UMAR IBN AL-KHATTAB
Starting Life
The mission of the Holy Prophet was still in
the early stage. Islam was still weak and helpless. The chiefs of Mecca were up against it. One night the Holy Prophet stood
in the Kaaba, lost in thoughts. Presently he raised his hands and turned his eyes heavenward. "Lord!" he prayed, "make Islam
strong with either of the two men, Amr bin Hisham or Omar bin Khattab."
The prayer was instantly granted. Allah chose
Omar to serve Islam. Amr bin Hisham was to die as Abu Jahl( Father of Ignorance ). But Omar was to become a great pillar of
strength for Islam.
Omar was twelve years younger than the Holy
Prophet. He was the son of Khattab. His mother's name was Khatmah. He came of the Adi branch of the Quraish. Banu Adi were
held in great respect. They acted as the agents of the Quraish in talks with other tribes. They als acted as judges in their
disputes.
In early youth, Omar got training in methods
of warfare. He also learnt the art of public speaking. From the outset, he showed unusual courage and frankness of manner.
Eager to learn, he was earnest and thorough in whatever he undertook. These qualities won him a name in the country rather
at an early age. As a trader, he had to travel to other lands. These travels brought him a wide knowledge and a deep understanding
of men and things.
Acceptance of Islam
Omar was twenty seven
when the Holy Prophet began his mission. Young Omar was one of those who did not care to listen to the message of Islam. He
was for the old way of life. As years went by, Islam made a slow headway. This made Omar angry. Do what the Meccan chiefs
might, people who once went over to Islam never went back to their old faith. One of Omar's own maid-servants became a Muslim.
He beat her as much as he could, but she would not give up the new faith.
At last in the sixth year of the Mission, a
number of Muslims left for Abyssinia. This made Omar boil with rage. "Here is a man," he thought to himself "who has split
the people. People lived smoothly enough. He appeared on the scene He has torn son from father and brother from brother. Now
his followers are running away to another land. Surely Muhammad is the cause of all trouble. I must slay him and put an end
to the trouble."
With this resolve Omar drew his sword and set
out to kill the Holy Prophet. On the way he met a friend who asked him why he looked so upset. Omar told him what he was going
to do. "You better take care of your own kin first," said the friend, "Your sister and her husband have gone over to Islam."
These words changed the direction of Omar's
anger. He went straight to the house of his sister, Fatima. He knocked at the door. Someone was reciting the Quran inside.
Fatima was terrified when she heard Omar's voice. She hid the portion of the Quran she was reading and opened the door.
"What was it that you were reciting just now?"
Omar demanded.
"Oh nothing," said the sister.
"Why nothing?" he shouted in rage.
"I have heard it alright. I know you both have
accepted Muhammad's faith."
Saying this, he began to beat his brother-in-law,
Saeed. Fatima ran to his help and got a blow to the head. The head began to bleed. This made the couple bold. "Yes, we have
become Muslims," they shouted at Omar. "Do what you will."
The sight of the bleeding sister deeply moved
Omar. Fatima was such a loving sister! Surely there must be some great truth in the Quran which had won her innocent heart.
"Would you let me have a look at the Quran?" said Omar.
Fatima handed him the few pages of the book
she had.
Omar sat down to study the pages. Soon his
face changed. His anger cooled down. The fear of Allah gripped his heart. He wept and declared, "Surely this is the word of
Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah."
Omar was again on his way to the place of the
Holy Prophet. But he was not a changed man. He was not going to slay him but to embrace his faith.
The Holy Prophet was sitting in the company
of some men. He saw Omar coming and asked, "Omar, what brings you here?"
"O Prophet of Allah!" replied Omar, "I have
come to embrace Islam."
Great was the joy of the Holy Prophet and his
followers. Loud shouts of "Allah is Great" rented the air of Mecca. Soon everyone knew that Omar was no longer an enemy of
Islam. It was a great day for Islam because one of its bitterest enemies had become its staunch follower.
The Title of Farooq
The coming over of Omar made a difference for
Islam. Hitherto, the Muslims had lived in constant fear of the non-believers. Some of them had not even made their faith known
to the people. They could not say their prayers publicly. All this changed when Omar became a Muslim.
The first thing Omar did was to call together
the chiefs of Mecca. Before this gathering he declared himself a follower of Islam. They started at him in silence. No one
had the courage to utter a word of reproach.
Omar next requested the Holy Prophet to say
prayers in the Kaaba. He himself led a party of Muslims to that place. A second party was led by Hamza. When all had gathered,
they said their prayers in congregation. The Holy Prophet led the prayer. This was the first prayer of its kind said in the
Kaaba.
When migration to Medina started, the same
thing happend again. Most of the Muslims left Mecca silently and secretly. But Omar would not do so. He put on his arms. Then
he went to the Kaaba and said his prayer. The chiefs of Mecca looked at him in silence. After the prayer, he shouted out to
them, "I am leaving for Medina. If anyone wants to stop me let him meet me across the valley. His mother shall certainly have
to weep for him in sorrow."
Despite this challenge, no Meccan would dare
to stop Omar. These things earned for Omar the title of Farooq. Farooq is the one who makes a difference. Omar's acceptance
of Islam had made a big difference for Islam and Muslims.
Devotion to the Prophet
Omar stood by the side of the Prophet in all
battles and expeditions. Great was his love for Allah and His Apostle. He never allowed any blood ties or friendship to stand
in the way of this love.
The death of the Prophet was a stunning shock to Omar. He could not believe it, so much so
that he drew his sword and swore that he would cut off the head of the man who said the Messenger of Allah was dead. He was
overwhelmed with grief. Life without the Prophet was unthinkable, he thought. And if the Prophet was really no more, as people
said, what was going to happen to Islam and the Muslims? These dark thoughts blotted out all reason from Omar's head. Not
till Abu Bakr had reminded him of the clear verdict of the Quran on the point did he come to himself. Abu Bakr, during his
calpihate, depended on Omar for advice. That was because the Master, in his life-time, gave great weight to what Omar said.
Conquest of Iraq
After Khalid, Muthanna was the Commander of
Muslim forces at Hira in Iraq. He was attacked by the enemy once, but he beat back the attack. However, reports were pouring
in that the Iranians were preparing for another heavy blow. So Muthanna came to Medina to explaing things to the Caliph.
A day after Muthanna bin Harith reached Medina,
Abu Bakr died. But before death he had urged Omar to give first thought to Iraq.
People from far off parts of the country soon
started pouring into Medina. They came to pledge loyalty to the new Calpih. Omar took advantage of their presence. He spoke
to them and urged them to take part in the Iraq campaign. But most people had come to look upon Khalid bin Walid as the only
man who could deal with the enemy. They were doubtful about the outcome of a campaign not neaded by Khalid. However, Omar
went on urging people. He wanted to uproot the wrong idea that Islam could not do without a particular man, however great
a man might be. At last the well-known chief of Banu Thaqif, Abu Obaid Thaqfi, came out to fight for the cause of Allah. His
example was followed by many more. Abu Obaid Thaqfi was given the command of Iraq operations.
Jahan and Narsi Routed
Defeats in Iraq had made the rulers of Iran
desperate. The nobles set aside their differences and met in counsel. After much thought, they crowned Princess Puran Dukht
as the empress. The well-known noble, Rustam, was appointed her Chief Minister and Commander-in-Chief.
The first thing Rustam did was to take back
the frontier districts that had fallen to the Muslims. He then sent two big armies under his experienced commanders, Jahan
and Narsi. Narsi was a prince and Jahan a famous noble.
Abu Obaid's first battle was with Jahan. It
was fought at Namariq. Jahan was utterly defeated and was taken prisoner by a Muslim soldier, who did not know who the prisoner
was. "I am an old man," Jahan said, "let me go. I will give you good money for it." The soldier agreed. Soon after, some other
soldiers identified Jahan. They dragged him to Abu Obaid. Jahan told the commander of the deal he had made with one of his
men. Most of the men objected to the deal in strong words. But Abu Obaid said, "We must honor the word given by one of us.
