Hazrat Umar Farooq — Page 38
HADHRAT UMAR’S LOVE FOR THE HOLY PROPHET Hadhrat Umar’s love and respect for the Holy Prophet can be judged from the following incidents: The house of Hadhrat Abbas, an uncle of the Holy Prophet, was situated adjacent to the Prophet’s mosque and the drainage pipe on the roof of his house was fixed in such a manner that the water dropped into the courtyard of the mosque whenever it rained. Hadhrat Umar, seeing the inconvenience of the worshippers, ordered the drainage pipe to be moved from that place. Hadhrat Abbas complained to Hadhrat Umar saying that the Holy Prophet himself fixed the drainage pipe to the roof. Hearing this Hadhrat Umar apologised and allowed the drainage pipe to stay where it was. Hadhrat Abdullah, son of Hadhrat Umar, related that once he was accompanying the Holy Prophet on a journey. It so happened that once or twice his camel surged forward and went ahead of the camel on which the Holy Prophet was travelling. Hadhrat Umar saw this and rebuked Abdullah saying that one should show utmost respect to the Holy Prophet and should follow him instead of going ahead of him. Once Hadhrat Umar kissed the Blackstone and then addressing it he said, “I know that you are a mere piece of stone which cannot bring harm or good fortune to anyone. I swear to God that I would not have loved you and kissed you, had I not seen the Holy Prophet doing the same”. Due to immense love for the Holy Prophet, Hadhrat Umar had great regard for the family of the Holy Prophet and his grand children, even more than his own family. When Madaain fell to Muslims and the war booty came, Hadhrat Umar called the grandsons of the Holy Prophet, Hadhrat Hasan and Hadhrat Husain, and awarded them one thousand Dirhams each while he gave five hundred Dirhams to his own son Abdullah. Hadhrat Abdullah asked him very respectfully, “Hasan and Husain were awarded one thousand Dirhams each but I was given only five hundred, while I took part in the battles and fought along with the Holy Prophet and they were merely children at that time. ” Hadhrat Umar replied, “Don’t think that you are equal to them. Does your maternal grandfather have the same status as their maternal grandfather?” HADHRAT UMAR’S LOVE FOR HADHRAT ABU BAKR Hadhrat Umar loved Hadhrat Abu Bakr, the first Khalifah of the Muslims. Once some people were sitting in the company of Hadhrat Umar. Someone praised Hadhrat Umar and exclaimed, “Indeed I find you the best person after the Holy Prophet of Islam, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. ” At this a Companion of the Holy Prophet who was also sitting there interrupted him and remarked, “Hadhrat Abu Bakr was the best among people after the Holy Prophet and then is Hadhrat Umar. ” Hadhrat Umar said that he was right. Hadhrat Abu Bakr was indeed the best among the people after the Holy Prophet and then added, “Hadhrat Abu Bakr was purer than musk. ” After the death of Hadhrat Abu Bakr, when Hadhrat Umar became the Khalifah of Muslims, and went to deliver his first Friday sermon, he sat on the lower step of the Minbar where Hadhrat Abu Bakr used to rest his feet while delivering a sermon. People asked him to ascend one step and sit where Hadhrat Abu Bakr used to sit but he refused and said, “I feel honoured to sit on the step where Hadhrat Abu Bakr used to rest his feet. ” 38