بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمَ۝
اَلْحَمْدُ لله ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلى سَيِّدِنَا محمد وَعَلَى اَلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْمًا كَثِيْراً
This evening we'll talk about,
the rules of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) in choosing his governors.
These are the men, who would face the people and represent Umar(عُمَر) in the various Muslim states.
In those days it would be impossible to have a centralized system.
So, it was more of a federal system,
where the Muslim Khilafah(خِلَافَه) is divided into states, Wilayaat(ولايات)
and every state is headed by a governor,
and that Governor has a lot of independence.
Because keep in mind that in those days, there was no telephone service, no fax service, no email
forms of transportation were very slow, no planes, no cars, no trains.
So it's impossible to have a centralized system, where everything is controlled from Madina.
Therefore the choice of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) of governors was very important
because these will be his representatives in establishing the law of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ.
So, what were the qualities that he was looking for, when he would choose a Waali(والي).
Now, the posts that existed then, was Waali(والي)
and then you have a Ameer Al-Jund(اميرالجند), this is the military general,
you had Qaadhi(قاضي), judge
and you had Aamil Zaka'ah(عامل زكواة), the one who collects the Zakaah(زكوة).
Sometimes these roles would be in Independent and sometimes they would be combined.
Number one, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) was searching for Al-Qawwi-Ul-Ameen(القوى الامين).
Al-Qawwi(القوي) the literal translation of it is strong
but I think we talked about this concept earlier that it really means the competent,
somebody who's competent in that field.
It doesn't necessarily mean physical strength
it means that you are strong in that field
and also Amanah(امانة), the person needs to be trust worthy.
Shurhabeel Bin Hasanah(شُرحبيل بن حسنة), one of the Umara'a(امراء)
was changed by Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب)
and he appointed instead of him Muawiyah Bin abi Sufiyan(معاويه بن ابي سفيان).
So, Sharhabeel(شُرحبيل) went to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) and he said;
Did you change me because I've done something wrong? You're upset with me?
I've angered you in one way or another?
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said: No! That's not the reason.
وَإِنَّمَا رَجُلٌ اَقْوَى مِنْ رَّجُلْ
But because, there is a man who's stronger than another man.
So, the reason why I changed you is because I think
that Muawiyah Bin abi Sufiyan(معاويه بن ابي سفيان) is more capable of fulfilling this particular role.
Shurhabeel Bin Hasanah(شُرحبيل بن حسنة), was a good the military leader.
He was appointed in the time of Abu Bakr Siddique رضي الله عنه to lead one of the armies that were in Ash-sham(ألشام).
But in this particular post now, there might have been a civilian post, role.
He was changed and Muawiya(معاويه) replaced him
and Umar رضي الله عنه, gave the justification. He said;
"رَجُلٌ اَقْوَى مِنْ رَّجُلْ"
Some men are stronger than others.
In fact, there is another story that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) was asking, he said;
Who is better Mo'min Muttaqi(مؤمن متقي) who has Taqwa(تقوى), but is weak
or somebody, who is strong.
So, the response Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) got was,
the Taqwa(تقوى) of the Muslim is for himself,
but his weakness would affect his subjects.
While the strength of a man would affect his subjects positively.
So, they're telling him that appointing somebody, who's strong
but might have less Taqwa(تقوى) than somebody else, who's weak is better.
Now, obviously we're talking about here relative scale of Taqwa(تقوى).
We're not talking about somebody who is Fasiq(فاسق) both have Taqwa(تقوى)
but one of them has more Taqwa(تقوى) than the other.
There has to be a bottom line of Taqwa(تقوى) with anybody who assumes a position of leadership.
No matter what it is!.
Umar Bin Khattab رضي الله عنه used to say;
اَللَّهُمَّ اِنِّيْ أَشْقُوْ عَلَيْكَ ,عَجْزِلْ مُؤْمِنْ, وَجَلَدِالْكَافِرْ
"O Allah I seek refuge in You from a strong disbeliever and a weak or incapable believer."
I seek refuge in you, from a Kafir(كافر) who is strong.
A Kafir(كافر) who's devoted to serving Shaytan(شَيْطَانْ).
Who sleeps very little and works a lot.
And I seek refuge in You, from a believer who's doing nothing.
So, make sure that you are not one of those
whom Umar Bin Khattab رضي الله عنه is seeking refuge in Allah from.
It doesn't make sense to have a believer who knows the truth,
who has who has Baseerah(بصيره), who has seen the light,
who knows about Jannah(جنة), who knows about Hellfire
sitting down and doing nothing, a couch potato.
And then you have a Kafir(كافر) who's blind, blinded from the truth
and knows nothing about the path of Shaytan(شَيْطَانْ)
and is devoted and active and hard working.
How can the soldier of Shaytan(شَيْطَانْ) be better than the soldier of Ar-Rahman(الرحمن)
it's a shame if that's the case.
So, make sure brother and sister that you're not one of those,
because Jibreel عليه السّلام, he came to Muhammadﷺ and said;
"عَجِبْتُ"
I am surprised.
Jibreel(جِبْرِيْل) is telling Muhammadﷺ, I am surprised
how can somebody know about Jannah(جنة) and then not work for it?
And how can somebody know about Hellfire and then sleep and not seek refuge from it?
How could that be?
Rasool Allah ﷺ says: On the Day of Judgment
if there was a person who was being pulled on his face in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا),
I mean imagine, being pulled on your face.
Right! You're being dragged by a car on your face,
since the day you were born until the day you die.
Rasool Allah ﷺ said: If there was somebody who was being pulled on their face, in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا),
from the day they were born, until the day they were they died,
they would see that as insignificant on the day of judgment, when they face Allah.
If you suffered your entire life in the sake of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ by being dragged on your face,
suffering that torment, day in and day out.
On the Day of Judgment, when you see the reality you would view.
What was done to you as insignificant? Nothing.!
