When Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه was feeling, death approaching him
he told the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم,
I want you, to choose for yourselves a Khalifah(خليفه) after me
your Baiy’ah(بيعة) to me is over, and I am not incharge of your affairs anymore
because I am leaving this Duniyah(دُنِيَّا).
And he wanted this affair to be settled before he dies.
So, Sahabah رضي الله عنهم discussed the matter
but then they came back to Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) and they said:
We trust your advice, so we put it back in your hands you choose for us.
Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه said: Then give me some time to decide.
Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه called Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf(عبدالرحمن ابن عوف)
and he asked him, he said: "Inform me about Umar(عُمَر)?"
Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf رضي الله عنه said:
"You don’t ask me about anything but you have better knowledge than me."
Anything that you ask me about, you know it better than I do.
Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه said: "Even though, I want to hear your opinion?"
So, Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf(عبدالرحمن ابن عوف) Said:
هُوَ خَيْرًا مِمَّا تَظُنْ
Umar(عُمَر) is better than what you think of him!
Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه said:
اُكْتُمْ عَنِّيْ
Keep this conversation private, he left.
And then Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) invited Uthman Ibn Affan( عثمان ابن عفان),
he said: "Tell me about Umar(عُمَر)?"
Uthman Ibn Affan(عثمان ابن عفان) said: You know him
basically he said the same thing,
"Anything you ask me about, you know it better than I do!"
The Sahabah رضي الله عنهم gave it to Abu Bakr(ابو بكر), that he was most scholarly and knowledgeable among them.
Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) said: I still want to hear your opinion on Umar(عُمَر),
he said: I know what I know of Umar(عُمَر), and Allah is my witness.
Is that, his inside is better than his outside and there is none among us, like him.
There is none of us equal to Umar(عُمَر)
and what we see of Umar(عُمَر) in the outside and think is good and what is inside is even better.
Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه told Uthman Ibn Affan(عثمان ابن عفان),
"If I am going to by pass him, it's not going beyond you!"
If I am not going to choose Umar(عُمَر), you will be my next choice.
And then he make Naseeha(نصيحه) with some of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم
for example, Usayed Ibn Khuzair(اُسَيْد اِبن خضير), one of Al-Ansaar(الأنْصَار).
He was asked about Umar(عُمَر).
Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه asked him, Usayed Ibn Khuzair(اُسَيْد اِبن خضير) said:
يَرْضَى الِلرِّضَا
"He is pleased, with what pleases the ummah(امة),
and he is displeased with what displeases the Ummah(امة).
And there is none among us, who is more competent, stronger for this affair, then him.
He is the most competent among us, to run this affair.
So, basically all of the Sahabah(صحابه) were giving Umar(عُمَر), the same council
but there was the concern of some of the Sahabah(صحابه) for example, Talha(طلحه)
that Umar(عُمَر) is rough
and Talha(طلحه) was quite stern in the Naseeha(نصيحه) that he gave Abu Bakr(ابو بكر)
he told him, O Abu Bakr(ابو بكر)! How will you answer Allah on the Day of Judgment?
When He tells you, you appointed over the Muslims a man, who is harsh and rough.
Abu Bakr As-Siddique(ابوبكرالصديق) was ill and he was on his bed and he sat up straight and he said:
اَبِالله تُخَوِّفُوْنِيْ ؟
Are you threatening me with Allah?
I will respond to Allah on the Day of Judgment by saying; "I have chosen the best among them to lead them.
he is the best among you.
So, the opinion of Abu Bakr(ابوبكر) was settling on Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه
and he wrote a document of his appointment of Umar(عُمَر).
And he gave that document to Uthman Ibn Affan(عثمان ابن عفان)
and he said: "You go and read it in the Masjid(مسجد) and you take a Baiy’ah(بيعة) from the people."
Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) wanted to make sure that this issue is settled before he dies.
So, Uthman(عثمان) goes to the Masjid(مسجد) and, he tells the people,
Do you give Baiy’ah(بيعة) to, who is in this document? And they all gave Baiy’ah(بيعة)."
So, Baiy’ah(بيعة) was given to Umar(عُمَر) during the time of Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه before he passes away.
Ibn Masood رضي الله عنه, he says;
أَفْرَسُ النَّاسِ ثَلَاثَةْ ؛
وَصَاحِبَةِ مُوْسى حِيْنَ قَالَتْ: يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ
إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ
وَصَاحِبْ يُوْسُفْ حِيْنَ قَال :أَكْرِمِي مَثْوَاهُ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا
وَأَبُوْ بَكَرْ حِيْنَ اَسْتَخْلَفَ عُمر
Ibn Masood(ابن مسعود) says; "The three with the greatest intuitions among mankind are the woman or the wife of Musa(موسى)
and the Master of Yousuf(يوسف) and Abu Bakr As-Siddique(ابو بكر الصديق), when he appointed Umar(عمر).
What are these three incidence?
Ibn Masood(ابن مسعود) is saying,
that these three have the greatest Farasah(فراسة), intuition that ever existed among humanity.
The wife of Musa(موسى),
when Musaعليه السلام left Egypt,
he was running away from the Egypt to save his life
that was before he became a Nabi(نَبِي) because they wanted to execute him,
so he left Egypt and he went to the land of Mad'yan(مدائن),
he left alone and he didn’t have any transportation
and he was travelling and his shoes were torn apart,
and then his skin on his feet was tearing apart
and he was so hungry he had to eat the leaves of trees
until, his lips were cracking and the color was turning green.
Because these are not edible, they not suitable for human consumption.
And Musa عليه السلام is going through that difficult journey
and then he reaches to the land of Mad'yan(مدائن)
and even though he is exhausted and tired and hungry.
He sees these two women waiting on the side of this well,
while all are the men are fighting to get water.
Musa عليه السلام is still practicing,
اَمَرْ بِالْمَعْرُوْفَ وَ نَهِيْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرَْ
Even though, he is in that exhausted state
This was the personality of Musa(موسى) he cannot hold back
"enjoining good and forbidding evil"
even if he is extremely tired and exhausted.
He is in a foreign land he doesn’t know anybody there
but he still cannot stand seeing wrong happening in front of his eyes.
So, he goes in and asks these women,
these two women, they're sisters that how come you are not quenching the thirst of your animals?
They said: We cannot go in and fight with the men.
These men had no honor, they're fighting over the water
and have these women waiting, they are not standing in queue
They're just fighting to get the water and the poor ladies are waiting.
Musa عليه السلام jumps in and fights his way through, and he gets them water.
And he's even fighting, when he's in that exhausted state, he gets some water
and then he goes under a tree and he throws himself under the tree, completely exhausted.
He has no where to stay, no food to eat, no supporter no helper.
So, he just lays down, and he says
رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
"O Allah whatever good, you bring down on me, I need it."
I have reached, a state where anything would do, O Allah! Anything,
رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
He is begging Allahعَزّ وجَلّ for anything.
Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله) the Dua(دُعَا) of Musa(موسى) was immediately accepted.
And this tells you brothers and sisters, the consequences of doing good.
Musa عليه السلام has every excuse in the world to be passive at that moment.
And just sit down under the tree and forget about what those people are doing?
Those two women they went back home, and one of them went to her father and said:
O my father! Why don’t you hire that man?
Because the best man to hire is the man, who is trust worthy and strong.
That action of Musa(موسى), that action of Musa(موسى) look at the consequences of it.
The woman goes back home and tells her old father, hire this man.
So, she comes back and she calls Musa(موسى).
Musa(موسى) goes there and he gets a job,
he finds a wife because this woman marries him.
and he was given a guarantee of work up to eight or ten years.
So, he signed a contract to work for this man for eight to ten years
as a result of that small action of good that he did
لَا تَحْقِرَنَّ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوْفِ شَيْئًا
Rasool Allah ﷺ says; "Never belittle anything good that you do." Anything!