Islam does not allow us to go back on our word." Thus Jahan got his freedom.
The Iranians, who fled from Namariq, joined
the army of Narsi. But Narsi was also defeated. The two victories had a healthy effect on the frontier districts. The chiefs
and nobles of these districts presented themselves before Abu Obaid to pledge loyalty.
The Equality of Islam
Some of the chiefs from frontier districts
brought with them choice dishes for Abu Obaid.
"Is this food for me alone or for the whole
army?" he asked.
"It was difficult," they pleaded, "to prepare
food for the whole army in such a short time."
"Well," replied the Muslim commander, "these
men and I are partners in spilling our blood. I cannot part company with them at the dinner table. I must eat what they eat."
This was something unheard of for these proud
chiefs, who were used to the Iranian way of life. The Muslim way of life amazed them beyond description.
The Battle of the Bridge
The defeat of Jahan and Narsi startled Rustam.
He was bent upon doing something about the Arabs. Immediatley he collected a very huge army. He put it under the command of
his bravest general, Bahman Juduya. He gave Bahman the famous Durfash-i-Kawayani. This was the sacred flag of Iran. It was
taken out only on very special occasions.
In the month of Shaaban, 13 A.H., Abu Obaid
advanced to meet Bahman. The Euphrates lay between the two armies. Bahman asked Obaid whether he would cross over or he should
do it. Leaders of the Muslim army liked to stay on this side of the river. But Abu Obaid was carried off his feet by over-confidence.
He chose to fight across the river.
A bridge of boats was built and the Muslims
crossed the river. Here they found themselves at disadvantage. The ground was uneven. The army could not move freely. On top
of this, the Iranians stood shielded by a thick wall of elephants. The Arab horses had never seen the giant beasts before.
They got frightened and became difficult to manage.
Seeing this, Abu Obaid ordered his men to get
down from their horses. With their swords, Muslim soldiers cut down the ropes of the howdahs, brought down the riders and
killed them. But the elephants still remained a problem. They trampled men to death. A white elephant was the leader of the
herd. Soon the white giant became a terror. Wherever it went, panic overtook the Arabs and their lines broke. Abu Obaid decided
to do something about it. So with one stroke of his sword, he cutt of the trunk of the white elephant. The next moment, the
angry beast trampled the Muslim Commander to death.
His brother stepped forward to hold the standard.
He also met the same fat. In this way seven relatives of Abu Obaid fell one after another.
This made the Muslim army lose heart. There
was a rush for the bridge. But there was no bridge! It had been cut by a young man of Banu Thaqif, lest the Muslim army should
take to flight.
The outlook was hopeless. Muthanna had now
the command. He ordered the rebuilding of the bridge. In the meantime, he held back the enemy. But even so, the Muslim army
suffered a heavy loss. Almost four thousand men, out of an army of nine thousand, could be save.
Preparation for Revenge
The defeat made Omar very sad. How strongly
he felt for the precious lives lost! He sent words to different tribes to fight under the command of Muthanna. It was not
long before Muthanna had enough men to re-start the fight.
This time Rustam chose Mehran to fight the
Muslims. This general had had long experience of Arab warfare. Rustam felt sure that Mehran would be more than a march for
Muthanna. To be doubly sure, he put twelve thousand men of the Royal Guard under Mehran's command.
The two armies met were Kufa now stands. The
Euphrates lay between them. Mehran asked if Muthanna would cross over. He refused. So the Iranian host crossed the river.
The battle began. It was a grim fight. The
Iranians were several times in number. But the Muslims sought desperatley. With amazing daring, they plunged into the heart
of the Iranian host. A young man of Banu Taghlab identified Mehran. He flew at him and cut off his head. The he cried out,
"I am a youth of Taghlab and the killer of the Iranian commander."
Panic overtook the Iranian host. There was
a wild rush for the bridge. Muthanna had his plans ready for removing the bridge before the enemy could get to it. With the
bridge gone, thousands of the fleeing Iranians got drowned. No less than a hundred thousand of them lost their lives in this
battle. Muslim victory was complete. The whole of Iraq, west of the Euphrates, was now in Muslim hands.
The Battle of Qadisiya
The challenge of Iran had to be met. Omar started
preparations on a big scale. Orders were sent to governors to send to the capitol brave warriors, tried generals and good
speakers. These orders were carried out. Medina was soon flooded with the best sons of Islam.
Omar himself wanted to lead the army. Talha,
Zubair, Abdur Rahman and other noted companions were appointed commanders of different regiments. Omar marched at the head
of the army for about three miles. Then he encamped to decide finally whether or not he himself should command. The general
opinion was for it. But the veterans said it was a risky affair. No one could foretell the outcome of the battle. If the Muslims
lost, fighting under the command of the Caliph, nothing could give them back their confidence and prestige. Omar saw the point.
He handed over the command to Saad bin Abi Waqqas, the maternal uncle of the Holy Prophet, and himself returned to Medina.
Saad continued the march until he reached where
Kufa stands now. Here he received news of Muthanna's death. Muthanna's brother joined Saad with his army of eight thousand.
He also brought far the new commander some very useful hints which his late brother had given.
Sitting in Medina, Omar gave careful thought
to the smallest details of the campaign. Saad was constantly receiving instructions from the Caliph. If was Omar who said
how the army should be organized. Again it was he who chose Qadisiya as the place where the Muslims were to halt. He then
asked for a detailed map of the surrounding country. In the light of this map he sent further instructions about the tactics
to be used.
Yezdgird Hears Strange Talk
Saad received orders that an offer of peace
be made to the enemy before fighting was begun. So he chose fourteen chiefs of different tribes to be the envoys of Islam.
Yezdgird held his court to receive the envoys.
The court was a mirror of the pomp and glory of Iran. The Iranians wanted to dazzle the eyes of the desert dwellers by the
display of their splendour. But the Muslims turned out to be made of a different stuff. With shawls of Yemen flung across
their shoulders, leather boots on their feet and whips in their hands, they walked fearlessly into the court. The courtiers
and the Emperor alike were amaed at the dauntless bearing of the Arabs.
The peace talks began. Yezdgird asked the envoys
what had brought them into his territory. Naaman bin Maqran, the leader of the deputation, came forward and said:
"O king, not long ago we were an ignorant and
wild people. Allah had mercy on us. He sent to us His chosen Prophet. The Prophet showed us the path of truth. He called us
towards good life and rid us of all evils. He had said that if we accepted his message, we would be successful in this world
as well as in the next.
We accepted his message. He then ordered us
to carry his message to the people living in the neighborhood. This message is Islam. It is the fountain-head of all good.
It clearly tells what is good and what is bad."
"O nobles of Iran, we call you to the path
of the holy faith. If you accept it nothing can be like it. We will leave you alone. We will hand you the book of Allah. That
will be your guide. You will have to follow its commandments. But if you reject the message of Islam, you will have to pay
the jizya and live under us. You will have to give an undertaking that there will be no more injustice of evil doing in your
country. If you refuse to accept this offer too, the sword must decide."
Yezdgird calmy heard this speech, then said:
"O Arabs, not very long ago no people on earth
were so wretched or rotten as you. The smallest favor from us was enough to win you. Whenever you did a mischief, we wrote
to a frontier chief and he set you right. I advise you to give up your whims of conquest. If you do not have enough food or
other necessities, let us know. We will send you supplies. We will also appoint a good ruler over you, that he may treat you
kindly."
When the king had finished, Mughira bin Zarara
rose and spoke back:
"O king, we were certainly as wretched as you
have said; perhaps worse. We ate dead animals, wore skins and slept on the bare ground. But ever since Allah's chosen Prophet
appeared among us, we have totally changed. His wonderful teachings and his lofty example have made us leaders of the world.
Even proud kings like you fear us now."
