Umar ibn Al Khattab was a strong and assertive man, his heart filled with burning hatred for Islam. The supplications of Prophet Muhammad (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) and the sublime beauty of Qur’an changed his mind, his heart, and his life. When Umar accepted Islam he became a man devoted to the Ummah of Muhammad, as a Muslim, he was pleased when the Ummah was pleased and displeased when the Ummah was displeased.
Ummah is an Arabic word, roughly translated to mean nation, but as with many Arabic words, it does not translate well into English. In English speaking and Western countries, the word nation usually defines the nation state, whose members live between a set of predefined borders often set by religious, racial or ethnic differences. This is not the definition of Ummah. Ummah means the community of believers bound together with a purpose — to worship God. Together they are strong, divided they are weak. Each member is united with all of the others in a spiritual way that can even have physical manifestations. When one part of the Ummah is in pain, the whole Ummah hurts. (A Hadith)
“And verily this Ummah of yours is One Ummah, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore fear Me (and no other).” (Quran 23:52)
When Umar ibn Al Khattab accepted Islam he wanted to be part of his community and wanted to proclaim his membership of this unique nation. Umar wanted to join the Ummah in their happiness and in their pain. At the time of his conversion, the weaker members of the Ummah suffered systematic abuse and oppression, often by Umar himself, but his heart now felt their pain and he wanted to experience it. Umar did not want his Islam to go unnoticed; he immediately informed the enemies of Islam that he was Muslim.
At first, the men of Makkah who had not embraced Islam were shocked and did not react to Umar’s conversion, but as word spread, they came together at the House of God and attacked Umar. Eventually Umar, the strong, muscular wrestler sat in the midst of his attackers and they beat him. Umar recovered from his beating and because of him, Islam became strong. Umar’s heart was filled with love for his brothers and sisters in Islam.
Abu Bakr Siddiq, and Umar were the two companions closest to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ali Ibn Abu Talib is reported to have said that Prophet Muhammad went out in the morning with Abu Bakr and Umar and he would return at night with Abu Bakr and Umar. The Prophet himself called Abu Bakr and Umar his eyes and ears, and said they were his advisers from the inhabitants of earth. Umar stood beside Prophet Muhammad in all of the trials and tribulations that faced the Muslim Ummah.
When the Muslims of Makkah migrated to the city of Madinah, all left in a well planned, secret migration, but not Umar. He was the only Muslim to make the migration openly, in fact, he proclaimed that he was leaving and invited any man who thought he was strong enough, to challenge him. Umar flung his sword around his neck and strode through the streets of Makkah with his head held high and his heart, which was no longer filled with hate, burning with a fierce love for God, His Prophet Muhammad and his fellow believers.
Although remembered for his strength, Umar was also known to be a pious and generous man. He would spend the nights in worship, often waking his family in the last part of the night to join him in his devotions. He was a staunch believer, confident in God’s promise of Paradise and readily spent his wealth for the sake of God to benefit the believers. One of Prophet Muhammad’s companions narrates that Umar once distributed 22,000 dirhams to the needy and had a habit of giving away bags of sugar. When Umar was asked why he distributed the sugar he said, “Because I love it and God said in the Qur’an, “By no means shall you attain piety, unless you spend (in God’s Cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, God knows it well.” (Qur’an 3:92)
Umar was one of ten men to whom Prophet Muhammad gave the joyous news that they would be admitted to Paradise. However, this did not stop him from working tirelessly, all of his life to please God. He was a man of knowledge, a man known for his generosity and tireless devotion to the worship of God and perhaps above all he was devoted to the Ummah of Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad counseled us all when he said, “A man is not a true believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” Umar wanted Paradise but he also wanted it for every man, woman or child who has ever believed that there is no god but God and Muhammad is His messenger. This was Umar, who distinguished truth from falsehood; he was a man of the Ummah.
To be continued
- (Courtesy of www.islamreligion.com)
