Part 64

One day, ~“Abdullaah Ibn ~Umar Ibn * Abdel-* Azeez stopped by a monk in the middle of the desert, who had not been in the habit of meeting passers by, he went to meet *Abdullaah and asked him: "Do you know why I have come to see you?" ~Abdullaah answered in the negative, so the monk said: “Because of your father “Umar the just ruler who is like Rajab, among the sacred months." Ayyoob Ibn Sa‘ eed explained the saying that the monk meant, by referring to those three months Dhul Qa*dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram, to refer to Abu Bakr," ~Umar, ~Uthmaan and he referred to “Umar Ibn ~ Abdel-Azeez as the month of Rajab.

Hasan Al-Qassaab narrates: One day I saw wolves

among grazing sheep in the desert during the era of ~Umar Ibn *Abdel-- Azeez and I wondered how the wolf did not try to

attack the sheep. The shepherd told me: "The ruler is righteous, so everything and every body here can only be good and peaceful."

Malik Ibn Dinaar reports that when * Umar Ibn * Abdel- *Azeez become the Caliph, the shepherds of the state kept wondering about the pious new ruler whose justice inspired the wolves to stay away from their sheep.

Moosa Ibn 'A* yan narrates that he would take his sheep to graze in ~Umar's reign, and wolves would be among them and never caused any harm. However one night, a wolf attacked a sheep and killed it, so, Ibn 'A* yan guessed that * Umar had just died, he went to see if that was true, and it turned out to be so.

Al-Waleed Ibn Muslim reports that a man in Khurasan said: "In a vision, [ had seen a man who told me to swear allegiance to the scar-faced *Umayyad for he would be a just tuler. So, I kept wondering if each new ruler was him, till “Umar Ibn *Abdel-*Azeez came to me in my dreams three times and told me the same, so I went to swear allegiance to *~ Umar."

*Abdel--Azeez son of ~Umar Ibn ~*Abdel-* Azeez narrates that Abu Ja*fa Al-Mansoor once asked him: "How much did your father own when he become the Caliph?" I said, "40,000 dinars." He asked: "And how much did he own before his death?" I replied: "400 dinars only; if he had lived longer, the sum would have decreased more."

Maymoon Ibn Mahraan narrates that he heard ~ Umar say: "If I was to be your Caliph for fifty years, I would not be able to make justice prevail irrevocably. I wish to be just with you, but I fear you may not be able to take it. I want your

hearts to feel at ease with what is right."

~Umar Ibn Usayd is reported to have said that during ~Umar's reign, people would bring them loads of money and put it at their disposal, but we would tell them to take their money as Umar had made all rich.

Juwayriyyah narrates: One day we went to see Faatimah Bint ~Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him. She praised “Umar Ibn Abdel-* Azeez and said: "Had he lived on, we would not have needed anyone else."

Maslamah Ibn ~ Abdel-Malik narrates: One day, I visited “Umar Ibn * Abdel-* Azeez when he was sick, and [ found him wearing an unclean shirt, so I asked his wife Faatimah Bint Abdel-Malik why she did not wash his shirt. She replied that it was his only shirt.

“Umar's servant Abu Umayyah narrates: One day, my lady gave me lentils for lunch, and as this was what I had daily, I complained about it, but she said it was the food of the Commander of Believers."

One day, “Umar went to the toilet, and found nothing to shave his pubic hair with but a very rugged object.

At his death, ~ Umar sent Abu Umayyah to the monastery people to give them a dinar in return for the spot where he would be buried. He would not consent to being buried there if they did not accept it. They reluctantly accepted the money fearing he might really decide not to be buried there.

*~Awn Ibn Al-Mu*amma relates that “Umar once asked

his wife for grapes. She wondered at his request and asked him. "You do not have a dirham to buy grapes?" He replied: "This is easier than suffering from the chains of Hell-Fire."

His Sense of Responsibility:

Sahl Ibn Sadaqah narrates that he heard people crying in “Umar's house the day he became the Caliph; so he asked what was it all about, and was told that * Umar had told his slaves that if they wanted to be emancipated, he was ready to let them go free, for he had come the ruler and feared he would not have enough time to look after their affairs. The slaves cried as they did not want to leave the house.

His wife, Faatimah relates that ~ Umar would always stay at the prayer place in the house, crying and invoking Allah till he fell asleep, then he would wake up and do the same all night long.

In the same connection, Al-Waleed Ibn Abi As-Saaib reports that *Umar was the most God-fearing man he had ever known.