"O king, any further talk is useless. Either
accept the chosen Prophet of Allah and bow before his blessed teachings or agree to pay the jizya. If you accept neither of
the two things, then wait for the sword to decide."
Mughira's words made the king lose his temper.
"By Yazdan," he roared in anger, "if it were not against the law to shed the blood of envoys, I must have got you beheaded.
But I am sending Rustam to deal with you. He will bury you and all your commanders in the trenches of Qadisiya. You are going
to get nothing from us except dust."
Then the king asked, "Who is the most respectable
among you?"
"I" replied Asim bin Omar.
The king got a basket full or earth and had
it placed on Asim's head. Asim galloped away, carrying the basket. He took the basket to the Commander, Saad, and placing
it before him said, "Congratulations for the victory! The enemy himself has handed over his soil to us." Then he recounted
all that had taken place at the Iranian court.
Saad felt much pleased. He took it as a good
omen for Muslim victory. Later events proved that he was right.
Rustam Humbled
With an army of hundred and twenty thousand,
Rustam advanced to Qadisiya. Here he dug up for the battle. But he feared the Muslims at heart. So he went on putting off
the battle for weeks. Envoys kept coming and going from one side to the other.
The last envoy to visit Rustam was Mughira
bin Shaaba. Rustam did all he could to dazzle the eyes of the Arab envoy. He sat on a throne of gold with a crown of diamonds
on his head. The whole court was decked with brocades, gold and diamonds.
Mughira got down from his hourse and walked
straight to Rustam's throne. He climbed onto it and sat by Rustam's side. All present were taken back. The guards ran forward
and made Mughira get down from the throne.
Mughira remained cool. Addressing the courtiers, he said:
"O nobles of Iran, I thought you were wise.
But you have proven quite silly. We Muslims do not raise men to the position of gods. The weak among us do not beleive in
the overlordship of the strong. I thought you also followed the same practice. I never knew that the strong among you were
raised high and were worshipped by the weak. I never knew that you did not believe in the equaitly of men. If I had known
that, I would never have come to your court. But let me tell you that you cannot save your empire by these methods. Unrest
among the weak will turn the tables against you."
Mughira's speech ended the peace talks. But
his words continued to ring in the ears of the Iranian nobles.
The Battle at Last
In the month of Muharram, 14A.H., the battle
of Qadisiya began at last. Saad bin Abi Waqqas, the Muslim Commander, was sick with sever pain. So he sat on the roof of a
near-by house and directed the operations from there. After the early afternoon prayers, Saad ordered the attack. As was the
Muslim practice, the commander raised three shouts of "Allah is Great!" At the fourth shout, the army went into action.
The fight went on until late in the evening.
Iranian elephants were again a bug-bear fo the Arab horses. Muslim archers did their best to him them and their riders. But
the elephant problem still remained unsolved. The first day ended with an advantge for the Iranians.
On the morning of the second day, the battle
began again. The dead were buried. The wounded were left to the care of the women. Before fighting started, reinforcements
from Syria arrived. These troops were six thousand in number. But they came galloping in small parties. Thus they kept pouring
in until evening. The strategy made the Iranians think that the Muslim army was swelling at a fearful rate. The thought sowed
dread in the hearts of the Iranians.
The Syrian troops thought of a very clever
way of fighting the elephant danger. They covered their camels with big black, flowing cloaks. The sight made the Iranian
elephants unmanageable. The two armies remained locked in a life and death struggle until midnight. Bahman, Prince Shahr Baraz
and many other Iranian leaders were killed. The Muslims had a clear advantage on the whole.
A Strange Incident
A strange incident took place on the second
day of the battle. Abu Mahjan Thaqfi was a great warrior and a good poet. Saad put him in prison because he had been found
drunk. From the prison window, the brave warrior looked at the stirring scenes of the battle. He longed very much to be in
the thick of the fighting. Presently Saad's wife, Salma, passed by. He entreated her to set him free so that he might also
fight. "If I live until evening," he assured her, "I will walk back into this cell and put on the fetters."
Salma was moved by the appeal. She set him
free. Abu Mahjan at once darted into the thick of the battle. Saad noticed from the house top the outstanding feats of a particular
warrior. Whichever way he turned, he broke the lines of the enemy. Saad was full of praise for his courage and wanted to know
who he was.
At night, Abu Mahjan came back to his prison
and put on the fetters. In the morning Saad's wife told her husband all about the brave prisoner. Saad then knew who the wonderful
warrior of the previous day was.
"By Allah!" declared Saad, "I cannot keep behind
bars a man who loves Muslims so much."
"By Allah!" declared Abu Mahjan as he got his
freedom, "I will never touch wine again."
Rout of the Iranians
The battle entered the third day. The Iranian
elephants were still a problem. Saad asked to Iranian Muslims how best to solve the problem.
"Put out their eyes," they said.
There were two big elephants the led the rest
of the herd. Two Muslim warriors took it upon themselves to deal with one of the giant bests. At one and the same time, they
put out both its eyes with their spears. Then one of them cut off its trunk. The same thing was done to the second giant beast.
Mad with pain both the elephants reeled back into the river. The rest of the herd followed the blinded leaders. From then
on, the elephants were seen no more.
The battle raged with full fury the whole day
and throughout the night. When morning came, the chiefs of different Arab tribes shouted out to their men to make one final
rush. At this call, men jumped down from horses. With drawn swords they thrust themselve into enemy lines. Before noon they
were in the heart of the Iranian host. Some of them reached as far deep as Rustam, the Iranian Commander. Sitting on his throne
of gold, Rustam was directing the fight. Take by surprise, he jumped down and gave a good fight. But he was slain at last
by a Muslim soldier, Halal bin Alqama. Halal jumped onto Rustam's throne of gold and shouted out, "By the Lord of the Kaaba,
I have slain Rustam.!"
The death of Rustam completed the Iranian rout.
Darufsh-i-Kawiyani fell in Muslim hands. Thirty thousand Iranians were killed. The Muslim loss was eight thousand killed.
Calpih Receives the News
Omar was very anxious about the outcome of
the battle. Each morning, he walked a few miles out of Medina and waited for the messenger of Qadisiya. One day, as he sat
waiting, a camel-rider appeared in the distance.
"Wherefrom?" asked Omar, as the man came near.
"From Qadisiya," came the reply, and the man
kept galloping on.
Omar ran by his side to keep pace and asked,
"But what news have you brought?"
"Allah has granted victory to the Muslims,"
was the answer.
Thus Omar went on running by the side of the
messenger, getting more details from him. When the two reached the town, people greeted Omar as the "Commander of the Faithful".
The messenger was taken aback. He had never seen Omar before.
"O Commander, of the Faithful," he said in
a low voice, "why did you not tell me who you were?"
"No harm has been done," said Omar. "Please
go on with the details of your message."
The Conquest of Iran
A party of Muslims will take the White Palace
of the Iranian Emperor," the Holy Prophet had foretold several years ago.
Madain was the proud capital of Iran. Here
lived the mighty Emperor, in his well-known White Palace. The imperial city was not more than forty miles for Qadisiya.
Saad's army rested after the Qadisiya victory
for two months. When the men were fresh again, Saad ordered them to march towards Madain. Cities and forts that stood on the
way were easily taken. Soon the Muslims reached the banks of the Tigris. The White Palace shimmered in the sun, on the oppostie
bank.
The Iranians had destroyed the bridge on the
river. So Saad ordered some of his men to get across and make the opposite bank safe for a landing. At once sixty horse-men
threw themselves into the river. The sight so frightened the Iranian guards that they ran off, shouting, "The gians have come!
The giants have come!"
Saad crossed over with his army. There was
no opposition. Yezdgird and his courtiers had already fled.
At last the Muslims were inside the White Palace.
Here they met with heaps of precious stones and untold treasures. One-fifth of this rich booty was sent to Medina. The rest
was divided among the men. Every soldier got twelve-thousand pieces of gold, in hard cash, in addition to other valuable objects.
