Chapter 3: Part 7 - Umar رضي الله عنه - The Humble Servant Who Ruled the World!
Kings spoke his name. Governors awaited his instructions. Generals sought his permission. Yet every evening... Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه returned to the same simple home in Madinah. He owned no palace. He surrounded himself with no royal guards. No jeweled crown rested upon his head. His garments still bore patches. His food remained simple. His bed was little more than a coarse mat.
THE BRIEF HISTORY OF ISLAM!
Danish Shafiq
6/12/202613 min read
Chapter 3: Part 7 - Umar رضي الله عنه - The Humble Servant Who Ruled the World!
The Servant Who Ruled the World!
The world had changed. Persia had fallen. Jerusalem had opened its gates. Egypt had entered the fold of the Muslim state. From the mountains of Armenia to the fertile valley of the Nile... From the deserts of Arabia to the ancient cities of Iraq and Syria... The banner of Islam now flew over lands that only a generation earlier had seemed impossible to reach.
Kings spoke his name. Governors awaited his instructions. Generals sought his permission. Yet every evening... Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه returned to the same simple home in Madinah. He owned no palace. He surrounded himself with no royal guards. No jeweled crown rested upon his head. His garments still bore patches. His food remained simple. His bed was little more than a coarse mat.
One day, a delegation entered Madinah expecting to meet a ruler resembling the emperors of Rome and Persia. Instead, they found Umar رضي الله عنه sleeping beneath the shade of a tree, resting his head upon the earth with no guard standing beside him. The visitors looked at one another in astonishment.
One of them quietly remarked: "You ruled with justice... So you became secure... And therefore you slept." Such was the authority of a man whose greatest fear was never losing his empire... But losing the pleasure of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ.
The Year the Earth Turned to Ashes!
Then came one of the greatest trials of Umar's (رضي الله عنه) entire caliphate. Not from Rome. Not from Persia. But from the heavens themselves. The rains stopped. The winds carried dust across Arabia. Pastures disappeared. Animals perished. The earth became dry and grey until people later remembered it as 'Ām al-Ramādah—The Year of Ashes.
Families abandoned their homes searching for food. Children cried from hunger. Entire tribes travelled toward Madinah hoping simply to survive. Soon tens of thousands of desperate people surrounded the city. Every day brought another caravan of starving families. Another widow. Another orphan. Another cry for help.
The treasury opened completely. Food was brought from every province of the Muslim world. Letters travelled to Syria... To Iraq... To Egypt... Requesting immediate assistance.
Yet Umar رضي الله عنه refused to eat anything better than the poorest Muslim under his care. Butter was placed before him. He refused it. Meat was served. He refused it. Olive oil and coarse bread became his daily meal. As the famine worsened, his complexion changed. His once strong face became pale. His body grew thinner.
Those around him pleaded: "O Commander of the Believers... You must preserve your strength." Umar رضي الله عنه replied: "How can I satisfy myself while the people remain hungry?" Night after night... He walked among the camps surrounding Madinah. Not as a ruler inspecting his subjects... But as a father searching for his family.
He carried sacks of flour upon his own shoulders. When others offered to carry them for him, he replied: "Will you carry my sins for me on the Day of Judgment?" Those words captured the secret of Umar's (رضي الله عنه) leadership.
He never viewed authority as privilege. He viewed it as accountability before Allah سُبْحَانَهُ. Weeks became months. Finally... Allah سُبْحَانَهُ sent rain. The barren earth came alive once again. The people rejoiced. But Umar رضي الله عنه wept. He had witnessed how quickly worldly strength could disappear. Only Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ remained Eternal.
A Plague Unlike Any Other!
Before the Ummah had fully recovered from famine... Another calamity struck. This time... It came from Syria. A deadly plague spread across the region of ʿAmwās in Palestine. Villages emptied. Families disappeared. Even the strongest men fell within days.