لَيْسَ يَتَحَسَّرُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ إِلا عَلَى سَاعَةٍ مَرَّتْ بِهِمْ لا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهَا
" the people of Jannah(جنة) don't regret anything but a moment that passed by them and Duniyah(دُنِيَّا)
and they didn't mention the name of Allah."
Number two,
اَلْبَصَرْ بِالْعَمَلْ
Experience! He was looking for experience.
He was about to assign someone to the post of a Waali(الوالي),
and then they told Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) and apparently they told him, this as a praise of this man
they said this man knows no evil,
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said: If he doesn't know evil, then he might commit it.
And he refused to assign him to that post.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) wanted a man who was experienced,
who knows about Ash-Shar(الشر), knows about evil,
because if you know about it, you won't fall into it.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) was not interested in finding,
what we would call today, a nerd or a bookworm, who's sitting at home, studying the books,
you know, doing all of the Shariah Ilm(شريعه علم),
but doesn't know what's going on in the streets.
Because such a person would be inexperienced, he would be shocked by reality.
He has an ideal view of the world.
But Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) wants, people who,
in fact, in one statement Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said;
Islam will be lost when there will be people, who don't know about Jahilliyah(جاهلية).
He said: These generations that are being born in Islam
and they know nothing about the slam, they don't know Jahilliyah(جاهلية),
they are the ones, who would lose Islam.
Why? Because they don't know the bitter taste of Jahilliyah(جاهلية), they haven't tasted it.
لَيْسَ الْخَبَرْالكَلْ مُعَيْنَا
Hearing about something is not like seeing it.
We can read about Jahilliyah(جاهلية).
But the ones who lived Jahilliyah(جاهلية), they're the ones who really, really, really hate it.
And that's why you would find that, an ex smoker hates the smell of cigarettes
more than someone who never smoked in his life.
The smokers will testify to that, you just can't stand that smell anymore.
And I would assume maybe the same could be said about people who were former alcoholics
Allah Ho Alam(الله أعلم), maybe because alcohol is different maybe sometimes
the person could have that maybe with alcohol and drugs,
unless a person is very, very, very detached from it.
Maybe they could still have that addiction attachment to it, Allah Ho Alam(الله أعلم),
but the thing is here that, with the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم, who grew up in Shirk(شرك)
for them Islam was everything, because Islam saved them.
But somebody, who was born into it, might take it for granted.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) is saying;
اَحْرَهْ اَيْنَ يَقَعَأ فِيْ
If he doesn't know about Sharr(شر) if he doesn't know evil, he might be tricked into it.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) is looking for people who are experienced
people who cannot be tricked, who cannot be fooled, people who are not naive or gullible,
people who know the haqq(حقّ) and they know the Batil(باطل) and you cannot fool them.
Number three: And this was one of the conditions, he would never appoint a relative
even if they were qualified,
one of the most qualified man among the Sahabah(صحابه) was, Abdullah Ibn Umar(عبدالله ابن عمر)
and his name was brought up in many nominations
and Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) would respond to them harshly.
Once he said: I want a man who has these qualities 1,2,3…..
The man said that I have him.
I know who should, who that man is, Umar(عُمَر) said: Who?
He said: Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب). He said;
قَاتَلَكَ اللهَ مَا أَرَتْ بِذَالِكَ وَجْه’ الله
May Allah kill you, you don't want the face of Allah with that statement.
you just want to make me happy.
Even though the man might have been very sincere, in that suggestion.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) ruled out having any of his family assume positions of responsibility.
And the most beloved of his family to him, was Abdullah(عبدالله)
and he would tell his son;
O my son, it's enough for one of us,
to be trialed on the Day of Judgment for being responsible for the Muslims.
It's enough for one man from the family of Umar(عُمَر)
to be held accountable on the Day of Judgment for everything that happens to every Muslim.
I don't want anyone else of my family to suffer that on the Day of Judgment.
He viewed it as a responsibility that he would be asked about, he would say;
مَنِسْتَعْمَلَ رَجُلً لِمَوَدَّةْ أَوْ قَرَابَهْ لَا يَشْغَلُه’ إِلَّا ذَالِكْ فَقَدْ خَائِنَاللهَ وَرَسُوْلَه’
If someone appoints a relative or a friend for no reason, but their relationship or friendship,
they have betrayed Allah and His Messenger.
If you appoint a relative or you appoint a friend.
And the reason why you do so, is because they are your friend or relative,
then that is betraying Allah and His messenger.
So, in our organizations in our Masajid(مساجد) it in our Islamic groups,
we need to make sure that the reason why we are appointing people,
is not because they're from the same tribe, from the same clan,
from the same family, because he's my buddy.
They should be chosen based on the merits, based on their qualifications,
because this is an Amanah(أمانة).
And a person who appoints somebody is, as the person who's responsible.
Number four: He would never appoint somebody who asked for it.
If he feels that somebody is seeking that position of responsibility,
somebody who is power hungry, he would avoid him.
He would not give it to somebody who is keen to have that responsibility
because, he would say;
مَنْ يَطْلُبُ هَذَا لْأَمْرَلَمْ يُعَنْ عَلَيْهََ
Whoever asks for this affair would not be supported by Allah in it.
If a person is appointed in a position of responsibility, then Allah will help that person
but if a person asked for it, and struggles to get it then Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ will leave that person alone
and in such positions of responsibility, you definitely need the help of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ.
You don't want to be left on your own.
So, somebody who asked for it will not be held by Allah
while somebody who does not ask for it.
And it doesn't make a difference to that person, whether their appointed or not,
such a person will be given help and assistance by Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ.
Number six. And this is an interesting condition. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) would ban anyone who is in a position of responsibility
from being involved in trade or commerce.
If a person is a Waali(وآلي), they are not allowed to do business,
he would give them a good salary, but they would not be allowed to invest any money
and get involved in business.
And Ibn Khaldoon(ابن خلدون) he talks about this concept in his book in Al-Muqaddamah(المقدمه).
And he has a long essay about this.
And what he's saying is that whenever you have a mixture of political leadership
and business, business goes wrong.
