Abdullah bin Umar RA was a great and venerable companion, one of the most knowledgeable and virtuous of people and one of the best of the beat of the companions in following the example of Rasulullah ï·º. He did not change or substitute anything after the demised of Rasulullah ï·º, in fact, he said: I took the oath of allegiance to Rasulullah ï·º and I did not violate it nor did I alter anything to this day. And in spite of the fact that he was descended from one of the noblest of families, what raised him to this exalted level was not his lineage, what raised him were his deeds, his diligence, his striving and his sincerity in calling to Allah.
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| Knowledge In 3 Things |
Abdullah ibn Umar (Arabic: عبدالله بن عمر بن الخطاب) (c.610–693 CE) was the son of the second Caliph Umar Ibn Al Khattab RA and a brother-in-law of Rasulullah ï·º. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was a prominent authority in hadith and law, and was known for his neutrality toward factions engaged in the first civil war within the Muslim community (656–661).
Abdullah bin Umar bin Al-Khattab RA, his mother was Zainab bint Maz’un RA and his maternal uncle was the great and venerable companion, Uthman bin Maz’un RA. Abdullah bin Umar RA father was the great and venerable companion and one of the rightly-guided Caliphs who were a shining example of fairness and a vigorous upholder of the truth, and he bears a high rank and outstanding virtues, as transmitted by the books of Seerah and the books written about him.
Rasulullah ï·º said of him: if there were to be a Rasul after me, it would have been Umar bin Al-Khattab. And it is reported on the authority of Aisyah RA, Rasulullah ï·º said: I see the devils among the jinn and mankind fleeing from Umar. His son, Abdullah was born in the third year following the start of the Prophet’s mission.
When Umar bin Al-Khattab RA pronounced the Shahadatain in the presence of Rasulullah ï·º, the companions raised their voices glorifying Allah SWT. But some of the companions advised him to keep his Islam a secret, he said: by Allah, I will proclaim my Islam as I used to proclaim my disbelief, bin Umar said that when Umar bin Al-Khattab RA embraced Islam, he asked: which of the people of Makkah is the best at spreading news? They said: Jamil bin Ma`mar Al- Jamhi.
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So Umar bin Al-Khattab RA wet out and followed him and I was a young boy who understood everything that was said the he came to him and said: Oh, Jamil! Do you know that l have embraced Islam? By Allah, he did not reply to these words, but stood up and raced off. Umar bin Al-Khattab RA my father continue towards Kaabah and I followed behind him. I went with him, until he stood at the door of the Al Haram and cried out: Oh!, people of Quraish! Umar has apostatized! Umar bin Al-Khattab RA said: “you have lied, but I have embraced Islam”.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was a good soul, which was still upon the natural state (Fitrah) in which Allah SWT created it and so it was ready to receive the new religion. Umar bin Al-Khattab RA used to hear about Muhammad, his truthfulness and his trustworthiness, and his soul was filled with wonder by the personality of Rasulullah ï·º, which no one mentioned except to say good things about it, so when his father embraced Islam , his young son felt that a heavy stone which had been blocked the way to his proclaiming his conversion to Islam had been remover and he embraced Islam while still at a young age and he became a good Muslim may Allah SWT pleased with him and may He pleased him.
The family immigrated to Medina in 622.A few months later, when Muhammad sentenced a pair of adulterers to lapidation, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was one of the people who threw the stones.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA determination to fight for the course of Islam begins at the tender age of 13 years old. One day at Shaykhan, halfway between Madinah and Uhud, the thousand strong Muslim army led by Rasulullah ï·º stopped. The sun had begun to sink beneath the horizon. Rasulullah ï·º dismounted from his horse Sakb. Rasulullah ï·º was fully dressed for battle. A turban was wound about his helmet. Rasulullah ï·º wore a breastplate beneath which was a coat of mail which was fastened with a leather sword belt. A shield was slung across his back and his sword hung from his side.
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As the sun set, Bilal called the Adhan and they prayed. Rasulullah ï·º then reviewed his troops once more and it was then that he noticed in their midst the presence of eight boys who despite their age were hoping to take part in the battle. Among them were Zayd’s son Usamah and Umar’s son Abdullah, both only thirteen years old. Rasulullah ï·º ordered them all to return home immediately. Two of the boys however demonstrated that they were able fighters and were allowed to accompany the army to the Battle of Uhud while the others were sent back to their families.
