Umar bin al-Khaṭtāb
(Radiallah o Ta’ala Anho)
The second Caliph of Islam
(The Ameer-ul-Mo’mineen):
Umar
bin al-Khaṭtāb was born in 586 CE (Common Era) in Mecca,
Arabia [now in Saudi Arabia] and died on November 3, 644 CE in Medina, Arabia).
After the death of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him), 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 advisers 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 Umar(R.A). Thus the Umar(R.A) became the second Muslim Caliph(634-644 CE), of the Rashidun Caliphate (632-661 CE, as the first four Caliphs are referred to by the Sunni Muslims) under whom Arab
armies conquered Mesopotamia and Syria and began the conquest of Iran and
Egypt.
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| Umar bin al-Khataab | History, Biography, Achievements, & Death |
In the times of ignorance in about 615 , Umar(R.A) grazed camels. Before
accepting Islam, Umar(R.A) was one
of the most rabid enemies of Muhammad, the Messenger of God.
When Muhammad proclaimed his mission, many people
acknowledged him as the Messenger of God. Umar(R.A)
acknowledged him as Messenger of God after six years.
He was an early convert of Islam and one of the close
companions of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (l. 570-632 CE). His position in the
state was marked by Muhammad’s marriage to his daughter Ḥafṣah in 625. After
the death of Muhammad, he gave his utmost and loyal support to the first Caliph Abu Bakr,. After Abu Bakr’s death in 634 CE Umar(R.A) became second Caliph and as a Caliph,
ʿUmar(R.A) was the first to call
himself “commander of the faithful” (amir
al-muʾmineen). His reign saw the transformation of the Islamic state
from an Arabian principality to a world power.
UMAR(R.A)’S
FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO CONSOLIDATE HIS HOLD OVER THE EMPIRE & GET A GRIP ON
THE ADMINISTRATION.
After Abu Bakr's success, Umar(R.A) served as his counsel and learned a great deal from him
as well (most importantly leadership). Caliph
Abu Bakr (r. 632-634 CE) faced open rebellion of apostates (people who had
forsaken Islam) all over the Arabian Peninsula. He subjugated all of them in
what came to be known as the Ridda Wars or the wars of apostasy (632-633 CE).
After reuniting the Arabs, Abu Bakr launched invasions into Byzantine-held
Syria and Sassanian-held Iraq in 633 CE, which bore fruit by the time of his
death in 634 CE (despite a minor setback in Iraq).
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| Umar bin al-Khataab | History, Biography, Achievements, & Death |
The most notable military figure of Abu Bakr's era was
Khalid ibn al-Walid (l. 585-642 CE), Abu Bakr had cherished him (despite his
flaws) for his unique talent in warfare. Khalid's skills proved to be much
needed in the Ridda Wars and in the subsequent invasion of Iraq as well; from
Iraq, he moved to the Syrian front to confront a major Byzantine counterattack,
on the orders of Abu Bakr, at the Battle of Ajnadayn (634 CE). That day proved
to be a decisive Muslim victory but Abu Bakr did not live long enough to enjoy
the success and the Muslim advance in Iraq had also been compromised in
Khalid's absence. At his death bed, Abu Bakr nominated Umar(R.A) as his successor, who then became the Caliph in 634 CE (he added the phrase
“commander of the faithful” after his title) and ruled for ten years until 644
CE. Umar(R.A)’s first priority was
to consolidate his hold over the empire and get a grip on the administration,
he then turned his attention towards the ongoing campaigns in Iraq and Syria.
Umar(R.A)
stripped Khalid of his command of the Syrian division for uncertain and highly
debated reasons. He instead entrusted the command to his favorite person: Abu
Ubaidah (l. 583-639 CE), a humane leader and a true gentleman; he had also been
one of Muhammad’s favorite companions (there were ten in total, four of whom
were the four Rashidun Caliphs). The
Caliph also reinforced the Muslim
forces in Iraq with fresh troops under a new leader: Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (l.
595-674 CE).
Canals:
Since Medina, with a rapidly growing population, was at
risk of recurring famines when crops were lacking, Umar(R.A) sought to facilitate the import of grain. He ordered the
building of a canal connecting the Nile to the Red Sea and an improvement of
port infrastructure on the Arabian coast. When Basra was established during Umar(R.A)'s rule, he started building a
nine-mile canal from the Tigris to the new city for irrigation and drinking
water.[68] Al-Tabari reports that 'Utba ibn Ghazwan built the first canal from the
Tigris River to the site of Basra when the city was in the planning
stage.[citation needed] After the city was built, Umar(R.A) appointed Abu Musa Ashaari (17-29/638 – 650) as its first
governor.[citation needed] He began building two important canals, the al-Ubulla
and the Ma'qil, linking Basra with the Tigris River. These two canals were the
basis for the agricultural development for the whole Basra region and used for
drinking water. Umar(R.A) also
adopted a policy of assigning barren lands to those who undertook to cultivate
them. This policy continued during the Umayyad period and resulted in the
cultivation of large areas of barren lands through the construction of
irrigation canals by the state and by individuals.[69]
Battle of Yarmouk:
Battle of Yarmouk, also called the Battle of Yarmuk, (20
August 636). After the devastating blow to the Sassanid Persians at Firaz, the
Muslim Arab forces, under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid, took on the army
of the Christian Byzantine Empire at Yarmouk near the border of modern-day
Syria and Jordan. The major battle was to continue for six days.
