The
Second Caliph, Umar (634-644 A.C.)
"God
has placed truth upon Umar's tongue and heart. (Hadith)"
'Umar's Life
During
his last illness Abu Bakr had conferred with his people,
particularly the more eminent among them. After this meeting they
chose 'Umar as his successor. 'Umar was born into a respected
Quraish family thirteen years after the birth of Muhammad (peace
be on him). Umar's family was known for its extensive knowledge
of genealogy. When he grew up, 'Umar was proficient in this
branch of knowledge as well as in swordsmanship, wrestling and
the art of speaking. He also learned to read and write while
still a child, a very rare thing in Mecca at that time. 'Umar
earned his living as a merchant. His trade took him to many
foreign lands and he met all kinds of people. This experience
gave him an insight into the affairs and problems of men. 'Umar's
personality was dynamic, self-assertive, frank and straight
forward. He always spoke whatever was in his mind even if it
displeased others.
'Umar was
twenty-seven when the Prophet (peace be on him) proclaimed his
mission. The ideas Muhammad was preaching enraged him as much as
they did the other notables of Mecca. He was just as bitter
against anyone accepting Islam as others among the Quraish. When
his slave-girl accepted Islam he beat her until he himself was
exhausted and told her, "I have stopped because I am tired,
not out of pity for you." The story of his embracing Islam
is an interesting one. One day, full of anger against the
Prophet, he drew his sword and set out to kill him. A friend met
him on the way. When 'Umar told him what he planned to do, his
friend informed him that 'Umar's own sister, Fatima, and her
husband had also accepted Islam. 'Umar went straight to his
sister's house where he found her reading from pages of the
Qur'an. He fell upon her and beat her mercilessly. Bruised and
bleeding, she told her brother, "Umar, you can do what you
like, but you cannot turn our hearts away from Islam." These
words produced a strange
Umar
made no secret of his acceptance of Islam. He gathered the
Muslims and offered prayers at the Ka'aba. This boldness and
devotion of an influential citizen of Mecca raised the morale of
the small community of Muslims. Nonetheless 'Umar was also
subjected to privations, and when permission for emigration to
Medina came, he also left Mecca. The soundness of 'Umar's
judgment, his devotion to the Prophet (peace be on him), his
outspokenness and uprightness won for him a trust and confidence
from the Prophet which was second only to that given to Abu Bakr.
The Prophet gave him the title 'Farooq' which means the
'Separator of Truth from False hood.' During the Caliphate of Abu
Bakr, 'Umar was his closest *** istant and adviser. When Abu Bakr
died, all the people of Medina swore allegiance to 'Umar, and on
23 Jamadi-al-Akhir, 13 A.H., he was proclaimed Caliph.
'Umar's
Caliphate
After
taking charge of his office, 'Umar spoke to the Muslims of
Medina:
"...O
people, you have some rights on me which you can always claim.
One of your rights is that if anyone of you comes to me with a
claim, he should leave satisfied. Another of your rights is that
you can demand that I take nothing unjustly from the revenues of
the State. You can also demand that... I fortify your frontiers
and do not put you into danger. It is also your right that if you
go to battle I should look after your families as a father would
while you are away. "O people, remain conscious of God,
forgive me my faults and help me in my task. *** ist me in
enforcing what is good and forbidding what is evil. Advise me
regarding the obligations that have been imposed upon me by
God..."
The most
notable feature of 'Umar's caliphate was the vast expansion of
Islam. Apart from Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine and Iran also
came under the protection of the Islamic government. But the
greatness of 'Umar himself lies in the quality of his rule. He
gave a practical meaning to the Qur'anic injunction:
"O
you who believe, stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to
God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin,
and whether it concerns rich or poor, for God can best protect
both." [4:135]
Once a
woman brought a claim against the Caliph 'Umar. When 'Umar
appeared on trial before the judge, the judge stood up as a sign
of respect toward him. 'Umar reprimanded him, saying, "This
is the first act of injustice you did to this woman!"
He
insisted that his appointed governors live simple lives, keep no
guard at their doors and be accessible to the people at all
times, and he himself set the example for them. Many times
foreign envoys and messengers sent to him by his generals found
him resting under a palm tree or praying in the mosque among the
people, and it was difficult for them to distinguish which man
was the Caliph. He spent many a watchful night going about the
streets of Medina to see whether anyone needed help or ***
istance. The general social and moral tone of the Muslim society
at that time is well-illustrated by the words of an Egyptian who
was sent to spy on the Muslims during their Egyptian campaign. He
reported:
"I have seen
a people, every one of whom loves death more than he loves life.
They cultivate humility rather than pride. None is given to
material ambitions. Their mode of living is simple... Their
commander is their equal. They make no distinction between
superior and inferior, between master and slave. When the time of
prayer approaches, none remains behind..."
'Umar
gave his government an administrative structure. Departments of
treasury, army and public revenues were established. Regular
salaries were set up for soldiers. A popuation census was held.
Elaborate land surveys were conducted to *** ess equitable taxes.
New cities were founded. The areas which came under his rule were
divided into provinces and governors were appointed. New roads
were laid, canals were lug and wayside hotels were built.
Provision was made for he support of the poor and the needy from
public funds. He defined, by precept and by example, the rights
and privileges of non-Muslims, an example of which is the
following contract with the Christians of Jerusalem:
"This
is the protection which the servant of God, 'Umar, the Ruler of
the Believers has granted to the people of Eiliya [Jerusalem].
The protection is for their lives and properties, their churches
and crosses, their sick and healthy and for all their
coreligionists. Their churches shall not be used for habitation,
nor shall they be demolished, nor shall any injury be done to
them or to their compounds, or to their crosses, nor shall their
properties be injured in any way. There shall be no compulsion
for these people in the matter of religion, nor shall any of them
suffer any injury on account of religion... Whatever is written
herein is under the covenant of God and the responsibility of His
Messenger, of the Caliphs and of the believers, and shall hold
good as long as they pay Jizya [the tax for their defense]
imposed on them."
Those
non-Muslims who took part in defense together with the Muslims
were exempted from paying Jizya, and when the Muslims had to
retreat from a city whose non-Muslim citizens had paid this tax
for their defense, the tax was returned to the non-Muslims. The
old, the poor and the disabled of Muslims and non-Muslims alike
were provided for from the public treasury and from the Zakat
funds.
'Umar's Death
In
23 A.H., when Umar returned to Medina from Hajj;, he raised his
hands and prayed,
"O God! I am advanced in years, my
bones are weary, my powers are declining, and the people for whom
I am responsible have spread far and wide. Summon me back to
Thyself, my lord!" Some time later, when 'Umar went to the
mosque to lead a prayer, a Magian named Abu Lulu Feroze, who had
a grudge against 'Umar on a personal matter, attacked him with a
dagger and stabbed him several times. Umar reeled and fell to the
ground. When he learned that the *** assin was a Magian, he sid,
"Thank God he is not a Muslim."
'Umar died in
the first week of Muharram, 24 A.H., and was buried by the side
of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him).