Upon reaching the age of 15 years old, Abdullah ibn Umar RA thus again demonstrated his keenness to be associated with Rasulullah ï·º in all his undertakings. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA had accepted Islam before he was ten years old and had made the Hijrah with his father and his sister, Hafsah, who was later to become a wife of Rasulullah ï·º. Before Uhud he was also turned away from the Battle of Badr and it was not until the Battle of the Ditch then, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA and Usamah Ibn Zaid RA, both now fifteen years old and others of their age were allowed to join the ranks of the men not only for the digging of the trench but for the battle when it came.
From the time of his hijrah till the time of his death more than seventy years later, Abdullah ibn Umar RA distinguished himself in the service of Islam and was regarded among Muslims as “the Good One, son of the Good One”, according to Abu Musa al-Ashari. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was known for his knowledge, his humility, his generosity, his piety, his truthfulness, his incorruptibility and his constancy in acts of ibadah.
Abdullah Ibn Umar's sister Saidatuna Hafsah RA married Rasulullah ï·º in 625. Rasulullah ï·º once told her: "Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed the night prayers." After that Abdullah did not sleep much at night.
His Love for Rasulullah ï·º in and His Obedience to Him
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was one of the best of the Companions in following the example of Rasulullah ï·º. And truly love causes one to follow the example of the beloved, for Allah, the Most High has said to Rasulullah ï·º: ''Say (0 Muhammad of to mankind): If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e., accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
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Abdullah Ibn Umar RA did understand the true meaning of this his love for Rasulullah ï·º was converted into absolute obedience. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA used to do as Rasulullah ï·º did and carry out whatever he commanded him to do and abstain from whatever he forbade him from doing. Indeed, he used to follow the footsteps of Rasulullah ï·º, go wherever he went, sit wherever he sat and preach wherever he preached. If he preached sitting in that place, he would also preach sitting in it and if he preached standing there, he would do likewise. If Rasulullah ï·º beneath a tree, then Abdullah Ibn Umar RA must also sit beneath the tree as Rasulullah ï·º sat.
It is reported on the authority of Nafi' that Abdullah Ibn Umar RA used to follow the footsteps of Rasulullah ï·º and pray in every place where Rasulullah ï·º prayed, to the extent that Rasulullah ï·º sat beneath a tree and Abdullah Ibn Umar RA used to care for that tree and pour water over its roots so that it would not become dry. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA did not only sit beneath the tree underneath which the Rasulullah ï·º used to sit, rather, he used to care for it by watering it.
Nafi reported on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Umar RA that the Rasulullah ï·º said: ''lf we left this door for the women'' Nafi' said: ''After that, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA never entered by that door until the day he died.
The other Companions noticed Abdullah Ibn Umar RA imitation of the Rasulullah ï·º actions, including Saidatuna Aisyah RA, who said: ''No one followed in the footsteps of Rasulullah ï·º more closely than Abdullah Ibn Umar RA did.
Due to the great pains he took in following the actions of the Rasulullah ï·º, he would go to a place which Rasulullah ï·º had passed by and in which he had unintentionally pulled on his camel's halter, causing it to turn around once or twice and he would turn with his camel in the same place in which Rasulullah ï·º camel had turned, in hope that he would retrace its steps.
His Continued Adherence to the Pledge
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA, continued to demonstrate his love for Rasulullah ï·º after his demised and whenever Rasulullah ï·º was mentioned, his eyes would fill with tears; Asim bin Muhammad Al-Amri RA narrated from his father that he said: ''Whenever l heard Abdullah Ibn Umar RA mention Rasulullah ï·º, he would weep.
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Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was extremely careful not to misquote the Rasulullah ï·º, or to add or omit anything from his sayings.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA did not change after the death of Rasulullah ï·º, so much so that one of his contemporaries| said in his supplication: ''Oh, Allah! Keep 'Abdullah bin 'Umar alive for as long as l live, so that I can emulate: him, for l do not know of anyone else who adheres so closely to what Rasulullah ï·º and his Companions used to follow.
And Saidatuna Aisyah RA ' said: ''I have not seen anyone who adhered more closely to the Sunnah of Rasulullah ï·º and his Companions than Abdullah Ibn Umar RA.'' And he continued to discharge his obligation: and to imitate Rasulullah ï·º until the day he parted from this temporary abode. This is why Ibn Al-Musayb said: ''On the day he died, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was the best of those who remained.''