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| Umar bin al-Khataab | History, Biography, Achievements, & Death |
After the victory at Firaz, Khalid had virtually
conquered Mesopotamia. . Yarmouk was Khalid’s greatest victory and ended
Byzantine rule in Syria. From this Victory not only the Muslim’s position in
Syria become uncontested but they also took hold of the Levant soon after;
later in the same year, they were at the gates of Jerusalem – the third holiest
Islamic city, also holy for the Jews and Christians.
Battle of Al-Qadisiyya:
Battle of al-Qādisiyyah, (636/637), battle fought near
Al-Ḥīrah (in present-day Iraq) between forces of the Sāsānian dynasty and an
invading Arab army. The Battle of al-Qadisiyya (636 CE) proved to be hopeless
for the Arabs at first but the fateful death of Rustam demoralized his forces
who were then utterly defeated.
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| Umar bin al-Khataab | History, Biography, Achievements, & Death |
The Rashidun forces had emerged triumphant
against staggering odds once again, and this victory had immediately brought
the whole of Iraq and the Sassanian capital of Ctesiphon under their control.
The Arab victory
over the army of Yazdegerd III (reigned 632–651) marked the end of his dynasty
and the beginning of Arab and Islamic rule in Persia.
Some Golden sayings of Umar(R.A):
1.
“The best way to defeat someone is to beat him at politeness.” (Umar bin Al-Khattab)
2. “Do
not grieve over what has passed unless it makes you work harder for what is
about to come.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
3.
“Whosoever shows you your faults is your friend. Thos that pay you lip service
in praise are your executioners.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
4. “I have never regretted my silence, as for my speech
I’ve regretted it many times.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
5.
“The less attachment to the world. The easier your life.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
6.
“Remind yourselves of God, for it is a cure. Do not remind yourselves of the
people, for it is a disease.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
7. “A
man should be like a child with his wife, but if she needs him, he should act
like a man.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
8.
“The most beloved of people to me is he that points out my flaws to me.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
9.
“Learn the Arabic language; it will sharpen your wisdom.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
10.
“Sit with those who love God, for that enlightens the mind.”
(Umar bin Al-Khattab)
Last Days of Umar(R.A):
The Last Jumu’ah
Khutbah given by ‘Umar(R.A) in
Madinah:
‘Abdur-Rahman
ibn ‘Awf (radhiyallahu anhu) narrated
some of what ‘Umar(R.A) (radhiyallahu anhu) said
in his khutbah
on Friday 21
Dhu al-Hijjah 23
A.H., which was
his last khutbah.
‘Umar(R.A) (radhiyallahu anhu) himself
told the Muslims
of a dream
that he had
seen and interpreted
it for them.
He said in
that last khutbah:
“I have seen
a dream, and
I think it
signals my death.
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| Umar bin al-Khataab | History, Biography, Achievements, & Death |
I saw myself
being pecked by
a rooster twice,
and the people
were telling me
to appoint a Caliph
after me. Allah
will not cause
His religion or
His Caliphate to be
lost, nor that
with which He
sent His Prophet.
If I die,
then the Caliphate is
to be decided
by a council
of these six
men with whom
the Messenger of
Allah (sallallaahu alayhi
wasallam) was pleased
when he died.”
[Al-Mawsooah al-Hadeethiyah Musnad
al-Imam Ahmad, no.
89, its isnad
is saheeh].
The Date of
his death and
his age at
death:
Adh-Dhahabi
said: “He was
martyred on a
Wednesday, the twenty-sixth or
twenty-seventh of Dhu
al-Hijjah 23 A.H.,
and he was
sixty-three years old
according to the
correct view.” [At-Tahdheeb, no. 177]
His Caliphate lasted
a little more
than ten and
a half years.
[Siyar as-Salaf by
Abu al-Qasim al-Isfahani, 1/160]
Ghusl, funeral prayer
and burial:
It was narrated
from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar(R.A) that ‘Umar(R.A)
was washed and
shrouded and the
funeral prayer was
offered for him,
although he was
a martyr. [At-Tabaqat, 3/366,
its isnad is
saheeh]
The burial of ‘Umar(R.A)
“He was buried
in the room where the Prophet
(sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)
was buried.” [Mahd
as Sawab, 3/846]
Ibn al-Jawzi narrated
that Jabir said:
“Sa’eed ibn Zayd,
Suhayb and ‘Abdullah
ibn ‘Umar(R.A went down into
the grave of ‘Umar(R.A)
There is no
dispute among the
scholars; all are
agreed that the
Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi
wasallam), Abu Bakr and ‘Umar(R.A) are
buried in this
place in the
Prophet’s Mosque. [Ibid]
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| Umar bin al-Khataab | History, Biography, Achievements, & Death |
After his death, he was succeeded by Usman ibn Affan (l.
579-656 CE) as the third ruler of the Rashidun
Caliphate.
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