The Virtues of Umar bin al-Khattab

Abu Hurayrah [ra] reports, ‘While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah [s], he said, “While asleep, I saw myself in Paradise, and lo, there was a woman performing her ablution by the side of a palace. And I asked, ‘Whose is this palace?’ They answered, ‘Umar’s.’”’ [al-Bukhari]

Once, Allah’s Messenger [s] said to Umar [ra], ‘O Ibn al-Khattab! By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! If Satan would encounter you in some way, he would certainly take a way different from yours.’ [al-Bukhari]

Allah’s Messenger [s] Gave Umar the Title of al-Fārūq.

Until Umar’s conversion, the Muslims could not hold their Prayers in public. Now, after the arrival of Umar into the fold of Islam, they held their Prayers in the courtyard of the Ka’bah. [1]

Entering Arqam’s house, Umar found the Prophet [s] and his Companions, including Hamzah and Abu Bakr, still reciting and studying the Qur'aan privately, lest the Quraysh harm them.

But the outspoken and lively Umar did not find secrecy and timidity to his liking. He did not rest content until he had persuaded Allah’s Messenger [s] and his Companions to appear in public and declare their Faith and its commands before everybody. So the Muslims formed up into two columns: Hamzah headed one and Umar, the newcomer, headed the other. It was the first public presentation in history. The efforts of this presentation were outstanding. The Quraysh were overawed by the bold attitude of the small company of believers. It was because of the great role he played in the success of Islam that Allah’s Messenger [s] gave him the title of al-Fārūq, or the Distinguisher: the one who distinguishes between truth and falsehood.

Umar participated in all of the battles of the Prophet [s]. He succeeded Abu Bakr as Caliph. He led the defeat of the Persian and the Roman empires, extended the rule of Islam from Iran to Egypt. During his ten-and-a-half-year Caliphate, Iraq, Egypt, and all the Arabian Peninsula were added to the dominion of Islam, and about twelve thousand mosques were built. He is known for his profound knowledge of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah, and for creative insight into the Islamic Law. He has related 530 Hadith from the Prophet [s].

Once, Allah’s Messenger [s] said of him, ‘There were, among the Bani Isrāil before you, men who were inspired without being Prophets; and if there is any one of them in my community, it is Umar.’ [al-Bukhari] Allah had put truth on the tongue of Umar and into his heart.

He laid the institutions of the new government and society. It was Umar who established the Public Treasury and offices of accounts. It was Umar who regulated the Islamic Calendar. He introduced for this purpose the Islamic Year, commencing with the new moon of the first month – al-Muharram – of the year in which the Prophet [s] emigrated from Makkah. Hence, the Islamic Year was named al-Hijrah or the Era of Emigration.

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