Saad and Omar were both grateful to Allah.
Their men had shown perfect honesty and uprightness throughout the campaign.
Omar Weeps
The rich booty from the White Palace at last
reached Medina. It lay heeped in the Prophet's Mosque. The sight of it brought tears to Omar's eyes.
"There is nothing to weep at," remarked one
of the men standing near him.
"I weep," said Omar, "because riches beget
enmity and mutual bitterness. A nation which has these evils loses its respect."
The botty also included the Emperor's sword.
Its handle was inlaid with jewels or rare beauty. The Caliph admired the beauty of the sword and also praised the honesty
of the troops, who has kept back nothing from what had fallen into their hands.
"Commander of the Faithful," remarked Ali,
"When you yourself set a lofty example of honest, why should your people not be honest?"
The Battle of Nahawand
Omar had no wish to conquer Iran. All he wanted
was to take back Arab lands from the Iranians. This done, he watned to be left alone. He often said, "I wish there was amountain
of fire between us and the Iranians, so that we could live in peace."
But Yezdgird would not let the Muslims live
in peace. All the time he was trying to get back what was once his. This led to constand fighting, the one at Jalul being
a most terrible battl.e Everywhere the Iranians were beaten. Yezdgird fled form place to place but he would not make peace.
At last he went to Khorasan and settled down in Merv. Here he began preparations for an all-out war on the Muslims.
Saad wrote to the Caliph about what was going
on in Iran. Some people suggested that Omar himself should lead an army against Yezdgird. But Ali differed with this view.
He wanted the Caliph to remain in the capital. Omar liked Ali's advice. He appointed Naaman bin Maqran the Commander of the
Army sent against Yezdgird. Naaman was ready to give battle in the month of Muharram, 19 A.H.
The Iranian Emperor led an army of one hundred
and fifty thousand men. The two armies met at Nahawand. For two days they fought without a clear gain to either side. On the
third day, the Iranians went behind fortifications. The Muslims did not want to prolong the fighting; so, by a clever stratagem,
they lured the enemy out into the open.
Grim hand-to-hand fighting now began. It went
on until late in the evening. So much blood flowed that the battlefiled became slippery. Commander Naaman's horse slipped.
He fell down and got wounded. But his brother at once sent him to a safe place. Then he put on Naaman's turban and cloack,
and rose his horse. Thus the army knew nothing about the Commander's absence and kept on fighting as desperatlye as ever.
Under cover of night, the Iranians took to
flight. But they were pursued and killed by the thousands. Huge booty fell into the hands of the victors.
Naaman's wounds proved fatal. However, he liked
to hear the happy news of victory. "A thousand thanks to Allah," he gasped, "send news to Omar." The next moment he was no
more.
Omar was glad to hear the news of victory.
But when the messenger told of Naaman's death, the Caliph started weeping and wept for a long time.
Iran in Muslim Hands
After the victory of Nahawand, Omar made up
his mind to put an end to the problem of Iran once and for all. The cities of Basrah and Kufa had already been founded in
Iraq. They served as military bases for the Muslims. From these bases, several armies were ordered to march under different
commanders to the various provinces of Iran. They completed their task of conquest in about five years. By the year 23A.H.,
almost the whole of Iran was part of the Muslim empire.
Hakam bin Omair Taghlabi marched as far east
as [East Pakistan]. A big Baluch army came to oppose him. The Raja of Sind also sent his army to reinforce this host. Hakam
won the day. Makran became a prt of the Muslim empire. Hakam wanted to march still farther east. He wanted to carry the standard
of Islam to India. But Omar was not in favor of extending his empire. He did not want to spill Muslim blood for the sake of
extending his frontiers. So he forbade Harkam to march beyond Makran.
Yezdgird continued to cause trouble for some
time. He made several bids to win back power by raising armies. He even got military aid from the neighboring Turkish kingdoms.
However, all his attempts failed. At last he gave up hope and fled to Transoxnia, where he was killed during the reign of
Othman.
The Syrian Campaign
War with Byzantium was on when Omar became
Caliph. In a few more days the enemy suffered a big defeat at Yarmuk. But the enemy was not oging to take this defeat as a
final settlement of relations with the Arabs. Byzantium was bent upon wiping out the blot of the defeat. Soon big armies were
gathered at Damascus and at Fahl. The emperor of Byzantium wanted to take back what he had lost. He also wanted to teach the
Arabs a lesson, which they might never forget.
The Muslim Commander, Abu Obaida wrote to the
Caliph asking for instructions. Omar wrote b ack that he must offer a fight on both fronts. So Obaida laid a seige to both
the cities.
Fall of Damascus
Damascus was the capital of Syria. Its defences
were very strong. Abu Obaida, assisted by able generals like Khalid bin Walid, Amr bin As and Yazid bin Abu Sufyan, was directing
the attack. But the Byzantine forces had shut themselves up in the city, and would not come out to fight.
Khalid was constantly on the look-out for an
oppurtunity. He hardly slept at night. One night he noticed unusual excitement inside the city. Spies brought the news that
a son had been born to the Governor and people had given themselves up to drinking and merry-making.
Khalid saw his chance. He crossed the moat,
in the company of a few picked men. They had strong ropes with them. With these they succeeded in climbing onto the city wall.
Then they jumped down, killed the guards and threw open the gate. Up went the shout of, "Allah is Great," Khalid's troops
had rushed into the city!
The Byzantine commanders were taken by complete
surprise. Hastily they opened the opposite gate of the city, went to Abu Obaida and begged for peace. Abu Obaida knew nothing
of Khalid's daring exploit. He readily granted them peace on easy terms.
Marching from the opposite gates, Khalid and
Abu Obaida now knew of the cleverness of the enemy. However, he stuck to the terms that had been granted. Damascus fell in
the month of Rajab 14A.H.
Yazid bin Abu Sufyan was appointed governor
of Damascus. He and his younger brother, Muavia, conquered the surrounding country and its towns.
Heracleus Flees from Syria
The emperor of Byzantium was at Antioch when Damascus fell. Close on the heels of his defeat came the rapid
fall of other important cities. Byzantine forces were being simply swept away by the advancing of Arab conquest. Constant
defeats at last made the Emperor despair of Syria. He left this country for good and set off to the safety of Byzantium. "Good-bye,
O fair land of Syria," he said, with a sigh, as he stood on top of a hill. "Never again shall I set my eyes on you."
The Magic the Muslims Had
On reaching Byzantium, Heracleus sent for a
former prisoner of war. He had fallen in the hands of Muslims and had recently escaped.
"What kind of people are they?" asked the Emperor.
"O Emperor," replied the man, "they are a wonderful
people. They are fearless warriors in the daytime but spend their nights in prayers. They do not get anything from the conquered
people without paying for it. Wherever they go, they carry peace and justice with them. But if a people oppose them, they
do not leave them alone until they give in."
"If they possess such magical powers," said
the Emperor, "they are sure to conquer some day the ground under my feet."
Fall of Antioch and Ajnadain
The Muslims now took Alleppo. Next they marched
on Antioch. This key-city was the Asiatic capital of the Emperor. It was taken without much resistance.
When Abu Obaida and Khalid were busy in Northern
Syria, Yazid son of Abu Sufyan was mopping up enemy pockets in the Lebanese coasstal strip. Taking Beruit, he marched up and
down the entire length of the coast and occupied it.
The stronghold of Ajnadain fell next. Now it
was the turn of Jerusalem. A Muslim army was already laying seige to it.
Fall of Jerusalem
Amr bin As was laying seige to Jerusalem. After
the fall of Antioch, Abu Obaida, Khalid and other Muslim generals also joined Amr. The Christians had little hope of help
from Byzantium. So they decided to give in.
However, the Christians had some fears. They
knew that other cities had given in before. In each case the victors had respected the life and property of the defeated.
