5. Tijani’s Claim That ‘Umar Testified Against Himself
4. Tijani accuses ‘Umar of contravening revealed text
May 18, 20176. Tijani’s position on ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu in the discussion, “A conversation with a scholar”
May 18, 2017BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
5. Tijani’s Claim That ‘Umar Testified Against Himself
Tijani says:
In a chapter entitled “The virtues of Umar ibn al Khattab”, al Bukhari wrote in his book: “When Umar was stabbed he felt great pain and Ibn Abbas wanted to comfort him, so he said to him, “O Commander of the Believers, you accompanied the Messenger of Allah and you were a good companion to him, and when he left you, he was very pleased with you. Then you accompanied Abu Bakr, and you were a good companion to him, and when he left you, he was pleased with you. Then you accompanied their companions and you were a good companion to them, and if you left them, they would remember you well.” He said, “As for the companionship of the Messenger of Allah and his satisfaction with me, that is a gift that Allah- the Most High – has granted to me. As for the companionship of Abu Bakr and his satisfaction with me, that is a gift that Allah – Glory be to Him – has granted to me. But the reason you see me in pain is for you and your companions. By Allah, if I had all the gold on earth I would use it to ransom myself from the torture of Allah – Glory and Majesty be to Him – before I saw Him.
He has also been quoted as saying the following, “I wish I was my family’s sheep. They would have fattened me up to the maximum. When they were visited by friends, they would have killed me and roasted part of me, and made qadid (meat cut into strips and dried) from the other part of it, then they would have eaten me, and lastly, they would have relieved me with their bowel evacuation … I wish I had been all that, rather than a human being.”[1]
Refuting Tijani’s claim that ‘Umar testified against himself
Impartial eyes fail to notice the immense fear of Allah in this statement of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This is the disposition of those who are true in their commitment to Allah’s din; they do not get ahead of themselves. Furthermore, they recognise Allah’s grace in all the favours that they enjoyed. Similarly the purity of faith and deep conviction in Allah resonate with these words of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu.
Shaddad ibn ‘Aws narrates that the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
قال الله عز وجل و عزتي لا أجمع لعبدي أمنين و لا خوفين إن هو أمنني في الدنيا أخفته يوم أجمع فيه عبادي و إن هو خافني في الدنيا أمنته يوم أجمع فيه عبادي
Allah says, “By My Might! I will not combine for My slave two conditions of peace and two conditions of fear. If he felt safe from Me in the world, I will cause him to fear Me the day I gather in it My slaves. If he feared Me in the world, I will cause him to feel safe on the day I gather in it My slaves.”[2]
If Tijani is willing to accept this hadith, he ought to accept the fact that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam left this world pleased with ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu as well. In addition to accepting that ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu is a ‘true’ Sahabi based on Tijani’s warped tripartite definition. ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu fear of Allah highlights the fact of him being extremely consciousness of Allah even at the throes of death.
It is known that his killer was not a Muslim. He was a Persian unbeliever, whose shrine is visited and venerated by the Shia in Iran to this day. The fact that he was murdered by an unbeliever bears merit since he was not killed by a believer. Muslim narrates in his Sahih from ‘Awf ibn Malik, from the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
خيار أئمتكم الذين تحبونهم ويحبونكم ويصلون عليكم وتصلون عليهم وشرار أئمتكم الذين تبغضونهم ويبغضونكم وتلعنونهم ويلعنونكم
Your best leaders are those whom you love and they love you, you pray for them and they pray for you. Your worst leaders are those whom you despise and they despise you, those whom you curse and they curse you.[3]
‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was a just leader whom his people loved and with whom they were pleased.
