Umar ibn al-Khattab (2/2)

They had been concealing themselves. I did not wish to see a man striking and being struck but that I experienced it myself and none of that touched me. I went to my uncle Abu Jahl ibn Hisham, who was one of the nobility, and knocked on his door. He said, “Who is it?” I said, “Ibn al-Khattab, and I have converted.” He said, “Don’t do it,” and slammed the door on me. I said, “This isn’t anything,” and went to one of the great ones of Quraysh, called out to him and he came out to me. I said to him the same as I had said to my uncle, he said to me the same as my uncle had said to me, went in and slammed the door on me. I said, “This isn’t anything, the Muslims are being struck and I am not being struck.” A man said to me, “Would you like your acceptance of Islam to be known?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “When people are seated in the Hijr go to so-and-so, a man who cannot possibly conceal a secret, and say to him, just between yourself and him, ‘I have converted,’ for it is very rare that he has ever concealed a secret.” I went and people had already gathered in the Hijr. I said, just between me and him, “I have converted.” He said, “Did you really do that?” I said, “Yes.” He cried at the top of his voice, “Ibn al-Khattab has converted.” They ran up to me; I was hitting them, they were hitting me and people gathered around me. Then my uncle said, “What is this group?” Someone said, “‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) has converted.” He stood upon the Hijr and indicated with the palm of his hand, “I have helped the son of my sister.” They dispersed from around me. I did not want to have seen any of the Muslims being struck and striking without seeing it myself, so I said, “This which has happened to me is nothing.” I went to my uncle and said, “Your help is returned to you,” and I continued to hit and be hit until Allah strengthened Islam.’

Abu Nu’aym narrated in ad-Dala’il and Ibn ‘Asakir that Ibn Abbas, (may Allah be pleased with both of them), said: I asked ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), may Allah be pleased with him, ‘For what reason were you called Al-Faruq?’ He said, ‘Hamzah accepted Islam three days before me. I went to the mosque, and Abu Jahl hurried up to abuse the Prophet, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and Hamzah was told about it. He took his bow and came to the mosque up to the circle of Quraysh in which Abu Jahl was. He leant upon his bow facing Abu Jahl and looked at him, and Abu Jahl recognised the mischief in his face, and said, “What is wrong with you, Abu ‘Umar?”

He raised his bow and with it struck one of the veins in his neck, tutting it so that blood flowed. Quraysh rectified that from fear of mischief and trouble.’ He said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), was concealed in the house of al-Arqam al-Makhzumi so Hamzah went off and accepted Islam. I went out three days after him and there was so-and-so son of so- and-so al-Makhzumi, and I said to him, “Do you yearn to get out of the deen of your ancestors and follow the deen of Muhammad?” He said, “If I did, then one who has much greater right upon you has also done it.” I said, “Who is he?” He said, “Your sister and your brother in-law.” I went off, found the door locked and heard the murmur of lowered voices. Then the door was opened for me. I entered and said, “What is this I hear with you?” They said, “You didn’t hear anything,” and the conversation continued between us until I took hold of my brother in-law’s head and hit him, making him bleed. My sister stood up to me and took hold of my head and said, “That has happened despite you.” I was ashamed when I saw the blood, so I sat down and said, “Show me this writing.” My sister said, “No-one touches it except for the purified. If you are truthful then get up and bathe yourself.” I got up and bathed myself, then I returned and sat down. They brought me a page in which was, “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.” I said, “Wholesome and pure names!” “Taha. We have not revealed the Qur’an to you for you to grieve...” up to His words, “... His are the most beautiful names.” (Qur’an, Surah Ta-Ha, 20: 1-8). It became a great matter in my heart and I said, “From this Quraysh have fled!” I accepted Islam and said, “Where is the Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)?” She said, “He is in the house of al-Arqam.” I went to the house and knocked on the door. The people gathered and Hamzah said to them, “What is wrong with you.” They said, “‘Umar.” He said, “And if it is ‘Umar? Open the door for him. If he has accepted, then we will accept that from him, and if he turns his back, we will kill him.” The Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), heard that and came out. I pronounced the shahadah and the people of the house said, ‘‘Allahu Akbar!” in such a way that the people of Makkah heard it. I said, “Messenger of Allah, are we not upon the truth?” He said, “Of course.” I said, “Why do we conceal it?” We went out in two ranks, in one of which I was and in the other Hamzah, until we entered the mosque and Quraysh looked at me and at Hamzah. There came upon them gloom and depression the like of which had never before come upon them. The Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), named me on that day “al-Faruq” because Islam had been shown openly and a separation made between the truth and falsehood.’

Ibn Sa’d narrated that Dhakwan said: I said to ‘A’ishah, ‘Who named ‘Umar “al-Faruq?’ She said, ‘The Prophet, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).’

Ibn Majah and al-Hakim narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas, (may Allah be pleased with them both), said: When ‘Umar accepted Islam, then Jibril descended and said, ‘Muhammad, the inhabitants of heaven rejoice in ‘Umar’s acceptance of Islam.”

Al-Bazzar and al-Hakim, who declared it sahih, narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas,( may Allah be pleased with them both), said: When ‘Umar accepted Islam, the idolaters said, ‘The people have been split in half from us today,’ and Allah revealed, ‘O Prophet, Allah is enough for you; and whoever follows you of the believers' (Qur’an, Surah Al-Anfal,  8: 64).

Al-Bukhari narrated that Ibn Mas’ud, (may Allah be pleased with him), said: We continued to become mighty after the acceptance of Islam by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

Ibn Sa’d and at-Tabarani narrated that Ibn Mas’ud, said: The Islam of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was an opening, his emigration was a help and his imamate was a mercy. I saw us unable to pray towards the House until ‘Umar accepted Islam. When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted Islam, he fought them until they left us alone and we prayed.

Ibn Sa’d and al-Hakim narrated that Hudhayfah said: When 'Umar accepted Islam, Islam was like the man advancing towards you, only increasing in nearness. When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed, Islam was like the man backing away from you, only increasing in distance.

At-Tabarani narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The first man to be open about Islam was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).

Ibn Sa’d narrated that Suhayb said: When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), accepted Islam, he was open about it, invited people to it openly; we sat around the House in circles, we made circuits around the House, we took our rights from whoever was tough with us, and we retaliated against him for some of what he brought us.

Ibn Sa’d narrated that Aslam the freed slave of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘Umar accepted Islam in Dhu’l-Hijjah of the sixth year of prophethood while he was twenty-six years old.

His Emigration

'Ali said: I don't know of anyone who didn't emigrate in secret except for 'Umar ibn al-Khattab; because when he wanted to emigrate he strapped on his sword, put his bow over his shoulder, carried his arrows in his hand, and came to the Ka'bah where the nobles of Quraysh were in the courtyard. He performed seven circuits, and then prayed two raka'at at the Station (of Ibrahim). Then he approached their circle one step at a time and said, "What ugly faces! Whoever wishes to bereave his mother, orphan his children and widow his wife then let him meet me behind this valley." Not one of them followed him.

Al-Bara', (may Allah be pleased with him), said: The first of the Muhajirun who came to us was Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr, then Ibn Umm Maktum, then 'Umar ibn al-Khattab mounted among twenty others. We said, 'What has the Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), done?' He said, 'He is right behind me.' Then later, the Prophet, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), came and Abu Bakr, (may Allah be pleased with him), along with him.

An-Nawawi said: 'Umar attended, along with the Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), all of the battles, and he was one of those who stood firm beside him on the Day of Uhud.