Sayyedna Farooq-i-Azam (رضی اللہ عنہ):

Sayyedna Farooq-i-Azam ^{(رضی اللہ عنہ)}:

The Second Caliph of Islam

The Second Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umar bin Khattab ^{(رضی اللہ عنہ)} stands unique lnong the eminent and noble Companions for whom the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) payed to Allah the Almighty that He night bestow strength to his mission with Umar’s embracing the new faith. And undoubtedly when Umar joined the movement, a new era dawned in Islamic history. Upto that time only forty or fifty persons had joined its ranks. The famous valiant of Arabia, Hazrat Amir Hamza ^{(رضی اللہ عنہ)}  had also embraced the new faith, but still the Muslims could not openly perform their religious functions and offer prayers in the Ka’aba. With Umar’s acceptance of Islam, things changed completely. He openly announced his faith, entered the Ka’aba and performed his Salat there in congregation with other Muslims.

Umar’s conversion took place in the fifth year of Nubuwwat when he was in his twentieth year. When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) raised the voice of Islam and started his apostolic mission, the men of Quraish became very indignant and subjected the new converts to all kinds of harassment, persecution and torture. Umar also became infuriated so much so that he turned against such members of his tribe as had accepted Islam. There was a slave girl named Labinah in his house who had embraced Islam. This enraged Umar to such an extent that he used to beat her mercilessly, and when he got exhausted thrashing her, he would say, ‘Well, let me recoup my breath, and I will start beating you again‘. Not only that he used to thrash any and every Muslim on whom he could lay hands. But such was the spell of Islam that whoever embraced it would never forego come what may. In spite of all the hardships inflicted, Umar could not make a single person abjure it.

Among other Quraish chieftains who bitterly opposed the new creed and had become blood-thirsty enemies of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) Abu Jahl was also in the fore-front. He put a reward on the Holy Prophet's (ﷺ) head and announced that whosoever killed him would be offered a hundred camels. Having failed in all his frenzied endeavours, Umar resolved to put an end to the Prophet himself, the fountain-head of Islam, and get the reward. He took his sword and made for the Prophet (ﷺ). He was unaware that his own sister, her husband, and another respectable member of the family, Naim bin Abdullah, had also embraced the new faith.

By chance Naim bin Abdullah met him on the way. Seeing Umar in such a hell of fury, he asked: Whither my friend? Umar said he was going to put an end to Muhammad (ﷺ) Naim spoke out ‘Well, look to your family first. Even your sister and her husband have embraced the new faith’. This changed the direction of his steps. He immediately went to his sister's place. She was reciting the Holy Qur'an at that time. When she heard his footsteps, she hid the leaves of the Holy Qur'an. But Umar had heard her reciting. He asked her as to what the voice was. She replied. Nothing. He said: No, I understand, both of you have turned heretics. Saying this, he fell upon his brother-in-law, and when his sister tried to rescue him, he started thrashing her too so much so that she began to bleed. While thus bleeding, she said: Well, do what you will, Islam will never go out of our hearts now. These words had a deep effect upon Umar. He looked towards his sister. She was bleeding. Umar was all the more effected by this and said: ‘Recite to me what both of you were reading‘. Fatimah brought out the fragmentary parchments from where she had hidden them and told him that he was unclean and therefore could not touch this sacred writing. As time had come of the acceptance of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) prayer about him, Umar performed the ablution as instructed by his sister and took the pages which related to Surah Taha: "All things in heavens or on earth sing the praises of Allah and He is All-Powerful, All-Wise”, until he reached the verse. “Believe in Allah and His Apostle”. These words spontaneously moved his lips and he uttered: 'Verily, I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His Messenger’.

This was the time when the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) stayed at the residence of his Companion Arqam situated at the foot of Mount Safa. Umar came there and knocked at the door. As he had come sword, in hand, and no one was aware of the significant incident that had just occurred, all the Companions felt perturbed. But Hazrat Amir Hamza (RDA) spoke out ‘Let him come in, if he has come with friendly intentions, well and good, otherwise his head would be severed with his own sword‘. When Umar stepped in, the Prophet (ﷺ) himself moved forward and catching hold of him asked. Umar: what motive leads you to come here?‘ The Prophet’s (ﷺ) dignified and commanding voice over-awed him and he replied with utmost ‘humility ‘To embrace Islam’. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) impulsively exclaimed ‘Allah-u-Akbar (God is Great) and the Companions also simultaneously shouted the same as if in a chorus so loud that the hills of Makkah reverberated long and wide.