You don’t know what will be the act that will make it or break it.
Whether on the side of good or side of evil.
A person could go up levels in Jannah(جنة) because of one good word
and they good go down levels in Hell fire because of one evil word.
And they're not even paying attention to those words.
One small deed can tilt the scales and you will enter into Jannah(جنة)
one evil deed can tilt the scales and you end up going to Hell fire.
لَا تَحْقِرَنَّ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوْفِ شَيْئًا
"Do not belittle anything good that you do."
And in the same time, don't see any sin as being insignificant
So, Ibn Masood(ابن مسعود) says; This woman had great Farasa(فراسه), is very intuitive.
THE SECOND SAHIB YUSUF(صاحب يوسُف):
When Yusuf(يوسف) was found in the well, he was sold as a slave in Egypt.
The man, who purchased him, we would say the Prime Minister or Treasurer of Egypt
He is the one who, purchased Yusuf(يوسف),
when he took this young boy home, he told his wife:
اَكْرِمِيْ مَثْوَاهْ
Make his stay with us honorable.
He is a slave, but he told his wife make his stay among us all honorable
because one day, he might be of great benefit for us or we might adopt him as a son.
So, this man saw some marks of intelligence and wisdom in Yusuf عليه السلام
so he gave special instructions to his wife to treat him well.
He didn’t know that one day this man will grow up and be one of the Ambiyaa(أنبِيَاء).
AND THE THIRD:
Ibn Masood(ابن مسعود) says; Abu Bakr(ابو بكر), when he appointed Umar(عُمَر) to be the Khalifah(خليفه).
May be one of the greatest deeds of Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه is
that before he died, he appointed Umar(عُمَر) to be the Khalifah(خليفه).
Because everything that Umar(عُمَر) did after that, goes into the scales of Abu Bakr As-Siddique(ابو بكر الصديق).
And that’s why Abu Bakr As-Siddique(ابو بكر الصديق) is higher than everybody including Umar(عُمَر)
because Umar(عُمَر) his Khilafah(خِلَافَه) becomes one of the Hasanat(حسنات) of Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه.
It was a choice that had a Toufique(توفيق) of Allahعَزّ وجَلّ
Allahعَزّ وجَلّ gave Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) success in that choice of leaving behind Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه.
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه when Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) was passing away
he came and he gave him, some words to comfort the Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه
among those words he said;
وَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ عَلى خِلَافَتِكَ اَثْنَانْ
No two men disputed, your Khilafah(خِلَافَه)
which means that the Khilafah(خِلَافَه) of Umar(عُمَر) was the consensus of the Sahabah(صحابه)
and we know that consensus, in this Ummah(امة) is Hujjah(حجة), is an evidence
and here we just don’t have consensus of the Ummah(امة),
we have consensus of Greatest Generation of the Ummah(امة), the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم.
We know in Fiqh(فقه) that the evidence is the Ayah(آية) of the Qur’an
or the Hadith(حديث) of Rasool Allah ﷺ or Ijma’ah(اجماع), the consensus.
So, it was the consensus of Sahabah رضي الله عنهم that the Umar(عُمَر) is the Khalifah(خليفه)
and that he is the most deserving of that position.
So, who can dare, after that to doubt in the validity of the Khilafah(خِلَافَه) of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه?
Among the generations, where there's evil and Bida’a(بدعة).
If the greatest generation, the pure generation of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم agreed
that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) is the Khalifah(خليفه),
who can dare to say after that no it should have been somebody else?
When Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه became Khalifah(خليفه)
there are few different speeches, that were attributed to him, one of them was, he says;
ثُمَّ إِنِّيْ قَدْ وُلِّيْتُ أمُوْرَكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسْ
"O people! Know that I have been appointed to govern your affairs"
فَاعْلَمُوْا أَنَّ تِلْكَ الشِّدَّةْ قَدْ أُضْعِفَتْ
So realize now, that my roughness is now weaker,
that roughness has been weakened.
وَلَا كِنَّهَا إِنَّمَا تَكُوْنُ عَلى أَهْلِ الظُّلْمِ وَالتَّعَدِّيْ
But I will still be rough and harsh on the people of oppression and transgression.
وَلَسْتُ أَدَعْ أَحَدًا يَظْلِمُ أَحَدًا َ أَوْ يَتَعَدَّى عِلَيْهِ حَتَّى أَضَعَ خَدَّه’ عَلَى الْاَرْضَ،
وَأَضَعُ قَدَمِيْ عَلَى الْخَدِّالْآخَرْ حَتَّى يُذْعِنِ الْحَقّّ
"And I am not going to see anybody who oppresses others,
but I am going to put one of their cheeks in the dirt
and I will step with my foot over the other cheek,
until they give the people what is due to them.
And then he said:
وَاِنِّيْ بَعْدَ شِدَّتِيْ تِلْكَ اَضْعُ خَدِّيْ عَلَى الْاَرْضْ، لِأَهْلِ الْعَفَافِ وَالْكَفَافْ
"But I will put my cheek, on the floor to the people of piety and righteousness. "
I will be so humble towards these people, it is as if, I am placing my cheek on the earth for them.
وَلَكُمْ عَلَيَّ أَيُّهَا النَّاسْ، خِصَالْ أَذْكُرُوْهَالَكُمْ فَخُذُوْنِيْ بِهَا
And I will promise you a few things which you can hold me accountable to.
لَكُمْ عَلَيَّ أَلَّاْ اَجْتَبِيْ شَيْئًا مِنْ خَرَاجِكُمْ وَلَا مِمَّا أَفَاءَ الله عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا مِنْ وَجْهِهْ
"I promise you that I will take nothing of your Kharaj(خراج),
Kharaj(خراج) is what your land produces.
وَلَا مِمَّا أَفَاءَ الله عَلَيْكُمْ
And I will take nothing from the spoils of war, that you get
except that which is rightfully taken.
Which I am allowed to take, according to the Book of Allah
وَلَكُمْ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَزِيْدَهْ
Then he also said: And that money I will only spend it, in accordance to law of Allah.
So, I will not going to take anything except if the Book of Allah allows it,
and I will only spend it, in a way that pleases Allahعَزّوجَلّ.
وَلَكُمْ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَزِيْدَ عَطَايَاكُمْ وَأَرْزَاقَكُمْ اِنْشَآءَ الله تَعَالى وَأَسُدَّا ثُغُوْرَكُمْ
And I promise you that I will increase your salaries, and your provisions
and I promise you that I will protect your borders."
وَلَكُمْ عَلَيَّ أَلَّا أُلْقٍيْكُمْ فِى الْمَهَالِكْ
"And I promise you not to throw you into destruction."
وَلَا أُجْمِرُكُمْ
"And I will not keep the soldiers away from their families, for extended periods of time."
وَإِذَا غِبْتُمْ فِى الْبُعُوْثِ فَأَنَا أَبُوا الْعِيَالْ حَتَّى تَرْجِعُوْ اِلِيْهِمْ
And when I send you out in Jihad(جهاد) I will be the father of your children, until you come back.
So, have Taqwa(تقوي), O servants of Allah!"
A FEW POINTS REGARDING THIS SPEECH
First of all Umar(عُمَر) is changing his personality
Umar(عُمَر) is saying, that roughness is now turning into softness.
Abu Bakr As-Siddiqueرضي الله عنه has said, when some of the Sahabah(صحابه) told him;
How will you appoint a man, who is tough?
Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) said: Umar(عُمَر) was tough, because he saw that I was weak
but when I pass away, he will leave behind much of that behavior
And Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said about himself,
Rasool Allah ﷺ had a very great heart that was open for everyone
so I had to be a sword in his presence.
And Abu Bakr As-Siddique(ابو بكر الصديق) was very soft man, so I had to be tough in his presence.