Al Bukhari narrates in his Sahih by way of ‘Amr ibn Maymun:
فاحتمل إلى بيته فانطلقنا معه وكأنّ الناس لم تصبهم مصيبة قبل يومئذ، فقائل يقول لا بأس وقائل يقول: أخاف عليه فأتي بنبيذٍ فشربه فخرج من جوفه ثم أتي بلبن فشربه فخرج من جرحه فعلموا أنّه ميّتٌ، فدخلنا عليه وجاء الناس يثنون عليه وجاء رجلٌ شابٌّ فقال أبشر يا أمير المؤمنين ببشرى الله لك من صحبة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقدمٍ في الإسلام ما قد علمت، ثم وليت فعدلت
Then he was carried to his house and we moved with him. It was as if an affliction had never befallen the people before that day. A man would say, “He is okay,” and another man would say, “I fear for him.” Then he (‘Umar) was brought some juice and he drank from it but it exited out from his midsection. Then he was brought some milk and he drank it but it exited from his wounds. Then they knew he was going to die. Then we visited him, and the people visited him, and they started praising him. Then a young man came and said, “Take glad tidings, O Amir al Mu’minin, from the company of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and earliness to Islam of what you know, then you governed (the Muslims) and you were just.”[4]
Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrates the manner in which ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu lamented the passing of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu:
وضع عمر على سريره فتكنفه الناس يدعون ويصلون قبل أن يرفع وأنا فيهم فلم يرعني إلا رجل آخذ منكبي فإذا علي بن أبي طالب فترحم على عمر وقال ما خلفت أحدا أحب إلي أن ألقى الله بمثل عمله منك وايم الله إن كنت لأظن أن يجعلك الله مع صاحبيك وحسبت أني كنت كثيرا أسمع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول ذهبت أنا وأبو بكر وعمر ودخلت أنا وأبو بكر وعمر وخرجت أنا وأبو بكر وعمر
‘Umar was placed on his bed. Then the people surrounded him supplicating and praying before he was raised and I was amongst them. Then a man alarmed me holding onto my shoulder and I noticed it was ‘Ali. He prayed for Allah’s mercy upon ‘Umar and said, “I have not left behind anyone who I wished more to meet Allah with his deeds than you! By Allah! I think Allah will place you with you your two Companions, I remember I often used to hear the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying, “Myself, and Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar went… Myself, and Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar entered… Myself, and Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar left…”[5]
Many of the other issues raised by Tijani have already been dealt under the response to “Abu Bakr’s testifying against himself,” the esteemed reader may refer to that section.[6]
[1] Then I was guided, 111.
[2] Refer to Chapter 6 of this book.
[3] Sahih Muslim, Kitab al Imarah, Bab Khiyar al A’immaf wa Shiraruhum, Hadith no. 1855.
[4] Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab Fada’il al Sahabah, Bab Qissah al Bay’ah, Hadith no. 3497.
[5] Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab Fada’il al Sahabah, Bab Manaqib ‘Umar, hadith no. 3482.
[6] Refer to previous section: Tijani’s claims that Abu Bakr Condemned Himself
BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
5. Tijani’s Claim That ‘Umar Testified Against Himself
Tijani says:
In a chapter entitled “The virtues of Umar ibn al Khattab”, al Bukhari wrote in his book: “When Umar was stabbed he felt great pain and Ibn Abbas wanted to comfort him, so he said to him, “O Commander of the Believers, you accompanied the Messenger of Allah and you were a good companion to him, and when he left you, he was very pleased with you. Then you accompanied Abu Bakr, and you were a good companion to him, and when he left you, he was pleased with you. Then you accompanied their companions and you were a good companion to them, and if you left them, they would remember you well.” He said, “As for the companionship of the Messenger of Allah and his satisfaction with me, that is a gift that Allah- the Most High – has granted to me. As for the companionship of Abu Bakr and his satisfaction with me, that is a gift that Allah – Glory be to Him – has granted to me. But the reason you see me in pain is for you and your companions. By Allah, if I had all the gold on earth I would use it to ransom myself from the torture of Allah – Glory and Majesty be to Him – before I saw Him.
He has also been quoted as saying the following, “I wish I was my family’s sheep. They would have fattened me up to the maximum. When they were visited by friends, they would have killed me and roasted part of me, and made qadid (meat cut into strips and dried) from the other part of it, then they would have eaten me, and lastly, they would have relieved me with their bowel evacuation … I wish I had been all that, rather than a human being.”[1]
Refuting Tijani’s claim that ‘Umar testified against himself
Impartial eyes fail to notice the immense fear of Allah in this statement of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This is the disposition of those who are true in their commitment to Allah’s din; they do not get ahead of themselves. Furthermore, they recognise Allah’s grace in all the favours that they enjoyed. Similarly the purity of faith and deep conviction in Allah resonate with these words of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu.
