1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,399 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:03,399 --> 00:00:08,400 The best of generations in stances and exemplary conduct, 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:13,400 He followed the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke. 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,400 Mawaddah Association 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,399 presents: 6 00:00:17,399 --> 00:00:21,399 "Portraits from the Lives of the Tabi'un" 7 00:00:21,399 --> 00:00:26,460 by Dr. Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, 8 00:00:26,460 --> 00:00:28,460 may Allah have mercy on him. 9 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:32,640 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, 10 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:34,640 may Allah have mercy on him. 11 00:00:42,659 --> 00:00:45,659 Speaking of the devout and ascetic caliph, 12 00:00:45,659 --> 00:00:48,659 the fifth of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, 13 00:00:48,659 --> 00:00:50,659 is a discourse sweeter than the fragrance of musk 14 00:00:50,659 --> 00:00:53,659 and more radiant than blooming gardens. 15 00:00:53,659 --> 00:00:55,759 His remarkable and illustrious biography 16 00:00:55,759 --> 00:00:57,759 is a fragrant oasis: 17 00:00:57,759 --> 00:00:59,759 wherever you alight within it, 18 00:01:00,759 --> 00:01:02,759 you find tender verdure, 19 00:01:02,759 --> 00:01:04,760 splendid blossoms, 20 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:06,760 and ripe, harvest-ready fruit. 21 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:08,760 And if it is not within our power 22 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,760 to fully encompass that biography right now— 23 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,760 one that has adorned the brow of history— 24 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,760 that does not prevent us 25 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,760 from plucking a flower from its garden 26 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,760 and drawing a gleam from its radiant light; 27 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:23,760 for what cannot be attained entirely 28 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:25,760 should not be abandoned completely. 29 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,859 Here, then, are three portraits 30 00:01:27,859 --> 00:01:30,859 from the life of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, 31 00:01:30,859 --> 00:01:33,859 to be followed by further portraits in a subsequent volume, 32 00:01:33,859 --> 00:01:38,230 if Allah wills and grants ease. 33 00:01:38,230 --> 00:01:40,230 As for the first of these portraits, 34 00:01:40,230 --> 00:01:43,230 it is related to us by Salamah ibn Dinar, 35 00:01:43,230 --> 00:01:46,230 the scholar, judge, and elder of Medina, 36 00:01:46,230 --> 00:01:48,230 who said: 37 00:01:48,230 --> 00:01:50,230 "I came before the Caliph of the Muslims, 38 00:01:50,230 --> 00:01:52,230 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, 39 00:01:52,230 --> 00:01:55,230 while he was at Khunasirah in the district of Aleppo. 40 00:01:55,230 --> 00:01:58,230 Advanced age had already overtaken me, 41 00:01:58,230 --> 00:02:01,230 and a long time had passed since I had last met him. 42 00:02:01,230 --> 00:02:04,230 I found him seated at the head of the room, 43 00:02:04,230 --> 00:02:06,230 yet I did not recognize him, 44 00:02:06,230 --> 00:02:09,229 so greatly had his condition changed from what I had known of him 45 00:02:09,229 --> 00:02:12,229 back when he was governor of Medina. 46 00:02:12,229 --> 00:02:14,229 He welcomed me and said, 47 00:02:14,229 --> 00:02:17,229 'Come close to me, O Abu Hazim.' 48 00:02:17,229 --> 00:02:20,229 When I drew near to him, I said, 49 00:02:20,229 --> 00:02:23,229 'Are you not the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz?' 50 00:02:23,229 --> 00:02:25,330 He replied, 'Indeed, I am.' 51 00:02:25,330 --> 00:02:26,330 I said, 52 00:02:27,330 --> 00:02:30,330 'Was your face not radiant, 53 00:02:30,330 --> 00:02:32,330 your skin supple, 54 00:02:32,330 --> 00:02:34,330 and your life comfortable and opulent?' 55 00:02:34,330 --> 00:02:36,330 He said, 'Indeed, it was.' 56 00:02:36,330 --> 00:02:37,330 I said, 57 00:02:37,330 --> 00:02:39,330 'Then what has altered your appearance so, 58 00:02:39,330 --> 00:02:42,330 now that you possess the gold and silver of the world 59 00:02:42,330 --> 00:02:45,330 and have become the Commander of the Faithful?' 