But now, since I have assumed responsibility of you,
that harshness will be turned into softness.
It shows you something about Umar(عُمَر)
that he had control over himself to the extent that he can change his personality.
And he could be the man of the moment and act according to, what those times need.
So, in the times of Rasool Allah ﷺ he was carrying the certain character,
in times of Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) a certain character, and in the time of his Khilafah(خِلَافَه), he change his ways
So, that he could modify his personality to be appropriate for those circumstances
And this is great ability, don’t be a slave of yourself.
You need to take control of yourself and you need to tame your Nafs(نفس).
Number two: You can see the importance of financial justice.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) is saying that I am not going to take your money, and I am not going to spend your money,
except in the rightful way.
A Muslim leader is not a Muslim leader if he is taking money in an un rightful way, and spending it in a wrong way.
Part of being an Ameer(امير) over Muslims is that you are accountable financially
and you spend the money and you take it way, in a way that pleases Allahعَزّوجَلّ
So Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) is mentioning this as one of the points that people need to hold him accountable to.
Number three: What an amazing government was that
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) is paying, his citizens salaries
and this is not for any work that they are doing.
Every citizen of the Islamic Khilafah(خِلَافَه) would get a salary, a payment.
These were not government employees, everyone has a right to money of the Islamic Treasury.
This is money that belongs to the Muslims,
so Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) was giving it back to them.
This is not something that, he invented this is something that existed in times of Abu Bakr(ابو بكر)
and in the times of Rasool Allah ﷺ,
Umar(عُمَر) just promised to increase it.
I am going to increase your payments.
So, those were very blessed times.
Number four: In offensive Jihad(جهاد), the safety of the Muslims is paramount
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) is saying that I am promise you, not to throw you into the destruction.
He would only send out the army, if there was sufficient reconnaissance done
and if there is not great risk and there is not great risk.
So, there is difference between Defensive Jihad(جهاد) and Offensive Jihad(جهاد).
In Defensive Jihad(جهاد), the Muslims takes greater risk
and they sacrifice their lives and their wealth and their family.
But when we are talking about Offensive Jihad(جهاد), which is for the sake of Daw'ah(دعوة)
the risk that, they take is less.
And their safety is taken into consideration by the Khulafah(خلفاء),
that was something that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) instituted
and it was something also that we find with Umar Bin Abdul-Aziz رضي الله عنه he recalled the army
that was laying siege on Constantinople(قسطنطنية)
because he said, that the Muslims are dying.
Number five: The role of the leader is to protect the people not to protect himself.
Now, the leaders they are concerned about their personal safety,
they don’t care about the Ummah(امة).
Let the Ummah(امة) die!
As long as I am safe, I am going to use the entire army and police force to protect myself
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) was concerned about the safety of the Ummah(امة).
So, he said, I am not going to throw you in destruction.
I am going to take care of you, I am going to take care of your families.
While, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) would go around without any security guards.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) did not have even one bodyguard to accompany him
but he use to pay a lot of attention to the security of Muslims.
In fact, in one of his letter, he said;
You do not sent out reconnaissance mission unless they are properly secured and defended.
Number six;
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) is telling his army
in your absence I will be the father to your children and care taker of your wives.
Just think about how much psychological comfort that would give to a soldier when he is fighting.
When he is in the front line, he will realize that if something happens to him,
my family would be taken care of.
The Khalifah(خليفه) would be their father, he will be there for them.
So, this motivates the army, it’s a morale boost for them
and this is the concerned that the leader should have for his people.
And that’s why? Rasool Allah ﷺ said;
مَا مِنْ نَبِيْ إِلَّا وَرَعِى الْغَنَمْ
"That every Prophet has been a shepherd of sheep".
They said: "what about you, Rasool Allah ﷺ ?" He said: Even me!
How come all of the Ambiyaa(أنبِيَاء) were shepherds of sheep? Specifically sheep.
because a shepherd of sheep is dealing with a weak animals,
these are not camels these are sheep
see the camel is an arrogant proud animal
but the sheep are weak and they are vulnerable
they could be attacked at any moment, by a wolf or a wild animal.
So, the shepherd learns responsibility and is always guarding his flock.
And the shepherd has a lot of mercy towards these weak animals.
So, that is the training for the Ambiyaa(أنبِيَاء), so when they start giving Daw'ah(دعوة) to the people
they carry on those characteristics with them.
They see themselves as responsible for the security of their followers,
they see themselves as care takers of their followers.
And a shepherd since he is standing, has a vantage point, that the sheep do not have.
The shepherd is the first to see danger approaching, but the sheep cannot see that coming.
So, the Nabi(نَبِي) of Allah has that ability to see the danger when it's on its way before his followers.
So, Rasool Allah ﷺ is saying;
The analogy of me and you is like somebody who's sitting next to the bonfire.
And all of these flying insects are trying to jump into the fire,
thinking that it’s a light and they don’t know that it will burn them.
And I am pulling you away from fire while you are forcing yourselves into it.
وَأَنْتُمْ تَقَّحْمُوْنَ فِيْهَا
Rasool Allah ﷺ is saying I want to save you from the fire
and you don’t know that you are a heading towards it.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) is now treating the Ummah(امة) as if he is the shepherd, caring for them.
AN ISSUE RELATING TO BAY'AH(بيعة):
Number one:
The Bay’ah(بيعة) that was given to the Khulafah(خُلَافَاء) was given only by the people of Madina.
It wasn’t given by everybody.
As long as the people of Madina gave Bay’ah(بيعة) to the Khalifah(خليفه) that was seen as sufficient.
They didn’t get the Bay’ah(بيعة) from each and every Muslim living in the Khilafah(خِلَافَه)
because it is impossible to do that.
It would take months and months
if they are going to solicit Bay’ah(بيعة) from each and every individual living in Islamic Khilafah(خِلَافَه).
So, as long as the people of Madina gave Bay’ah(بيعة) that was seen as sufficient
and after that all of the people follow.
So, Al-Madina had
اَهْلُ الْحَلِّ وَالْعَقْدَ
It had the people, who make the decision.
That’s number one.
2. Number two:
We don’t find it anywhere in our old references that, they took Bay’ah(بيعة) from women
It was only the men, who were giving the Bay’ah(بيعة)
women never gave Bay’ah(بيعة) to Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) or Umar(عُمَر) or Uthman(عثمان) or Ali(علي)
or any of the Khulfah(خلافاء) after that.
And that was seen as a natural thing to the extent
that none of our classical scholars ever talked about that issue in their books of Fiqh(فقه).
It was seen as natural or normal for the men to give the Bay’ah(بيعة)
and the women not to give the Bay’ah(بيعة).
But on the other hand, there is nothing in Qur’an or Sunnah(سنة) that says
that the women are not allowed to give Baiy’ah(بيعة).
So, the issue is left open.
Women never gave Bay’ah(بيعة) before
however, there is nothing in Qur’an or Sunnah(سنة) that prohibits them from giving Baiy’ah(بيعة).
And this is like many of the other issues that relate to politics.
The general guide lines were given in Qur’an and Sunnah(سنة)
but the details were left open for the people to formulate according to the need of their times.
Even when it came to the appointment of the Khalifah(خليفه), we find that it happened in different ways
Rasool Allah ﷺ did not appoint anyone even though he gave many implicit indications
that Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) should be the Khalifah(خليفه).
He was the Imam(اِمَام) of Salah(صلاة).
He was Ameer(امير) on Hajj(حَجْ).
When women came to Rasool Allah ﷺ he said,
She asked for something from Rasool Allahﷺ told her to come later
she said: What if I don’t find you? He said: "Go to Abu Bakr(ابو بكر)"
So, Rasool Allah ﷺ is telling this woman that if you don’t find me
the next in line is Abu Bakr As-Siddique رضي الله عنه.