They had left alone their places of worship. They had allowed them to follow their own religion. But about Jerusalem the Christians
were not very sure. It was as sacred to the Muslims as it was to them. Before giving in they wanted to make very sure that
they would be treated well.
So the Christians put their proposal before
Abu Obaida. "We are ready to give in," they said, "but your Caliph must come here in person and sign the treaty of peace."
The Muslim generals met in counsel and thought
over the proposal. At last they decided to accept it. "Why spill human blood" they said, "if things can be straightened out
without it?"
So the Christian proposal was conveyed to the
Caliph. Jerusalem could be taken without shedding a drop of blood. But for that Omar had to come all the way from Medina to
Jerusalem. To this Omar readily agreed.
Omar in Jerusalem
The Caliph left Ali in Medina as his deputy and himself left for Jerusalem. He had only one
attendant with him and only one camel to ride. Omar and the attendant rode the camel by turns. It happened to be the servant's
turn to ride on the day when they were to reach Jerusalem. "Commander of the Faithful," said the attendant, "I give up my
turn. It will look awkward, in the eyes of the people, if I ride and you lead the camel."
"Oh no," replied Omar, "I am not going to be
unjust. The honor of Islam is enough for us all."
Abu Obaid, Khalid, Yazid and other officers
of the army went some distance to receive the Caliph. All of them were wearing silk cloaks. This made Omar angry. He took
some pebbles and threw them at his generals, saying, "Have you changed so much in just two years? What dress is this? Even
if you had done this two hundred years from now, I would have dismissed you."
The officers replied, "Commander of the Faithful,
we are in a land where the quality of clothes worn tells the rank of a man. If we wear ordinary clothes, we will command little
respect among the people. However, we are wearing our arms underneath the silken robes."
This answer cooled down the anger of the Caliph.
Next the Caliph signed the treaty of peace.
It ran as follows:
"From the servant of Allah and the Commander
of the Faithful, Omar: The inhabitants of Jerusalem are granted security of life and property. Their churches and crosses
shall be secure. This treaty applies to all people of the city. Their places of worship shall remain intact. These shall neither
be taken over nor pulled down. People shall be quite free to follow their religion. They shall not be put to any trouble..."
The gates of the city were now opened. Omar
went straight to the Temple of David (Masjid-i-Aqsa). Here he said his prayer under David's Arch.
Next he visited the biggest Christian church
of the city. He was in the church when the time for the afternoon prayer came.
"You may say your prayers in the church," said
the Bishop.
"No," replied Omar, "if I do so, the Muslims
may one day make this an excuse for taking over the church from you."
So he said his prayers on the steps of the
church. Even then, he gave the Bishop a writing. It said that the steps were never to be used for congregational prayers nor
was the Adhan [ call to prayer ] to be said there.
Omar's Mosque
Omar wanted to build a mosque in Jerusalem. He asked the Bishop which
place would be suitable for the purpose. The Bishop suggested the "Sakhra," or the rock on which Allah had talked to Prophet
Jacob. Here the Christians had heaped garbage to tease the Jews.
Immediatley the Sakhra was cleared of the garbage. Omar
himself worked like a laborer with the rest of his men. Jeruslaem, the city of David and of Christ, wittnessed the equality
of Islam. When the Sakhra had been cleared of every trace of dirt, a mosque was built on the site. The mosque stand to this
day and is known as Omar's Mosque.
Northern Iraq OccupiedNorthern Iraq had thus
far been left alone. This part of Iraq was called 'Jazira.' The people of Jazira made a plot to oust the Muslims from Syria.
They asked the Emperor of Byzantium to send out an army to help them carry out the plot. He did so. The people of Jazira joined
hands with this army. Abu Obaida and other Muslim generals were forced to shut themselves up in the city of Hims. The enemy
laid seige to the city. The Caliph got the alarming news. He himself set out at the head of a forces to help his men. But
before he reached the city, the enemy had been beaten off.
The Caliph now ordered the Jazira be occupied.
Ayaz bin Ghanam carried out the order and overran Jazira.
The Great Plague
In the year 17-18 A.H., Iraq, Syria and Egypt found themselves in
the grip of a widespread plague. The epidemic took away a great part of the population.
The Muslim army in Syria was also
hit by the epidemic. So heavy was the toll taken by it that Omar himself had to go to Syria to study things. At Saraa, he
was received by army leaders. They implored him to keep out of the affected area. The Calpih sought the advice of leading
Companions. They differed. At last Omar chose to go back. Seeing this, Abu Obaida said "Omar, are you running away from teh
decree of Allah?"
"Yes," replied Omar, "I am running away from
the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah."
In the meantime Abdur Rahman bin Auf also came
up. "I have heard the Messenger of Allah say," he said, "'Do not go to a place where an epidemic is raging.'"
Some days after Omar had left, Abu Obaida died
of plague. His successor, Maaz bin Jabal met the same fat. The command now passed into the hands of Amr bin As. He at once
ordered his troops to spread out on hill tops. This wise step brought the epidemic under control. But no less than tweny thousand
warriors had already died. Among them were some of the topmost generals of Islam. These men, if they had lived on, could have
conquered the whole world of Islam.
When the epidemic was over Omar paid his last
visit to Syria. The purpose of the visit was to settle on the spot many problems created by the terrible epidemic. Some miles
from the city of Ela, he gave his horse to his servant and himself rode the servant's camel.
"Where is the Commander of the Faithful" people
asked the servant.
"There he goes before you!" the servant replied,
pointing to the camel-rider. This amazed the people. They could hardly beleive their eyes. At last they knew that Islam makes
no distinction between master and servant.
During his stay in Syria, the Caliph distributed
relief to families that had lost their bread-winners. New officers were appointed in place of the ones who had died.
One evening, people insisted that the Calpih
should request Bilal to say the Adhan. Bilal who had never said the Adhan after the Prophet's death, accepted Omar's request.
As he began, his melodious voice recalled to people's minds the good old memories of the Prophet's Mosque and all began to
weep.
The Famine
In the following year there was a great famine in Hijaz. The Calpih took steps to get food supplies
from Syria and Egypt. All the same, the general suffering was widespread.
Omar felt very much for his people. So much
so that he swore not to touch butter and honey as long as the famine lasted.
This had a bad effect on his health. Seeing
this, his servant managed to get some butter and honey with the meals on day. But Omar refused to touch them, saying, "If
I do not taste suffering, how can I know the suffering of others?"
The Egyptian Campaign
Amr bin As was very
keen to conquer Egypt. He had been to that country and knew how green and fertile it was. In 18 A.H., when Omar visited Syria,
Amr asked permission to invade Egypt. The Calpih was not very willing, but Amr pressed his point. At last Amr was allowed
to march at the head of four thousand men.
Amr had not yet crossed into Egypt when he
received a letter from the Caliph. It called him back. The thought that human blood would be unnecessarily spilled had made
Omar change his mind. But Amr was so bent on conquering Egypt that he did not open the letter until he had crossed into that
country.
The Viceroy's Daughter Treated with Honor
Egypt was under the rule of a Viceroy of the Emperor of Byzantium. The Emperor kept
a large number of troops in Egypt. The troops were under an imperial commander.
Amr bin As had his first battle with the imperial
troops. The battle went on for a month. At last Amr won a victory in the end. This made further advance easy.
Continuing his march, Amr took the city of
Balkis. Here lived the Viceroy's daughter. She had been married to the Emperor's son but had yet to leave for Byzantium. She
was preparing to leave for her husband's city. With her rich dowry she fell into Muslim hands. But Amr sent her to her father,
with all her belongings. The Viceroy felt very grateful to Amr for this act of kindness.
The Viceroy Gives In
Amr now marched on to the biggest stronghold of the imperial forces.
It stood on the easter bank of the Nile. Facing it, stood the Viceroy's palace on the western bank.
The commander of the
imperial forces shut himself up in the fortress. Amr laid seige to it. The seige went on but there seemed little hope of victory.
