Hazrat Umar Farooq — Page 37
CHAPTER 5 SALIENT FEATURES OF HADHRAT UMAR’S LIFE HAZRAT UMAR LOVED ALLAH THE MOST AND FEAR HIM THE MOST. Hadhrat Umar always acted upon God’s commandments. He wanted to please God and did not do anything to displease Him. He had strong faith in God Almighty. There were occasions when Muslims had to face a much stronger enemy. On such occasions Hadhrat Umar used to prostrate before Allah for hours begging Him for help, believing that God would surely fulfil His promise and Muslims would triumph. He loved the Holy Quran, Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and Hadhrat Abu Bakr, very dearly. He had great regard for the family members of the Holy Prophet and for the Companions of the Holy Prophet. Once he was lying in his bed and looked very worried. Someone inquired about his health. He replied, “I am not worried about my health. The thought, that I might not have discharged my duties towards my people in the best possible way, worries me. I might have committed mistakes in some cases because of my weaknesses and shortcomings. I might have failed to fulfil my obligations towards my people. God might call me to account for the people who went to bed hungry while I had my fill, or had no clothes to wear while I had nice clothes on. I am accountable to Him even for a goat which was killed in Iraq, for example, during the fighting. I am so weak that I cannot bear the hardships of this world, how can I face the punishment of the Hereafter. It is only God’s grace that I may be spared from the fires of hell and allowed to enter paradise. ” He advised Muslims to fear Allah and supplicate before Him and ask His forgiveness because it is only His forgiveness that can save them from the fires of hell. He is reported to have said, “My only desire is that Allah, in whose hands is my life, would let me off without any punishment. ” HADHRAT UMAR’S LOVE FOR THE HOLY QURAN Hadhrat Umar loved the Holy Quran so much that most often he would start crying with emotion during its recitation. Hadhrat Umar’s son Hadhrat Abdullah related that once he was standing in the third row in a congregational Prayer, which Hadhrat Umar was leading and he heard Hadhrat Umar crying bitterly while reciting the verses of the Holy Quran. Hadhrat Umar wished that all Muslims should lead their lives according to the teachings of the Quran. He promoted the study of the Holy Quran and ordered the establishment of educational institutions to teach the Holy Quran in all parts of Muslim Empire. He also urged Muslims to commit the text of the Holy Quran to memory. 37