While Abu Bakr(ابو بكر) appointed Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) specifically.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) appointed a council of six to choose.
So, it was done in different ways.
The general guidelines are
Al-Adl(العدل) justice,
Shoora(شورى) consultation
Baiy’ah(بيعة) giving pledge of allegiance
but other areas are left open for the Mujtahideen(مجتهدين) to decide according to the needs of the time.
Now, women were consulted in terms of Shoora(شورى), women are consulted
it is just the Baiy’ah(بيعة) that, they didn’t give the Baiy’ah(بيعة) to Khulafah(خلافاء)
They did however, give Bay’ah(بيعة) to Rasool Allah ﷺ which was the Baiy’ah(بيعة) Of Islam.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF UMAR IBN KHATTAB رضي الله عنه.
Number one: Shoora(شورى) it was a government of Shoora(شورى).
Allahعَزّوجَلّ says;
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ
وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ
فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ
فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ۝
"It is part of the mercy of Allah that you do deal gently with them
where if you were severe or harsh hearted, they would have broken away from about you.
So, pass over their faults and ask for Allah’s forgiveness for them
and consult them in their affairs.
Then when you have taken a decision put your trust in Allah
for Allah love those who put their trust in Him."
Al-Imran(ألعمران) verse 159.
Umar Ibn Khattab(عمرإبن ألخطاب) said;
لَا خَيْرَ فِيْ اَمْرٍاُ بْرِ مَا مِنْ غَيْرِ شُوْرى
There is no good in an affair, that was decided without consultation.
There is no Barakah(بركة) in it.
So, if you want to have Barakah(بركة) in your affairs make Shoora(شورى)
He also says;
شَاوِرْ فِيْ أَمْرِكَ مَنْ يَخَافُ الله تَعَالى
Consult in your affairs the ones, who fear Allah.
And this is an important teaching,
you need to consult the people of Taqwa(تقوي) the people of righteousness.
If you consult a Shaytan(شَيْطَانْ), he will not do you any good.
It doesn’t say that you go and make a Shoora(شورى) with everyone including Iblees(ابليس) you ask him for his opinions.
and it also means that you don’t go and ask the opinion of his followers.
So, you don’t go around asking for advice from people,
who do not have the concern for the religion of Allahعَزّوجَلّ.
You need to seek the Shoora(شورى) from the people who have Taqwa(تقوى) of Allah
and they also need to be experts in that particular area that you are asking them.
Not everybody who has Taqwa(تقوى) of Allahعَزّوجَلّ knows about everything
So, when you seek Shoora(شورى), consultation
you look for Taqwa(تقوى) and you also look for competence in that particular area.
They have to know what they are talking about?
So, these two qualities are the two elements that are needed when you are looking for advice.
There are many people, who have understanding but they don’t have Taqwa(تقوى)
and there are many people of Taqwa(تقوى) but they don’t have the understanding.
So, you have to go to the right people and ask them for Shoora(شورى).
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) not only would he make Shoora(شورى)
but he would make sure that, his governors, and generals would make Shoora(شورى).
For example, when he appointed Abi Obaid Thaqafi(اَبِي عُبَيْداَلثَّقَفِيْ) to lead an army he said;
اِسْمَعْ وَاَطَعْ مِنْ اَصْحَابِيْ اَنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَشْرِكْمْ فِيْ الْأَمْرِيْ
خَاصَةً مِّنْ كَانَ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ اَهْلِ بَدْرََ
"He told him, listen and obey to the Companions of Rasool Allah ﷺ
because he wasn’t Companion, he was a Taba’ee(تابعي),
he said listen and obey to the companions of Rasool Allah ﷺ
especially those who have attended Badr(بدر)."
And he told Utbah Bin Ghazwan(عتبه ابن غزوان), who he also appointed as an army general,
he told him, I have written a letter to Abi Al-Ala Hadrami(ابو الاعلى حضرمى)
to send with you ‘Arfajah Ibn Harshama(عرفجه ابن هرشمه),
وَهُوَ ذُوْا مُجَاهَدَةْ لِلْعَدُّوْ وَمُكَايَدَتَهْ فَإِذَا قَدِمَ عَلَيْكَ فَاسْتَشِرْهُ وَقَرِّبْهُُ
"I told Abu Al-Ala Hadrami(ابو الاعلى حضرمى) to send with you this man Arfajah(عرفجه)
and Umar(عُمَر) told him this man is good, in his fighting the enemy and their plans."
He knows how to fight the enemy and to fight the plans of the enemy.
So, he needs to be with you and he said;
اسْتَشِرْهُ
"Seek his advice and make him close to you, Waqraba'a(وقربه).
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) for example, he placed a travel ban on the senior Sahabah(صحابه),
he told them you are not allowed to leave the Madina
You know Umar(عُمَر) have some strict rules.
He told all of these senior Sahabah(صحابه), you are not allowed to leave Madina, you have to stick to me here.
One reason was he wanted them to be his Shoora(شورى) Council
another reason was Umar(عُمَر) was afraid that if these senior men spread around
that could be a reason for contention and divisions among the Muslims.
Because all of these men are strong leaders
so people are going to coming around them
and then you will have various points of influence among the Ummah(امة).
And he was afraid that everyone of these men would lead the people in different direction
so he wanted to make sure that they are under his watchful eye.
So, he told them that you have to stick with me here in Madina
SOME OF HIS CLOSE ADVISORS,
Al-Abbas Bin Abdul-Muttalib(العباس ابن عبدالمطلب) the uncle of Rasool Allah ﷺ and his son Abdullah(عبدالله)
Now Abdullah(عبدالله) was young, he is very young.
Abdullah Ibn Abbas(عبدالله ابن عباس) was thirteen years old when Rasool Allah ﷺ passed away.
So, here we are talking about someone who was in his early twenties
And you would always find him, next to Umar(عُمَر).
He would accompany him, where ever Umar(عُمَر) would go.
So some of the elder Sahabah(صحابه) were wondering how come?
This young man was sitting on this Shoora(شورى) body.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) wanted them to know the reason.
So, he asked him, he said: "Tell me what's the meaning of;
إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ ۝ وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا ۝ فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا۝
"When the victory of Allah approaches and people enter into Islam in multitudes
then ask Allah for forgiveness because Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
what does this Surah(سورة) mean?
So, the Sahabah(صحابه) mentioned some few different views
and then he asked Ibn Abbas(ابن عباس) what does it mean?
He said: "This Surah(سورة) is the obituary of Rasool Allah ﷺ,
it was telling him that your death is near.
Because when you finish a deed Allah tells you to ask for forgiveness.
So, since Allahعَزّوجَلّ is telling Muhammadﷺ to ask Allah for forgiveness,
it means that he has completed his mission.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said, that’s why Ibn Abbas(ابن عباس) is with me.
He was the only one, who knew the answer.
Some of his advisors are, Uthman Ibn Affan(عثمان ابن عفان) and Abdur Rahman Ibn Aauf(عبدالرحمن ابن عوف),
and Ali Ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه, and Ubae Ibn Ka'ab(ابيئ بن كعب), scholar of Quran
Zayd Ibn Thabit(زيد ابن ثابت), the one, who compiled Al-Mus'haf(المصحف).
These were the close advisor of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه.
His government, was a government of justice and equality.
Imam Malik(امام مالك) says that, a Jew and a Muslim came to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) to solve a dispute
that happened between them.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) is Judgment was for the Jew against the Muslim.
When the Jew walked out he said: "In the name of Allah, you are ruling with Justice.
لَقَدْ قَضَيْتَ بِالْحَقّ
This is Al-Haq(الحق), so he judged for a Jew, over a Muslim.
And he was very strict when it comes to his governors.
He wanted to make sure that they would apply, Adl(عدل).
