Hazrat Umar Farooq — Page 40
Another night when he was on his round in the streets of Madinah, he heard a mother telling her daughter to mix some water in the milk so that they can get more money by selling the milk. The girl refused and said, “Haven’t you heard Hadhrat Ameer-ul-Momineen’s orders, not to cheat by mixing water in the milk. ” Her mother retorted, “But Ameer-ul-Momineen is not watching us. Is he?” The girl replied “True, that Ameer-ul-Momineen is not watching us, but what about Allah, Isn’t He watching us all the time? I am not going to disobey Ameer-ul-Momineen. It is no good claiming to be obedient to Ameer-ul-Momineen but ignoring his instructions in private. ” Hadhrat Umar was so impressed by the honesty of the girl that later on he asked her hand in marriage to his son Aasim. On another occasion when he was walking in the street, he met an old woman. He asked her how she was keeping. The woman, not knowing that she was talking to Ameer-ul-Momineen, complained that she did not receive any money from the Khalifah. Hadhrat Umar said to her, “How could Umar know that you need financial help? You should have approached him. ” “He is our leader. It is his duty to find out how his people are getting on,” retorted the woman. Hadhrat Umar was greatly moved by her answer. He said to her, “Indeed you were ill treated. Tell me, what would you accept from him in order to pardon him?” The woman thought that he was making fun of her. She said, “Why do you say that?” In the meantime some people passed by and recognising Hadhrat Umar said, “Assalamu Alaikum ! Ameer-ul-Momineen”. The woman heard this and felt ashamed of her talk. Hadhrat Umar said to her, “Never mind”, and gave her twenty- five gold coins. One day Hadhrat Umar saw someone who was eating his food with his left hand. He asked him to eat with his right hand, at which the man replied that he had lost the use of his right hand due to an injury during the Battle of Yarmok. Hadhrat Umar was greatly moved. He sat down by his side, expressed his sympathy and finding out that there was no one to help him to wash and dress, gave him a servant to wait upon him and attend to his needs. HADHRAT UMAR’S LOVE FOR CHILDREN Hadhrat Umar loved children very much. He was always very kind to them. Every child regarded him as his best friend. Often Hadhrat Umar would hold the hands of a child and request him to pray for him. He would say to them, “You are innocent, so God will listen to your prayers. ” Hadhrat San`aan related an incident from his childhood. He said that once he was playing with other children under the palm trees and picked up some dates that had fallen to the ground. Hadhrat Umar was passing that way. The children saw him coming and fled, but he did not move. He stood there. When Hadhrat Umar came near, San`aan told him, “We picked up only those dates which were fallen on the ground. ” Hadhrat Umar looked at the dates in his hand and said, “Indeed you have told the truth. You can keep them. ” San`aan replied, “Ameer-ul-Momineen, If I go now, the boys would beat me up and snatch the dates from me. ” Hadhrat Umar patted San`aan on his back and escorted him to his house. 40