Soon after embracing Islam, Hazrat Umar (RDA) proposed that from that day Allah's worship would be performed openly in Allah's House. And so it happened. On this, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) bestowed upon Hazrat Umar (RDA) the title of Farooq as he had brought out to the open the distinction between truth and falsehood. With his acceptance, the new faith also got new impetus and more and more people started entering the Islamic fold.

Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq and Hazrat Farooq (RDA) are admittedly the most revered and distinguished among the Companions of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). When Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (RDA) nominated Hazrat Umar (RDA) as his successor in consultation with other emi Companions, he (Abu Bakr) said if Allah asked him as to whom had he entrusted the Ummat, he would say that he had handed it over to the best of His creature.

Hazrat Umar Farooq (RDA) was indeed a rare combination of so many merits and virtues and sagacity and sound opinion that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said about him: Had there been a Prophet after me, it would have been Umar bin Khattab.

Hazrat Umar’s opinion was always very sound. Whatever he said generally came to pass and many of his opinions became religious commandments and stand to this day. When suggestions for calling to prayer were under consideration, different devices were proposed. Some suggested blowing of horns, others of trumpets but I-Iazrat Umar (RDA) said: Why not appoint a person to make the call? The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) immediately ordered Hazrat Bilal (RDA) to call the Adhan. This was the first day when the mode of giving the call to prayers was established. And in fact there could be no other mode more effective and suitable.

When difference of opinion arose about the treatment to be accorded to the prisoners of Badr, the revelation descended exactly according to Urnar’s opinion.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) wives did not observe purdah (seclusion). Hazrat Umar (RDA) often remonstrated against it but the Prophet (ﷺ) awaited the Divine Command in this respect. At length the Qur'anic verses known as 'Ayet-Hijab' came down which asked the consorts of the Prophet (ﷺ) to observe Purdah.

When Abdullah bin Ubayy the arch hypocrite died, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), out of sheer gentleness, wanted to say prayers over his funeral. Hazrat Umar (RDA) strongly objected saying ‘why should you go to the extent of saying prayers over the dead body of a hypocrite?’ Just then the following verse was revealed: “Do not say prayers over any of them”: which affirmed Umar’s opinion.

It was because of Hazrat Umar’s judgment and persistence that the Holy Qur’an came to be compiled. We must not forget that both Hazrat Abu Bakr and Zaid bin Thabit (RDA) had at first seriously opposed the proposal being reluctant to do what the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) had not done.

Hazrat Umar's (RDA) achievements in all fields, particularly in conquests, administrative arrangements and propagation of Islam, rank very high both in quality and quantity. Although a great conqueror, administrator, reformer and a jurist, Hazrat Umar (RDA) was an embodiment of humility and simplicity. On the one hand, he is found dispatching armies to Iraq and Syria and dealing with the majestic ambassadors of the Roman and Iranian Empires, and on the other, he is seen wearing a shirt with dozens of patches, putting on a tattered turban and worn out shoes, carrying a water skin on his shoulders to supply water to the widows or lying in a nap on the rough and dusty floor of the mosque. On his way from Makkah to Madina, he would spread a sheet below some tree and lie down in its shade for rest. According to Ibn Saad his daily domestic expenses amounted to two dirhams.

One day, a Magian slave named Abu Lulu came to Hazrat Umar (RDA) and complained that his master, Mughirah bin Shubah, compelled him to pay a heavy toll and requested the Caliph to get it reduced. After knowing that he was carpenter, painter and blacksmith by vocation and the toll was 2 dirhams daily. Hazrat Umar (RDA) said the toll was not much for these professions. Abu Lulu got very much disgruntled at this. Next day, when Hazrat Umar (RDA) was leading the morning prayer. Abu Lulu came from behind and stabbed him with a dagger six times. He could not survive these deadly blows and closed his eyes eternally three days later. He was buried by the side of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (RDA) in the sacred mausoleum of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). May Allah shower His blessings upon them all.

The total period of Hazrat Urnar’s Caliphate was 10 years, 6 months and 4 days, but it was a golden era of the Islamic history.