Some Characteristics of The Pious Predecessors – Abu Bakr and Umar (Part 1)
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Amr Ibnul Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of those given authority and so was Abu Ubaydah Ibn Al-Jarrah, may Allah be pleased with him. Khalid Ibn Al-Walid, may Allah be pleaded with him, was given preference over them due to his bravery and usefulness in Jihad. When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, passed away, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may allah be pleased with him, gave Abu Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, authority over all of them because Umar Ibn Al-khattab used to be tough for the sake of Allah, thus he appointed Abu Ubaydah because he was soft. Abu Bakr was soft and Khalid was tough. Therefore, the soft one gave authority to the tough one and the tough one gave authority to the soft one to balance the affairs. [a]
Question: Who narrated more hadith – Abu Bakr or Abu Hurairah?
Answer: Indeed, Abu Hurairah, may Allay be pleased with him, narrated more Hadith than Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, but this does not mean that Abu Hurairah heard more Hadeeth than Abu Bakr because Abu Bakr was a companion of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in the summers, winters, nights, days, (during) journeys and whilst at home; so he heard and had more knowledge regarding the affairs of Allah’s Messenger. However, he did not spend a lot of time to sit and narrate to the people what was heard from the Prophet. [b]
Umar, may Allāh be pleased with him, said: One day, Allāh’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him, commanded us to give charity. At that time I had some property, so I said: “Today I shall surpass Abu-Bakr if I am to surpass him any day”. So I brought half of my property. The Messenger of Allah said: “What did you leave for your family?” I replied: “The same amount”. Then Abu-Bakr brought all that he had with him. So the Messenger of Allah said to him: “What did you leave for your family?” He replied: “I left Allah and His Messenger for them”. I said: “I shall never (excel you) in anything”. [c]
Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the people, “Who remembers the narration of the Prophet [peace and blessings be upon him] about the affliction?” Hudhaifa said, “I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saying, ‘The affliction of a person in his property, family and neighbours is expiated by his prayers, fasting, and giving in charity.” `Umar said, “I do not ask about that, but I ask about those afflictions which will spread like the waves of the sea.” Hudhaifa replied, “There is a closed gate in front of those afflictions.” `Umar asked, “Will that gate be opened or broken?” He replied, “It will be broken.” `Umar said, “Then the gate will not be closed again till the Day of Resurrection.” We said to Masruq, “Would you ask Hudhaifa whether `Umar knew what that gate symbolised?” He asked him and he replied “He (`Umar) knew it as one knows that there will be night before tomorrow morning. [1]
Regarding the statement: “The affliction of a person in his property, family and neighbours is expiated by his prayers, fasting, and giving in charity”, Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated that the unrestricted narrations in which a mention is made regarding the expiation of sins are restricted by the texts regarding the abandonment of major sins – either restricted by the statement of Allah: [إِنْ تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ – If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins. (Surah An-Nisaa. Ayah 31)]; or by the statement of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him,, “The five prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan will expiate the sins committed between them, as long as major sins are avoided”. [2]
Regarding the statement: Hudhaifa replied, “There is a closed gate in front of those afflictions.” `Umar asked, “Will that gate be opened or broken?” He replied, “It will be broken.” `Umar said, “Then the gate will not be closed again till the Day of Resurrection”, Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: The gate is Umar and his murder is when the door is broken. So, after he was murdered, the gate of the afflictions was opened. [3]
The Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him] said to Umar [may Allah be pleased with him], “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, whenever Satan sees you taking a path, he follows a path other than yours.” [4]
Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “Shaytaan (misguides) a person through (evil) desires, but Umar [may Allah be pleased with him] subdued his desires”. [5]
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “While I was sleeping, I saw myself drinking (i.e. milk), and I was so content that I saw the milk flowing through my nails. Then I gave (the milk) to `Umar.” They (i.e. the companions of the Prophet) asked, “What do you interpret it?” He said, “Knowledge.” [6]
Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: This is a great virtue of Umar [may Allah be pleased with him] and that which Allah granted him of knowledge, and the proofs in this regard are clear. [7]
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said: When (the dead body of) `Umar was placed on his deathbed, the people gathered around him and invoked (Allah) and prayed for him before the body was taken away, and I was amongst them. Suddenly I felt somebody taking hold of my shoulder and found out that he was `Ali bin Abi Talib. `Ali invoked Allah’s Mercy for `Umar and said, “O `Umar! You have not left behind you a person whose deeds I like to imitate and meet Allah with more than I like your deeds. By Allah! I always thought that Allah would keep you with your two companions, for very often I used to hear the Prophet saying, ‘I, Abu Bakr and `Umar went (somewhere); I, Abu Bakr and `Umar entered (somewhere); and I, Abu Bakr and `Umar went out.”‘ [8]
