Umar writes to Abu Ubaidah

On August 22, 634 (22nd Jamadi-ul-Akhir, 13 Hijri), Abu Bakr died and Umar became Caliph. On the same day the new Caliph issued his first order: Khalid was dismissed from the command of the Muslim army in Syria! He wrote to Abu Ubaidah as follows:

In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful.

I urge upon you the fear of Allah who lives eternally while everything else perishes; who has guided us away from wrongdoing and taken us out of darkness into light.

I appoint you commander of the army of Khalid bin Al Waleed. So take charge as is your duty.

Send not the Muslims to their destruction for the sake of plunder; and place not the Muslims in a camp without reconnoitring it and knowing what is there.

Send not expeditions except in properly organised units. And beware of taking any steps which may lead to the annihilation of the Muslims.

Allah has tried me with you and tried you with me. Guard against the temptations of this world lest they destroy you as they have destroyed others before you; and you have seen how they felt.

---

Source: Sword of Allah, Tabari: Vol. 2, p. 622.

The best of friends

In old, worn out shabby looking clothes, Amir Al-Mu’minin, Ali Bin Abi Taleb, sat saying grace to Allah.

Abu Mariam, one of the servants, sat on his knees close to Ali and whispered:

“Amir Al-Mu’minin, I have something to ask of you.”

Ali said: “What is it that you want to ask?”

Abu Mariam said: “That you throw away the clothes you are wearing. They are old and ripped and do not go well with your position.”

Ali Bin Abi Taleb put the tip of his clothes on his eyes and started to cry until his weeping was loud.

In embarrassment, Abu Mariam said: “O Amir Al-Mu’minin, if I knew that it meant so much to you I would not have asked you to take it off.”

Ali said while wiping his tears: “O Abu Mariam, my love for this jacket is increasing. It was a gift from my friend and beloved companion.”

Oddly, Abu Mariam asked: “And who is this friend of yours O Amir?”

Ali said: “ ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattab. He was the best of friends.”

He then started to weep once again until the sound of his suppressed cries could be heard from afar.

---

Source: Translated from "100 Stories from the Life of Ali Bin Abi Taleb" by Muhammad Sedeeq Al Minshawi, Dar Al Fadeela Publishing, 2002., Sahaba.net :: Umar Bin Al Khattab: The Best of Friends

Constant fear of God

Umar bin Al Khattab once wrote a letter to Abu Musa Ash'ari, offering him this advice:

"Remain ever in fear of God; and learn the Book of God, for it is the source of all knowledge; for weary hearts, it is the freshness of spring".

---

Source: Al-Dhahak, Pg 142, An Islamic treasury of virtues by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Umar's religion

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

Allah's Apostle said, "While I was sleeping I saw (in a dream) some people wearing shirts of which some were reaching up to the breasts only while others were even shorter than that. Umar bin Al-Khattab was shown wearing a shirt that he was dragging." The people asked, "How did you interpret it? (What is its interpretation) O Allah's Apostle?" He (the Prophet ) replied, "It is the Religion."

---

Source: Sahih-Al Bukhari Volume 1, Book 2, Number 22

The Weeping of Umar (radhiAllahu 'anhu) I

It is said that Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) while leading Fajr Salaat used to recite Kahf, Taha and other such Soorahs in his Salaat, and would weep so much that his crying could be heard way back to several rows. Once he was reciting Surah Yusuf in Fajr. When he came to the verse:

"I only plead for my distress and anguish unto Allah," (XII: 86)

He wept so much that he could not recite any further. In Tahajjud, he would sometimes fall to the ground and would get indisposed with excessive weeping.

---

Source: Fazail-e-a'maal, Weeping from the fear of Allaah by Shaykh Husayn Al-'Awaayishah