When somebody who has political power gets involved in business,
they would have an edge over the businessmen who are not politicians.
And that is a flaw in the equilibrium that exists in the market.
You see, Islam allows the people to do business
without placing any restrictions on them except the restrictions of Shariah(شريعه).
For example, when the prices went up in Al-Madina(المدينه)
they came to Rasool Allah ﷺ and said: O Rasool Ullah
سَائِرْلَنَا
O Rasool Ullah make a pricing for us, to reduce the prices.
Rasool Allah ﷺ said;
إِنَّ اللهَ هُوَالْمُسَائِرْ
Allah is the One, Who sets the prices and He is the One, Who gives Ar-Rizq(الرزق)
and I don't want to be held accountable on the Day of Judgment
for preventing the Ar-Rizq(الرزق) of someone from getting to him.
Rasool Allah ﷺ is saying: There's a certain equilibrium in the market.
And that equilibrium is what, determines the prices
it's a supply and demand thing, that's what they say today.
Even though that's not how it was expressed in the Hadith(حديث) of Rasool Allah ﷺ
but it is the same concept.
It is Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ who sets the prices.
Based on the supply and demand in the market
Somtimes the prices would go up sometimes, they would go down.
So, Rasool Allah ﷺ is saying: I don't want to intervene myself and set or fix the prices
because I would be committing oppression, wrong against someone
either the buyer or the seller, I would be wronging in one of them.
However, when somebody who has political power gets involved in business
because of that upper hand
that is an advantage for that person and the marketplace,
you would find disadvantage with everybody else.
And Ibn Khaldoon(ابن خلدون) says: That causes Fasad(فساد), it causes corruption.
So, he said that the Sultan(سلطان) and all of his workers employees
need to pull their hands out of business completely
and they should be paid by the Muslim Treasury a salary that is sufficient for them
and they should not be allowed to intervene in business whatsoever.
Politicians should be separate from businessmen
and that was something that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) has stated centuries before Ibn Khaldoon(ابن خلدون).
His Ummal(عمال) and Wulaa(ولآه) were prevented from doing business.
Number Six;
To make sure that this rule is applied,
he would make an accounting of the wealth of the Waali(وآلي) before the appointment
and when he is discharged from his job.
So, he would make Muhasibah(محاسبه) accounting of every single penny that, this Waali(وآلي) has.
For example Muadh Ibn Jabal(معاذابن جبل)
he would look at the wealth of Muadh Ibn Jabal(معاذابن جبل) how much does he have?
And then when he is discharged from that job, he would hold him accountable again.
Any plus, any surplus that the Waali(وآلي) would have
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) would take it away.
If he had 100,000 before he became Waali(وآلي)
and then after he is discharged, he has 150,
he would take that 50,000 and put it in Bait Ul-Maal(بيت المال).
Therefore according to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب)
you're not supposed to leave your job with more money.
We pay your salary to make a living during that time and that's it.
You are not supposed to walk out as a millionaire.
In fact, it is said that he would command his Wulaa(ولاء) to come into Madina during daytime
and not at night, so that they can't hide anything.
Number seven;
He would have them sign a contract, and there would be witnesses
some of the terms in the contract
أَلَّا يَرْقَبْ بَرْضُوْنًاً
Barzoon(برضون), is an animal, in terms of sizes between a donkey and a horse
and it's expensive and it was used as a form of transportation for the elite.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said: None of my governors are allowed to use that
وَلَا يَعْكُلْ نَقِيًّا ,
And they should not eat expensive food, nothing pure, nothing expensive.
وَلَا يَلْبِسْ رَقِيْقًا ,
And he should not wear soft clothes.
So, if you had a suit and tie and fancy clothes on,
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) would not like that.
وَلَا يُغْلِقْ بَابَه’ دُوْنَ حَاجَتَ النَّاسْ,
And you do not shut your door in front of any Muslim.
Anyone who has a need you need to be ready and available to respond to their needs.
So, his governors are really servants for the people.
Number eight Shura(شورى) before he would choose a Waali(والي),
he would consult with the seniors Sahabah(صحابه),
Uthman Ibn Affan(عثمان ابن عفان), Ali Ibn Abi Talib(علي ابن ابي طالب),
Abdur Rahman Bin Auf(عبدالرحمن ابن عوف), Az-Zubair Bin Awwam(ألزبيربن عوام)
these were his close advisors, Saad Bin Abi Waqas(سعدبن أبي وقاص)
he would make Shura(شورى), before he would appoint anyone.
Number nine;
If he doesn't know the Waali(والي), first hand.
He would test him,
so he invited Al-Ahnaf Bin Qais(ألأخنف بن قيس) to come to Madina.
So, Al-Ahnaf Bin Qais(ألأخنف بن قيس), comes in to Madina.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) holds him in Madina.
Al-Ahnaf(ألأخنف), wants to leave and Umar(عُمَر) is holding him back.
For a full year, He had him in Madina for a full year, after this year past.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب), told Al-Ahnaf(ألأخنف).
يَا أَحْنَفْ قَدْ بَلَوْتُكَا وَ خَبِرْتُكَا فَرَاأَيْتُ أَنَّا عَلى نِيَّتَكَ حَسَنَا
وَأَنَا أَرْجُوْ أَنْ تَكُوْنَ سَرِيْرَتَكَا مِثْلَعَنَا عَلى نِيَّتِكِ
وَاِنَّا كُنَّا نَحَدَّثْ أَنَّا مَا يُحْلِقُ هَذَهِ لّْاُمَّهْ كُلَّا مُنَافِقٍ عَلِيْمَ
O Ahnaf(ألأخنف), I was testing you and I found out that what appears from you is good
and I asked Allah that what is inside you is even better
and O Ahnaf(ألأخنف)! We used to be told
that the ones who will destroy this Ummah(امة) are the Knowledgeable Munafiqeen(منافقين).
ثُمَّ قَالْ , يَا أحْنَفْ أَتَدْرِيْ لِمَا تَبَسْتُكْ
And then he said: O Ahnaf(ألأخنف), Do you know why I held you back for a year?