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA - marriage life.
As a young man, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA married a woman whom he loved, but his father disliked her and demanded that they divorce. When Abdullah Ibn Umar RA refused, his father complained to Rasulullah ï·º. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA also mentioned the matter to Rasulullah ï·º, who said: "O Abdullah ibn Umar! Divorce your wife!" So Ibn Umar complied.
After his father became Caliph in 634, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA married Safiya bint Abi Ubayd, and they had seven children: Abu Bakr, Abu Ubayd, Waqid, Abdullah, Umar, Hafsah and Sawda. He had a number of other sons, including Abd-al-Rahman ibn Abd-Allah and Salim ibn Abd-Allah.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA refused to accept the Post of Judge
The Caliph Saidina Uthman Ibn Affan RA ordered 'Abdullah bin 'Umar RA to take up the post of judge, saying: ''Judge between the people's But Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said: ''I will not judge between two persons, nor will I lead two persons in prayer. Saidina Uthman Ibn Affan RA said: ''Do you disobey men? He said: ''No, but l have been informed that judges are of three types: a man who judges with ignorance and he will be in the Fire, a man who deals unjustly and according to his whim and he will be in the Fire and a man exercises juristic reasoning (Ijtihad) and he is just he has no reward and there is no burden upon him. ‘Uthman replied: ''Your father used to judged Caliph Saidina Uthman Ibn Affan RA said: ''My father used to judge and when he was not sure about something, he would ask Rasulullah ï·º; and when he was not sure about it, he would ask Gabriel, but l find no one to ask. Did you not hear Rasulullah ï·º say that whoever sought refuge with Allah has sought a
fitting refuge? Caliph Saidina Uthman Ibn Affan RA said: ''Yes.'' Abdullah bin Umar RA said: ''Then I seek refuge with Allah from you appointing me as a judged, so Caliph Saidina Uthman Ibn Affan RA excused him, but he said: ''Do not inform anyone of this.'
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA also refused to accept any Position of Authority
It is reported on the authority of 'Umar bin Nafi' from his father, from Abdullah Ibn Umar RA'' that he said: 'Caliph Saidina Ali Ibn Abi Talib RA sent for me and said: ''Oh, Abu 'Abdur-Rahman! You are a man who is obeyed by the people of Ash-sham, so go there, for l has appointed you as governor over them. But Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said: ''Let me remind you by Allah of my kinship to Rasulullah ï·º and my close companionship with him and therefore, would you excuse me? Caliph Saidina Ali Ibn Abi Talib RA refused to excuse me and so I brought Hafsah to plead on my behalf, but he refused. So I set out by night for Makkah. And he was heard to say while he was prostrating: ''You know, my Lord that nothing prevents me from competing with Quraish for the life of this world except fear of You.'
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA participated in the Islamic wars in Iraq, Persia and Egypt, but he remained neutral throughout the first civil war. In 656, he prevent his sister Hafsah from following Aisyah to the Battle of the Camel. It was only after Hasan ibn Ali was assassinated in 661 that he gave his allegiance to Muawiyah.
While in Madinah during the Second Fitnah, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA, together with Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr RA and Ibn Abbas RA, advised Husain ibn Ali RA to make Makkah his base and fight against Yazid from Makkah. Husain did not take this advice but chose Kufa.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA Asceticism
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was extremely ascetic regarding the life of this world; we have seen how he refused appointments as an administrator and a judge. And he was not happy with his wealth unless he gave it in charity. And it was said that he would sometimes go for a whole month without eating meat. It is reported on the authority of Jabir RA that he said: "I have not seen, or I have not observed anyone who was not swayed by the life of this world or inclined towards it, except 'Abdullah bin 'Umar.'
On one occasion, the slave of Abdullah bin Umar RA arrived from lraq and he came to give salutations to him and he said: 'I have brought you a gift. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA asked: ''And what is it? He replied: ''Jawarish.'' He asked: ''And what is Jawarish?'' He said: ''It helps the digestion of food'. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said: ''I have not filled my stomach with food for forty years, so what will I do with it?