When the news reached Madinah, Umar رضي الله عنه immediately travelled north to assess the situation himself. As he approached Syria, the senior commanders came to meet him. Among them stood The Great Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah رضي الله عنه... The trustworthy one of this Ummah. One of the ten promised Paradise. One of the men whom the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم loved deeply.
After consulting the Muhājirūn, the Ansār, and the senior Companions, Umar رضي الله عنه decided not to enter the plague-stricken region.
Abu Ubaydah رضي الله عنه gently asked: "Are you fleeing from the decree of Allah?" Umar رضي الله عنه answered with words that Muslims would remember forever: "We flee from the decree of Allah... To the decree of Allah."
Then he explained: "If you had camels and they came to a valley with two sides—one fertile and one barren—would grazing them upon the fertile side not also be by the decree of Allah?" It was a lesson in Tawakkul. Trust in Allah سُبْحَانَهُ never means abandoning wisdom.
The believer places his trust in Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ... While taking every lawful means that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ has permitted. Umar رضي الله عنه returned to Madinah with a heavy heart.
Soon afterwards... The news he had feared finally arrived. The plague had taken Abu Ubaydah رضي الله عنه. Then Mu'adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه. Then Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه.
And thousands of believers followed them. One by one... Stars of the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم generation departed this world. Each report brought fresh tears to Umar's (رضي الله عنه) eyes.
He was losing not merely commanders... But Brothers.
The Righteous Shepherd!
The Muslim world had never known a ruler like Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه. From the mountains of Armenia to the fertile plains of Iraq... From the ancient cities of Syria to the valley of the Nile... The Muslim state had grown into one of the largest realms on earth.
Governors administered distant provinces. Judges settled disputes. Military commanders guarded thousands of miles of frontier. Caravans travelled in safety. Trade flourished. Justice reached lands that had once known only oppression.
Yet Umar رضي الله عنه never regarded these achievements as signs of greatness. To him... Every new province meant another trust. Every new governor meant another responsibility. Every new citizen meant another soul for whom he might one day be questioned before Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
Governing for Allah Alone!
Unlike the emperors of Rome and Persia, Umar رضي الله عنه never sought to build a dynasty. He sought to build justice.
He divided the rapidly expanding Muslim state into provinces and appointed governors known for their piety, competence, and integrity. Men such as Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه in Syria, Amr ibn al-'As رضي الله عنه in Egypt, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari رضي الله عنه in Basrah, and others were entrusted with immense responsibilities. Yet none of them stood above the law.
Before appointing a governor, Umar رضي الله عنه would remind him:
"Do not close your doors to the people. Do not strike the Muslims. Do not praise yourself. Live among them with humility." He regularly wrote letters to his governors reminding them that authority was an Amanah, not a privilege. Inspectors travelled across the provinces. Complaints were investigated. Public wealth was carefully accounted for. Whenever a governor accumulated unusual wealth, Umar رضي الله عنه questioned him without hesitation.
His closest companions understood that the Commander of the Believers feared corruption more than he feared rebellion. For Umar رضي الله عنه knew that a nation is not destroyed merely by enemies at its borders. It is destroyed when injustice enters its own institutions.
Justice Before Rank!
One day, a Coptic Christian from Egypt arrived in Madinah seeking justice. He had been struck unjustly by Muhammad, the son of Amr ibn al-'As رضي الله عنه, after a horse race. The young man had reportedly boasted, "I am the son of a nobleman."
The Copt journeyed hundreds of miles across the desert until he stood before the Caliph himself. Umar رضي الله عنه immediately summoned both Amr ibn al-'As رضي الله عنه and his son from Egypt.
No governor was exempt. No family enjoyed immunity. When they arrived, Umar handed the whip to the Coptic man and said: "Strike the son of the nobleman." The man did so until justice had been served. Then Umar رضي الله عنه turned toward Amr ibn al-'As رضي الله عنه and uttered words that would echo through history: "Since when have you enslaved people while their mothers gave birth to them free?"
