of the plague; still others report that he suffered martyrdom in the battle of Ajnâdîn ”

“ In another tradition transmitted by al-ʿAbbâs an-Narsi, Saʿd made the following petition, regarding the people of al-Kûfah: "O God, let no ruler be satisfied with them, and let them be never satisfied with a ruler!"
I was informed by al-ʿAbbâs an-Narsi that al-Mukhtâr ibn-abi-ʿUbaid, or someone else, said, "To love the people of al-Kufah is honor; and to hate them is destruction."
Al-Ḥasan ibn-ʿUthmân az-Ziyâdi from ash-Shaʿbi:—After the victory of al-Ḳâdisîyah, ʿAmr ibn-Maʿdikarib visited ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb and was asked by him about Saʿd and whether the people were satisfied with him. ”

“ Muslims affirm that his conversion was a miracle wrought in answer to the Prophet's prayer. ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb and Amr-abi-Jahl were two of the Prophet's bitterest enemies, and were of high estate and greatly esteemed amongst the Arabs. The Prophet, therefore, knowing that the conversion of either of them would much aid the progress of el-Islám, prayed that God would cause one of them to profess. And in answer to this prayer ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb became a true believer, but Amr-abi-Jahl died an infidel. Hafash ʾOmar's daughter, was one of the Prophet's wives. ”

“ How true is the saying of our ancestors: 'Feed thy dog and he will devour thee!' Once back in Al-Madinah, will not the strong make up their minds to drive out the weak?'
Zayd, son of Arquam, reported these wicked remarks to Mohammad. By his side stood Umar who flew into a violent passion. 'O Prophet!' he cried. 'Wilt thou not order Abbad ibn Bashir to put this impostor to death?'—'How cometh it, Umar, that thou canst give such a piece of advice?' rejoined the Prophet. 'If people are able to say: 'Mohammad cutteth his companions' throats,' what a fine stir there would be in Al-Madinah. ”

“ Rather shall we select for ourselves some other place for prayer until abu-‘Âmir [8] comes and leads our service." Now, abu-Âmir had fled from the face of Allah and his Prophet to Makkah and thence to Syria where he was converted to Christianity. Hence the text revealed by Allah: "There are some who have built a mosque for mischief and for infidelity and to disunite the 'Believers,' and in expectation of him who, in time past, warred against Allah and his Messenger"—referring to abu-‘Âmir. ”

“ Al-ʿAbbâs ibn-al-Walîd an-Narsi from ash-Shaʿbi:—ʿUmar wrote to abu-ʿUbaidah, "Send to al-Ḳâdisîyah Ḳais ibn-Makshûḥ at the head of the men he invites to join him." Ḳais summoned a body of men and arrived, at the head of 700 of them, to find the victory already won by Saʿd. Ḳais's men asked for a share in the booty. Saʿd wrote to ʿUmar, who wrote back, "If Ḳais arrived before the burial of those that were killed, then thou shouldst give him his share." ”

“ When ʿUmar entered the mosque [in al-Madînah] , his eyes fell on an-Nuʿmân ibn-Muḳarrin; so he took a seat by his side. When he was through with his prayer, ʿUmar said, "I want thee to be my ʿâmil [lieutenant] ". An-Nuʿmân replied, "If a collecting-ʿâmil, no; but if an invading-ʿâmil, yes." "An invading one," said ʿUmar. Thus ʿUmar sent an-Nuʿmân and wrote to the people of al-Kûfah to reinforce him, which they did, sending among others al-Mughîrah ibn-Shuʿbah. An-Nuʿmân sent al-Mughîrah to dhu-l-Ḥâjibain, [4] the Persian chief at Nihâwand. ”

“ Thus were ʿAmr's possessions confiscated by ʿUmar.
Al-Madâʾini from ʿÎsa ibn-Yazîd:—When Muḥammad ibn-Maslamah divided with ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi his possessions, ʿAmr made this remark, "An age in which the son of Ḥantamah [26] treats us in this manner is certainly an evil age. ”

“ Exasperated at seeing their victims escape from their clutches; and still more furious to have to include among the emigrants members of their own families, such as Umm-i-Habibah, daughter of Abu Sufyan, the idolaters despatched to the Najashi two ambassadors, Umar ibn al As and Abdullah, son of Abu Rabiyah, bearing rich presents, with a view to claiming the fugitives, described as being dangerous agitators, capable of causing a revolution in his kingdom. ”

“ When he [abu-Sufyân] got to Marr aẓ-Ẓahrân and saw the fires and the tents he said, "What is the matter with the people? They seem like the people celebrating the night of ʿArafah." Saying this, he was surrounded by the Prophet's horsemen, who took him prisoner; and he was brought before the Prophet. ʿUmar came and wanted to execute him, but al-ʿAbbâs prevented him and he [abu-Sufyân] embraced Islâm and presented himself before the Prophet. When the time for morning prayer came, the Moslems bestirred themselves for ablution before prayer. "What is the matter?" ”

“ About the same time, 'Omar appointed another early convert of singular religious merit, 'Abdallah ibn Mas'ud, who had in early days, like 'Ammar, been a slave at Mecca to a post at Al-Kufa, for which, however, he was better fitted,—the charge of the treasury. He had been the body-servant of the Prophet, who was used to call him "light in body, but weighty in faith."1 He was learned in the Kor'an, and had a "reading" of his own, to which as the best text, he held persistently against all recessions. ”

