WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.359 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:06.019 The Mawaddah Association 00:00:06.019 --> 00:00:07.540 presents: 00:00:07.660 --> 00:00:10.939 The Ten Promised Paradise: 00:00:10.939 --> 00:00:15.570 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, 00:00:15.570 --> 00:00:17.570 may Allah be pleased with him. 00:00:17.570 --> 00:00:22.370 Loving the Companions and the Prophet’s kin is an established Sunnah; 00:00:22.370 --> 00:00:27.460 with it I shall meet my Lord when He resurrects me. 00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:30.800 Loving the Companions and the Prophet’s kin. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:33.439 Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) once sat 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:38.159 in a gathering with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:41.920 alongside Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali. 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:46.880 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) picked up some pebbles from the ground, 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:50.079 and the pebbles glorified Allah in his noble hand, 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:53.420 such that everyone in the gathering heard their glorification. 00:00:53.420 --> 00:00:58.619 Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed them into the hand of Abu Bakr, 00:00:58.619 --> 00:01:01.420 and they glorified Allah in Abu Bakr's hand, 00:01:01.579 --> 00:01:04.939 and everyone in the gathering heard their glorification. 00:01:04.939 --> 00:01:09.900 Then Abu Bakr handed them back to the Prophet (peace be upon him), 00:01:09.900 --> 00:01:12.269 and they glorified Allah in his hand. 00:01:12.269 --> 00:01:17.069 Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed them into the hand of 'Umar, 00:01:17.069 --> 00:01:19.549 and they glorified Allah in 'Umar's hand, 00:01:19.549 --> 00:01:22.930 and everyone in the gathering heard their glorification. 00:01:22.930 --> 00:01:28.609 Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed them into the hand of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, 00:01:28.609 --> 00:01:31.060 and they glorified Allah in his hand. 00:01:31.060 --> 00:01:33.060 Abu Dharr said: 00:01:33.060 --> 00:01:39.060 "Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed them to the rest of those present in the circle, 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:42.060 but they did not glorify Allah in the hand of anyone else among them." 00:01:42.060 --> 00:01:51.090 This narration has been cited as evidence for the legitimate succession of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after him (peace and blessings be upon him). 00:01:51.090 --> 00:01:53.180 Indeed! 00:01:53.180 --> 00:01:56.180 When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab assumed the Caliphate, 00:01:56.180 --> 00:02:01.180 it only increased his mercy and gentleness toward the Muslims. 00:02:01.180 --> 00:02:05.180 The Caliphate only made him more humble and closer to them; 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:08.180 he was a nurturing guardian to their youth, 00:02:08.180 --> 00:02:10.180 a brother to their elders, 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:12.180 a servant to their disabled, 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:14.180 a supporter to their needy, 00:02:14.180 --> 00:02:19.219 and to all Muslims, he was like a compassionate father to his own children. 00:02:19.219 --> 00:02:24.310 Once, a provincial governor came to visit 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) 00:02:24.310 --> 00:02:29.310 and found 'Umar lying on his back 00:02:29.310 --> 00:02:32.310 with his young children playing on his stomach. 00:02:32.310 --> 00:02:35.310 The governor expressed disapproval of that. 00:02:35.310 --> 00:02:37.310 'Umar asked him: 00:02:37.310 --> 00:02:39.310 "And how are you with your family?" 00:02:39.310 --> 00:02:42.310 The governor replied: 00:02:42.310 --> 00:02:44.310 "Whenever I enter the house, 00:02:44.310 --> 00:02:47.310 all the children fall completely silent and motionless." 00:02:47.310 --> 00:02:50.310 Thereupon, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 00:02:50.310 --> 00:02:52.379 "We hereby dismiss you from your post! 00:02:52.379 --> 00:02:55.379 For if you show no gentleness to your own family and children, 00:02:55.379 --> 00:03:00.379 how could you possibly show gentleness to the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?" 