There was no palace protecting the governor. No political influence shielding his family. Justice belonged equally to the weak and the strong. For Umar رضي الله عنه believed that leadership without justice was merely another form of oppression.
The Stone That Could Neither Harm Nor Benefit!
During one Hajj, Umar رضي الله عنه approached the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad). Crowds watched as the Commander of the Believers kissed it. Then he spoke words that perfectly summarized his understanding of faith: "I know that you are only a stone. You neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ kissing you, I would never have kissed you."
Those present understood immediately. Islam was never built upon superstition. Objects possessed no independent power. Everything derived its significance only through obedience to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ and the guidance of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Even the Caliph of the largest state on earth refused to allow emotion to overcome revelation. Such was the purity of Tawhid that Umar رضي الله عنه carried within his heart.
Building a Civilization!
As the frontiers expanded, Umar رضي الله عنه realized that military victories alone could never preserve the Ummah. Civilizations are sustained by institutions. Under his leadership, the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal) was carefully organized.
The Diwan—the register recording soldiers, pensions, and public stipends—was established to ensure fairness in distribution. New cities such as Basrah and Kufah developed into centers of learning and administration. Roads were maintained. Markets were supervised. Public welfare became a responsibility of the state.
Perhaps one of his most enduring contributions was the establishment of the Islamic calendar.
After consulting the senior Companions, it was agreed that the Hijrah—the migration of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم from Makkah to Madinah—would mark the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
Not a military victory. Not the birth of a ruler. But the migration undertaken solely for the sake of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ. Even the way Muslims measured time would forever remind them that sacrifice for Allah سُبْحَانَهُ precedes worldly success.
The Leader Who Refused to Become a King!
Years passed. The empire continued to expand. Yet nothing changed Umar رضي الله عنه. Foreign delegations continued arriving from magnificent kingdoms. They expected marble palaces. Golden thrones. Royal guards. Instead... They found a man whose garments still bore patches. A ruler whose food remained simple. A Caliph who often slept beneath the shade of a tree with no guard standing beside him.
When someone once remarked upon the simplicity of his life despite ruling half the known world, Umar رضي الله عنه merely smiled.
He had seen the fate of Kisra. He had witnessed the downfall of Caesar's power. He knew that every throne built upon this earth would eventually return to dust. Only the pleasure of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ would remain.
He desired no kingship. No worldly honour. Only acceptance before his Lord. That was the kingdom he sought. And unlike earthly empires... It would never perish.
The Final Trust!
Years passed. The Muslim world continued to flourish. Justice spread across lands that had once known tyranny. Knowledge flourished. Trade prospered. The poor found protection. The oppressed found justice. Yet the heart of Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه remained exactly as it had been when he first accepted Islam.
He never allowed the victories over Rome and Persia to convince him that success belonged to men. He knew... Victory belongs only to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ.
And just as Allah سُبْحَانَهُ grants kingdoms... He can also take them away. Often, those closest to Umar رضي الله عنه noticed him becoming quieter. His beard had grown white. The burdens of leadership had become visible upon his face. Each passing year reminded him that his own meeting with Allah سُبْحَانَهُ drew nearer.
He no longer thought about expanding borders. He thought about standing before his Lord. Sometimes he would raise his hands in the darkness of the night and make a supplication that astonished those who heard it.
"O Allah... Grant me martyrdom in Your cause... And let my death be in the city of Your Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم." To many, the prayer seemed impossible. Martyrdom usually came upon distant battlefields. Madinah was peaceful. Who could imagine martyrdom inside the City of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم?
But Allah سُبْحَانَهُ had already written the answer.
Choosing the Future Before Leaving the World!
Despite his advancing age, Umar رضي الله عنه never prepared his own family for kingship. He never viewed the Caliphate as an inheritance. He never imagined that authority belonged to his household. Rather, he believed that leadership belonged only to the one most capable of carrying the trust.