Every year he would meet with the subjects in Hajj(حَجْ).
And he would ask them about their governors.
So, he gave a Khutba(خطبة) once he said;
إِنِّيْ لَمْ اَبْعَثْ عُمَّالِيْ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُصِيْبُوْا مِنْ أَبْشَارِكُمْ
وَلَا مِنْ اَمْوَالِكُمْ وَإِنَّمَا بَعَثْتَ هُمْ لِيَحْجِزُوْا بَيْنَكُمْ
وَلِيَقْسِمُوْا فَيْءَ كُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ فُعِلَ بِهِ غَيْرَ ذَلِكْ فَلْيَقُمْ
He said: I did not send my governors to flog you and to take away your wealth
but I sent them to distribute your wealth between you fairly
and to solve your disputes.
So, the governors are there to serve you
And if anything other than that happens to you let me know.
So, one man stood up and said; "Your governor whipped me a hundred lashes."
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) asked the governor, why did he do it?
He didn’t get the satisfactory answer
he told this subject to go and lash the governor.
Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص) stood up and said;
"O Ameerul Mo’mineen(امير المؤمنين) what you are doing is dangerous
if you start this, the news of it will spread and it would be a frequent occurrence of people complaining against their governors
and it would become a Sunnah(سنة) after you.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: "Retribution must be paid to this man."
and Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: And this is something that Rasool Allah ﷺ used to do,
you ask me to change the Sunnah(سنة) of Rasool Allah ﷺ?
Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص) said;
O Ameer-Ul-Mo'mineen(امير المؤمنين) let us settle the affair with the man peacefully.
He goes to the man and negotiates with him a settlement
he agrees that he would be paid two dinars for every one whipping.
So, we're talking about two hundred Dinars(دينار), which is a large amount of money.
But Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص) wanted to settle it peacefully
because he didn’t want all of the governors to be lashed after that.
Because he was one of them, he is one of the governors.
In fact one incidence that happened with Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص) when he was the governor in Egypt.
His son got involved in a racing competition with an Egyptian.
So, the Egyptian won.
The son of Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص) was upset and angry
so he start beating up this man, why did you win?
This man, he went all the way to Madina to complain about son of Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص)
because he knows that there is a just man in Madina.
So, he goes to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه and he complains about what happened to him.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرإبن ألخطاب) calls the son of Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص) and his father
to come all the way from Egypt to the Madina.
So, they come and they are presented to Umar(عُمَر) in his court.
And when evidence was established that, what this man is saying is true.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) hands him over the stick
and tells him to avenge for what happened to him.
So, he starts beating up son of Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص)
and one of the companions, who was present he said;
"Before he started beating him, we wanted him to do that, to get even
but he was beating him so much, we were praying for him to stop
and when he finished, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) was quiet
he wanted that man to feel satisfied that he got even.
When he finished Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) told him and now, I want you to hit his father on his bald head.
Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص) was bald headed.
He said: I want you to hit his father on the head.
The man said: I am satisfied with, what I have done and my problem was with his son not with the father.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: But if it wasn’t for the position of his father he wouldn’t have done that.
He is taking advantage of his father’s position in the government.
But the Egyptian man said: I have nothing between me and Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص)
and I am not going to hit him and it was settled with that.
But this shows you Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله) the extent that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) was willing to go,
in order to enforce justice.
He was the man for the Ummah(امة).
He established the pillars of justice, Al-Adl(العدل)
and then he told, Amr Bin Al-Aas(عمرو بن العاص)
مُزْمَتَى اسْتَعْبَدْتُمُ النَّاسَ وَقَدْ وَلَدَتْهُمُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ اَحْرَارًا؟
Since when did you take people as slave, When their mother gave birth to them free?
they are born free since when did you take them slaves.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) would apply these standards to himself
He made himself equal to the people.
Lets take few minutes break for questions and then we will carry on with the second session
45 minutes its not going to be that long.
If you have two or three questions, we'll do that and we will carry on, with the next session.
just to give you a break,
وعليكم ألسلام ورحمة الله
Yes
This Dua(دعا) of Musa(موسى) is in Qur'an.
ربي إني لما أنزلتا إليَّ من خيرٍ فقير
O Allah! I am in need of any good, that you bring to me.
OK! The Question is, if you see Rasool Allah ﷺ in a different form than the description we have in book,
is that Rasool Allah ﷺ?
Rasool Allah ﷺ says,
من رآني في المنام فقد رآني
Who ever sees me in a dream has actually seen me.
فإن الشيطان لا يتمثل بي
Because Shaytan(شيطان) never assumes my form.
However Ibn Taymiya(إبن تيميه) says;
That the Hadith(حديث) means, when Rasool Allah ﷺ comes in the description that is given in the books.
If he comes in a different description, then that could be Shaytan(شيطان).
Shaytan(شيطان) cannot assume the actual form of Rasool Allahﷺ but he can assume a different form.
So if Rasool Allah ﷺ looks different in the dream, his color, the way he looks,
Is different than what we know of him, than it's not him.
How do you understand the Hadith(حديث), whoever dies without a Bai'yah(بيعة) dies in a state of ignorance.
It is taliking about Bai'yah(بيعة) of Khilafah(خلافة), when there is no Khalifah(خليفه),
this Hadith(حديث) does not apply when there is no Khalifah(خليفه).
But if there is a Khalifah(خليفه), and you die without giving Bai'yah(بيعة) to that Khalifah(خليفه),
than the person has died in the state of ignorance.
Alright we'll start with our next session.
Tayeb(طيب)
Umar Bin khattab رضی اللہ عنه he equated himself to his subjects, he did not hold for himself a special status
for example, In Aam-er-Ramadah(عام الرمادة), Aam-er-Ramadah(عام الرمادة) is the year of ashes,
Ar-Ramadah(ألرمادة) means ashes.
The weather was so hot and dry that when the wind was blowing it was as if, it was blowing ashes in their faces
and it was a year of famine, very difficult time a test and trial for the Muslims in time of Umar(عُمَر).
So, there were some items of food that were going off the shelves in the market, you cannot find them.
For example, meat, butter and milk.
Which were staple food.
So people were eating bread, dry bread and they would dip it in the vinegar or oil, possibly olive oil.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said;
"I make an oath in the name of Allah that I am not going to eat meat, butter or drink milk
until, it becomes available in the market and the Muslims can buy it.
He made a promise that he is not going to eat something that Muslims are unable to buy.
And he was up to his words,
he did not have any of those items, until it became available in the market.
But when it first came to the market you would expect the prices to be high right?
It just arrived in the market, it’s a new item.
So, his servant went and bought him some butter and milk and he paid forty dinar(دينار) to buy it, which was a lot of money.
And he told Ameerul Mo’mineen(امير المؤمنين).
قَدْ اَبَرَّاللهُ يَمِيْنَكْ وَعَظَّمَ أَجْرَكْ
قَدِمَ سُّوْقْ وَطَبٌ مِّن لَّبَنْ وَعَكَّةْ مِنْ سَمَنْ فَابْتَعْتُهَا بِأَرْبَعِيْنْ
He said: Allahعَزّوجَلّ has fulfilled your oath and Allah will reward you greatly for what you have done
now there is milk and butter in the markets, so I bought you some and it cost me forty dinar.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: That is too expensive and I view that as Israaf(اسراف),
excess and I am not going to have it.
And then he said;
كَيْفَ يَعْنِنِيْى شَأْنُ الرَّعِيَّةْ، إِذَ لَمْ يَمَسَّنِيْ مَا يَمَسُّهُمْ
How can I be concerned about my subjects,
if I am not going through what they are going through?
How can I feel for them?
If I am not going through the same hunger and thirst that they feel.
He said, as a leader I will not be just and fair with my subjects, if I don’t put myself in their shoes.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) refused to have that until the prices went down.
