The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page clii
GENERAL INTRODUCTION 'Uthman's father. He could not endure such treatment of his deceased friend's son. But 'Uthman was no longer under his formal protection and Arab custom now forbade him to take sides. So he could do nothing. Half in anger, half in anguish he turned to ‘Uthmān, and said, "Son of my friend, you would have saved your eye, had you not renounced my protection. You have to thank yourself for it. " 'Uthman replied, I have longed for this. I lament not over the loss of one eye, because the other waits for the same fate. Remember, while the Prophet suffers, we want no peace (Halbiyyah, Vol. I, p. 348). 'Umar Accepts Islam About this time, another very important event took place. 'Umar, who later became the Second Khalifah of Islam, was still one of the fiercest and the most feared enemies of Islam. He felt that no effective step had yet been taken against the new Movement and decided to put an end to the Prophet's life. He took his sword and set out. A friend was puzzled to see him going and asked where he was going and with what intent. "To kill Muḥammad," said 'Umar. "But would you be safe from his tribe after this? And do you really know how things are going? Do you know that your sister and her husband have joined Islam?" It came like a bolt from the blue and greatly upset ‘Umar. He decided to go and have done with his sister and her husband first. As he reached their house he heard a recitation going on inside. The voice was that of Khabbāb who was teaching them the Holy Book. 'Umar entered the house swiftly. Khabbāb, alarmed by the hurried steps, had already hid himself. 'Umar's sister, Fatimah, put away the leaves of the Quran. Confronting her and her husband, ‘Umar said, "I hear you have renounced your own faith," and, saying this, he raised his hand to strike her husband, who was incidentally his own cousin. Fățimah threw herself between ‘Umar and her husband; so ‘Umar's hand fell on Fāțimah's face and struck her on the nose, from which blood flowed freely. The blow made Fățimah all the braver. She said, "Yes, we are Muslims now and shall remain so; do what you may. " ‘Umar was a brave man, though rough. His sister's face, dyed red by his own hand, filled him with remorse. Soon he was a changed man. He asked to be shown those leaves of the Quran they were reading from. Fāṭimah refused lest he should tear them up and throw them away. 'Umar promised not to do so. But, said Fatimah, he was not clean. 'Umar offered to have a bath. Clean and cooled, he took the leaves of the Quran in his hand. They contained a portion of the chapter cxxvi