One of those who loved him, whose name was Bazaar said: I observed Abdullah Ibn Umar RA wearing coarse garments and I said to him: ''Oh Abu 'Abdur Rahman! I have brought you a soft garment which was made in Khurasan, and it would please me to see you wearing it, for truly, the clothes you are wearing are rough He said: ''Show it to me, so that I may examine it's So he felt it then he asked: ''Is this Silk? I replied: ''No it is cotton He said: ''I fear to wear it; I fear that I will become arrogant and proud and Allah loves not prideful boasters.' It was also said that the value of all of the furniture in his house did not equal a hundred Dirham. He had understood the life of this world and he had rejected it and he understood the life of the Hereafter and he strove to achieve it. Abdullah ibn Umar RA used to say: ''What have l to do with the life of this world? My relationship to it is no more than that of a man who seeks shade under a tree, and then he leaves it and moves on.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA used to restrain His Tongue from speaking Evil. It is reported on the authority of Salim: ''Saidina Abdullah Ibn Umar RA never reviled a slave except on one occasion and after that, he manumitted him. Indeed, so careful was Abdullah Ibn Umar RA in guarding his tongue that he would not reply even to one who reviled him. It is reported on the authority of Zaid bin Aslam that a man began to revile Abdullah Ibn Umar RA, but he remained silent. Then when he reached the door of his house, he turned to him and said: ''I and my brother Asim we do not revile anyone.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA Kindness and Generosity
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was kind and generous and would not refuse any petitioner and he would distribute charity as one who did not fear poverty, seeking thereby the reward which is with Allah, as he preferred the life of the Hereafter over the life of this world. Nafi' said: ''Anything of Abdullah Ibn Umar property which pleased him, he would give away. Once, when he was travelling on his camel, he began to admire it and made it kneel down. Then he said: ''Oh, Nafi'! Remove its saddle and tie it up. And he placed it among his camels. And Ayub bin Wa’il RA said: ''Abdullah Ibn Umar RA came with ten thousand dirhams and he distributed them, then he sought feed for his camel worth one dirham on credit.
Abdullah ibn Umar RA would not eat unless there were poor and needy persons sitting with him at his table who would eat with him. Nafi' said: ‘before he died, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA had freed a thousand or more slaves.''
His Piety
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA used to worship Allah SWT much and he was Allah-fearing; he would stand in prayer at night often and he would fast frequently and he performed Hajj many times and remembered Allah always. For this reason, Ibn Al-Musayb said: ''If I were to testify that anyone was one of the people of Paradise, it would be Ibn 'Umar.'' And it was said to Nafi': ''What did Abdullah Ibn Umar RA used to do in his house? He replied: ''You cannot do it; he used to perform ablution for every prayer and read the Quran between the ablution and the prayer.
“Among the companions of the Prophet, no one was more cautious about adding to or subtracting from the hadith of the Prophet than Abdullah ibn Umar.”
Similarly he was extremely cautious and reluctant to make legal judgments (fatwas).’ Once someone came to him asking for a judgment on a particular matter and Abdullah ibn Umar replied: “I have no knowledge of what you ask.” The man went on his way and Abdullah clapped his hands in glee and said to himself: “The son of Umar was asked about what he does not know and he said: I do not know.”
Abdullah ibn Umar was once described as the “brother of the night.” He would stay up at night performing Salat, weeping and seeking God’s forgiveness and reading Quran. To his sister, Hafsah, the Prophet once said: “What a blessed man is Abdullah. Should he perform Salat at night he would be blessed even more.”
From that day, Abdullah did not abandon Qial Mullai whether at home or on journeys. In the stillness of the nights, he would remember God much, perform Salat and read the Quran and weep. Like his father, tears came readily to his eyes especially when he heard the warning verses of the Quran. Ubayd ibn Umayr has related that one day he read these verses to Abdullah ibn Umar:
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“How then (will the sinners fare on Judgment Day) when We shall bring forward witnesses from within every community and bring you (O Prophet) as witness against them? Those who were bent on denying the truth and paid no heed to the Apostle will on that Da y wish that the earth would swallow them but they shall not (be able to) conceal from God anything that has happened.” (Surah an-Nisa, 4:41-42).
Abdullah cried on listening to these verses until his beard was moist with tears. One day, he was sitting among some close friends and he read: “Woe unto those who give short measure, those who, when they are to receive their due from people, demand that it be given in full but when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give less than what is due. Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead (and called to account) on an awesome Day, the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustain er of all the worlds?” (The Quran, Surah al Mutaffifin, 83: 1-6). At this point he kept on repeating “the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustain er of all the worlds” over and over again and weeping until he was faint.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA did not use to fast when he was traveling and he used to fast frequently when at home. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA used to sleep at night like a bird; he would sleep for a while, then he would get up and pray, then he would sleep, then get up and pray and he would do this four or five times during the night.