Shaddad ibn ‘Aws narrates that the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
قال الله عز وجل و عزتي لا أجمع لعبدي أمنين و لا خوفين إن هو أمنني في الدنيا أخفته يوم أجمع فيه عبادي و إن هو خافني في الدنيا أمنته يوم أجمع فيه عبادي
Allah says, “By My Might! I will not combine for My slave two conditions of peace and two conditions of fear. If he felt safe from Me in the world, I will cause him to fear Me the day I gather in it My slaves. If he feared Me in the world, I will cause him to feel safe on the day I gather in it My slaves.”[2]
If Tijani is willing to accept this hadith, he ought to accept the fact that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam left this world pleased with ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu as well. In addition to accepting that ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu is a ‘true’ Sahabi based on Tijani’s warped tripartite definition. ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu fear of Allah highlights the fact of him being extremely consciousness of Allah even at the throes of death.
It is known that his killer was not a Muslim. He was a Persian unbeliever, whose shrine is visited and venerated by the Shia in Iran to this day. The fact that he was murdered by an unbeliever bears merit since he was not killed by a believer. Muslim narrates in his Sahih from ‘Awf ibn Malik, from the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
خيار أئمتكم الذين تحبونهم ويحبونكم ويصلون عليكم وتصلون عليهم وشرار أئمتكم الذين تبغضونهم ويبغضونكم وتلعنونهم ويلعنونكم
Your best leaders are those whom you love and they love you, you pray for them and they pray for you. Your worst leaders are those whom you despise and they despise you, those whom you curse and they curse you.[3]
‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was a just leader whom his people loved and with whom they were pleased.
Al Bukhari narrates in his Sahih by way of ‘Amr ibn Maymun:
فاحتمل إلى بيته فانطلقنا معه وكأنّ الناس لم تصبهم مصيبة قبل يومئذ، فقائل يقول لا بأس وقائل يقول: أخاف عليه فأتي بنبيذٍ فشربه فخرج من جوفه ثم أتي بلبن فشربه فخرج من جرحه فعلموا أنّه ميّتٌ، فدخلنا عليه وجاء الناس يثنون عليه وجاء رجلٌ شابٌّ فقال أبشر يا أمير المؤمنين ببشرى الله لك من صحبة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقدمٍ في الإسلام ما قد علمت، ثم وليت فعدلت
Then he was carried to his house and we moved with him. It was as if an affliction had never befallen the people before that day. A man would say, “He is okay,” and another man would say, “I fear for him.” Then he (‘Umar) was brought some juice and he drank from it but it exited out from his midsection. Then he was brought some milk and he drank it but it exited from his wounds. Then they knew he was going to die. Then we visited him, and the people visited him, and they started praising him. Then a young man came and said, “Take glad tidings, O Amir al Mu’minin, from the company of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and earliness to Islam of what you know, then you governed (the Muslims) and you were just.”[4]
Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrates the manner in which ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu lamented the passing of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu:
وضع عمر على سريره فتكنفه الناس يدعون ويصلون قبل أن يرفع وأنا فيهم فلم يرعني إلا رجل آخذ منكبي فإذا علي بن أبي طالب فترحم على عمر وقال ما خلفت أحدا أحب إلي أن ألقى الله بمثل عمله منك وايم الله إن كنت لأظن أن يجعلك الله مع صاحبيك وحسبت أني كنت كثيرا أسمع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول ذهبت أنا وأبو بكر وعمر ودخلت أنا وأبو بكر وعمر وخرجت أنا وأبو بكر وعمر
‘Umar was placed on his bed. Then the people surrounded him supplicating and praying before he was raised and I was amongst them. Then a man alarmed me holding onto my shoulder and I noticed it was ‘Ali. He prayed for Allah’s mercy upon ‘Umar and said, “I have not left behind anyone who I wished more to meet Allah with his deeds than you! By Allah! I think Allah will place you with you your two Companions, I remember I often used to hear the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying, “Myself, and Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar went… Myself, and Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar entered… Myself, and Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar left…”[5]
Many of the other issues raised by Tijani have already been dealt under the response to “Abu Bakr’s testifying against himself,” the esteemed reader may refer to that section.[6]
[1] Then I was guided, 111.
[2] Refer to Chapter 6 of this book.
[3] Sahih Muslim, Kitab al Imarah, Bab Khiyar al A’immaf wa Shiraruhum, Hadith no. 1855.
[4] Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab Fada’il al Sahabah, Bab Qissah al Bay’ah, Hadith no. 3497.
[5] Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab Fada’il al Sahabah, Bab Manaqib ‘Umar, hadith no. 3482.
[6] Refer to previous section: Tijani’s claims that Abu Bakr Condemned Himself