Stories from Early Islam — Page 167
167 Umar said, ‘Well mother, Umar may not be so bad after all’, and departed. II Once when Umar was making a round, he saw a Bedouin sit- ting outside the door of his tent. The Khalifah sat down and began to talk to him. Suddenly he heard a groan from inside the tent. Umar asked what the matter was. The man told him that his wife was in labour. Umar asked if there was any woman inside to attend to her. He replied that there was none. The Khalifah hastened back home and took his wife with him to attend to the woman. Presently the child was born and Umm-i-Kalsum, the wife of the Khalifah called out, Ameerul-Momineen (Leader of the faithful), congratulate your friend on the birth of a son’. When the man heard the words Ameerul-Momineen, he jumped up and stood respectfully before Umar. ‘Never mind’, said Umar, ‘Come to see me tomorrow and I will sanction an allowance for the baby’.