ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb
عمر بن الخطاب
- Dates
- 584–644 CE / 40 BH–23 AH
- Relation to the Prophet ﷺ
- Father-in-law through Ḥafṣah; early convert after six years of opposition
The Prophet ﷺ made duʿāʾ that Islam be strengthened through ʿUmar. It was answered dramatically — his conversion changed the religion's trajectory in Makkah.
Life
ʿUmar set out one day to kill the Prophet ﷺ. On the way, he heard his sister reciting the Qurʾan. He entered her house furious; left a Muslim. His conversion emboldened the community to pray openly at the Kaaba for the first time.
As the second caliph, ʿUmar expanded the Islamic state across what is now Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and parts of North Africa — in ten years. He established the Hijri calendar, created the dīwān (state register), and walked the streets of Madinah at night checking on the poor. His sternness is legendary; his humility was equal to it. He was stabbed while leading Fajr prayer by a Persian slave. He asked, dying, to be buried beside the Prophet ﷺ and Abū Bakr. Permission was granted.
Passages that mention ʿUmar
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"Umar said, “It is not from the generosity of a man to use his guest. The guest asked if he should awaken the servant. Umar replied, “He is at the start of his sleep. Umar then stood up, took the lamp, and filled it with oil. The guest said, “You, yourself, attended to this, O Leader of the Faithful? Umar replied, “I went as Umar and returned as Umar, nothing diminished from me."
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"Now, there is another account involving Ubayy ibn Ka'b. Abu al-Darda' traveled to Medina with a group from Damascus. One day, they recited to 'Umar a verse from Surah Al-Fath: "When those who disbelieved harbored in their hearts pride, the pride of ignorance." 'Umar asked, "Who taught you this?" They replied, "Ubayy ibn Ka'b." When Ubayy arrived, 'Umar asked him to recite. Ubayy said, "By Allah, O 'Umar, you know that I was present when they were absent, and I was brought close when they were kept away. By Allah, if you wish, I will remain in my house and not narrate anything or teach anyone until I die." 'Umar responded,"
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"and Umar executed his will. He died in Homs in the year twenty-one, and he had come before that for Umrah and returned. Al-Waqidi narrated that Umar expressed his sorrow and prayed for mercy upon Khalid, saying, "By Allah, he was a barrier against the enemy, blessed in his endeavors." Ali asked Umar, "Then why did you dismiss him?" Umar replied, "I dismissed him for his generosity with wealth to the noble and eloquent." Ali suggested, "You should have removed him from wealth and left him with the army." Umar replied, "He would not have been content." Ali said, "Then why did you not test him?""
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"He said: In it Umar expelled the Jews of Khaybar from it to Adhri'at and elsewhere; and in it Umar likewise expelled the Jews of Najran from it to Kufa, and divided Khaybar, Wadi al-Qura and Najran among the Muslims. He said: In it Umar instituted the registers; others claimed that he instituted them before this, and God knows best. He said: In it Umar sent Alqama ibn Mujazziz al-Mudliji to Abyssinia by sea, and they suffered losses, so Umar swore to himself never to send an army by sea after it."
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"Al-Asma'i said, from Salama, from Bilal, from Mujalid, from al-Sha'bi, who said: Umar and Khalid wrestled when they were boys, for Khalid was the son of Umar's maternal uncle, and Khalid broke Umar's shin; it was treated and set, and that was the cause of the enmity between them. Al-Asma'i said, from Ibn Awn, from Muhammad ibn Sirin, who said: Khalid came in to Umar wearing a shirt of silk, and Umar said: "What is this, Khalid?""
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"This narration is considered weak, but other supporting accounts are mentioned in the biography of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Al-Bayhaqi narrated that during the time of Umar, some men seemed to prefer Umar over Abu Bakr. When this reached Umar, he said, By Allah, a night with Abu Bakr is better than the family of Umar, and a day with Abu Bakr is better than the family of Umar."
Related: ʿUmar audiobook · Abu Bakr al-Siddiq · Qurʾan 2:152 — So remember Me · Book of Knowledge · Best Islamic audiobook apps
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