So Amr wrote to Medina and the Caliph sent a reinforcement of twelve thousand men. With it came some of the most noted veterans.
One of them, Zubair, was a very strong man. He managed to climb on the wall of the fortress. After him went many more. Together
they raised the shout of "Allah is Great." The imperial commander lost his nerve. Boats stood ready at the back of his fortress.
He and his men sat in the boats and sailed off.
The sheild that protected the Viceroy was now
gone. So he sent men to Amr to sue for peace. Amr kept the envoys with him for two days so that they might study the Muslim
way of life. Then he sent them back with a hopeful reply.
When the envoys went back, the Viceroy asked
them what kind of men the victors were.
"Our lord," they replied, "the Muslims are
a people who love death more than we love life. They love humility better than pride. Greed is unknown to them. They do not
think it degrading to sit on the ground. They eat without sitting at a table. Their Commander is just one of them. There is
no special mark about him. The Muslims know no distinction between the high and the low of the master and the servant. When
the time for prayer comes, they all wash up and stand shoulder to shoulder, in all humility, before the Lord."
The Viceroy was much impressed.
"Such a people," he declared, "will overcome
any power. We better make peace with them."
So the Viceroy signed a treat of peace. By
this treaty, the Muslims granted the Coptics security of life and property and freedom of faith. The Coptics, on their part,
undertook to help the Muslims in their fight against imperial troops.
The treaty made the Emperor of Byzantium
very angry. But the Viceroy of Egypt did not care for it. He firmly stood by the terms of the treaty and so did the Muslims.
The result was that in a short time the greater part of Egypt was cleared of imperial troops.
Fall of Alexandria
Alexandria was the last stronghold of the imperial forces in Egypt. Byzantium could
easily sent men and supplies to Alexandria by sea. Its fall, therefore, seemed difficult.
At last Amr laid seige to the city. For six
months the seige dragged on and victory seemed no nearer. This worried Omar and he wrote the following letter to Amr:
"I am afraid the Muslims have not lived up
to the teachings of the Quran and the example of the Holy Prophet. Tell all Muslims to beware of this shortcoming. Urge them
to be sincere, jardy and warlike. Give the enemy a final blow with the help of other army leaders."
Amr read out the Caliph's letter to the army.
These orders were at once carried out. At last Alexandria fell after a seige of a full six months.
It was midday when the messenger reached Medina
with the news of victory. He did not like to disturb the Caliph at that hour of the day and sat down in the Prophet's Mosque.
But a servant told Omar of the messenger's arrival. The Calpih ran out and said to the messenger, "Why did you not come striaght
to me?"
"I thought," replied the man, "you might be
having a nap."
"What a pity you thought so!" exclaimed Omar.
"If I start sleeping during the day, who will look after the affairs of the State?"
The conquest of Egypt was now complete. Amr
founded a city on the Nile bank and named it Fustat. In the middle of it, he built a big mosque. In the course of years, the
city of Cairo grew up in the neighborhood of this city. By the year 23 A.H., Amr had pushed Muslim arms as far as west Tripoli.
Omar's Letter to the Nile
The Coptics were Christians. But they followed
a savage practice. They used to hold a big festival in the early summer each year. This was a day of general merrymaking.
However, the day was also marred with human sacrifice. A beatiful maiden, dressed as a bride, was thrown into the Nile. People
that that the sacrifice was necessary to please the Nile, and get a big flood of water for their parched fields. If the Nile
got displeased, they thought, there would be no flood and hence no crops.
The Coptics asked Amr's permission to sacrifice
a maiden as usual. He disallowed the savage act. It so happened that the Nile had very little water that year. Crops failed.
Many of the peasants decided to leave the country. Amr wrote to the Caliph for advice.
The Caliph approved Amr's action. He also sent
a letter, addressed to the Nile. It said:
"From the servant of Allah and Commander of
the Muslims to the River of the Nile of Egypt. O Nile, if you flow of your own will, then do not flow. But if your flow is
controlled by Allah, the Almighty, we pray to Him to keep you flowing."
This letter was thrown into the river, as directed
by the Caliph. The river overflowed its banks that year. Such a big flood had not been seen for years. The country was once
again green with crops. The peasants were happy. The savage practice of human sacrifice came to an end for ever.
Omar's Death
There lived in Medina a Persian slave, Abu Lolo Firoz by name. One day, he came
to the Calpih and said, "My master squeezes too heavy a tax out of me. Please get it reduced."
"How much is the tax?" asked Omar.
"Two dirhams a day," replied the slave.
"And what skills do you posses?" was the next
question of the Caliph.
"I am a carpentar, a painter, and a black-smith,"
Firoz said.
"Then the tax is by no means too heavy," the
Calpih remarked. "A person with your skills can easy pay this tax and shall live comfortably."
"All right, I will settle with you," grunted
the slave as he went away.
Omar took no notice of the words.
"I have been rebuked by a slave." he remarked
with a smile.
Early next morning Omar went to the mosque
as usual to lead the prayer. Abu Lolo was already hiding in the corner, with a dagger in hand. As soon as Omar began the prayer,
the slave jumped on him. He gave six cuts with the dagger on the Caliph's body. The horrified worshippers overpowered the
assasin. Thereupon the wretch slew himself with the same dagger.
Omar kept lying in a pool of blood until the
prayer was over. Then he was carried home.
"Who is my assasin?" he asked.
"Abu Lolo," said the people.
"Allah be thanked!" said Omar. "It is not a
Muslim who has shed my blood."
A physician was called in to dress and treat
the wounds of the Caliph. He said they were too deep to be healed. At this many people who stood around began to weep.
"Please do not weep," implored Omar. "Have
you not heard the Messenger of Allah say that the weeping of relatives adds to the torture of the dead person?"
Finding his end in sight, Omar called his son,
Abdullah.
"My son," he said, "go to Aisha. Give her Omar's
greetings. Do not refer to me as the Commander of the Faithful; for I am no longer one. Place before her my wish to be buried
in her room, by the side of the Prophet and my illustrious predecessor."
Abdullah found Aisha weeping. He delivered
his father's message to her.
"I wanted to reserve this spot for my own grave,
but I prefer Omar to myself," said Aisha.
Abdullah conveyed Aisha's consent to his dying
father.
"Allah be thanked!" said Omar. "This was the
greatest wish of my life. But look, son, when you take my dead body to Aisha's room, again give her my greetings and ask her
permission. If she allows, bury me there, otherwise bury me in the graveyard of Medina."
Fall of Jerusalem
After the battle of Yermuk, when the main Muslim
army under Abu Ubaida and Khalid left for the north of Syria, some Muslim contingents under Amr bin al-As and Shurahbil remain
stationed in the southern sector comprising Jordan and Palestine.
Finding that the bulk of the Muslim army had
left, Artabun the Byzantine Governor assembled a large force at Ajnadin in another bid to drive away the Muslims from Syria.
The battle at Ajnadin fought towards the close 636 C.E. was very bloody and gruesome. Both sides fought bravely but ultimately
the Byzantines were defeated, Artabun defeated with heavy loss fled to Jerusalem with the remnant of his army.
After the victory of Ajnadin the Muslim forces
spread in all directions in Jordan and Palestine. The towns of Sabtah, Gaza, Nablus, Bait-Jibrin and many other towns were
captured one after the other. That cleared the way to Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem sacred to the Jews and the Christians
was strongly fortified. It was protected on every side naturally by deep valleys and steep ascents. Further, military engines
were mounted on the walls which were intended for playing havoc with the advancing invader. It was the winter season, and
the severity of the winter added to the difficulties of the besieging Muslim force. The siege dragged on and the Byzantines
offered very stiff resistance.
