In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Mawaddah Association presents: The Ten Promised Paradise.
'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him.
Love for the Companions and the Prophet’s kin is an established Sunnah,
With which I hope to meet my Lord when He brings me to life.
Who is the owner of that magnificent palace in Paradise?
Who is this fortunate person,
Who is given glad tidings of all this eternal bliss,
While his feet are still walking upon the earth?
Who was the recipient of this good news, and who was the bearer of it?
It is a wonder beyond imagination!
On the night of the Prophet’s Ascension (Mi'raj) to the heavens, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
He entered Paradise
And saw a palace made of gold,
Reaching the utmost pinnacle of beauty and perfection,
With maidens of the fair houris all around it.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, asked,
"Whose palace is this?"
The accompanying angel replied,
"It belongs to a young man from Quraysh."
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, thought
That this palace was his own,
Due to its sheer magnificence, grandeur, and breathtaking beauty.
But he asked,
"Who is this fortunate Qurayshite young man?"
The angel said,
"It belongs to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, returned
To Mecca after the journey of the Isra' and Mi'raj—
That miraculous and wondrous journey—
Bearing with him great news,
Among which was these glad tidings for 'Umar.
He said,
"O Abu Hafs,
Were it not for what I know of your protective jealousy (ghayrah),
I would have entered that palace."
'Umar wept and said,
"Could I ever feel protective jealousy against you, O Messenger of Allah?"
Who is this 'Umar ibn al-Khattab,
The owner of that palace?
What was his life like?
How did he grow up before Islam, and how was he after embracing it?
How did he attain such extraordinary bliss in Paradise?
These are questions that cross our minds
And require answers.
So join us as we turn the pages of history
To explore the biography of this great man,
Who was promised Paradise through the words of the Noble Messenger,
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Yes, my dear listeners,
He is 'Umar ibn al-Khattab ibn Nufayl
Ibn 'Abd al-'Uzza al-'Adawi al-Qurashi.
He was born in Mecca after the Year of the Elephant—
Thirteen years after the Year of the Elephant.
'Umar's home in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah)
Was at the foot of the mountain known today as Mount 'Umar,
Which was called al-'Aqir during the Jahiliyyah,
Where the dwellings of Banu 'Adi ibn Ka'b were situated.
He grew up among Quraysh,
Raised in a pagan environment
Under the guardianship of his father, al-Khattab,
Who was harsh with him, burdening him with strenuous labor
And beating him severely whenever he fell short in his tasks.
This harsh treatment left a deep impact on his personality.
He mastered horsemanship and combat
Until he became one of the foremost champions of Quraysh in the Jahiliyyah,
Possessing an awe-inspiring presence and an intimidating demeanor,
Fiercely defending the worship of idols.
He excelled in writing, oratory, and tribal debates;
He had a refined taste for poetry and recited it extensively,
Attaining an elevated status among the Quraysh in the Jahiliyyah.
Thus, he was entrusted as their envoy and champion in tribal contests of honor.
Among the accounts illustrating his remarkable horsemanship
Is that he would grab his left ear with his right hand
And leap directly onto the horse's back, seating himself firmly.
In the Jahiliyyah, 'Umar was a fierce defender of the paganism he adhered to,
Ruthlessly persecuting those who believed in the Prophet, peace be upon him,
From his own clan of Banu 'Adi ibn Ka'b.
Among those who endured 'Umar's persecution for accepting Islam were his closest kin:
His sister Fatimah and her husband, Sa'id ibn Zayd ibn 'Amr ibn Nufayl.
Sa'id, who was also 'Umar's cousin, said:
"By Allah, I remember the time
When 'Umar would bind me firmly for embracing Islam before he himself accepted it."
It is also related that 'Umar severely tortured the slave-girl of Banu Mu'ammil,
A clan of Banu 'Adi ibn Ka'b.
'Umar would beat her relentlessly until he grew exhausted, then say:
"I make no excuse to you
Except that I have only stopped beating you out of weariness."