This alone distinguished the Khulafa' al-Rashidun from nearly every dynasty that followed. Many rulers throughout history secured power by appointing their sons.
Umar رضي الله عنه never even considered such a path. One day, some people suggested that he nominate his son Abdullah ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما as the next Caliph. He immediately rejected the idea. "My family has carried enough responsibility." He loved Abdullah deeply. He knew his piety. He knew his knowledge. Yet love could never outweigh justice.
Authority was never a family inheritance. It was an Amanah before Allah سُبْحَانَهُ. Instead, Umar رضي الله عنه entrusted the future of the Ummah to consultation.
He selected six men whom the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم had praised during his lifetime.
They were: Uthman ibn Affan رضي الله عنه. Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه. Talhah ibn Ubaydullah رضي الله عنه. Az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam رضي الله عنه. Abdur Rahman ibn Awf رضي الله عنه. And Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنه.
Every one of them belonged to the earliest generation of Islam. Every one had sacrificed wealth, comfort, and even life itself for the sake of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ.
Every one had earned the trust of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Umar رضي الله عنه ordered that after his passing, these six should consult among themselves and choose the leader whom they believed best suited to guide the Ummah.
It was yet another lesson in humility. The man who ruled one of the greatest empires on earth refused to appoint even his own son. He preferred that the Ummah remain united rather than his family remain powerful. Such men seek not dynasties. They seek the pleasure of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ.
The Morning That Shook Madinah!
Then came the morning that no believer wished to witness. It was the twenty-sixth day of Dhul Hijjah, in the twenty-third year after the Hijrah. Before dawn, the familiar streets of Madinah slowly came alive. The believers gathered inside the Prophet's Mosque. Rows were formed. Silence filled the Masjid.
As always... Umar رضي الله عنه stepped forward to lead the believers in Fajr prayer. He raised his hands. "Allahu Akbar." Moments later... History changed.
Hidden among the worshippers stood Abu Lu'lu'a al-Majusi, a Persian slave harboring deep resentment. Concealed beneath his garments was a double-edged dagger. As the prayer began, he suddenly rushed forward and struck Umar رضي الله عنه repeatedly.
The Masjid erupted into confusion. Cries echoed throughout the rows. Several other worshippers were also wounded as the attacker attempted to escape. Knowing that capture was inevitable, he took his own life.
The Commander of the Believers collapsed upon the floor of the Prophet's Mosque. The very place where he had prayed behind the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم countless times... Had now become the place where his final journey began.
Even while bleeding heavily... Umar رضي الله عنه's first concern was not himself. He asked, "Has the prayer been completed?" When he was informed that Abdur Rahman ibn Awf رضي الله عنه had led the congregation to complete the prayer, relief appeared upon his face.
Even in the final moments of his life... The prayer remained greater than the ruler.
A Servant Until His Final Breath!
As news spread through Madinah, grief overwhelmed the city. Strong men wept openly. The Companions gathered around him. Some could scarcely believe what had happened. The man who had humbled Rome... The man before whom Persia had fallen... Now lay upon a simple bed, weakened by wounds inflicted by a single assassin.
When the physician examined him, it became clear that the injuries were beyond treatment. Umar رضي الله عنه understood. His journey in this world was nearing its end.
Yet even then... His thoughts remained fixed upon Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ and the trust He had placed upon him. He instructed that every debt he owed be calculated and repaid from his own wealth. He feared meeting Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ while owing even a small amount to another person.
Then he turned toward his beloved son Abdullah رضي الله عنه and said, "Go to our mother Aishah رضي الله عنها. Do not say 'The Commander of the Believers requests permission.' Say instead, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab seeks permission.' For today... I am no longer the Commander of the Believers."
Such humility astonished those around him. Even while lying upon his deathbed... He no longer wished to be addressed by authority. Only by his name.