Abdullah ibn Umar RA would go to the market even though he did not want to buy or sell anything and he would deliver salutations of peace to everyone he met. When he was asked about this, he said: ''We only go out in order to greet the people with salutations of peace.
From a young age, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar RA was keenly interested to fight the enemies of Allah SWT, for he realized, in spite of his youth, he realized the high status accorded by Allah SWT to those who strive in His Cause and those who are martyred. For this reason, he set out to fight while he was still not of adult age.
In the Battle of Badr, when the Muslims set out to fight the disbelievers, Ibn 'Umar went with them, due to his keen desire to be a soldier in the army of Rasulullah ï·º. However, Rasulullah ï·º sent him back due to his young age, and he was at that time, no older than ten years.
And when came the time for the Battle of Uhud, the young Abdullah Ibn Umar RA set out desiring again to fight, but he was again sent back by Rasulullah ï·º due to his young age with others who had not yet reached puberty.
Then when the time came for the Battle of the Trench, he volunteered to Rasulullah ï·º and he was afraid that he would reject him as he done on previous occasions, for he was still a young boy at that time, being only fifteen years old. However, on this occasion Rasulullah ï·º permitted him to fight and 'Abdullah was delighted, because it was now his right to participate in the battle against the enemies of Allah and to defend the true religion.
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Abdullah Ibn Umar RA loved to participate in the war in Allah's Cause and he did not cease to perform it after the demised of Rasulullah ï·º. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was one of mujahidin of Caliph Saidina Abu Bakr As-Siddiq RA in the wars against the apostates.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA also took part in battles during the rule of the Caliph 'Umar bin Al-Khattab RA. And during the Caliphate of 'Uthman bin 'Affan RA he took part in the conquest of North Africa and witnessed the conquest of Nahawand under the command of Nu`man bin Muqqarin RA. Then during the rule of Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan RA, he was with the army which was sent by Muawiyah RA, under the leadership of his son, Yazid, to join up with the army of Sufyan bin 'Awl, who went to fight against Constantinople.
His Knowledge and Understanding of Islamic Jurisprudence
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was a scholar with a wide knowledge of Islamic Jurisprudence and he spent his life in acquiring knowledge and memorizing it. Malik said: “Abdullah Ibn Umar RA lived for sixty years after the death of Rasulullah ï·º delivering legal verdicts to the people during the Hajj season and at other times.'' And Malik also said: “Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was one of the Imams of the Muslims.''
The people used to feel at ease with his legal verdicts, because Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was so strict in following what Rasulullah ï·º had said and when delivering verdicts, he would always refer to the Book of Allah SWT and if he did not find what he wanted, he would refer to Sunnah of Rasulullah ï·º and if he did not find what he sought there, he would refer to the juristic reasoning of the Companions, and he would follow them if they were unanimous in their view. However, if they differed, he would choose from among their opinions what seemed right to him.
An example of a matter in which the Companions differed and in which Abdullah Ibn Umar RA exercised his juristic reasoning is found in the narration of 'Amr bin Shuaib RA, in which it is stated that a thief bored a hole in a store belonging to Ibn Wabash and he was found therein, having collected the things, but he had not left it. Then lbn Az-Zubair came and ordered that his hand cut off. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA (happen to passed by and asked what had taken place and he was informed about it, so he went to Az-Zubair and said to him: ''Did you order that his hand be cut off? Ibn Az-Zubair replied: ''Yes.'' Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said: ''He is not considered to be a thief until he leaves the house with the stolen goods.
He used to attach particular importance to the sayings of the senior Companions, if they conformed to the Quran and Sunnah.
Child Companions around Rasulullah ï·º.
It has been reported that a man asked Abdullah Ibn Umar RA about a one-eyed man whose eye had been removed by mistake. 'Abdullah bin Safwan said: “Abdullah Ibn Umar RA ruled regarding it that blood money should be paid. The man said: ''I am not asking you, I am asking lbn 'Umar.'' Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said: ''you are informed by 'Umar and you are asking me?