Amr bin al-As the Muslim Commander in the southern
sector wrote to Abu Ubaida for reinforcement. By this time, northern Syria had fallen to the Muslims and Aba Ubaida was able
to spare many contingents which rushed to the aid of the Muslims fighting in the southern sector. When the citizens of Jerusalem
came to know that the besieging Muslim forces has been considerably strengthened they lost heart. Finding further resistance
futile, the Patriarch of Jerusalem sued for peace. He said that it was written in their holy books that the city would surrender
to the man who was the best among the Muslims. He accordingly desired that the Caliph Umar (ra) should come to Jerusalem personally
to receive the surrender of the city.
Abu Ubaida referred the matter to Caliph Umar
at Madina. Caliph Umar called a meeting of his Consultative Council, and asked for their advice. Othman (who later served
as the third Caliph) expressed the view that it was not necessary for the Caliph to go and that the defeated Byzantines would
themselves surrender. Ali (who later served as fourth Caliph) said that Jerusalem was as much sacred to the Muslims as the
Jews or the Christians, and that in view of the sanctity of the place it was desirable that its surrender should be received
by the Caliph personally. Caliph Umar decided to accept the advice of Ali.
Leaving Ali (ra) as his deputy in Madina, Caliph
Umar proceeded to Jerusalem. No retinue accompanied the Caliph. Caliph Umar was accompanied by one servant, and between these
two persons they had only one camel which they rode turn by turn. As they neared Jabia where the Muslim commanders were to
meet Caliph Umar, it was the turn of the servant to ride. The servant wanted Caliph Umar to ride the animal but Caliph Umar
refused. As they came to Jabia the people saw the strange spectacle of the servant riding the camel and the Caliph walking
on foot.
At Jabia the Muslim Commanders met Caliph Umar.
Abu Ubaida was dressed in coarse garments, and Caliph Umar was much pleased to meet him. Yazid bin Abu Sufyan, Khalid bin
Walid and some other commanders were dressed in fine clothes and Caliph Umar expressed his displeasure at their gaudy dress.
Abu Ubaida explained in detail the situation in Syria. He elaborated how with the grace of God the Muslims had been able to
overthrow the mighty Byzantine power in Syria. As Caliph Umar saw the green fields, orchards and lofty buildings of Syria
he was greatly moved and he recited from the Holy Quran:
They have left many a garden, fountain, park,
arbor, and riches which they used to enjoy. Thus it is that We put another community in possession thereof.
A deputation from Jerusalem waited on Caliph
Umar at Jabia and a treaty was drawn up. According to the treaty security of life and property were guaranteed to all citizens
of Jerusalem. The safety of churches and other religious buildings and places was provided for. The citizens were required
to pay Jizya. Any one not agreeable to owe allegiance to the Muslims was given the option to leave the city.
After the treaty had been drawn up, Caliph
Umar decided to travel to Jerusalem. Again he traveled in a simple way as an ordinary traveler. No guard was suffered to accompany
him. He rode on a poor horse, and refused to change it for a better charger.
At the gate of Jerusalem, Caliph Umar was greeted
by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the elite of the city, and the Muslim commanders. While those who had come to receive him wore
costly dress, Caliph Umar was dressed in a garment of coarse cloth ordinarily worn by an average Arab. When some one advised
him to wear a better dress befitting the State occasion, Caliph Umar turned down the suggestion saying that he derived his
strength and status from his faith in Islam, and not from any dress. When the Patriaich of Jerusalem saw the simplicity of
the Caliph of Islam, and then looked to own costly dress, he said, "Verily Islam has excelled all other religions."
The Patriarch of Jerusalem handed over the
keys of the Jerusalem to Caliph Umar. The Muslims were now the masters of Jerusalem. That was a special divine favor of God
to the Muslims. As Caliph Umar entered the city he was greeted by the citizens with great enthusiasm. Caliph Umar said that
he wanted to be led to some place where he could offer thanksgiving prayer to God. He was led to a church but he refused to
pray there, on the ground that it would set a precedent for the Muslims of the following generations to forcibly convert churches
into mosques. He was thereafter led to a place where the prophet David (Dawood, pbuh) used to pray. Caliph Umar offered special
prayers of thanksgiving and Muslims joined him. As the Byzantines watched the Muslims at pray, they felt that such people
so obedient to God were bound to command. The Patriarch said that he was not sorry for surrendering the city for he had surrendered
it to a better people.
Caliph Umar stayed in Jerusalem for a few days.
He reorganized the administration, and made the necessary arrangements to look after the needs of the citizens. He founded
a Mosque at an elevated place in the city. This mosque came to be known as Umar's Mosque. On the inaugural occasion Bilal
(ra) was requested to give the call to prayer as he used to do in the time of the Holy Prophet. After the death of the Prophet
(pbuh), Bilal had ceased to give the Adhan. At the request of Caliph Umar he agreed to give Adhan to mark the foundation of
Umar's mosque. As Bilal (ra) gave the call to pray in his stentorian voice, Caliph Umar and the Muslims wept recalling the
days when the Prophet used to be in their midst. As the inspiring words of the Adban resounded in the hills and dales, the
people stood in awe realizing that a new era had dawned in Syria.
Umar's Address after Jerusalm
After receiving the surrender of Jerusalem
and completing the tour of Syria when Caliph Umar was returning to Madina he led the prayer at Jabiah. On this occasion he
delivered an address which is preserved in history. The major part of his address was:
"O ye people I counsel you to read the Qur’an.
Try to understand it and ponder over it. Imbibe the teachings of the Qur’an. Then practise what the Quran teaches. The
Qur’an is not theoretical; it is a practical code of life. The Qur’an does not bring you the message of the Hereafter
only; it is primarily intended to guide you in this life. Mold your life in accordance with the teachings of Islam for that
is the way of your well being. By following any other way you will be inviting destruction.
"Fear Allah (The One True God), and whatever
you want seek from Him. All men are equal. Do not flatter those in authority. Do not seek favors from others. By such acts
you demean yourself. And remember that you will get only that is ordained for you, and no one can give you anything against
the will of God. Then why seek things from others over which they have no control? Only supplicate God for He alone is the
sovereign.
"And speak the truth. Do not hesitate to say
what you consider to be the truth. Say what you feel. Let your conscience be your guide. Let your intentions be good, for
verily God is aware of your intentions. In your deeds your intentions count. Fear God, and fear no one else. Why fear others
when you know that whatever sustenance ordained for you by God you will get under all circumstances? And again why fear when
you know that death is ordained by God alone and will come only when He wills?
"Allah has for the time being made me your
ruler. But I am one of you. No special privileges belong to ruler. I have some responsibilities to discharge, and in this
I seek your cooperation. Government is a sacred trust, and it is my endeavor not to betray the trust in any way. For the fulfillment
of the trust I have to be a watch-man. I have to be strict. I have to enforce discipline. I have to run the administration
not on the basis of personal idiosyncracies; I have to run it in public interest and for promoting the public good. For this
we have the guidance in the Book of God. Whatever orders I issue in the course of day to day administration have to conform
to the Qur’an. God has favored us with Islam. He sent to us His Messenger (Muhammad, pbuh). He has chosen us for a mission.
Let us fulfil that mission. That mission is the promotion of Islam. In Islam lies our safety; if we err we are doomed."
Umar's Wife acts as a midwife
It was the usual practice of Caliph Umar that
he would patrol the streets and suburbs of Madina to watch the interests of the people, and attend to their needs. One day
Caliph Umar noticed a tent pitched in an open space outside Medina. A person was sitting outside the tent, and some one inside
the tent was groaning.
Caliph Umar went to the man, greeted him, and
wanted to know who he was. The man said that he was a man of the desert, and had come to Medina to wait on the Commander of
the Faithful (Amirul Mominin) to seek his assistance. Umar next asked who was groaning inside the tent. The man said that
his wife was groaning with labor pains; he was a stranger in Madina and did not know what to do. Caliph Umar enquired whether
he had any woman to look after the confinement of his wife. He said there was none. Caliph Umar said: "Do not worry, I will
make the necessary arrangements." Caliph Umar came home, and asked his wife Umm Kulsum to accompany him on a mission of service.
