Hazrat Umar Farooq — Page 25
killed during the battle. When the news of his death reached Hadhrat Umar, he wept at this loss. The Muslim army advanced and captured city after city until the whole of Persia came under their control. The emperor fled and went into hiding. A VOICE FROM THE SKY In one of the battles against the Persians Hadhrat Saaria bin Zaneem was commanding the Muslim army. The Muslims were winning the battle but when fresh reinforcements came to the aid of the enemy, they attacked the Muslims fiercely. The attack was so sudden and intense that it looked as if the Muslims were on the verge of defeat. Hadhrat Umar, who was delivering the Friday sermon in Madinah, saw the events of the battleground in a vision. He shouted aloud during the sermon, “Saaria, retire to the mountain; to the mountain. ” Everyone who was listening to his sermon was greatly surprised at these remarks. Hadhrat Saaria and the Muslim soldiers heard Hadhrat Umar’s voice hundreds of miles away as if the voice was coming from the sky. The Muslim Commander immediately led his soldiers into the mountain to safety. Eventually, the Muslims won the battle. In a letter, which reached Madinah a few days later, Hadhrat Saaria gave the full account of the events. He wrote that the battle with the Persians started early on Friday and continued until Friday Prayer time. Suddenly they heard Hadhrat Umar’s command ‘ Saaria, retire to the mountain. ’ He acted immediately and told his soldiers to go towards the mountain. The imminent defeat was thus avoided and the Muslims gained victory. It should be noted that God, Who is in full control of the physical world, shows such signs in order to convince His favourite people that He is with them. Numerous such examples can be found in Islamic history. THE PROPHECY OF GOLD BANGLES FULFILLED It is related that when the treasures of Persia came to Madinah, it included the gold bangles of the king of Persia, which he used to wear on State functions. Hadhrat Umar sent for Suraqa and made him wear the bangles in order to fulfil a prophecy of the Holy Prophet, which he had made while fleeing from Makkah to Madinah. It so happened that when God commanded the Holy Prophet to leave Makkah, he managed to leave his house without being seen, in spite of the siege by the Makkans who wanted to kill him. The Makkans sent parties in every direction to capture him and had announced a reward of one hundred camels for any one who would bring him back, dead or alive. Suraqa bin Maalik, who had heard of the reward, was on the lookout too. One day he saw from a distance that the Holy Prophet was heading towards Madinah along with Hadhrat Abu Bakr. Suraqa, sure of the reward, spurred his horse in that direction. When he came close, the legs of his horse sank in the sand and he fell down. He got up, consulted his arrows in an old Arab fashion. The arrows predicted that it wasn’t a good omen for him to go further, but the temptation of the reward was so great that he got on his horse again and set out after the Holy Prophet. As he came closer, the legs of his horse sank in the sand and he fell down from the horse once again. Suraqa consulted his arrows for the second time, and they gave the same message of bad luck. Suraqa changed his mind. He realised that the Holy Prophet was under Divine protection. So he called out to the Holy Prophet and told him of his evil intention and that he was giving up the pursuit and 25