Abdullah رضي الله عنه entered the home of Aishah رضي الله عنها. She herself had hoped one day to be buried beside her father Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Yet upon hearing Umar's request, she quietly replied, "I had reserved that place for myself... But today... I give preference to Umar."
When Abdullah رضي الله عنه returned with the good news, tears filled Umar's eyes. He praised Allah. Then he instructed, "When I have died... Seek her permission once more. Perhaps she only felt shy before me while I was alive." Even in his final moments... He would never assume a right that had not been freely granted.
That was Umar. Justice. Humility. Until his very last breath.
The Man Who Owned Nothing... Yet Left Everything!
Soon afterwards... Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه returned to his Lord. He was buried beside the two men he had loved more than anyone else in this world— The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم... And Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه.
The streets of Madinah fell silent. The Ummah had lost not merely a ruler... But a father. History remembers Umar رضي الله عنه as the conqueror of Persia. The liberator of Jerusalem. The ruler under whom Egypt entered Islam. The founder of institutions. The architect of justice.
Yet perhaps history's greatest lesson lies elsewhere. For when Umar departed this world... He left behind no palace. No overflowing treasury. No royal dynasty. No jeweled crown. His clothes remained simple. His home remained modest. His wealth was little.
But his record before Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ... Was immense. He ruled over millions... Yet feared the cry of one hungry child. He commanded mighty armies... Yet carried sacks of flour upon his own shoulders. He humbled emperors... Yet humbled himself before his Lord every single day.
He possessed authority over one of the greatest civilizations on earth... Yet desired only one honour: That Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ would be pleased with him.
Empires eventually disappeared. Palaces became ruins. Thrones turned to dust. But the character of Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه continues to illuminate hearts more than fourteen centuries later.
Because true greatness is never measured by the lands a man conquers... It is measured by the soul he conquers within himself.
Indeed... The greatest victory of Umar رضي الله عنه was never over Rome. Nor Persia. Nor Jerusalem. His greatest victory... Was over his own nafs.
May Allah be pleased with Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه. May He illuminate his grave. May He unite us with him, Abu Bakr, Uthman, Ali, and all the noble Companions رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ in the company of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم in the highest ranks of Jannat al-Firdaus.
Allahumma Ameen.
A Legacy Beyond Time!
Pause for a moment... And reflect upon the years that have just passed before your eyes.
From the day Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه accepted the trust of the Caliphate after Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه... Until the morning he was martyred while leading the believers in Fajr prayer...
His entire caliphate lasted little more than ten and a half years.
Just over a decade. Within those few years... The Ridda Wars reached their conclusion. The mighty Sasanian Empire collapsed. The Byzantine Empire permanently lost Syria and Jerusalem. Egypt entered the Muslim world. The Hijri calendar was established. The public treasury was organized. Courts of justice were strengthened. Governors were held accountable.
Cities were founded. Roads were secured. The hungry were fed. The oppressed found justice. The weak found protection. Yet perhaps the greatest achievement of Umar رضي الله عنه cannot be measured by maps, victories, or institutions. His greatest achievement was that he transformed power into worship. He demonstrated that a ruler could possess authority over millions...
Yet remain a humble servant before Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ. He proved that justice is stronger than armies... That humility is greater than kingship... And that sincere fear of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ can build a civilization whose light continues to guide humanity more than fourteen centuries later.
Such accomplishments are difficult to explain by human effort alone. Rather, they remind us of a timeless truth taught by the Qur'an: When a people are sincere with Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ... Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ places blessing (barakah) in their efforts far beyond what numbers alone can explain.
Indeed... History often measures greatness by the number of years a ruler governed. But Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ measures greatness by sincerity.
And in little more than ten years...
Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه left behind a legacy that countless empires, despite centuries of power, could never equal.
May Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ accept every letter, every reflection, and every sincere intention behind this work, make it a means of guidance, and unite us with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and his noble Companions in Jannat al-Firdaus.
Allahumma Ameen.