“ The money, I have got from horses that multiplied in number and from different shares that mounted up.' ʿUmar then took from me 12,000. In my morning prayer I repeated, 'Lord forgive ʿUmar.' After this, ʿUmar used to take from the people of al-Baḥrain and give them back more than what he would take. At last ʿUmar asked me, 'Wouldst thou not act as ʿâmil, abu-Hurairah?' and I replied 'No,' to which he answered, 'And why not? Better men than thou were made ʿamils, for instance Joseph, [11] who said, " Set me over the granaries of the land." ”

“ Hearing this, al-Muḳauḳis said to his followers, "These people are telling the truth. They have chased our king from his kingdom as far as Constantinople. It is much more preferable, therefore, that we submit." His followers, however, spoke harshly to him and insisted on fighting. The Moslems fought fiercely against them and invested them for three months. At last, ʿAmr reduced the city [3] by the sword and plundered all that was in it, sparing its inhabitants of whom none was killed or taken captive. ”

“ He therefore put an end to such devastation, contrary to his principles, for as he has said: 'Among all trees, there is one which is blessed like a Mussulman: 'tis the palm.'
The siege continuing, famine began to make itself felt, discouraging the besiegers, when Umar, having taken a Jew prisoner, the captive, to save his life, offered to give the Prophet valuable information. In the cellars of Sa'b ibn Mu'adh, one of the Natha citadels, called after the man, instruments of warfare of all kinds were stored: battering-rams ”

“ Muhammad died A.H. 125, and was succeeded in the honourable post of Imâm by his son Ibrahîm. It was Ibrahîm who two years later appointed Abu-Muslîm-ʾAbd-er-Rahmân-ibn-Muslim, el-Khurasâny, then a youth of nineteen, to go as his representative to Khorassân. Abu-Muslim is called in the text the founder or establisher of the Abbasside dynasty. Ibn-Khalikân calls him the champion and asserter of the rights of the Abbassides to the Khalîfate. He was not of the house of el-Abbâs, nor do historians seem agreed as to his birth, some even maintaining that he was originally a slave of Kurd extraction. ”

“ If the 'Commander of the Believers' thinks it best to allow us to invade the latter, it will be well." ʿUmar wrote back, ordering him not to go, saying, "This should not be called Ifrîḳiyah, but Mufarriḳah, [3] which is treacherous to others, and to which others are treacherous." ”

“ They fought against Khâlid, and one of the Moslems fell a martyr. By Allah's help at last, the "polytheists'" troops were dispersed, and Khâlid had on that day the apostates burned. When abu-Bakr was told about it, he said, "I shall not sheathe a sword that Allah had unsheathed against the 'unbelievers.'" Abu-Shajarah accepted Islâm, and coming to ʿUmar found him distributing alms among the poor, so he begged for some. ”

“ It is related from Ibn ʿOmar that, 'The Apostle of God said, "I am ordered to make war on men until they bear witness that there is no God but Alláh and that Muḥammad is the Apostle of Alláh; and until they observe the prayers and give alms. And if they do that, then their blood and their property will be safe from me, except what is due to me according to the laws of Islám; and their account is with God."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí, with the exception that Muslim makes no mention of the words "except what is due to me according to the laws of Islam." ”

“ They look to the good old days of early Islam and try to restore them.
The first is that of the Wahhabites, so called from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (Slave of the Bountiful) , its founder, a native of Najd in central Arabia, who died in 1787. His aim was to bring Islam back to its primitive purity and to do away with all the usages and beliefs which had arisen to cloud its absolute monotheism. But attempts at reformation in Islam have never led to anything but the founding of new dynasties. ”

“ The Prophet is reported to have said, "There is no truer a Muslim, nor any one more steadfast in the faith, than ʾAmru." THE following is one of the best among them.
There assembled before Muʾâwiyah, ʾAmru-ibn-el-ʾAs, and Walid-ibn-ʾUkbah, [2] and ʾUtbah-ibn-Abu-Sufyân, and el-Mughîrah-ibn-esh-Shuʾabah, [3] who said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful! send to Hásan son of ʾAly, [4] and let him appear before us."
"And why?" asked Muʾâwiyah.
"In order," they replied, "that we may reprove him, and inform him that his father killed ʾOthmân." ”

“ Aṭ-Ṭalûb, which lay in the lower part of Makkah, was the property of ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ṣafwân. Ḥuwaiṭib well was named after Ḥuwaiṭib ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿUzza ibn-abi-Ḳais of banu-ʿÂmir ibn-Luʾai, and it lay in the court of his house at the bottom of the valley. Abu-Mûsa well belonged to abu-Mûsa-l-Ashʿari and lay at al-Maʿlât. Shaudhab well was named after Shaudhab, Muʿâwiyah's freedman, and was later added to the Mosque. Some say that this Shaudhab was the freedman of Ṭâriḳ ibn-ʿAlḳamah ibn-ʿUraij ibn-Jadhimah-l-Kinâni, others that he was the freedman of Nâfiʿ ibn-ʿAlḳamah ibn-Ṣafwân ibn-Umaiyah ... ”

“ The great part will be in the hands of these people, who will pass away, and the whole will become the possession of one man. Others will come after them, who will bravely defend Islâm, but find nothing left. Seek therefore some plan that suits those who come first as well as those who come last." ʿUmar acted according to the suggestion of Muʿâdh.
The chief of Buṣra tells a lie regarding the tax. ”