Hazrat Umar Farooq — Page 32
After setting up the treasury Hadhrat Umar started various programmes for the welfare and progress of the community. He allowed stipends to Muslims. For this purpose a committee of three persons was appointed, which enlisted the names of all the people in a register in such a way that on top of the list were the names of the family of the Holy Prophet, then the names of the family of Hadhrat Abu Bakr, followed by the names of the family of Hadhrat Umar and finally the names of the rest of the Muslims. When Hadhrat Umar inspected the register, he instructed that after recording the names of the family of the Holy Prophet and the family of Hadhrat Abu Bakr, the names of the rest of the Muslims should be recorded in such a manner that the names of the long standing Companions should come first followed by the names of other Companions and finally the names of the new converts to Islam be written. He told them to record the names of his family wherever they fit according to merit. When the registration was completed, he fixed their allowances. Hadhrat Abbas, an uncle of the Holy Prophet, was awarded more than anyone else. Each of the wives of the Holy Prophet was paid twelve thousand Dirhams per year. Those Companions who took part in the Battle of Badr were awarded five thousand Dirhams each annually, while those who took part in the Battle of Uhud were given four thousand Dirhams annually. Those who fought in the Battles of Qaadsia and Yarmok were awarded two thousand Dirhams and those who joined the fold of Islam after the Fall of Makkah got two thousand Dirhams each annually. Allowances were also fixed for soldiers who took part in other battles. He also fixed the allowances for women and the old people. Someone suggested that soldiers who participated in the Battle of Qaadsia should also be given the same amount as was given to the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Badr or in the Battle of Uhud. Hadhrat Umar did not approve of the idea and said; “I do not consider that those people who fought in the battles along with the Holy Prophet are equal to those who came into the fold of Islam afterwards. ” It should also be noted that everyone was entitled to allowances regardless of their religion. For example a Muslim who became an invalid or was too old to earn his living was given maintenance allowance from the State treasury. Similarly a non-Muslim who was unfit for work because of old age or due to some other calamity or misfortune, was given maintenance allowance from the treasury and was also exempted from paying Jizyah. It is related that once Hadhrat Umar saw an old man begging for money. He asked the old man, “What have compelled you to beg?” He replied that Jizyah had been imposed on him and as he was weak and old he could not earn enough money to pay it. Hadhrat Umar took him home, gave him some money and issued orders that such people should be exempted from taxes. During the days when the whole country was stricken with famine, Hadhrat Umar instructed the tax authorities not to collect any tax from the people. CHILD ALLOWANCE Hadhrat Umar also introduced the child allowance. He had given the orders that as soon as a mother stops breast-feeding her child, she could receive the child allowance. One day when a caravan arrived in Madinah, Hadhrat Umar went to see if they needed anything. He heard a baby crying. He approached the mother and told her, “Your baby seems to be hungry. You should therefore feed the baby first. ” A little later when he was passing by her tent again he found that the baby was still crying. Hadhrat Umar asked the woman, “Why are you not breast-feeding the baby?” She replied that she was trying to wean the baby. Hadhrat Umar remarked that the baby was still very 32