Thereupon, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, purchased and emancipated her.
Among the vices of the Jahiliyyah attributed to 'Umar during that period,
Like many other people of Mecca,
Was indulging in and drinking alcohol.
He is reported to have said:
"I was among the heaviest drinkers of wine in the Jahiliyyah."
But when he embraced Islam and Allah revealed the prohibition of wine,
Upon hearing it, 'Umar declared:
"We have ceased! We have ceased!"
Later in his youth, 'Umar worked as a camel shepherd.
It is recorded that after becoming caliph, he passed by one of the mountain passes of Mecca;
He halted, and the people halted with him.
He said, "I used to be in this very valley tending the camels of al-Khattab,
And he was a harsh, stern man;
I would gather leaves for them at times and gather firewood at others.
Yet today, I walk with people on every side and none above me except Allah."
Then he recited this line of poetry:
"Nothing you behold retains its pleasant delight;
Allah alone remains, while wealth and children vanish."
Later, he engaged in trade and earned a livelihood,
Becoming one of the wealthy men of Mecca.
Despite his initial adherence to paganism, his opposition to monotheism and its followers,
And his reported consumption of wine
Alongside other prevalent vices of the Jahiliyyah,
He was nevertheless among those who revered the sacred rites of Allah
And recognized their intrinsic sanctity.
This was part of the surviving legacy of the religion of the Intimate Friend, Ibrahim, peace be upon him,
Even though the degree of respect varied among individuals.
For the Quraysh during the Jahiliyyah deeply venerated the Sacred House,
Performing circumambulation (Tawaf), Hajj, and 'Umrah,
Standing at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah, and offering sacrificial animals.
After embracing Islam, 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Prophet, peace be upon him,
Concerning a vow he had made during the Jahiliyyah
To perform spiritual retreat (I'tikaf) for a night in the Sacred Mosque.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, instructed him to fulfill his vow.
It is also narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
Said to 'Umar:
"You were fiercely hostile against us, O Abu Hafs,
So I prayed to Allah to strengthen Islam through you."
Despite all that has been mentioned regarding 'Umar's sternness, intensity, and toughness,
There remained a seed of goodness within his soul
And a glimmer of light hidden deep within his heart.
His neighbor, Umm 'Abdullah bint Abi Hathmah, recounted:
"By Allah, we were preparing to depart for the land of Abyssinia,
And my husband, 'Amir ibn Rabi'ah, had gone off on an errand,
When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab approached and stood before me while still a polytheist—
And we used to suffer great hardship at his hands.
He said, 'Are you departing, O Umm 'Abdullah?'
I replied, 'Yes, by Allah, we are surely setting out into Allah's earth,
For you have harmed us and oppressed us,
Until Allah grants us a way out.'
He said, 'May Allah be your companion.'
And I saw in him a gentleness that I had never seen before.
Then he turned away, visibly saddened by our departure, as far as I could tell.
When 'Amir returned from his errand,
I said to him, 'O Abu 'Abdullah,
If only you had seen 'Umar just now, and his gentleness and sorrow over us!'
He asked, 'Have you developed hope that he might embrace Islam?'
I said, 'Yes.'
He replied, 'The one you saw will not accept Islam until the donkey of al-Khattab accepts Islam!'
Despairing of him due to the harshness and severity he had always witnessed."
This was a glimpse into 'Umar's life during the Jahiliyyah,
Before Allah honored him with Islam.
We may have elaborated on it slightly,
But only to witness how Islam transformed this man
And how he became a monumental turning point in our glorious history,
To the extent that the Mother of the Believers, 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her,
Would say, "Whenever the righteous are mentioned, then welcome indeed to 'Umar!"
For they were the noble ones: Talhah, Ibn 'Awf, az-Zubayr, along with
Abu 'Ubaydah, the two Sa'ds, and the Rightly Guided Caliphs.