According to our belief, Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) is the most exalted person after the Prophets (may peace be on all of them). The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) himself conveyed to him the glad tidings of his being the head of a group of persons in Paradise. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) once remarked: Abu Bakrs name shall be called out from all the gates of Paradise, and he will be the first of my followers to enter it. With all these virtues and privileges, Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) used to say: I wish I were a tree that would be cut and done away with. Sometimes he would say: I wish I were a blade of grass, whose life ended with the grazing by some beast. He also said: I wish I were a hair on the body of a Momin. Once he went to a garden, where he saw a bird singing. He sighed deeply and said: 0, bird! How lucky you are! You eat, you drink and fly under the shade of the trees, and you fear no reckoning of the Day of Judgement. I wish I were just like you. Hadhrat Rabiah Aslami (Radhiyallaho anho) narrates: Once I had some argument with Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho), during which he uttered a word that I did not like. He realized it immediately and said to me Brother, please say that word back to me in retaliation. I refused to do so. He persisted, and even spoke of referring the matter to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), but I did not agree to utter that word. He got up and left me. A few people of my clan remarked, Look! How strange! The person does wrong to you and, on the top of that, he threatens to complain to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). I said, Do you know who he is. He is Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho). To displease him is to displease the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wasallam) and to displease the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) is to displease Allah, and if Allah is displeased then who can save Rabiah from ruin?* I went to the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wasallam) and narrated the whole story to him. He said, You were quite right in refusing to utter that word. But you could have said this much in reply: 0, Abu Bakr, (Radhiyallaho anho) May Allah forgive you! Look at the fear of Allah in Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallahu anhu)! He is so anxious to clear his accounts in this world that no sooner has a slightly unpleasant word been addressed by him to a person, than he regrets it and requests him to say that word back to him in retaliation. He is so particular in this that he threatens to have the retaliation done through the intervention of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wasallam). We are in the habit of saying offensive words to others, but we fear neither the retaliation nor the reckoning in the Hereafter. Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) would often hold a straw in his hand and say: I wish I were a straw like this. Sometimes he would say: I wish my mother had not given birth to me. Once he was busy with some important work when a person came to him and, complaining about some petty grievance, requested for its redress. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) laid a lash across his-shoulders, saying: When I sit for that purpose, you do not come to me but when I am engaged in other important work you come with your grievances to interrupt me. The person walked away. But Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyal-laho anho) sent for him and, handing his whip over to him, said: You now lash me to even the matter. He said: I forgive you for the sake of Allah. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) went home, prayed a Salaat of two rakaats in repentance and upbraided himself saying: 0, Umar! You were low but Allah elevated you. You were wandering astray but Allah guided you. You were base but Allah ennobled you and gave you sovereignty over His people. Now one of them comes and asks you for redress of the wrong done to him, and you beat him? What answer have you to give before Allah? He kept on chiding himself thus for a very long time. Once Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) was going on his usual round towards Harrah (a suburb of Madinah) with his slave Aslam, when he saw a distant fire in the desert. He said: There seems to be a camp. Perhaps, it is a caravan that could not enter the town due to night fall. Lets go and look after them and arrange for their protection during the night. When he reached there, he found a woman and some children. The children were crying. The woman had a pan of water over the fire. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) greeted her with salaam and, with her permission, went near her. Umar: Why are these children crying? The Woman: Because they are hungry. Umar: What is in the pan? The Woman: Only water to soothe the children, so that they may go to sleep in the belief that food isbeing prepared for them. Ah! Allah will judge between Umar (Rad-hiyallaho anho) and me, on the Day of Judgement, for neglecting me in my distress. Umar (weeping): May Allah have mercy on you! How can Umar know of your distress? The Woman: When he is our Amir, he must keep himself informed about us. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) returned to the town and straightway went to Baitul-Mal to fill a sack with flour, dates, fat and clothes, and also drew some money. When the sack was ready, he said to Aslam: Now put this sack on my back, Aslam. Aslam: No please, Amir-ul-Momineen! I shall carry this sack. Umar refused to listen to Aslam, even on his persistent requests to allow him to carry the sack, and remarked: What! Will you carry my load on the Day of Judgement? I must carry this bag, for it is I who would be questioned (in the Hereafter) about this woman. Aslam most reluctantly placed the bag on Umars (Radhiyallaho anho) back, who carried it with a swift pace right to the womans tent. Aslam followed at his heels. He put a little flour and some dates and fat in the pan and began to stir. He blew (with his mouth) into the fire to kindle it. Aslam says: I saw the smoke passing through his thick beard. After some time, the pottage was ready. He himself served it to the family. When they had eaten to their fill, he made over to them the little that was left for their next meal. The children were very happy after their meal and began to play about merrily. The woman felt very grateful and remarked: May Allah reward you for your kindness ! In fact you deserve to take the place of Khalifah instead of Umar. Umar consoled her and said: When you come to see the Khalifah, you will find me there. He sat for a while at a place close by and kept on watching the children. He then returned to Madinah. On his way back, he said to Aslam: Do you know why I sat there, Aslam? I had seen them weeping in distress; I liked to see them laughing and happy for some time. It is said that Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) while leading Fajr Salaat used to recite Kaht, *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. Such was the fear of Allah in Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) whose name struck terror in the hearts of the mightiest monarchs of his time. Even today, the people are filled with awe when they read about him. Is there any person in power today who is prepared to show such kindness to the people in his charge?
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 09:01:31 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015