Umm Kulsum got ready and took with her such things as might be needed for purposes of confinement. Caliph Umar took with him
some provisions for the purposes of cooking a meal.
Caliph Umar returned to the camp with his wife.
Umm Kulsum went inside the tent to attend to the women in pain, while Caliph Umar sat outside the tent with the Bedouin and
began cooking some meals for him.
After an hour or so when the meals had been
cooked, Umm Kulsum addressed Caliph Umar: "Amirul Mominin! Congratulate your guest on the birth of a son." Hearing this the
Bedouin felt much embarrassed. Turning to Caliph Umar he said, "Amirul Mominin, why did you not reveal your identity? You
have overwhelmed me with your benevolence." Caliph Umar put all his fears to rest saying: "That's all right. There is nothing
to worry about. Thank God, I have been of some service to you at the time of your need. You may come to me tomorrow and I
will see what can be done further to help you." It was late at night when Caliph Umar and Umm Kulsum left. The Bedouin thanked
God and said: "God be praised I came to seek the Commander of the Faithful, and God send the Commander of the Faithful to
seek me."
Umar's sond marries a milkmaid
One night, Caliph Umar as usual went in disguise
with his companion Ibn Abbas to see the condition of the people. They strolled from one quarter to another. At last they came
to a colony where poor people lived.
While passing by a small house, the Caliph
heard a whispering talk within. The mother was telling her daughter that the amount of milk fetched by her for sale that day
was very little. She told her that when she was young, and used to sell milk, she always mixed water with milk, and that led
to considerable profit. She advised her daughter to do the same.
The girl said, "You adulterated milk, when
you were not a Muslim. Now that we are Muslims, we cannot adulterate milk." The mother said that Islam did not stand in the
way of adulteration of milk. The daughter said, "Have you forgotten the Caliph's order? He wants that the milk should not
be adulterated." The mother said, "But the Caliph has forgotten us. We are so poor, what else should we do but adulterate
milk in order win bread?" The daughter said "Such a bread would not be lawful, and as a Muslim I would not do anything which
is against the orders of the Caliph, and whereby other Muslims are deceived."
The mother said, "But there is neither the
Caliph nor any of his officers here to see what we do. Daughter you are still a child. Go to bed now and tomorrow I will myself
mix the milk with water for you." The girl refused to fall in with the plan of her mother. She said, "Caliph may or may not
be here, but his order must be obeyed. My conscience is my Caliph. You may escape the notice of the Caliph and his officers,
but how can we escape the notice of Allah and our own conscience." Thereupon the mother remained quiet. The lamp was extinguished
and the mother and the daughter went to sleep.
The next day, Caliph Umar sent a man to purchase
milk from the girl. The milk was unadulterated. The girl kept her resolve. CaliphUmar turned to his companion and said, "The
girl has kept her resolve in spite of the exhortation of her mother. She deserves a reward. What reward should I give her?"
"She should be paid some money," said Ibn Abbas. Caliph Umar said, "Such a girl would become a great mother. Her integrity
is not to be weighed with few coins; it is to be measured in the scale of national values. I shall offer her the highest award
in my gift, and which shall also be in the highest interest of the nation."
The Caliph summoned the daughter and the mother
to his court. The mother trembled as she stood before the mighty ruler. But the girl faced the Caliph boldly and with great
equanimity. She was beautiful, and there was an impressive dignity about her. Then before the gathering, Caliph Umar related
how he had overheard the mother and the daughter, and how in spite of the exhortations of the mother the daughter had kept
her resolve.
Someone suggested that the mother should be
taken to task. The Caliph said that ordinarily he would have punished the mother, but he had forgiven her for the sake of
her daughter. Turning to the girl the great Caliph said, "Islam needs daughters like you and as a Caliph of Islam it devolves
on me to reward you by owning you as a daughter." The Caliph called his sons, and addressing them said, "Here is a gem of
a girl who would make a great mother. I desire that one of you should take this girl as wife. I know of no better bride than
this girl of sterling character. In matters of wedlock, it should be the character and not the stature in life that should
count."
Abdullah and Abdur Rahman the elder sons of
the Caliph were already married. Asim the third son was yet unmarried, and he offered to marry the girl. Thereupon with the
consent of the milkmaid and her mother Asim was married to the girl, and milkmaid became the daughter-in-law of the Caliph.
From this union was born a daughter Umm Asim,
who became in due course the mother of Umar bin Abdul Aziz. Umar bin AbdulAziz was elected as Caliph and served for a short
period during 717 - 720.
While other Caliphs of the Ummayad dynasty
reveled in luxury, Umar bin Abdul Aziz as a Caliph set up standards for austerity and simplicity following in the footsteps
of Caliph Umar, the second Caliph of Islam. It is said that if ever there was a noble Caliph after the first four "Rightly
guided Caliphs,"such a man was Umar bin Abdul Aziz. And he inherited the noble qualities of the milkmaid who married the Caliph's
son, and those of Caliph Umar Farooq who had the eye to discern the nobler qualities of sterling character in a poor girl.
Caliph Umar's inaugural address
After the assumption of office as the second
Caliph, Umar soon realized that he was more feared than loved. Abu Bakr, his predecessor, was tender and soft hearted. Whenever
he appeared in the streets of Madina, the children ran to him saying "Father, Father."
On the occasion of the first Friday prayer
after his assumption of office as Caliph, Umar addressed the faithful assembled in the mosque of the Prophet in the following
terms:
"Brethren, it has come to my notice that the
people are afraid of me. They say when the Holy Prophet was alive, Umar was harsh to us. During the caliphate of Abu Bakr,
Umar was hard and stern. Now that he has become the Caliph himself, God knows how hard he will be. Whoever has said this is
not wrong in his assessment.
"The truth of the matter is that I was the
slave and servant of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet was most kind hearted, liberal and generous. In contrast I was hard
and harsh. Sometimes he ignored my point of view. There were occasions when he agreed with me. Till the death of the Holy
Prophet that remained the situation between him and me. Thank God, the Holy Prophet was pleased with me. Though the Holy Prophet
sometimes accepted my advice, and sometimes turned it down, yet he approved of my conduct.
"During the caliphate of Abu Bakr my role remained
the same. Abu Bakr was most soft hearted and tender. It was my business to bring the other side of the picture to his notice.
He always took my point of view into consideration, but the ultimate decision lay with him. Sometimes he agreed with me, and
I acted as his agent to enforce a decision which appeared to be harsh. Sometimes he did not agree with me, and I had to remain
quiet. I am happy that throughout the period of his office, Abu Bakr approved of my conduct, and ultimately nominated me as
his successor, although I did not covet the office.
"Now that the entire responsibility has come
to vest in me, know ye brethren that you will feel a change in me. I will no longer be hard and stern in all matters. For
those who practice tyranny and deprive others of their rights, I will be harsh and stern, but for those who follow the law,
and are devoted to religion, I will be most soft and tender. I will not tolerate any person make any excess. He who commits
any tyranny, him I will sternly call to account. I will be harsh and stern against the aggressor, but I will be a pillar of
strength for the weak and the meek. They will find in me their best friend.
"Friends you have some rights on me, and I
tell you of these rights, so that you may be in a position to call me to account. These rights are:
Firstly, that I should not exact any tax or
other levy from you not authorized by law;
Secondly, that whatever taxes are lawfully realized from you are spent in your
best interests;
Thirdly, it is incumbent on me that I should protect the frontiers of your land;
Fourthly, it is my
duty to promote your prosperity and look after your interests;
and Fifthly, it is my obligation to do justice.
"O servants of God, continue to fear
God. Suppress your selfish motives and work for the solidarity of the Muslims as a whole. In running the State, you are my
partners. Help me with your sound advice. If I follow the right path laid down by God and His Prophet follow me. If I deviate,
correct me. Strengthen me with your advice and suggestions. Let us pray for the glory of Islam."