Az-Zuhri said: ''We cannot ignore Abdullah Ibn Umar RA opinion, because he lived for sixty years after the demised of Rasulullah ï·º and nothing of his Sunnah was hidden from him, nor that of his companionship
Some of His Supplications
Abdullah ibn Umar RA used to supplicate Allah SWT much and implore Him; some wordings of his supplications include: ''Oh, Allah! Protect me with Your religion, obedience to You and obedience to Your Rasul; oh, Allah! Keep me away from the limits which You have set; oh, Allah! Make me one of those who love You, who love Your angels and who love Your righteous slaves; oh, Allah! Make me love You, Your angels, Your Messengers and Your righteous slaves; oh, Allah! Smooth for me the path of ease and make me far from difficulty and forgive me in the Hereafter and in this world and make me one of the leaders of the righteous; oh, Allah! You said: 'invoke Me and l will respond to your invocation.' And You do not break Your Promise. Oh, Allah! After You have guided me to Islam, do not turn me away from it and do not turn it away from me, so that You take my soul while I remain firm upon it.'
Selected sayings of Saidina Abdullah Ibn Umar RA.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was asked about the right of a friend on a friend, and he said: ''That you be not full, while he is hungry, nor clothed while he is unclothed and that you share your possessions with him during times of hardship and during times of plenty.''
A man said to him: ''Oh, best of people'' or: ''Oh son of the best of people'' Abdullah Ibn Umar RA use to replied: ''I am not the best of people, or son of the best of people. I am only one of the slaves of Allah, the Most High and I fear Him. By Allah, you would stay with a man until you destroy him.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA also said: 'I took the oath of allegiance to Rasulullah ï·º and I did not violate it nor did I alter anything to this day and l have not pledged allegiance to any person who causes trials, nor have l woken a believer from his sleep (i.e., disturbed or annoyed him.
Abdullah ibn Umar RA said: ''Breaking one's promise is one third of hypocrisy and fulfilling one's promise is one third of faith.
It was said to Abdullah Ibn Umar RA: ''Zaid bin Harithah has died and left a hundred thousand dirhams.''
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said: ''But they have not left him.
Martyrdom
The people loved Abdullah Ibn Umar RA very much and as we have seen, they considered him to be a perfect example of a Companion who emulated Rasulullah ï·º and who neither changed nor substituted anything and whose excellent life story has spread throughout the Islamic world from one end to the other.
In the year of martyrdom, he was in Makkah during the days of Hajj and Abdul-Malik bin Marwan was the Umayyad Caliph at the time and he had sent Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf Ath-Thaqafi to lead the Hajj. The Hajj pilgrims were gathered around Abdullah Ibn Umar RA, for in the hearts of the people, he has a high rank. And they had left Al-Hajjaj, although he was in charge of the Hajj.
This cut into the heart of Al-Hajjaj deeply and it did not please him, so he ordered a man who was with him to stab him with a poisoned spear. So when the people dispersed from 'Arafat, the man came close to him and stuck his spear in his foot and he was ill from it for a few days, during which time Al-Hajjaj came to visit him and asked him: ''Who poisoned you, oh, Abu 'Abdur-Rahman?'' Abdullah Ibn Umar RA asked: ''What will you do with him? Al-Hajjaj replied: ''May Allah kill me if l does not kill him. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said: ''I do not think that you will do so. It is you who ordered the man who pricked me with a spear. Al-Hajjaj said: ''Why do you say that, may Allah have mercy on you?
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA lingered on for a few days, and then he died.
On his deathbed, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said to his son, Salim: ''Oh, my son! When I die, bury me outside the Sacred Precincts for I dislike to be buried within them after l migrated from here. Salim said: ''Oh, my father! We will do so, if we are able to. He said: ''You hear me say something to you; I said Al-Hajjaj will prevail against us and he will pray over you. So he became silent.
He was buried in the graveyard of the Muhajirun in Fakh Dhi Tuwa may Allah SWT have mercy on him. He died in the year 73 AH, aged eighty-six years, may Allah have mercy on him.
Selected Hadiths Narrated by and Attributed to Abdullah Ibn Umar RA.
Abdullah ibn Umar was the second most prolific narrator of Alhadith, with a total of 2,630 narrations. It was said that he was extremely careful about what he related, and that he narrated with his eyes full of tears.
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA has a positive reputation among Sunni Muslims. "In spite of the great esteem and honor in which he was held by all the Muslims and notwithstanding the suggestion repeatedly made to him to stand up for the caliphate (which he obstinately refused), he kept himself entirely aloof from party strife, and throughout these years led an unselfish, pious life. He set an example of an ideal citizen.
