'Umar Embraces Islam

9. 'Umar Embraces Islam.

'Umar (radiyallahu 'anhu), of whom all the Muslims are justly proud, and whom the nonbelievers still fear, was most active in opposing Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) and very prominent in hearing the Muslims beforehe embraced Islam. One day, the Quraysh in a meeting called for somebody to volunteer himself for the assassination of Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam). 'Umar (radiyallahu 'anhu) offered himself for this task, at which every body said: "Surely, you only can do it, 'Umar!" With sword hanging from his neck, he set out straight away on his mission.

          On his way he met Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas of the Zuhrah clan. Sa'd asked: " When to, 'Umar?" 'Umar said, "I am after finishing Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam)." Sa'd said, "But do you not see that Banu Hashim, Banu Zuhrah and Banu 'Abd Manaf are likely to kill you in relation?" 'Umar, upset at the warning, said , "It seems that you also have renounced the religion of your forefathers. Let me settle with you first."

          So saying, 'Umar drew out his sword, Sa'd announcing his conversion to Islam, also took out his sword. They were about to start a duel when Sa'd said: "You had better first set your own house in order. Your sister and brother-in-law both have accepted Islam." Hearing this, 'Umar flew into a great rage and turned his steps towards his sister's house. The door of the house was bolted from inside and both husband and wife were receiving lessons in the Quran Khabbab (radiyallahu 'anhu). 'Umar knocked and had his sister open the door. Khabbab (radiyallahu 'anhu) hearing the voice of 'Umar hid himself in some inner room, forgetting to take the handwritten pages of the Quran with him. When his sister opened the door, 'Umar hit her on the head, saying: "O enemy of yourself, you too have given up your religion."

          Her head began to bleed. He then went inside and asked, "What were you doing? And who was the stranger I heard from outside?" His brother-in-law replied, "We were taking to each other." 'Umar said to him, "How you also given up the faith of your forefathers and gone over to the new religion?" The brother-in-law replied, "But what if the new religion be better and the true one ?" 'Umar full of anger and fell on him, pulling his beard and beating him most savagely. When his sister intervented, he hit her so violently on her head that it started bleeding. She was, after all,'Umar's sister; she burst out: '''Umar! We are beaten only because we have become Muslims. Listen! We are determined to die as Muslims. You are free to do whatever you like."

          When 'Umar had cooled down and felt a bit ashamad over his sister's bleeding, his eyes fell on the pages of the Quran left behind by Khabbab (radiyallahu 'anhu). He said, "All right show me, what are these?" "No," said the sister, "you are unclean and no unclean person can touch it." He insisted, but his sister was not prapared to allow him to touch the pages unless he washed his body. 'Umar at last gave in. He washed his body and then began to read the pages of Quran. It was surah ta ha. He started from the beginning of the surah, and he was a changed man altogether when he came to the ayah:

          "Lo! I, indeed I am Allah. These is none worthy of worship except Me. So serve Me and establish salah for My remembrance"
{taha 14}

           He said: "All right, take me to Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam)." On hearing this, 'Khabbab (radiyallahu 'anhu) came out from inside and said: "O 'Umar! Glad news for you. Yesterday (on Thursday night) Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) made a du'a to Allah ta 'ala, O Allah strengthen Islam with either 'Umar or Abu Jahal, whomsoever you like.' It seems that his du'a has been answered in your favour."

          'Umar then went to Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) and embraced Islam on Friday morning. 'Umar's accepting Islam was a terrible blow to the morale of the non believers, but still the Muslims were few in number and the whole country was against them. The non believers intensified their efforts to completely eliminate the Muslims and Islam. With 'Umar on their side, the Muslims now started saying their salah in the masjid of the Ka'bah,'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud says:'''Umar's Islam was a big victory, his migration to Madinah a tremendous help, and his accession to the caliphate a great blessing for the Muslims."


 Posted  By  Azeem Ullah Shinwari