Sa*eed Ibn Suwayd narrates that once * Umar led people in Jum*ah prayer while wearing a badly mended shirt. A man told him: "O Commander of Believers, Allah has bestowed His Graces on you, so, get good clothes. ~ Umar looked down, then up and said: "The best of deeds is that done when mandated, and the best of forgiveness is that done when one is in power."

His wife Faatimah is reported to have said: "Throughout his caliphate, ~ Umar was too busy to satisfy his sexual desire."

“Ataa’ Ibn Rabaah narratea that Faatimah, *Umar's wife, once said that she found ~Umar weeping one day, and

asked him why he was weeping, and he replied: "O Faatimah, | have become the Caliph of Muhammad's nation; with all its people: I kept thinking of the poor who are hungry. the destitute sick people, those who do not have good clothes, the oppressed who are done injustice, the strangers, the elderly, the men who have many children and little money, and people from all walks of life all over the country, and I remembered that Allah will reckon me about them on Doomsday, so I feared I would not be able to defend myself, then I found myself in tears.

Humayd reports that Al-Hasan had dictated him a message to ~Umar Ibn ~ Abdel-~ Azeez in which he told him he had many children, but was rather poor, so ~ Umar ordered to send Al-Hasan some money.

Juwayriyyah Ibn ‘Asmaa' narrates that “Umar had said: "I always aspire for more; when [ get some worldly bounty, I aspire for what better, and if I was given what is best about this world, I would aspire to get the best of rewards, i.e. Paradise.

~Amr Ibn Muhaajir says: ~Umar Ibn ~ Abdel-Azeez's daily budget was two dirhams only." He is alsoreported to have said: "“Umar would light a candle to write down his notes about the Muslims’ affairs; when he finished, he would blow it off and write down his own notes."

It is reported that Al-Hakam Ibn *Umar said: "The Caliph would always have 300 guards and 300 policeman, but ~Umar told his guards: "My fate protects me and guards me; if you stay your pay will be 10 dinars, if you do not like it, you can go join your folks."

“Umar Loathed Brides: “Amr Ibn Muhajir is reported to have said: One day

“Umar Ibn Abdel--Azeez wanted to have some apples, so a man gave him some which grew at his home. * Umar saw them and said. "The apples are really great and have a lovely smell. Take them, my boy, to the man who sent them, give him my best greeting and tell him that I liked his present a lot". Then ‘Amr replied: "O Commander of the Believers, he is your cousin and relative. You know the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to accept gifts ~ Umar replied: "How can you say that?! A gift was a present to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, but to me, a gift is a bribe.

Ibraheem Ibn Maysarah is reported to have said: "The only man [ saw ~Umar punishing physically, during his caliphate, was the man who accepted a bribe from Mu’ awiyah. He was whipped three lashes."

*Umar, the Caliph, Entertains His Guests:

Rajaa’ Ibn Haywah narrates that he once spent an evening at ~Umar's, then the lantern went out, and the valet was asleep and did not notice that, he told * Umar to wake the valet up, but he refused, so Rajaa' offered to go rekindle its light. Again, “Umar refused and said: " You can't do things for me here, you are my guest." Then, *Umar went to get oil for the lantern, and came back after lighting it anew."

Nu*aym narrates that ~Umar once told him that he had not been much of a talker, Iest people would think he was showing off.

Makhool is reported to have said: "I swear that ~ Umar

Ibn Abdel-* Azeez was the most ascetic, God-fearing man I ever met."

Sa*eed Ibn ~Uroobah reports that ‘Umar Ibn * Abdel- *Azeez would tremble with fear and awe when death was mentioned, out of fear of being reckoned by Almighty Allah.

It is reported that ~Ataa’ said: "*‘Umar would gather scholars every night, and discuss death and Doomsday till they would burst into tears."

*Ubaydellaah Ibn Al-- Ayzaar narrates that ~ Umar Ibn *Abdel-- Azeez once addressed the people, while standing on a clay stand and told them: "O people, be righteous in private, so that your apparent affairs would be alright, work for the Hereafter for your worldly life to go well, and always remember that death is round the corner, Peace be with you!"

Wuhayb Ibn Al-Ward says that Banu Marawan went one day to ~Umar's residence and told his son ~ Abdel-Malik: "Tell your father that Caliphs before him were very generous to us and revered us, but your father has denied us all that." So, the boy told his father what they said, and went back to them with this reply: "My Father tells you that he fears to be tortured on the Day of Judgment if he disobeys Allah."

Al-Awzaa*i narrates that ~Umar had always urged people to seek guidance and wisdom in the words and deeds of wise, righteous people of the past generations.

One day, a man asked “Umar Ibn Abdel-* Azeez for advice, so ~Umar told him: "Always be pious and conscious of Allah, that will render life a lot easier, and Allah will be most generous with you."