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 2, Purity
Hadith no: 43
Narrated:
Yahya related to me from Malik that Nafi and Abdullah Ibn Dinar told him that Abdullah Ibn Umar RA arrived at Kufa and went to Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas RA, who was the Amir of Kufa at that time. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA saw him wiping over his leather socks and disapproved of it. So Saad said to him, "Ask your father when you get back." Abdullah Ibn Umar RA returned but forgot to ask Saidina Umar Ibn Al-Khattab RA about the matter until Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas RA arrived and said, "Have you asked your father?" and he said, "No." Abdullah Ibn Umar RA then asked Saidina Umar Ibn Al-Khattab RA and Saidina Umar Ibn Al Khattab RA replied, "If your feet are ritually pure when you put them in the leather socks then you can wipe over the socks." Abdullah said, “What about if we have just come from relieving ourselves?" Caliph Saidina Umar Ibn Al Khattab RA said, "Yes, even if you have just come from relieving yourself."
Relevance: 13.3691
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 56, Speech
Hadith no: 13
Narrated: Abdullah bin Dinar
Malik related to me from Abdullah Ibn Dinar saying, "Abdullah Ibn Umar RA and I were at the house of Khalid Ibn Uqbah who was away at the market. A man came who wanted to speak to Abdullah Ibn Umar RA and I was the only other person present Abdullah Ibn Umar RA called another man so that we were four and said to me and the man whom he had called, Go a little way off together, because I heard the, say, "Two do not converse secretly to the exclusion of another.' "
Relevance: 12.6662
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 41, The Mudabbar
Hadith no: 26
Narrated: Nafi
Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that a slave of Abdullah Ibn Umar RA stole while he was a runaway. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA sent him to Said Ibn al-As, who was the Amir of Madina, to cut off his hand. Said Ibn Al-As RA refused to cut off his hand. He said, "The hand of a runaway slave is not cut off when he steals." Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said to him, "In what Book of Allah did you find this?" Then Abdullah Ibn Umar RA gave the order, and his hand was cut off.
Relevance: 12.6319
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 3, Prayer
Hadith no: 52
Narrated:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah Ibn Dinar RA that he had seen Abdullah Ibn Umar RA with a man praying at his side. When the man sat in the fourth Rakaah, he put both feet to one side and crossed them. When Abdullah Ibn Umar RA finished, he disapproved of that to him, and the man protested, "But you do the same." Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said, "I am ill."
Relevance: 12.2809
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 29, Divorce
Hadith no: 78
Narrated:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Thabit Ibn al-Ahnaf that he married an Umm Walad of Abd ar-Rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Khattab. He said, "Abdullah Ibn Abd ar-Rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Khattab summoned me and I went to him. I came in upon him and there were whips and two iron fetters placed there, and two of his slaves whom he had made to sit there. He said, 'Divorce her, or by He by whom one swears, I will do such-and-such to you!' I said, 'It is divorce a thousand times.' Then I left him and I saw Abdullah Ibn Umar RA on the road to Makkah and I told him about my situation. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA was furious, and said, 'That is not divorce, and she is not haram for you, so return to your home.' I was still not at ease so I went to Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair RA who was the Amir of Makkah at that time. I told him about my situation and what Abdullah Ibn Umar RA had said to me. Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair said to me, 'She is not haram for you, so return to your home,' and he wrote to Jabir Ibn al-Aswad AZ-Zuhrah who was the Amir of Madinah and ordered him to punish Abdullah Ibn Abdur-Rahman RA and to have him leave me and my family alone. I went to Madinah, and Safiya, the wife of Abdullah Ibn Umar RA fitted out my wife so that she could bring her to my house with the knowledge of Abdullah Ibn Umar RA. Then I invited Abdullah Ibn Umar RA on the day of my wedding to the wedding feast and he came."