NOW I HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE HERE:
I have heard this more than once from the brothers that, they do not want to eat meat
because Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) here is saying that I am not going to eat meat
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) is saying that I don’t want to eat meat.
So, these brothers become vegetarians
and they eat so much vegetables until, they turn into bunnies.
You know rabit eat vegetables, they become like bunnies and they turn into couch potatoes
and they think it's healthy not to eat meat.
They just need to eat carrots and lettuce and broccoli and cauliflower
tomatoes, stay away from meat it's not good for you.
Brothers and sisters, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) did not refrain from meat
because of wacko nutritionist told him to do so.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) stayed away from the meat because he loves meat
and because it was expensive and the people are unable to eat it.
He did not stay away from it, because of health reasons.
If Allah has made it Halal(حلال) then it’s a good for you.
So, all of these fads that, the nutritionists come up with,
if it doesn’t confirms with Islamic Medicine throw it out of window.
Nowhere in Islam does it says that Lettuce is the healthiest thing in the world.
Nor does it says, that meat is not healthy for you.
These items are Halal(حلال) and as long as you are not eating them in excess then you should be fine.
Even if you eat a lot of vegetables it's not good for you.
Anything that you have more than what you should have is unhealthy.
If all want you are eating is cauliflower and having too much of it.
It's not good for you, just like if you eat a lot of meat.
So, the point is, when you're leading a very stationary life style office work
and you eating all of these high calorie food obviously it will be unhealthy.
But with the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم they used to eat meat, not only meat but they would eat fat.
The Sahabah(صحابه) would not throw out anything from that sheep.
They would eat up all of the fat in it, but because they had a very active life style
they don’t have a problem.
They would eat butter they would dip their bread in the oil, olive oil
or whatever types of other oils that were available in those days and they were very healthy.
As I was telling the brothers that khalid Bin Waleed(خالد بن وليد) never had a salad in his life
and he was as healthy as he could be.
So, what I am trying to say is just don’t follow these new fads that come up
money making schemes, they just want to sell their books
of healthy eating and healthy food and how much dozes of vegetables you should have per day and
how much water you should drink and stay away from meat and stay away from...
Go with the Islamic medicine, have things in moderation Rasool Allah ﷺ says;
مَا مَلَأَ اِبْن آدَمْ وَعَاءً شَرًّا مِّنْ بَطْنِ
There's no container that, the son of Adam(آدم) could fill that is worse than his stomach.
If you're having a lot of food it's not good for you, that's the Islamic medicine.
And if want healing then a lot of honey, black seed and olive oil, that's healthy food.
Allahعَزّوجَلّ has not called anything in Qur'an Shifaa(شفاع), except two things.
There are only two things in Qur'an that were given the name Shifaa(شفاع), cure.
Qur'an and Honey.
Qur'an is cure for the heart and Honey is cure for the body.
That's the Islamic medicine.
And Rasool Allah ﷺ says about the black seed,
شِفَآءْ مِنْ كُلِّ دَآءْ
It's healing from every disease
and Allahعَزّوجَلّ says, about the olive oil and the olive tree.
شَجَرَةْ مُبَارَكَةْ، زَيْتُوْنَةْ
It is a blessed tree and Rasool Allah ﷺ say:
ئْتَدِمُوْا بِالزَّيْتِ وَادَّهِنُوْا بِهْ
Dip your bread in olive oil and also apply it to your skin.
There was another year called ‘Amul Ghala(عام الغلاء).
Al-Ghala(الغلاء) is expensive prices.
So there was a year which the prices were skyrocketing, very expensive.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) stopped buying butter and he would only have bread with oil.
So, his stomach was complaining it was making a rumbling noise.
It was saying O Umar(عمر), I am not happy with this food that, you are giving me.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said:
قَرْقَرِيْ أَوْلَا تُقَرْقَرِيْ فَوَاللهِ لَا تَأْكُلَ اسَّمْنِ حَتّى يَأْكُلُهُ النَّاسْ
Rumble, you either rumble or you don’t rumble,
Wallahe(والله) you are not going to have anything else until, the people have it.
He is telling his stomach; behave yourself.
You are not going to have any butter until the Ummah(أمة) have it, until muslims have it
He had such a control over himself and discipline, he would not follow his whims or desires.
He went to Makkah and he was invited to have a meal with Safwaan IBn Umayyah(صفوان ابن امية).
So, they brought this huge plate that was carried by four servants,
Huge plate and they placed it and the servants left.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: "Your servants don’t eat with you?"
They said; No! We don’t give them this food.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: You eat food different than that which you serve your servants
and he started talking against them and then he called their servants and he said:
You sit down and eat and he refused to eat,
he said: The servants should eat the best food
I mean imagine, he do this in an invitation, that takes a lot of strong personality to do that.
But for Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب), Al-Haq(الحق) is Haq(حق), truth is the truth.
Utbah Bin Furqad(عتبه بن فرقد) was in Azerbaijan(آذربيئجان) they were conquering Azerbaijan.
And now, the Sahabah(صحابه) are being exposed to new types of food different dishes.
You know the food of the Sahabah(صحابه) was very simple.
They didn’t have any spices, all of what they had was salt,
they would eat bread, meat cooked in a soup, and they would mix the bread in that soup
or they would have bread with oil.
And they would have in terms of fruits, they would eat dates or raisins that would come from At-Taef(اَلطَّائِف)
and sometimes they may get dry fruit coming from Ash-Sham(الشّام), so that was it, very, very simple
and now they are being exposed to these different sophisticated styles of cooking.
So Utbah(عتبه) saw in Azerbaijan a dessert called Khabees(خبيس) it was a sweet dish.
He liked it, and they loved the Khalifah(خليفه) so he said: "I must send this to Khalifah(خليفه) to taste it.
It's very good and we want him also to have some, so he prepared alot of it and he send it on a camel
and they took it to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) in Madina, so he tasted it and it was very sweet.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه said: Do all of the Muslims in Azerbaijan(آزربائجان) have this?
They Said: No.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: Take it back.
Then he sent a letter to Utbah(عتبة), he told him;
It is not the money of your father or the money of your mother that you're spending
do not eat anything unless the Muslims are eating the same thing.
Why are you having this special privilege?
It's none of your parents money.
I've appointed you governor there
and Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) would refuse to have anyone give themselves preference over somebody else
it was unacceptable to him.
One of the kings of Ghassan(غسان).
Ghassan(غسان) were Arabs, who lived in Ash-Sham(الشام)
they were living under Roman Rule but now Islam was spreading
and the Arab tribes were embracing it.
So Jabillah Bin Aeyhum(جبله ابن ايحم) embraced Islam
and he sent a letter to Umar(عُمَر) telling him that I have embraced Islam, me and my family.
So, we want to visit you in Madina, he is a king.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) welcomed him in Madina and he was very happy
and he stayed with him in Madina for some time and he honored him, respected him, and welcomed him
and then Jabillah(جبلَّه) wanted to make a Hajj(حَجْ), so he went to Makkah to make Hajj(حَجْ)
and while he was in Tawaf(طواف) a Bedouin, a layman from Banu Fazara(بنو فزاره), Bedouins in desert
they could be a bit crude in their manners, he stepped over the Izar(ازار) of Jabillah(جبلَّه), so it was untied.
Jabillah(جبلَّه) was very upset, how could this Bedouin do this to me?
He's rude, he has no manners, he punched him in his face and broke his nose.
So, the Fazari(فزاري) man went to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب).
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) calls Jabillah(جبلَّه), Jabillah(جبلَّه) is a new Muslim
Jabillah(جبلَّه) comes in.
Umar(عُمَر) tells him why did you, do that to him?
Jabillah(جبلَّه) said;
"O Ameer-Ul-Mo’mineen(أميرالمؤمنين)! I was very gentle with him,
if it wasn’t for the fact that this is the house of Allah, I would have plucked out his eyes.