It is because I want to appoint you as a governor.
So, he tested him, he would not rush to judgment, he was not spontaneous.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب), would not take a decision unless
he knows exactly what he's doing, he wouldn't rush to judgment.
Sometimes, we were very fast in making assumptions.
We would see a person, we would immediately make a judgment on them
even though our Farasah(فراسة) might be zero.
Hear something on the news, immediately, make a judgment,
read something in the paper, immediately make a judgment,
No… you know
swallow it in, sit on it, think about it, don't just follow your whims your emotions.
A Muslims should not rush into judgment
especially when it is relating to information that is coming from a Fasiq(فاسق) source.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا
O you, who believe if a Fasiq(فاسق), a corrupt person and an untrustworthy person brings you some news verify it first.
Take the time to verify.
Number Ten:
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) would never allow himself or his governors
to appoint non Muslims in any government responsibility.
None!
None, That was a fixed rule.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب), was meeting with Abu Musa(أبوموسى).
So, he told Abu Musa(أبوموسى): Have your assistant give the report in the Masjid(مسجد).
Abu Musa(أبوموسى) said: He would not come into the Masjid(مسجد),
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said: How come?
He said: Because he is Christian.
This was an assistant of Abu Musa Al Ash'ari(ابوموسى ألأشعري),
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said;
لَا تُدْنُوْ هُمْ,وَقَدْأَقْصَاهُمُ اللهَ
Do not bring them close, when Allah has made them far away,
when Allah has distanced them from you,
وَلَا تُكْرِمُوْهُمْ وَقَدْ أَهَانَهُمُ اللهَ
And do not honor them, when Allah has dishonored them.
وَلَا تَأْمَنُوْ هُمْ وَقَدْ خَوَّ نُهُمُ اللهَ
And do not trust them, when Allah has said that they are untrustworthy.
And Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) he had a servant, his name is Ashiq(عأشِق),
he said;
كُنْتُ عَبْدًانَصْرَانِيًا لِعُمر, فَقَالَ: أَسْلِمْ حَتَّى نَسْتَعِيْنَ بِكَ عَلَى بَعْضِ أُمُوْرِ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ
لِأَنَّه’ لَا يَنْبَغِيْ لَنَا أَنْ نَسْتَعِيْنَ عَلَى أَمُوْرِهِمْ بِمَنْ لَيْسَ مِنْهُمْ
He told his Christian servant, I want you to become Muslim.
So, that I can appoint you in some positions of responsibility
because we are not allowed to seek assistance from non Muslims.
Ashiq(عاشق) said: I told Umar(عُمَر): I don't want to change my religion.
And Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) was fine with that. He said:
لَاِ كْرَاهَا فِى الدِّيْنَ
There's no compulsion in religion.
Some of the characteristics of the men, whom umar ibn al-khattab رضي الله عنه chose.
Number one: Az-Zuhad(الزهد),
All of these men were austere, they had Az-Zuhad(الزهد),
they were not attached to Duniyah(دُنِيَّا), they did not love Duniyah(دُنِيَّا).
Therefore, this made them work for the sake of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ, and for Aakhira(آخرة).
They were not serving their personal interests.
You know, even though all of them were Zuhaad(زهاد), but some of them
were on an even higher level, such as Saeed Bin Amir(سعيد بن عامر),
Abu Musa Al Ash'ari(ابوموسى ألأشعري), Muadh Ibn Jabal(معاذإبن جبل),
Abu Obaidah Amr Bin Jarrah(أبوعبيدةعمروبن جراح), Salaman Al Farsi(سلمان الفارسي).
These among, the Sahabah(صحابه) were famous as being Zuhaad(زهاد),
all of the Sahabah(صحابه) were Zuhaad(زهاد), but these were even at a higher level.
And these were all men whom Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) appointed as Wulaa(ولاه).
Number two: They were very humble and power did not changed them.
They never changed their ways, the simple ways of the Arabs of Arabia.
They carried on living a simple life,
the Romans sent a representative to meet with the Muslim Ameer(أمير) of the armies in Ash-sham(ألشام)
and who was the Ameer(أمير), Abu Obaidah(ابوعبيدة),
one of the 10 given the glad tidings of Jannah(جنة).
So, this Roman representative is coming from a certain culture,
where they treat, the leaders with certain respect,
the way they dress is different, the way they sit is different, the way they act is different.
So, he comes in and the Muslims are just sitting on the floor.
He said: Where is your Ameer(أمير)?.
So, they pointed towards Abu Obaidah(ابوعبيدة).
He said: I came to a man
متنكب القوس
he was sitting on the floor with his bow on his shoulder,
and he was playing with arrows in his hand.
So, I came to him and I said;
How come you're sitting on the floor?
You know, Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله), He came with a completely different mission
but just he couldn't hold back asking Abu Obaidah(ابوعبيدة) this question.
He said: How come you're sitting on the floor?
Would it make you different in the eyes of Allah if you are sitting on a throne.
Abu Obaidah رضي الله عنه said: I'm going to be very honest with you
and I'm going to tell you the truth.
I have no dirham(درهم) or dinar(دينار) in my pocket, I am broke
you know, imagine an Ameer(أمير) telling a representative here.
And Abu Obaidah(ابوعبيدة) said: I'm going to tell you the truth, I have nothing I'm broke
and I had to borrow money from my brother Muadh Ibn Jabal(معاذإبن جبل) to feed myself.
But then he said: But even if I had money enough to buy for myself a throne to sit on.
I'm not going to be a person, who would sit on the throne
and have my Muslim brother sit under me on the floor,
when he could be better in the eyes of Allah then myself, and then he said;
وَنَحْنُ عِبَادَ الله نَمْشِيْ عَلَى الْأَرْضَ،وَ نَجْلِسُ عَلَى الْأَرْضَ،
وَنَأْكُلُ عَلَى الْأَرْضَ، وَنَضَجِّعَ عَلَى الْأَرْضَ
وَلَيْسَ ذَالِكَ يَنْقُصُنَا عِنْدِاللهِ شَيْئَا ،
بَلْ يُعَظِّمَ اللهُ بِهِ أَجُوْ رَنَا ، وَيَرْفَعْدَرَجَاتِنَا، وَنَتَوَاضَعُ بِذَالِكَ لِرَبِّنَا
And he said: And we the servants of Allah, we walk on the floor,
and we sit on the floor, and we eat on the floor, and we sleep on the floor.