Imam Abdul Azeez bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “May Allah be pleased with the companions. In this hadith is the fact that the noble and righteous people are afflicted with trials like the Prophets, and this is what happened to Umar [may Allah be pleased with him] – the best person in the Ummah after the Prophet and As-Siddeeq [i.e. Abu Bakr]. [9]
Abu Sa`eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I heard Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessings be upon him] saying, “While I was sleeping, the people were presented to me (in a dream). They were wearing shirts, some of which were merely covering their (chests). and some were a bit longer. `Umar was presented before me and his shirt was so long that he was dragging it.” They asked, “How have you interpreted it, O Allah’s Messenger?” He said, “Religion.” [10]
Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: This a great blessing for Umar [may Allah be pleased with him]. Allah bestowed knowledge and religion on him. [11]
Narrated Abu Musa, may Allāh be pleased with him: While I was with the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him, in one of the gardens of Madina, a man came and asked me to open the gate. The Prophet said to me, “Open the gate for him and give him the glad tidings that he will enter Paradise.” I opened (the gate) for him, and behold! It was Abu Bakr. I informed him of the glad tidings the Prophet had said, and he praised Allah. Then another man came and asked me to open the gate. The Prophet said to me “Open (the gate) and give him the glad tidings of entering Paradise.” I opened (the gate) for him, and behold! It was `Umar. I informed him of what the Prophet had said, and he praised Allah. Then another man came and asked me to open the gate. The Prophet said to me, “Open (the gate) for him and inform him of the glad tidings, of entering Paradise with a calamity which will befall him. ” Behold ! It was `Uthman, I informed him of what Allah’s Messenger had said. He praised Allah and said, “I seek Allah’s Aid.” [12]
Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him] said after quoting this hadith: “Allahu Akbar! Allaahul Mus’ta’aan, Allaahul Musta’aan [Allah’s Aid is sought, Allah’s Aid is sought]. [13]
Narrated Al-Miswar bin Makhrama: When `Umar was stabbed, he showed signs of agony. Ibn `Abbas, as if intending to encourage `Umar, said to him, “O Chief of the believers! Never mind what has happened to you, for you have been in the company of Allah’s Messenger and you kept good relations with him and you parted with him while he was pleased with you. Then you were in the company of Abu Bakr and kept good relations with him and you parted with him (i.e. he died) while he was pleased with you. Then you were in the company of the Muslims, and you kept good relations with them, and if you leave them, you will leave them while they are pleased with you.” `Umar said, (to Ibn “Abbas), “As for what you have said about the company of Allah’s Messenger and his being pleased with me, it is a favour Allah did to me; and as for what you have said about the company of Abu Bakr and his being pleased with me, it is a favour Allah did to me; and concerning my impatience which you see, is because of you and your companions. By Allah! If (at all) I had gold equal to the earth, I would have ransomed myself with it from the Punishment of Allah before I met Him.” [14]
Regarding the statement of Umar: “As for what you have said about the company of Allah’s Messenger and his being pleased with me, it is a favour Allah did to me; and as for what you have said about the company of Abu Bakr and his being pleased with me, it is a favour Allah did to me; and concerning my impatience which you see, is because of you and your companions. By Allah! If (at all) I had gold equal to the earth, I would have ransomed myself with it from the Punishment of Allah before I meet Him”,
Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: O Allah! Be pleased with him [i.e. Umar]. The one who has more knowledge about Allah will fear Him more. [15]
[a] An Excerpt from “Adwaa Min Fatawaa Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah” By Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan 2/568-569
[b] Sharh Hilyati Taalibal Ilm’ page 49. abridged & slightly paraphrased
[c] Sahih Abi Dawood 1678
[1] Bukhaari 1895
[3] Al-Hululul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Ta’leeqaat al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Vol 2. Page 118
[4] Bukhaari 3294
[5] Minhaaj As-Sunnah 6/55
[6] Bukhaari 3681
[7] Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Ta’leeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh al-Bukhaari. Vol 3. Page 146
[8] Bukhaari 3685
[9] Al-Hululul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Ta’leeqaat Al-Baariziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Vol 3. page 151
[10] Bukhaari 3691
[11] Al-Hululul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Ta’leeqaat Al-Baariziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari.Vol 3. Page 153
[12] Saheeh Al-Bukhaari 3693
[13] Al-Hululul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Ta’leeqaat Al-Baariziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari.Vol 3. Pages 153-154
[14] Bukhaari 3692
[15] Al-Hululul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Ta’leeqaat Al-Baariziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari.Vol 3. Page 153