He is a king and this lowly man does that to him
I did him a favor, I was gentle with him all what I did, was just to break his nose.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) said, so you admit your guilt.
You either settle the account with him or he will have to retaliate.
Jabillah(جبلَّه) said: Ameer-Ul- Mo’mineen(امير المؤمنين), I am a king and he is a layman.
He is trying to remind Umar(عُمَر), maybe Umar(عُمَر) forgot to whom he is talking to,
I am a king! And he is a laymen.
You know, because these are new things to him, these are new concepts, he didn’t comprehend it.
I am a king and he is a layman, what you mean he retaliates against me?
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: He will retaliate against you, because Islam made you equal.
Jabillah(جبلَّه) said: Ya Ameer-Ul-Mo'mineen(يا اميرالمؤمنين)
I thought that by becoming Muslim, Islam will only increase my honor.
By becoming Muslim I will become even more honorable Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said:
دَعْ عَنْكَ هَذَا
Keep this stuff away from me.
You either settle him this with him peacefully or he retaliates against you.
Jabillah(جبلَّه) said:
اِذً أَاتَنَصَّرْ
"Then I will become a Christian."
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said: Then I will behead you.
You became Muslim, you cannot leave Islam.
Jabillah(جبلَّه) came to realize that, he cannot talk Umar(عُمَر) out of it.
So, he said;
Give me some time to think it over.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) agreed.
Jabillah(جبلَّه) under the cover of darkness withdrew out of Makkah and he ran away.
And he went to Constantinople and settled there.
Later on, he would regret his decision
and he would write lines of poetry expressing his regret for what he has done.
He has lost Islam, given up Islam because of personal pride.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) did not accommodate him because he is king or he is a new Muslim.
Rules are rules, you have to abide by them, you are equal.
I am the Khalifah(خليفه) and I am not giving myself any preferable status,
who are you, to claim that special status for yourself.
THE FREEDOMS THAT WERE TO GRANTED IN THE GOVERNMENT OF UMAR(عُمَر):
He granted the religious freedom to the people of the Book.
There were some restrictions that were placed for example, regarding the Hadith(حديث) of Rasool Allah ﷺ
No two religions should exist in the Arabian peninsula.
لَايَجْتَمِعْ فِيْهَا دِيْنَانْ
Because of the, Arabian peninsula being the starting point of Islam
and the homeland of Islam, where Makkah and Madina are.
There is an exception to Arabia that no non Muslims are allowed to live there.
And Arabia is Arabian peninsula which encompasses present day Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman and the Gulf States.
This rule does not apply to the rest of the Muslim world.
Christians and Jews can live elsewhere but the Arabian Peninsula is only for Muslims.
So, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) forced the Jews of Khaybar(خيبر)
and Christians of Najran(نجران) to leave Arabia.
With the Jews of Khaybar(خيبر) they had an agreement between them and Rasool Allah ﷺ.
Abdullah Ibn Umar(عبدالله بن عمر) had some business there, he had some farm land there, so he went
at night he was attacked and his bones were crushed.
They crushed the bones of his arms and feet.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) gave a Khuttba(خطبه) and he said:
I suspect that nobody did this to my son but the Jews
they are the only people who would do that in Khaybar(خيبر).
Therefore, I am announcing that we will force them out of Khaybar(خيبر).
One of their leaders came to Umar(عُمَر) and said;
"O Umar(عُمَر) did you forget, that Rasool Allah ﷺ was the one,
who allowed us to stay and he made an agreement with us.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said;
Did you forget that Rasool Allah ﷺ told you, that one day your camel will take you out day and night.
So Rasool Allah ﷺ has already prophesized that, this man would leave
but Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) compensated them, for all of their belongings in the Khaybar(خيبر)
he paid them for their land and for their trees and they resettled in Ar-Riha(الرحا) in Falastine(فلسطين).
With the Christians of Najran(نجران) Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) was becoming concerned
that, it's becoming a plotting place against Muslims.
So, the safety of Muslims comes first therefore he told them to leave,
and even though, he told them to leave, he told his governors in Iraq
to allow them to settle in unsettle land and to take claim of that land to become their property.
So, they settle in an area outside Al-Kofah(كوفة) and they claimed that land as their land.
So, they were compensated and given property in a replacement for the property
that was taken from them in Najran(نجران).
Other than that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) upheld the rulings regarding Ahl-Ad-Dhimmah(اهل الذمة),
the Christians and Jews who are paying Jizya(جزيه)
for example to show you his treatment now,
by the way as an individual Jews and Christians did live in Madina
and other places of Arabian peninsula but not as a significant presence.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمرابن الخطاب) for example, he had a servant who was Christian and his name was Asheq(اشق).
He told his servant, I want you to become a Muslim because I want to appoint you
on some of our affairs and I am not gonna appoint, but a Muslim.
Asheq(اشق) said; I am not going to leave my religion.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said;
لَا اِكْرَاهَ فِى الدِّيْنَ
There is no compulsion in religion
Asheq(اشق) said: When Umar(عُمَر) was passing away, he told me you are free go where ever you want.
He freed him, he can go where ever he wants
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) signed agreements with Christians of the Holy Land Jerusalem, Eliyah
and he also signed agreements with the Christians of Egypt.
For example, he promised to protect their Churches and their properties.
Umar(عُمَر) said;
وَاِنَّا اَعْطَيْنَاهُمُ الْعَهْدْ عَلى اَنْ نُخَلِّيْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ كَنَائِسِهِمْ
We have given them a covenant that, we would leave them to worship freely in their churches
يَقُوْلُوْنَ فِيْهَا مَا بَدَا لَهُمْ
And to say therein whatever they want, even though they are saying Kuffr(كفر).
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) said, it is a covenant between us and them to say within their churches
whatever they want.
وَاَلَّا نُحَمِّلُهُمْ مَالَا يُطِيْقُوْنََ
And we will not over burden them, meaning we will not have them pay more than what they are able to pay
وَإِنْ أَرَادَهُمْ عَدُوَّهُمْ بِسُوْءٍ قَاتَلْنَا دُوْنَهُمْ
And if an enemy wants to harm them, we would fight on their behalf to defend them.
وَعَلى أَنْ نُخَلِّيَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ أَحْكَامِهِمْ
And we would allow them to appoint judges among themselves and to have their own separate legal system.
إِلاَّ أَنْ يَأْتُوْرَاضِيْنَ بِأَحْكَامِنَا فَنَحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ
Except if they choose voluntarily to come to our courts.
وَإِنْ غَيَّبُوْ اعَنَّا لَمْ نَتَعَرَّضْ لَهُمْ
And if they stay away from us we will not harm them.
Brothers and sisters!
These legal accommodations that were given to non Muslims under the Islamic Khilafah(خِلَافَه)
are not even given to us today in the 21st century.
In the western democracies today, the minorities are forced to accept the rules of the majority, that’s democracy.
Majority rules!
However, in the Islamic Khilafah(خِلَافَه) the religious minorities
have a right to have a separate legal system.
They are free to choose, which courts they want to go whether it’s the Muslim or their own court system
and the rules of the majority do not apply to them.
When we are told that we have religious freedom, what religious freedom do we have?
When we are forced to accept the legal system that is not Islamic.
It's an issue of the numbers in the west.
While in the Muslim world, whether the Christians were majority or minority in a community
they had their rights protected even if it's one person.
So, when we talk about Muslims and having rights in the west today
I think that’s a broken record that doesn't play anymore.
Now, Muslims are going to come to realize, when they start hitting the hard walls
now, because in the old days, you know it was small families that came from back home,
and whenever there's a dispute or an issue, they would solve it within the family.
Now, we have grew to become large community.