And that does not reduce us in the eyes of Allah.
In fact, it raises our status in the eyes of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ.
So, they're very humble, simple.
And you know, that's a lesson for us, it is not your clothes that make you who you are?
It's not the way you try to act, it's not the image that you try to project,
it's not the car that you drive, it is what is in your heart.
And sometimes when people put on a show, which is fake.
Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ does not let them die, until he exposes them.
So, we ask Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ to give us all Sitr(ستر), to conceal our privacy's
and to make our Sareerah(سريره) better than Ala-niyah(اعلانيعة).
To make the private better than the public.
So, Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ honored these Sahabah(صحابه),
but the honor that he gave them was not through the clothes that they were wearing
or the Barzoon(برضون) that they were riding or the throne they were sitting on.
Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ honored them by putting the love of them, in the hearts of the Aoulea(أوليآء) of Allah.
Every Walli(ولي) of Allahعَزَّوَجَل loves Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب).
Every Walli(ولي) of Allah loves Abu Obaidah(ابوعبيدة), even though Abu Obaidah(ابوعبيدة) would sit on the floor
because the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم understood that it's not this position of Ameer(أمير) that would give him the status.
They understood, that Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ said in Qur'an;
تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَاءُ
Allah gives kingdom to whomever, He wishes and He strips it away, from whoever He wishes.
And a person could be in the utmost level of magnificence and strength and power
and Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ can humiliate that person and bring him down to the lowest levels that can happen.
Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ gives the kingdom to whomever He wills
and He takes it away from whomever He wills.
And Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ honors.
وَتُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ
And Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ honors whomever He wills and He humiliates, whoever He wills,
and it's the destiny of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ that He will honor the believers
and He will dishonor the disbelievers
and if that doesn't happen in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا) and it will happen one day,
it will definitely happen on the Day of Judgment.
Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ said in Qur'an and Rasool Allah ﷺ says it in the Hadith(حديث).
Let the disbelievers do whatever they want, assume whatever power they want,
gather all of the money they want.
Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ will expose them and Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ put them in the place that they deserve.
Everything is done in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا) is temporary and it will go.
The money of Qaroon(قارون) did not last long and the kingdom of Firaun(فرعون) did not last long
and Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ humiliated both of them. ?
And the great humiliation for both of them will even be more on the day of judgment
when they meet Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ
and the believers who were dishonored in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا) and were persecuted and killed
Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ has reserved from them, a very high status on the Day of Judgment.
Just imagine what Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ will do to the people of Ukhdood(ألأخدود)
The believers who are burnt alive in the trenches.
How will Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ honor the Sahabah(صحابه) who died as Shuhadaa(شهداء)?
How will Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ honor Hamza bin Abdul Mutalib(حمزةبن عبدالمطلب).?
How will Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ honor the Qurr'aa(قراء) of Quran, who were executed by the disbelieving Arab tribes.
Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ will hold them in very high status on the Day of Judgment.
And that's when everybody will be jealous with that status.
And they would have wish that they have followed that path.
So, if you don't see justice in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا), if you see a lot of unfairness in Duniyah(دُنِيَّا).
Don't be disheartened because the day of justice is the day of judgment
and that's why it's called the Day of Judgment.
It is the day of judgment…. It's a day of justice....
They had Wara'a(وراع) piety
and Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) had a problem with convincing some of them to be governors.
Ut'ba Bin Ghazwaan(عتبة بن غزوآن), he came to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) and said;
I don't want to be the governor over Basra(بصرى).
Find somebody else Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) refused.
Ibn Abbas(إبن عباس) when the governor of Homs(حمص) died.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) tried to convince him to become the Waali(والي) over Hims.
Ibn Abbas(إبن عباس) said: No way!
I'm no Waali(والي), I'm not going to become a Waali(والي).
Nauman Bin Maqran(نعمان بن مقرن), he comes to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) and he said;
Please discharge me from being a Waali(والي)
because I want to go and fight Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله).
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) came to Az-Zubair Bin Awwam(ألزبيربن عوام) and told him;
You are my governor over Egypt - Egypt! The jewel, Egypt very important government, Wealthy and huge.
Zubair(زبير) you are my governor over Egypt.
Zubair(زبير) said;
لَا حَاجَةْ لِيْ فِيْهَا وَلَكِنْ أَخْرُجْ مُجَاهِدًا ولِلْمُسْلِمِيْنَ مُعَاوِناً
I don't want to be a governor of the Egypt,
I want to be Mujahid(مجاهد) Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله) and a helper of the Muslims.
That was the life they wanted to live there are not looking into infiltrating governments and becoming leaders.
They wanted to go Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله عَزَوَجَلّ) and die Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله)
that was the path that they chose for themselves.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES WULAA'A(ولآة).
What were their responsibilities in those days?
Number one, the most important responsibility is to establish the Deen(دِيْن) of Allah.
اقامة دين
Yazeed Ibn Abi Sufiyan(يزيدبن أبي سُفيان), he sends a letter to Ameer Ul-Mo'mineen(أميرالمؤمنين) and he said;
إِنَّ اَهْلَ الشَّامِ قَدْ كَثَرُوْ وَمَلَاْءُ الْمَدَائِنَ وَحْتَاجُ اِلَى مَنْ يُعَلِّمُ هُمُ الْقُرْآنْ
وَيُفَقِّهُّمْ فَإِنِّيْ بِرِجَالٍ يُعَلِّمُوْنَھم
Yazeed(يزيد) said: The people in the Ash-Sham(ألشام) have multiplied the population is increasing
and they are filling the towns of Ash-Sham(ألشام), and they need men to teach them Qur'an.