60 00:02:45,330 --> 00:02:47,330 He asked, 61 00:02:47,330 --> 00:02:50,330 'And what has changed about me, O Abu Hazim?' 62 00:02:50,330 --> 00:02:51,330 I replied, 63 00:02:51,330 --> 00:02:53,330 'Your body has grown emaciated, 64 00:02:53,330 --> 00:02:55,330 your skin rough, 65 00:02:55,330 --> 00:02:57,330 your face pale, 66 00:02:57,330 --> 00:03:01,330 and the luster in your eyes has grown dim.' 67 00:03:01,330 --> 00:03:03,330 He wept and said, 68 00:03:03,330 --> 00:03:07,419 'How then would you find me if you were to see me in my grave after three days, 69 00:03:07,419 --> 00:03:10,419 with my eyeballs having flowed down upon my cheeks, 70 00:03:10,419 --> 00:03:13,419 my abdomen ruptured and split open, 71 00:03:13,419 --> 00:03:17,490 and worms freely roaming through my body? 72 00:03:17,490 --> 00:03:21,490 Had you seen me then, O Abu Hazim, 73 00:03:21,490 --> 00:03:25,490 you would disown recognizing me even more than you do today.' 74 00:03:25,490 --> 00:03:28,550 Then he raised his eyes toward me and said, 75 00:03:28,550 --> 00:03:31,580 'Do you not remember a hadith 76 00:03:31,580 --> 00:03:35,580 that you once narrated to me in Medina, O Abu Hazim?' 77 00:03:35,580 --> 00:03:36,580 I replied, 78 00:03:36,580 --> 00:03:39,580 'I narrated many hadiths to you, 79 00:03:39,580 --> 00:03:41,580 O Commander of the Faithful; 80 00:03:41,580 --> 00:03:43,680 which one do you mean?' 81 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:44,680 He said, 82 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,680 'The hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah.' 83 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,680 I said, 'Yes, 84 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,680 do you recall it, O Commander of the Faithful?' 85 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:52,680 He said, 86 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:54,680 'Recite it to me again, 87 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,740 for I wish to hear it directly from you.' 88 00:03:57,740 --> 00:03:58,740 I said, 89 00:03:58,740 --> 00:04:01,740 'I heard Abu Hurayrah say: 90 00:04:01,740 --> 00:04:05,740 I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say: 91 00:04:05,740 --> 00:04:10,740 "Ahead of you lies a steep, rugged, and arduous mountain pass; 92 00:04:10,740 --> 00:04:14,740 none shall cross it save those who are lean and slender."' 93 00:04:14,740 --> 00:04:17,740 Thereupon, 'Umar wept so intensely 94 00:04:17,740 --> 00:04:21,740 that I feared his gall bladder would burst. 95 00:04:21,740 --> 00:04:25,839 Then he wiped away his tears, turned to me, and said, 96 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,899 'Do you blame me, O Abu Hazim, 97 00:04:28,899 --> 00:04:31,899 if I starve and emaciate myself for that steep ascent, 98 00:04:31,899 --> 00:04:34,899 hoping thereby to be delivered from it? 99 00:04:34,899 --> 00:04:36,899 Yet I scarcely think I will be saved.' 100 00:04:36,899 --> 00:04:42,379 As for the second portrait from the life of 'Umar, 101 00:04:42,379 --> 00:04:46,379 al-Tabari relates it to us on the authority of al-Tufayl ibn Mirdas, 102 00:04:46,379 --> 00:04:47,379 who said: 103 00:04:47,379 --> 00:04:50,379 When the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, 104 00:04:50,379 --> 00:04:52,379 assumed the caliphate, 105 00:04:52,379 --> 00:04:55,379 he wrote to Sulayman ibn Abi al-Sari, 106 00:04:55,379 --> 00:04:58,379 his governor over Sogdia, a letter in which he said: 107 00:04:58,379 --> 00:05:01,500 'Establish inns throughout your lands 108 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:03,500 to host Muslims. 109 00:05:03,500 --> 00:05:06,500 Whenever any of them passes by, 110 00:05:06,500 --> 00:05:08,500 host them for a day and a night, 111 00:05:08,500 --> 00:05:10,500 attend to their needs, 112 00:05:10,500 --> 00:05:12,500 and care for their mounts. 113 00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:15,500 If he suffers from exhaustion or fatigue, 114 00:05:15,500 --> 00:05:18,500 host him for two days and two nights 115 00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:20,500 and comfort him. 116 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:23,500 If he is stranded, having no provisions 117 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:25,500 and no mount to carry him, 118 00:05:25,500 --> 00:05:28,500 give him what will satisfy his need 119 00:05:28,500 --> 00:05:30,500 and convey him back to his homeland.' 120 00:05:30,500 --> 00:05:33,500 The governor promptly complied with the command of the Commander of the Faithful 121 00:05:33,500 --> 00:05:37,500 and erected the inns he had ordered him to prepare. 