Hadrat Umar ibn al-Khattab ibn Nufayl ibn `Abd al-`Uzza ibn Rayyah, Shaykh al-Islam, Amir al-Mu’minin, Abu Hafs al-Qurashi al-`Adawi al-Faruq (Year of passing away. 23 AH) – Among the Companions who narrated from him: Hadrat `Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Hurayra, and especially his son Ibn `Umar (RA) upon whose narrations Malik relied in his Muwatta’. He was described as fair-skinned with some reddishness, tall with a large build, fast-paced, and a skilled fighter and horseman. He embraced Islam after having fought it, in the year 6 of the Prophethood, at age twenty-seven. This was the result of the Prophet (peace be upon him)’s explicit supplication: “O Allah! Strengthen Islam with `Umar ibn al-Khattab.” In his time Islam entered Egypt, Syria, Sijistan, Persia, and other regions. He passed away as a martyr, stabbed in the back while at prayer by a Sabean or Zoroastrian slave, at sixty-six years of age.
Hadrat `Umar al-Faruq(RA) was second only to Hadrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiq(RA) in closeness to and approval from the Prophet(peace be upon him). Hadrat `Umar(RA) was given the gift of true inspiration which is the characteristic of Allah’s Friends named kashf or unveiling. He was unique in his power of separating truth from falsehood and the Prophet conferred on him the title of al-Fârûq.
Some narrations about his excellent merits are being narrated below.
Hadith #1
According to Hadrat Abu Hurayra (RA), Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him) said: “In the communities that preceded you there were people Allah would pour things into their hearts (i.e. they would become conscious of things spiritually). And if there is one in my community , it is Umar!”►{al-Bukhari in al-Sahih; Kitab Fadail al-Sahaba, Ch. Virtues of Hadrat Umar(RA), Hadith #3486;Sahih Muslim , Fadail al-Sahaba Hadith #2398; al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan Hadith #3693;Ahmad ibn Hambal in al-Musnad Hadith #24330;al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak Hadith #4499}
Hadith #2
According to Ibn Umar(Radiyallahu Anhu), Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him) said , “Allah has placed the truth on the tongue of Umar and in his heart.”
Ibn Umar(Radiyallahu Anhu) also said:“Whenever some problem raised its head and the people gave their opinion about that and Umar or Ibn al-Khattab also spoke about it,the Qur’an(in that matter) was revealed congruous to what Umar opined.”►{al-Sunan Al-Tirmidhi,Kitab al-Manaqib,Chapter on virtues of Hadrat Umar(RA), Hadith #3682;Sunan Abu Dawud al-Kharaj wa al-Imara wa al-Fay,Hadith #2961;Ibn Majah in Al-Sunan,chapter on excellent merits of Companions,Hadith #108;Al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra Hadith #12503}
Hadith #3
According to Hadrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anhu), Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “ I see that the satans of humankind and the Jinn have fled from Umar (in fear)!” In one report: “He said:” ‘Satan is surely afraid of you, O Umar!'”►{al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan,Kitab al-Manaqib,Chapter on virtues of Hadrat Umar(RA), Hadith #3691;al-Nasai in al-Sunan al-Kubra Hadith#5957; Imam Ahmed b. Hambal in al-Musnad Hadith #23039;al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra 10/77;Ibn Hibban in al-Sahih Hadith #4386}
Hadith #4
According to Hadrat Anas Bin Malik (Radiyallahu Anhu): “The Prophet (peace be upon him) ascended Uhud, and so did Hadrat Abu Bakr,Umar and Uthman (RA). (Overjoyed) it started swinging (on their arrival), so he said: “Stay firm,Uhud, for you have on you a Prophet, a champion of the truth and two martyrs!” ►{al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, Fadail al-Sahaba, 3/1344 Hadith #3472;al-Tirmidhi in al-sunan,Kitab al-Manaqib , Hadith #3697,Sunan Abu Dawud Kitab As-Sunna, Ch. concerning the Caliphs Hadith #8135;Ahmad b. Hanbal in al-Musnad Hadith #22862}
Hadith #5
According to Hadrat Abu Said al-Khudri(RA) : Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him) said: “No Prophet is without two viziers among the people of heaven and two viziers among the people of the earth. As for my two viziers among the people of Heaven, they are Gabriel and Michael, and as for my two viziers among the people of earth, they are Abu Bakr and Umar!”►{al-Tirmidhi in al-sunan,Kitab al-Manaqib , Hadith #3680;al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak Hadith #3047;al-Daylami in al-Firdaws Hadith #7111}
Hadith #6
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saw Hadrat Abu Bakr and Umar(RA), so he said: “These two are (for me) the hearing and the eyesight.” ►{al-Sunan al-Tirmidhi,Kitab al-Manaqib,Chapter concerning the virtues of Hadrat Abu Bakr and Umar (RA), Hadith #3671}