So, help me with men who would teach them.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) sent him five of the Fuqahaa(فقهاء) of Sahabah(صحابه).
They were very short, the Sahabah(صحابه) were very short in manpower
because the number of the Sahabah(صحابه) was very low.
Nevertheless, Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله), the lands that were opened by the Sahabah(صحابه)
are the lands in which not only Islam took root but the Arabic language also flourished.
Unlike the lands that were opened after the Sahabah(صحابه).
In Ash-Sham(ألشام) you have some Arab tribes living but not all of Ash-Sham(ألشام) were Arabs.
Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Falastine(فلسطين) not all of the people were Arabs.
You have a lot of indigenous Roman people, the Arabs were scattered tribes
but nowadays that's the official language of out of these four countries i.e. Arabic.
No other languages exist.
Egypt was a non Arab country, they were Coptic's and they had their own language.
Now, the Egyptians have adopted Arabic language and they became Arabs.
North Africa, you had the barber people and then some Arab tribes settled
in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Libya.
However, all of these countries now speak Arabic.
Al-Andalus(ألأندلس) also for 800 years the language was Arabic.
While you would find that in the time of a Taba'een(تابعين) and Taba Taba'een(تابع تابعين)
Islam would take root but the language didn't go beyond that area.
So, even though the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم were very short on the human resources
but Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ blessed their efforts.
Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله), we can't even imagine how much Hasanaat(حسانات) are being piled up
on the scales of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم on the DAY of JUDGEMENT
because, it goes to their credit that we are Muslim today.
They are to be credited with that.!
So, everything that we do, they receive a copy of that in their account.
In the time of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب), he built about 4000 Masajid(مساجد).
Number two: Tamaeen an-Naas(تعمين الناس),
Providing peace and security to their subjects.
They would guard them, they would protect them, so peace flourished.
A Muslim could leave their shop unlocked and go to Salah(صلاة),
A Muslim woman can go out and travel fearing no one.
Rasool Allah ﷺ said, in the Hadith(حديث) to Udae Bin Hatim(عدي بن حاتم)
تَخْرُجُ ازَّعِيْنَهْ مِنْ أَلْهِيْرَهْ إِلَي مَكَّهْ
A woman would come all the way from Iraq to Makkah, fearing no one but Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) he sent a letter to Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari(أبوموسى ألأشعري), He said:
اَخيف لفسّاقأ
Put fear in the hearts of the evil doers,
the Fussaaq(فساق) the burglars, the Raiders, the gangs, strike fear in their hearts.
Make them think twice before they commit any crime.
By applying the Hudood(حدود) of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ, that's how they establish security for the people.
Number three, Al-Jihad(جهاد) Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله).
It was the responsibility of the Wullaa(ولأء) to establish this great Shaeera(شعيره) of Islam
Al-Jihad(جهاد) Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله)
and their roles involved Irsaal Al-Mutatawieen(إرسال ألمتتوعين),
sending the volunteers they would organize recruitment in the Masajid(مساجد),
they would be recruited in the Masajid(مساجد).
The Imam(اِمَام) would stand up and recruit them and then all of these recruits
would go in and join in the camps and it is the responsibility of the Waalii(والي)
to send them, where they are needed.
Number 2, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) has promised his people, he Said;
وَلَكُمْ إِلَيَّ أَنْ أَسُدَّ صُغُرَكُمْ
I promise you, to protect your borders.
So, that was the responsibility of the Wullaa(وُلأء) on the frontier lands
to protect the borders from any attacks by the Kuffar(كفار).
Number three Al-Tahseen(ألتّحسين) the building of fortresses,
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) told Amr Bin Al-Aas(عَمْرُو بِن اَلْعَاص) to build fortresses in Al-Jesa(ألجيزة)
because in Egypt, it was on the Mediterranean Sea.
So, it could be attacked by the Roman ships.
So, he wanted them to build fortresses.
Number 4. Intelligence it was the responsibility of the Wullaa(وُلأء)
to gather intelligence information for the Khalifah(خليفة).
We know that Abu Obaidah(ابوعبيدة) for example, He had many of the Muslims
working in gathering intelligence for him,
and then he would send that information to Umar Bin Khattab رضي الله عنه.
Number five. He also Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) asked the Wullaa(ولأء) to raise horses.
So, they would have these pasture lands and they would raise in them hundreds of horses
and these horses are for nothing but Al-Jihad(جهاد) Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله),
they would not be used for anything else.
So, for example you had in Al-Basra(ألبصره) actually I did read the numbers.
I just didn't bring them with me.
The number of horses in Al-Basra(ألبصره) and Al-Kufa(ألكوفه)
and these were devoted for that cause and it was the responsibility of the Waali(والي)
and he would appoint some men full time to take care of these ranchers.
Number six: The training of the youth
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) ordered that training camps would be opened in every Wulaaya(ولاية).
To train the young, in target shooting, in swimming and in horseback riding
in these three areas and even though there was a safety hazard
and a report came to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) that one of these young men died,
in training that did not change a thing.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said;
That it should still carry on, even though somebody died.
The training should still go on because this is Fee-Sabeel-Lillah(فِي سَبيل الله).
They would be responsible for the financing of the armies and the paying of the salaries
to the soldiers and they would also be involved in the negotiation and agreement with the enemies,
so that was number three
Number four,
They will try their best to provide sustenance for the people, Ar-Rizq(رزق).
Al-Bayhaqi(ألبيهقي) narrates;
أَنَّا عمر أَنْفَقَا عَلَى أَهْلِ ارَّمَادَهْ حَتَّي وَقَعَ ألْمَتَرْ
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) carried on providing for the Bedouins in the refugee camps,
we talked about them.
The Bedouins in the refugee camps that came to Madina.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) carried on spending on them
until Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ, elevated the famine of Aam-Er-Ramadah(عام ألرمادة) and rain started falling down
and that is when they started going back to their lands.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب), Al-Bayhaqi(ألبيهقي) said;
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) went on his horse to witness the refugees,
when they were leaving Madina and going back to their homes
and it was said that tears started rolling down the cheeks of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب).