122 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:40,500 News of this spread far and wide, 123 00:05:40,500 --> 00:05:43,500 and people across the eastern 124 00:05:43,500 --> 00:05:47,500 and western reaches of the Islamic lands began speaking of it, 125 00:05:47,500 --> 00:05:51,500 extolling the justice and piety of the Caliph. 126 00:05:51,500 --> 00:05:54,540 Consequently, the notables of Samarkand 127 00:05:54,540 --> 00:05:57,540 went as a delegation to its governor, Sulayman 128 00:05:57,540 --> 00:05:59,540 ibn Abi al-Sari, and said: 129 00:05:59,540 --> 00:06:03,540 'Your predecessor, Qutaybah ibn Muslim al-Bahili, 130 00:06:03,540 --> 00:06:06,540 invaded our lands without prior warning 131 00:06:06,540 --> 00:06:09,540 and did not follow the proper conduct of warfare that you, 132 00:06:09,540 --> 00:06:11,540 the community of Muslims, observe. 133 00:06:11,540 --> 00:06:14,540 For we have learned that you invite your enemies 134 00:06:14,540 --> 00:06:16,540 to embrace Islam; 135 00:06:16,540 --> 00:06:20,540 if they refuse, you call upon them to pay the jizyah; 136 00:06:20,540 --> 00:06:24,540 and if they refuse, you declare war against them. 137 00:06:24,540 --> 00:06:28,540 But we have witnessed such justice and piety from your Caliph 138 00:06:28,540 --> 00:06:31,540 as to embolden us to lodge a complaint against your army to you, 139 00:06:31,540 --> 00:06:35,540 and to seek your justice against what was inflicted upon us 140 00:06:35,540 --> 00:06:37,660 by one of your commanders. 141 00:06:37,660 --> 00:06:39,660 Therefore, grant permission, O governor, 142 00:06:40,660 --> 00:06:43,660 for a delegation from among us to travel to your Caliph 143 00:06:43,660 --> 00:06:45,660 and submit our grievance to him. 144 00:06:45,660 --> 00:06:47,660 If we are in the right, 145 00:06:47,660 --> 00:06:48,660 let it be granted to us; 146 00:06:48,660 --> 00:06:52,699 and if not, we shall return as we came.' 147 00:06:52,699 --> 00:06:55,699 Sulayman granted permission for a delegation from among them 148 00:06:55,699 --> 00:06:58,819 to go before the Caliph in Damascus. 149 00:06:58,819 --> 00:07:01,819 When they arrived at the seat of the caliphate, 150 00:07:01,819 --> 00:07:04,819 they presented their case to the Caliph of the Muslims, 151 00:07:04,819 --> 00:07:06,819 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz. 152 00:07:06,819 --> 00:07:14,899 Thereupon, the Caliph wrote a letter to his governor, Sulayman ibn Abi al-Sari, saying: 'To proceed: When this letter of mine 153 00:07:14,899 --> 00:07:22,180 reaches you, appoint a judge for the people of Samarkand to look into their grievance. If he rules 154 00:07:22,180 --> 00:07:29,060 in their favor, order the Muslim army to evacuate their city, instruct the Muslims residing 155 00:07:29,060 --> 00:07:34,819 among them to depart, and return to the state you and they were in before 156 00:07:34,819 --> 00:07:41,850 Qutaybah ibn Muslim al-Bahili entered their lands.' When the delegation returned to Sulayman ibn Abi 157 00:07:41,850 --> 00:07:48,290 al-Sari and delivered the letter of the Commander of the Faithful to him, he immediately appointed for them the chief judge, 158 00:07:48,290 --> 00:07:55,050 Jumay' ibn Hadir al-Naji, who examined their grievance, investigated their account thoroughly, 159 00:07:55,050 --> 00:08:01,850 and heard the testimony of a number of Muslim soldiers and commanders. Once the validity of 160 00:08:01,850 --> 00:08:09,069 their claim became evident to him, he ruled in their favor. At that, the governor commanded the Muslim troops 161 00:08:09,069 --> 00:08:15,589 to vacate the city for them, return to their military camps, and confront them anew: 162 00:08:15,589 --> 00:08:22,069 either entering their land through a peaceful treaty, prevailing over 163 00:08:22,069 --> 00:08:28,660 them in open warfare, or failing to conquer it altogether. When the notables 164 00:08:28,660 --> 00:08:35,860 of the people heard the verdict of the chief judge of the Muslims in their favor, they said to one another, 'Woe to you! You have 165 00:08:35,860 --> 00:08:42,059 mingled with these people, lived alongside them, and seen their conduct, justice, 166 00:08:42,059 --> 00:08:49,059 and truthfulness. Therefore, let them remain among you, be pleased to live beside them, 167 00:08:49,059 --> 00:08:57,419 and find comfort in their companionship.' As for the third portrait from the life of 'Umar, 168 00:08:57,419 --> 00:09:04,620 may Allah be pleased with him, Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam relates it in his precious book entitled 169 00:09:04,620 --> 00:09:11,539 *Sirat 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz*, saying: 