00:03:00.379 --> 00:03:04.629 Such was 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) with his subjects: 00:03:04.629 --> 00:03:06.629 living their struggles 00:03:06.629 --> 00:03:08.629 and matching his lifestyle to the weakest among them. 00:03:08.629 --> 00:03:11.759 Five years into his caliphate, 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:16.759 a severe famine struck Medina and its surrounding villages. 00:03:16.759 --> 00:03:19.759 Rain was withheld from the sky, 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:21.759 the earth became barren, 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:23.759 and livestock perished. 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:26.759 This famine lasted for nine months, 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:29.759 until the soil turned black 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:31.759 and resembled ash, 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:35.759 which is why that year was named "The Year of Ash" (Ramadah). 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:39.759 During that time, 'Umar's only food was bread and oil— 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.759 the diet of the poorest people in those days. 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.759 He was often hungry, 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:51.759 so much so that one day he ascended the pulpit to deliver a sermon to the Muslims, 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:54.759 and his stomach could be heard growling loudly, 00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:58.759 as though crying out from the intensity of hunger and suffering. 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:01.789 Thereupon, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) 00:04:01.789 --> 00:04:05.789 did nothing but tap his belly with his hand, saying: 00:04:05.789 --> 00:04:08.789 "Rumble or do not rumble; 00:04:08.789 --> 00:04:12.789 you shall not taste meat until the children of the Muslims have eaten their fill!" 00:04:12.789 --> 00:04:16.180 It was also his practice (may Allah be pleased with him) 00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:19.180 that he would lead the people in the 'Isha prayer, 00:04:19.180 --> 00:04:25.180 then return home and remain in prayer until the latter part of the night, 00:04:25.180 --> 00:04:28.180 after which he would go out and patrol the outskirts of Medina 00:04:28.180 --> 00:04:31.180 to inspect the condition of the people. 00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:34.180 He would supplicate in the pre-dawn hours, saying: 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:39.180 "O Allah, do not bring about the destruction of the Ummah of Muhammad at my hands!" 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:44.370 Al-Faruq 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was so deeply affected during the Year of Ash 00:04:44.370 --> 00:04:46.370 that his very complexion changed. 00:04:46.370 --> 00:04:49.370 'Iyad ibn Khalifah narrated: 00:04:49.370 --> 00:04:52.370 "I saw 'Umar during the Year of Ash, 00:04:52.370 --> 00:04:54.370 and his skin had turned dark and weathered. 00:04:54.370 --> 00:04:58.370 He had been an Arab accustomed to eating clarified butter and milk, 00:04:58.370 --> 00:05:01.370 but when the people suffered drought, he forbade them to himself 00:05:01.370 --> 00:05:05.370 and consumed only olive oil until his complexion darkened." 00:05:05.370 --> 00:05:10.430 It once happened that the Muslims slaughtered a camel to feed the people, 00:05:10.430 --> 00:05:12.430 and they dished out the finest cuts for 'Umar. 00:05:12.430 --> 00:05:14.430 When it was brought to him, 00:05:14.430 --> 00:05:16.430 he asked, "Where did this come from?" 00:05:16.430 --> 00:05:19.430 They replied, "O Commander of the Faithful, 00:05:19.430 --> 00:05:22.430 it is from the camel we slaughtered today." 00:05:22.430 --> 00:05:25.430 He said: "Bakh, bakh! (How terrible!) 00:05:25.430 --> 00:05:27.430 What a wretched ruler I would be 00:05:27.430 --> 00:05:31.430 if I ate its choice meat while feeding the people its bare bones! 00:05:31.430 --> 00:05:33.430 Take this bowl away, 00:05:33.430 --> 00:05:36.430 and bring us something else instead." 