So, one man from Muharib(محارب) said;
the famine of Ar-Ramada(ألرمادة) was elevated because of you.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said;
وَيْحَكْ ذَالِكَ لَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ مِنْ مَّالِيْ أَوْ مِنْ مَّالِ الْخَطَّابْ إِنَّمَا أَنْفَقْتُ مِّنْ مَّالِ الله
Woe to you, you can say that if I spent from my own pocket
or from the money of Al-Khattab(ألخطاب) from my father
but I was spending from the money of Allah.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) was very emotional when he saw these refugees,
bringing their children and their women and they were all going on their camels and leaving the refugee camps.
Where they stayed there for months and months and months, suffering hunger.
many of them died.
And it was Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) as we talked earlier, he would cook for them, serve them, help them
and now Al-Hamdolillah(ألحمدلله) the problem was over and they're going back to their territories.
Bilal رضي الله عنه was one of the zuhaad(زهاد) and Bilal(بلال) was very concerned with
See! Some people they are austere in themselves, some people they want to be austere
and they want everybody else to be austere.
Bilal(بلال) was one of those people.
Bilal(بلال) was very worried that the Muslim Ummah(امة) would become soft and luxurious.
So, he comes to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) to complain about what's happening in Syria.
He came to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) and he said;
يَا أمير المؤمنين إِنَّ أُلمَّرَآ أَجْنَادَكَ بِشَّامِ وَاللهِ مَا يَاكُلُوْنَا إِلَّا هُمُّ طَّيْرَ
وَخَبْزًا نَقِيْ وَمَا يِجِدُوْ ذَالِكَ عَامَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ
O Ameer Ul-Mo'mineen(أميرالمؤمنين), your military generals in Ash-Sham(ألشام)
are eating the flesh of birds, chicken and different fowl and they are eating soft bread.
While that is not accessible to the rest of the Muslims.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said: Bring them, call them.
So, they came to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) and he said;
Is what Bilal(بلال) is claiming is that true.?
Yazeed Bin Abi Sufiyaan(يزيدبن أبي سفيان) said;
O Ameer Ul-Mo'mineen(أميرالمؤمنين), what Bilal(بلال) is saying about the food that we eat is true.
But that is because it is very cheap in our land.
And it costs the same as it would cost to feed our families in Al-Hijaz(ألحجاز).
We are spending the same amount of money, we would be spending, if we are in Madina,
we are buying these items because in this land, they're very cheap.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said: Not until I make sure that you provide for your people.
So, he brought the people and he said: What would be enough food for you in a month.
So, they said: So and So bread and So and So vinegar and So and So olive oil.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said;
We write an agreement between you and your Governor's,
that they will provide you with that amount of food.
In addition to the handouts that the government gives.
And if they do not fulfill that, you come and raise your complaints to me,
and I will make sure that they will give you, what is due to you?
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) did not allow his governors to eat soft bread.
Until he made sure that everyone in Ash-Sham(ألشام) is going with a full stomach
everyone has enough for them.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) wanted the governor's to seek Shuraa(شورى) from the seniors and the experienced.
He heard that Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari(أبوموسى ألأشعرى) has an open door policy, when it comes to Shuraa(شورى)
anybody can come in and attend the Shuraa(شورى).
The young, the old, the educated, the illiterate everyone.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) told him;
بَلَغَنِيْ أَنَّكَ تَعْزَنُ الِّنَّاسِ جَمًّا غَفِيْراً
فَإِذَاجَآءَكَ كِتَابِ هَذَا فَعْزَنْ لِأَهْلِ الشَّرَفِيْ وَأَهْلِ الْقُرْآنَ وَتَّقْوَى وَدِّيْنَ
فَإِذَا أَخَذُوْ مَجَالِسَ هُمْ فَعْزَنْ لِلْعَامَّهْ
He said: Open your doors first to the leaders of the people
and to the knowledgeable people,
the people who are knowledgeable in Qur'an, and Islam.
Let them come in first and take their seats.
And then if there any other seats vacant, allow the rest to come in.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) is saying that when it comes to Shura(شورى),
you should seek Shuraa(شورى), consultation with the leaders, with the scholars,
with the people of experience, they should come in first,
don't just open the doors and have everybody come into your Shuraa(شورى).
And, you know, not only in Shuraa(شورى) is that the case
but also in choosing leaders, electing leaders, it applies both to Shuraa(شورى) and the electing of leaders.
It needs to be done by the people of experience and knowledge.
And he told Abu Musa(ابوموسى);
لَمْ يَزَلِلنَّاسِ وُجُوْهُ يَرْفَعُوْنَ هَوَاءِجَالنَّاسِ فَأَكْرِمُوْ وَجُوْهَالنَّاسْ
He said: People have leaders who represent them in asking for their needs
so honor these people.
In the tribal societies the tribe would have leaders and these leaders would go to the Sultan(سلطان)
and ask help for his people.
So, and so needs this, so and so needs that…
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) is saying: Honor these people who are helping others.
The governors of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) used to be very caring,
not only would they apply justice.
You know?. You could apply justice in a very dry way and stay away from people.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) wanted them to show compassion, - not to show… To feel compassion.
It's not a show to feel compassion and to be caring
about the subjects just like a shepherd would care about his flock.
So, when he would meet with the followers with the people
he would ask them, How is your Waali(والي)?
They would say he's an excellent man! May Allah reward him.
He would say;
هَلْ يَعُوْضُوْ مَرْضَاكُمْ؟
Does he visit your ill?
هَلْ يَعُوْضُوْ الْعَبْدَ؟
Does he visit the slave?
كَيْفَ صَنْعِيَ أَوْ بِضَعِيُفَ؟
How does he deal with the weak?
هَلْ يَجْلِسُ عَلَى بَابْ؟
Does he sit on the doorstep of the layman?
If they answer no, to any of these questions.
He would fire him.