Relevance: 12.2278
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 53, Greetings
Hadith no: 6
Narrated: Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Talha that at-Tufayl Ibn Ubayy Ibn Kab told him that he visited Abdullah Ibn Umar RA one morning and went out with him to the market, and when they were out, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA did not pass by anyone selling poor merchandise or selling commodities or a needy person or anyone but that he greeted them. At-Tufayl said, "I came to Abdullah Ibn Umar RA one day and he asked me to follow him to the market. I said to him, 'What will you do in the market if you will not stop to sell nor seek any goods or barter with them or sit in any of the assemblies or market?' Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said that we should sit down and talk, and then he explained, 'Abu Batni, (lit. father of the belly, at-Tufayl had a prominent stomach), we go out in the morning only for the sake of the greeting. We greet whomever we meet.' "
Relevance: 12.1275
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 20, Hajj
Hadith no: 171
Narrated:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Sadaqa Ibn Yasar al-Makki RA that a man from the people of Yemen, who had his hair braided, came to Abdullah Ibn Umar RA and said, "Abu Abd Rahman, I have come to do just umrah. ''Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said to him, "If I had been with you or you had asked me I would have told you to do hajj and umrah together." The Yemeni answered, "I am doing what I am doing," and Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said to him, "Cut off the locks that are hanging from your head and offer a sacrificial animal." A woman from Iraq said, "What should his sacrificial animal be, Abu Abd ar-Rahman?" and he said, "His sacrificial animal?" and she said to him, "What should his sacrificial animal be?" Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said, "If I could only find a sheep to sacrifice, I would prefer to do that than to fast."
Relevance: 12.1224
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 8, Prayer in Congregation
Hadith no: 10
Narrated:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that a man asked Abdullah Ibn Umar, "Sometimes I pray in my house, and then catch the prayer with the imam. Should I pray with him?" Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said to him, "Yes," and the man said, "Which of them do I make my prayer?" Abdullah Ibn Umar RA said, "Is that up to you? It is up to Allah. He will decide on whichever of them He wishes."
Relevance: 12.0808
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 3, Prayer
Hadith no: 54
Narrated:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman Ibn al-Qasim that Abdullah Ibn Umar RA told him that he used to see Abdullah Ibn Umar RA cross his legs in the sitting position of the prayer. He said, "So I did the same, and I was young at the time. Abdullah Ibn Umar RA forbade me and said, 'The sunna of the prayer is that you keep your right foot vertical and lay your left foot down.' I said to him, 'But you do the same (as I did).' He said, 'My feet do not support me.' "
Relevance: 12.0013
Found In: Imam Malik's Muwatta Chapter No: 9, Shortening the Prayer
Hadith no: 28
Narrated: Abdullah bin Umar RA
Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah Ibn Dinar from Abdullah Ibn Umar RA that Rasulullah ï·º, used to pray on his mount while traveling, whichever way it was facing. Abdullah Ibn Dinar said, "Abdullah Ibn Umar RA would also do that."
Relevance: 11.843
(And many more hadiths)
Another version of history of Abdullah Ibn Umar RA.
“Among the companions of Rasulullah ï·º, no one was more cautious about adding to or subtracting from the hadith of Rasulullah ï·º than Abdullah ibn Umar RA.”
Similarly he was extremely cautious and reluctant to make legal judgments (fatwas).’ Once someone came to him asking for a judgment on a particular matter and Abdullah ibn Umar RA replied: “I have no knowledge of what you ask.” The man went on his way and Abdullah clapped his hands in glee and said to himself: “The son of Umar was asked about what he does not know and he said: I do not know.”
Abdullah ibn Umar RA was once described as the “brother of the night.” He would stay up at night performing Salat, weeping and seeking God’s forgiveness and reading Quran. To his sister, Hafsah, Rasulullah ï·º once said: “What a blessed man is Abdullah. Should he perform Salat at night he would be blessed even more?”
From that day, Abdullah Ibn Umar RA did not abandon Qiyam AlLayl whether at home or on journeys. In the stillness of the nights, he would remember God much, perform Salat and read the Quran and weep. Like his father, tears came readily to his eyes especially when he heard the warning verses of the Quran. Ubayd ibn Umayr RA has related that one day he read these verses to Abdullah ibn Umar RA:
“How then (will the sinners fare on Judgment Day) when We shall bring forward witnesses from within every community and bring you (O Prophet) as witness against them? Those who were bent on denying the truth and paid no heed to the Apostle will on that Day wish that the earth would swallow them but they shall not (be able to) conceal from Allah SWT anything that has happened.”
(Surah an-Nisa, 4:41-42).
Abdullah Ibn Umar RA cried on listening to these verses until his beard was moist with tears. One day, he was sitting among some close friends and he read:
“Woe unto those who give short measure, those who, when they are to receive their due from people, demand that it be given in full but when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give less than what is due. Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead (and called to account) on an awesome Day, the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds?”
(The Quran, Surah al Mutaffifin, 83: 1-6).
At this point he kept on repeating “the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds” over and over again and weeping until he was faint.
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