00:05:36.430 --> 00:05:39.430 So they brought him dry bread and olive oil, 00:05:39.430 --> 00:05:43.430 and he began breaking the bread with his hands and crumbling it into the oil. 00:05:43.430 --> 00:05:45.430 Then he said: 00:05:45.430 --> 00:05:47.430 "Woe to you, O Yarfa'! 00:05:47.430 --> 00:05:52.430 Take this dish of meat to the family of so-and-so, 00:05:52.430 --> 00:05:55.430 for I have not visited them in three days 00:05:55.430 --> 00:05:58.430 and I believe they are destitute. 00:05:58.430 --> 00:06:00.430 Place it before them." 00:06:00.430 --> 00:06:05.589 It was narrated from Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: 00:06:05.589 --> 00:06:09.589 "I passed by the people while they were eating meat and broth, 00:06:09.589 --> 00:06:12.589 and 'Umar invited me to join his meal. 00:06:12.589 --> 00:06:15.589 When I arrived, he was eating coarse bread and oil. 00:06:15.589 --> 00:06:17.589 I said to him: 00:06:17.589 --> 00:06:20.589 'You prevented me from eating meat broth with the people, 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:22.589 only to invite me to this?!' 00:06:22.589 --> 00:06:24.589 He replied: 00:06:24.589 --> 00:06:26.589 'I only invited you to my personal food; 00:06:26.589 --> 00:06:28.589 as for that, it belongs to the general body of Muslims.'" 00:06:28.589 --> 00:06:32.660 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) felt the people's suffering so profoundly 00:06:32.660 --> 00:06:35.660 that his freedman, Aslam, said: 00:06:35.660 --> 00:06:37.660 "We used to say: 00:06:37.660 --> 00:06:40.660 'Had Allah not lifted the drought during the Year of Ash, 00:06:40.660 --> 00:06:46.069 we would have thought 'Umar would die of sheer grief for the Muslims.'" 00:06:46.069 --> 00:06:52.069 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was truly ascetic in his food, drink, and clothing. 00:06:52.069 --> 00:06:55.069 He was once seen circumambulating the Ka'bah 00:06:55.069 --> 00:06:58.069 wearing a lower garment that had twenty-one patches. 00:06:58.069 --> 00:07:01.069 When he went to accept the surrender of Jerusalem, 00:07:01.069 --> 00:07:04.069 his garment bore fourteen patches. 00:07:04.069 --> 00:07:09.069 Some of his companions urged him to wear softer, finer garments 00:07:09.069 --> 00:07:12.069 that would befit his stature 00:07:12.069 --> 00:07:16.069 as the Caliph of the Muslims and Commander of the Faithful, 00:07:16.069 --> 00:07:18.069 but he adamantly refused 00:07:18.069 --> 00:07:21.069 and reproached them for their suggestion. 00:07:21.069 --> 00:07:24.069 His daughter Hafsah, the Mother of the Believers 00:07:24.069 --> 00:07:26.069 (may Allah be pleased with her), said to him: 00:07:26.069 --> 00:07:29.069 "If only you would wear softer garments than these 00:07:29.069 --> 00:07:32.069 and eat food better than this, 00:07:32.069 --> 00:07:36.069 for Allah has granted you victory and bestowed abundance upon you." 00:07:36.069 --> 00:07:40.069 He replied: "I will make your own conscience a judge against you! 00:07:40.069 --> 00:07:45.069 Do you not know what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to endure 00:07:45.069 --> 00:07:47.069 of hardship in life?" 00:07:47.069 --> 00:07:53.069 And he continued reminding her of the hardships that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) faced 00:07:53.069 --> 00:07:55.069 until he brought her to tears. 00:07:55.069 --> 00:08:01.069 Then he said: "I had two companions who took a specific path; 00:08:01.069 --> 00:08:04.069 if I take a path other than theirs, 00:08:04.069 --> 00:08:07.069 I will be taken to an end different from theirs. 00:08:07.069 --> 00:08:12.069 By Allah, I will surely endure the same austere life they lived, 00:08:12.069 --> 00:08:16.069 so that I may perhaps join them in their blissful eternal life." 00:08:16.069 --> 00:08:20.459 The Caliph remained hungry while the worldly treasures lay beneath his grasp; 00:08:20.459 --> 00:08:24.459 what an exalted station of asceticism—glory be to the One who granted it! 00:08:24.459 --> 00:08:28.459 Who could ever rival Abu Hafs and his legacy, 00:08:28.459 --> 00:08:32.460 or who could dare attempt to match al-Faruq? 00:08:32.460 --> 00:08:37.190 Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) said regarding 'Umar: 00:08:37.190 --> 00:08:41.190 "By Allah, he was not the earliest of us in accepting Islam, 00:08:41.190 --> 00:08:45.190 yet I know by what he surpassed us: 00:08:45.190 --> 00:08:48.289 he was the most detached from this worldly life among us." 00:08:48.289 --> 00:08:51.289 'Amr ibn al-'As, the governor of Egypt, once wrote to him: 00:08:51.289 --> 00:08:56.289 "We have prepared a house for you near the Grand Mosque." 