Now, we are having problems
and without having a Islamic legal system, we are living in a state of religious and social anarchy.
There are tremendous family problems that are going around among the Muslims and we have no solution for them.
For example, a wife is suffering because of an abusive husband
and this wife is a righteous good sister, she is stuck between rock and hard place.
She either goes to the Kuffar(كفار) legal system and she feels that she is doing something wrong
or she just sits idly and accepts what happening,
because there is no Islamic accommodation for her
because we cannot have our laws, family laws implemented among ourselves.
So, when we say that, we have our rights and our freedom what rights do we have?
You are talking about your right to pray, they had that in Makkah, in the early days of Daw'ah(دعوة)
they were able to pray in Makkah but that’s not Islam, that’s not what Islam is all about
Islam is about the way of life.
When a wife runs away with the kids, what did the husband do?
Sometimes it happens a wife would runaway with the kids, she would go and date a Kafir(كافر)
and the kids end up growing up as non Muslims, what can the father do?
As parents you want to discipline your children and bring them up to grow up as being good Muslims.
They threaten to call police on you and you can’t do anything.
In the western democracies the state have more authority over your direct family,
over your children then yourself.
You just sits idly and accepts whats happening because there is no islamic accomadation for her
because we cannot have our laws, family laws implemented among ourselves.
So when we say we have our rights and our freedom what rights do we have?
You are talking about your right to pray, they had that in Makkah, in the early days of Daw'ah(دعوة)
they were able to pray in Makkah but that’s not Islam, that’s not what Islam is all about.
Islam is about the way of life.
When a wife runs away with the kids, what did the husband do?
Sometimes it happens a wife would runaway with the kids, she would go and date a Kafir(كافر)
and the kids end up growing up as non Muslims, what can the father do?
As parents you want to discipline your children and bring them up to grow up as being good Muslims.
They threaten to call police on you and you can’t do anything.
In the western democracies the state have more authority over your direct family,
over your children then yourself.
In Islam the family is protected.
No one has an access to your children, you have the upper hand in the family, it's not the judge or the Khalifah(خليفه).
So, as Muslims now we have started to suffer because we don’t have that accommodation
and unless western governments give the Muslims that accommodation the Islam will wither away and die
because our survival depends on our moral fabric, on our moral background.
And our morals are going to go away and dissolve if we don’t have any legal system to protect them.
Islam was very accommodating to the religious minorities not only did they exist,
not only survived, but they flourished.
Christian Arabs flourished in Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq
and that’s why they still exist today.
If the Khulafah(خلافاء) wanted to wipe them out they could have done so easily, easily.
The Christians and the Jews had no power what so ever to resist the will of the Khulafah(خلافاء)
but they flourished.
They flourished in Spain and the Yahood(يهود), in fact
would run away from the Christian lands go and seek refuge with the Muslims.
They ran away from the oppressive Europe, from the oppression of the Romans
and they sought refuge in Spain.
And once Spain fell in the Catholic hands they left Spain and went to Istanbul(اسطنبول)
to be under the watchful eye of the Khulafah(خلافاء) of Bannu Uthman(بنو عثمان).
They choose to be right next to the Khalifah(خليفه)
Al-Ghazali Says,
إِنَّ الْحُرِّيَّةَ دِيْنِيَّةِ الَّتِيْ كَفَلَهَا الّإِسْلَامَ، لِأَهْلِ الْاَرْضَ
لَمْ يُعْرَفْ لَهَا نَظِيْرٌفِى الّقَارَاتِ الْخَمْسْ، وَلَمْ يَحْدُثْ أَنْ اَنْفَرَدَ دِيْنٌ بِالسُّلْطَةْ
وَمَنَحَ مُخَالِفِيْهِ فِي الْاِعْتِقَادَ كُلَّ أَسْبَابَ الْبَقَاءْ وَالْاِزْدِهَارْ مِثْلَمَاصَنَعَ الْإِسْلَاْم
He said the religious freedom that was granted by Islam, has never seen any
similar situation to it on any of the five continents
and then he says and this an important point
a religion never had a monopoly over power and gave another religion the freedom to exist except Islam.
If we want to say that the west today is granting religious minorities freedom
that’s because it is a secular system it's not a religious system.
However, there has never been in the history of man, a religion that assume political authority
and gave religious freedoms to others but Islam.
When the Christians were empowered, they did not give others rights.
When Jews were empowered, they did not give others rights.
However, when Muslims were in power, in terms of a religion only Islam gave religious minorities right to exist.
I hope you see the difference?
Because we talking about a religion that is ruling.
Now, the west is warning against Theocracy
and they have the right to be worried because they experienced it.
When the west was living under Theocracies
you had the religious wars, you had the inquisition, you had the burning at the stake,
but they are making a mistake, when they're assuming that Islam is the same because Islam is an exception.
Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله), Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) one day, he sees an old man begging
So he goes to that old man and grabs him by the arms and he says;
مِنْ إَيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَنْتَ؟
From which people of the book are you?
He said, I am a Jew Umar(عمر) told him;
فَمَا حَمَلَكَ عَلى مَا أَرَاهْ؟
How come you are begging?
He said;
اَلْجِزْيَةْ وَالْحَاجَةْ وَالسِّنْ
Because I have to pay Jiziyah(جزيه) and I am in need and I am old.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) held him by the hand and he took him to his house
and he gave him money and then he walked with him to the Treasurer and he told him.
It is unfair for us to have them pay Jiziyah(جزيه) when they are young
and then we forsake them when they become old.
I want you to stop the Jiziyah(جزيه) on everyone in situation similar to him.
Anyone who is in need like this old man, I want you to stop asking them for Jiziyah(جزيه)
you drop the Jiziyah(جزيه) on them and I want you to give them a pension from Bait-Ul-Maal(بيت المال).
He said: "It's unfair that we have him pay Jiziyah(جزيه) when he is young
and now that he is old he goes around begging to pay Jizyah(جزيه).
No, now we should now pay him money.
Brothers and sisters! Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) didn’t treat this man well,
because there was strong Jewish lobby in Madina
he didn’t treat him well because he wants the Jews of his constituency to vote for him
he wasn’t doing it because of the political agenda.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab(عمر ابن الخطاب) was doing it out of his sense of responsibility, out of sense of justice.
This is how we should treat our subjects, regardless of what their religion is.
So, you cannot look at it, and interpret it, and find some hidden agenda behind it, or hidden motive.
This was done sincerely.
Unlike, in democracies usually everything is done for a political reason.
Subhaan Allah(سُبْحَان الله), Ya’ni(يعني) the Yahood(يهود) found refuge in Muslim land.
And now, we see what is happening in Falastine(فلسطين), how the Muslims are treated.
The dog biting the hand that feeds it.
Muslims are being oppressed now,
and by the way the reason, why the state of this Israel(اسرائيل) was established by the Jews
is because of the Holocaust.
So, the Muslims pay for European sin.
It was because of the holocaust Jews said: Never again,
we're not going to allow this to happen again, we are not going to live under anybody else.
We want to have our own homeland, and who pay the price?
The Muslims.!
And who gives them the Islamic land? It is the west.
The West makes the problem, causes the problem and then solves it by an another problem
and that’s the Ya’ni(يعني), the weird justice.
Just like you find we are sinful because our father Adam(آدم) is sinful
and then Jesus will come and pay the price for it.
So, we are held accountable for something we didn’t do, and then somebody else takes care of it.
Ya'ani(يعني) innocent 'Essa(عيسى) have to suffer on the cross,
for my sins and my sins are not really my sins but these are the sins of my father.
SO IT'S UPSIDE DOWN JUSTICE.
IT SHUDDERS IN PAIN FREELY
MY CHASITY, MY MODESTY!
OH MUSLIM, YOU SAW
MY INJURY AND THE INJURY OF MY PRIDE.