He needs to visit the ill and he needs to visit the slaves
and he needs to be kind with the weak.
So, it goes beyond being just.
You could be just without visiting the weak.
But he wants them to care about their subjects and to be close to them.
The governors of Umar(عُمَر) would ensure that people are treated equally.
Once Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) was told:
That one of his governors gave government handouts
this money that the government would give to the subjects,
he gave it to the Arabs and he didn't give it to the non Arabs.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) summoned him and he said;
Why haven't you treated the people equally?
People need to be treated equally the days of nationalism and tribalism are over.
And Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) would follow up with his Wulaa(ولاء).
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said;
خَيْرُ الِّيْ أَنْ أَعْزِلَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَآلِيًا مِنْ أَنْ أُبْقِيْ ظَالِمًا سَاعَتْ أَنْهَارْ
I would rather change the governor every day,
then have a governor stay and oppress the people for one hour.
Even if I would have to change him on a daily basis
and cause all of that fluctuation and instability is better
than having a Wali(والي), who is oppressing the people for even one hour.
He used to say:
أَيُّ مِنْ عَامِ الِّيْ ظَلَمَ اَحَدًا فَبَلَغَنِيْ مَظْلَمَتَا فَلَمْ أُغَيَّرَهَا فَأَنْ أَظْلَمْتَا
If I appoint a governor and then that Governor wrongs the people
and I know about that then I have wronged them myself
and he would say;
أَرَأَيْتُ مِنَّ اسْتَعْمَلْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ خَيْرُ مَنْ اَعْلَمْ
ثُمَّ أَمَرْتُه’ بِلْ عَدْلِ أَكُنْتُ قَضَيْتُمَا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُ نَعْمَ
He asked the people he said: If I appoint on you, somebody who is good, pious
and he is the best and I instruct him to rule with justice.
Have I done my part.?
They said: Definitely.
You appointed somebody who is the best
and you instructed him to be just, you have done your part.
He said: No! I haven't.
قَالَ لَا، حَتَّى أَنْظُرَفِيْ عَمَلِيْهِ أَعَمِلَ بِمَا أَمَرْتَه’ عَمْلَا
No,
I would not have fulfilled my part until I follow up with him.
And I put him under scrutiny to make sure that he is ruling according to what I instructed him.
So, not only should I appoint the good but I need to follow up.
When he would appoint a governor.
He would ask that the people send the delegation to meet with him on a continuous basis,
so that he can ask them about the Ummal(عُمَّالْ).
So, he would receive a delegation of 10 from Al-Kufa(ألكوفه)
and when the money from Al-Kufa(ألكوفه) would come
and this money is the Kharaaj(خراج) and the Jizya(جزيه) and the Zakat(زكواة).
He would instruct that this money needs to be accompanied by 10 representatives of the people.
When he would receive the money who would ask these representatives. He would say:
Do you testify that this money was taken in accordance to the laws of Allahعَزَّوَجَلْ
and that no Muslim or non Muslim was wronged.
When they would say yes, he would accept the money.
He didn't want, one Dirham(درهم) to be taken unlawfully from a Muslim or non Muslim
and he had to make sure that there are Shuhood(شهود), ten witnesses
to ensure that this money was taken in the right way.
He would have Baraid(بريد) a mail, the mail man would gather all of the letters
and he would announce his departure date.
And he would gather all of the letters and he would not be allowed to read any of them.
And the mail would be delivered to Ameer Ul-Mo'mineen(أميرالمؤمنين) in Madina.
So, if anyone had a private complain,
they could write it down and send it to the Khalifah(خليفه) without even traveling
and no one, would have read that mail.
It's not like that the Waali(والي) has a right to peek into those envelopes
based on intelligence information that he is complaining against you.
The Privacy was secured, whatever was written is private,
only the Khalifah(خليفه) will read it.
He used to take advantage of the Hajj(حَجْ).
Hajj(حَجْ) was a general assembly.
You know? Now Hajj(حَجْ) today is devoid of its role.
In the time of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) Hajj(حَجْ) was a general assembly.
Where he would ask the people about their governors,
it was a Shura(شورى) for Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) to meet with his employees.
It was a time to plan for the next year,
it was a time to report what is happening in every Muslim state to the Khalifah(خليفه).
It was a time to hold the leaders accountable to the followers.
That was the role of Hajj(حَجْ) in the time of Umar Bin Khattab رضي الله عنه.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) he said;
لَإِنْ إِشْتُ إِنْ شَاءَاللهُ لَا أَسِيْرَنَّا فِى رَّعِيَّتِ حَوْلَا
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said: If I live,
I am going to travel for a whole year to the different Muslim states.
فَإِنِّيْ أَعْلَمُوْأَنَّا لِا لنَّاسِ حَوَائِجْ تُكْتَ عَدُوْنِيْ
Because I'm sure that the people have needs and they're unable to deliver the request to me.
إِمَّا عُمَّالَهُمْ فَلَا إِدْفَعُوْنَ اِلَيْهِ فَإِمَّالَهُمْ لَايَسِلُوْنَ اِلَيْهِ
Either their leaders are not bringing those demands forth,
or they are not able to send them to me.
فَا أَسِيْرَ إِلَّى الشَّامْ فَأُقِيْمَ بِهَا شَهْرَيْنَ
So, I would go to Ash-Sham(ألشام) and stay two months.
ثُمَّ أَسِيْرُ إِلَى الْجَزِيْرَهْ فَأُقِيْمُ بِهَا شَهْرَيْنَ
And then I would go to Iraq and stay for two months
and then to Al-Kufa(ألكوفه) and I would stay two months
and then also to Al-Basra(ألبصرة) and stay two months.
So, he wanted to go around traveling in order to ensure that
every Muslim, every citizen of the Islamic Khilafah(خِلَافَه) has his needs fulfilled.
IT SHUDDERS IN PAIN FREELY
MY CHASITY, MY MODESTY!
OH MUSLIM, YOU SAW
MY INJURY AND THE INJURY OF MY PRIDE