00:08:56.289 --> 00:09:00.379 'Umar wrote back: "What does a man residing in the Hijaz 00:09:00.379 --> 00:09:03.379 need with a house in Egypt?" 00:09:03.379 --> 00:09:07.419 and ordered him to turn it into a public marketplace for the Muslims. 00:09:07.419 --> 00:09:10.419 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: 00:09:10.419 --> 00:09:13.419 "We found the best part of our life through patience." 00:09:13.419 --> 00:09:17.740 Once, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by an elderly woman 00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:19.740 who stopped him and said: 00:09:19.740 --> 00:09:25.740 "O 'Umar! I remember you when you were called 'Umayr in the market of 'Ukaz, 00:09:25.740 --> 00:09:27.740 herding sheep for the boys with your stick. 00:09:27.740 --> 00:09:31.899 Then days passed, and you came to be called 'Umar; 00:09:31.899 --> 00:09:36.899 then days passed, and you came to be called Commander of the Faithful. 00:09:36.899 --> 00:09:38.899 So fear Allah regarding your flock! 00:09:38.899 --> 00:09:43.899 For whoever fears the divine warning finds the distant reckoning brought near; 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:46.899 whoever fears death dreads missing his chance; 00:09:46.899 --> 00:09:49.899 and whoever is certain of the Account fears the punishment." 00:09:49.899 --> 00:09:53.960 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stood before her, 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:56.960 listening intently to her words, 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:59.960 bowing his head and giving her his full attention. 00:09:59.960 --> 00:10:02.960 One of his companions said to her: 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:06.960 "You have spoken far too much to the Commander of the Faithful, woman!" 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:09.960 'Umar said: "Woe to you! Leave her alone! 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:11.960 Do you not know who she is? 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:14.960 This is Khawlah, 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.960 whose speech Allah heard from above the seven heavens! 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:22.960 By Allah, 'Umar has all the more duty to listen to her." 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:26.179 Despite the position 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) held 00:10:26.179 --> 00:10:29.179 in terms of leadership and high status, 00:10:29.179 --> 00:10:32.179 he never forgot the affairs of the Hereafter. 00:10:32.179 --> 00:10:35.179 He was intensely fearful of Allah 00:10:35.179 --> 00:10:38.179 and deeply moved whenever he heard the Qur'an. 00:10:38.179 --> 00:10:41.179 He would frequently gather his companions 00:10:41.179 --> 00:10:44.179 and say to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari 00:10:44.179 --> 00:10:46.179 (may Allah be pleased with him): 00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:48.250 "Make us yearn for our Lord!" 00:10:48.250 --> 00:10:51.250 So Abu Musa would recite from the Qur'an 00:10:51.250 --> 00:10:54.250 whatever Allah willed for him to recite. 00:10:54.250 --> 00:10:57.250 Whenever 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came across a verse of warning, 00:10:57.250 --> 00:10:59.250 tears would choke his throat, 00:10:59.250 --> 00:11:02.250 and he would weep until he collapsed. 00:11:02.250 --> 00:11:05.250 He would then remain confined to his home, being visited by people 00:11:05.250 --> 00:11:08.309 who thought he had fallen ill, 00:11:08.309 --> 00:11:12.309 He had two dark lines on his face from weeping, 00:11:12.309 --> 00:11:15.309 and he (may Allah be pleased with him) used to wear a ring on his left hand. 00:11:15.309 --> 00:11:17.309 The inscription on his signet ring was: 00:11:17.309 --> 00:11:20.309 "Death suffices as an admonisher." 00:11:20.309 --> 00:11:24.500 There is more to be said about 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:28.500 which we will conclude in the next gathering, Allah willing. 00:11:44.070 --> 00:11:46.070 For their honor, 00:11:46.070 --> 00:11:49.070 they are Talhah, 00:11:49.070 --> 00:11:51.070 Ibn 'Awf, 00:11:51.070 --> 00:11:55.070 and al-Zubayr, along with 00:11:55.070 --> 00:11:57.070 Abu 'Ubaydah, 00:11:57.070 --> 00:11:59.070 the two Sa'ds, 00:11:59.070 --> 00:12:03.070 and the Caliphs.