'When death approached 'Umar, 170 00:09:11,539 --> 00:09:17,740 Maslamah ibn 'Abd al-Malik entered upon him and said, 'O Commander of the Faithful, you have weaned 171 00:09:17,740 --> 00:09:25,340 the mouths of your children from this wealth, so would that you entrust their care to me or to whomever you prefer 172 00:09:25,340 --> 00:09:33,740 from your household.' When he finished speaking, 'Umar said, 'Help me sit up.' So they helped him sit up, and he said, 173 00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:40,899 'I have heard your words, O Maslamah. As for your statement that I have weaned the mouths of my children 174 00:09:40,899 --> 00:09:47,179 from this wealth, by Allah, I have not withheld any right that belonged to them, nor was I ever 175 00:09:47,179 --> 00:09:53,700 going to give them anything that was not theirs. And as for your suggestion that I entrust them to you or to 176 00:09:53,700 --> 00:10:00,820 whomever I prefer from my household, my only guardian and trustee over them is Allah, Who revealed 177 00:10:00,820 --> 00:10:08,340 the Book in truth, and He protects the righteous. Know, O Maslamah, that my sons 178 00:10:08,340 --> 00:10:16,259 are of two kinds: either a righteous, God-fearing man whom Allah will enrich from His bounty and grant 179 00:10:16,259 --> 00:10:23,659 a way out in his affairs, or a wicked man bent on sin, and I will never 180 00:10:23,659 --> 00:10:31,100 be the first to assist him with wealth in disobeying Allah Almighty.' Then he said, 'Call 181 00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:38,460 my children to me.' So they summoned them, and they were a dozen or so boys. When he saw them, his eyes welled 182 00:10:38,460 --> 00:10:44,700 with tears, and he said, 'May my soul be ransomed for youths whom I leave in poverty, possessing nothing!' 183 00:10:44,700 --> 00:10:53,149 He wept silently, then turned to them and said, 'O my sons, I have 184 00:10:53,190 --> 00:10:59,029 left you immense good; for you will not pass by any Muslim 185 00:10:59,029 --> 00:11:06,950 or dhimmi without them acknowledging that they owe you a right. O my sons, before you 186 00:11:06,950 --> 00:11:12,389 lies a choice between two matters: either you become wealthy and your father enters 187 00:11:12,389 --> 00:11:18,509 the Fire, or you remain poor and he enters Paradise; and I believe nothing other 188 00:11:18,549 --> 00:11:24,230 than that you would prefer your father's rescue from the Fire over wealth.' Then he looked 189 00:11:24,230 --> 00:11:30,629 at them gently and said, 'Stand and go, may Allah protect you; stand and go, may Allah provide 190 00:11:30,629 --> 00:11:37,460 for you.' Maslamah then turned to him and said, 'I have something better than that, O 191 00:11:37,460 --> 00:11:45,019 Commander of the Faithful.' He asked, 'And what is it?' He replied, 'I possess three hundred thousand dinars, 192 00:11:45,019 --> 00:11:53,730 and I gift them to you: distribute them among them, or give them away in charity if you wish.' 'Umar said to him, 193 00:11:53,730 --> 00:12:02,000 'Or something even better than that, O Maslamah?' He asked, 'And what is that, O Commander of the Faithful?' He said, 194 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:10,009 'Return it to those from whom you took it, for you have no rightful claim to it.' Tears welled in the eyes of 195 00:12:10,009 --> 00:12:17,809 Maslamah, and he said, 'May Allah have mercy on you, O Commander of the Faithful, in life and in death! You have softened 196 00:12:17,809 --> 00:12:25,570 our hardened hearts, reminded them when they were heedless, and preserved for us a legacy 197 00:12:25,570 --> 00:12:34,159 among the righteous.' Later, people traced the fortunes of 'Umar's sons after his passing, and they observed 198 00:12:34,159 --> 00:12:40,710 that not one of them ever fell into need or poverty; and true are the words of Allah the Almighty when He says... 199 00:12:40,710 --> 00:13:08,470 'Umar Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz is counted by the people of knowledge among the practicing scholars 200 00:13:08,470 --> 00:13:20,889 and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, radiant in his principled stances and exemplary conduct, following the Messenger whenever 201 00:13:20,889 --> 00:13:31,889 he strove or spoke. They were once here, reviving the drought of our lives, and in our midst their memory continues 202 00:13:31,889 --> 00:13:42,169 to soar high. They departed, leaving within the conscience a question: has any star ever risen 203 00:13:42,169 --> 00:13:52,710 and shone like them? They filled life with glories through their deeds, and through them, the world of patience blossomed.