The Weeping of Umar Farooq رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ

Shining Stars

The Weeping of ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ

Mawlana Adnan Ahmad Attari Madani

At the end of 24 AH, the 2^nd Caliph of Islam, ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was injured for two or three days, eventually leading to his martyrdom.  He was laid to rest in the blessed chamber of the Greatest Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on the 1^st of Muḥarram. Both humans and jinn shed tears at his passing. Lady ʿĀisha رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا recalls, “Jinn began to weep three days before ꜤUmar was martyred.”[1] He had a soft heart despite his firm nature. He wiped the tears of others and would often have tears in his own eyes.

Let us read some parables pertaining to Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ shedding tears.

I do not own anything else

A villager asked Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ for clothes for his family. Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ said, “What if I do not give you clothes?” The man replied, “I will then take Abū Ḥafṣ (i.e. ꜤUmar) with me.”

Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ further asked, “What will happen if you take me with you?” The villager began reciting the following poetry: “You will surely be asked about me. He who is questioned about somebody will stand there in such a state, that he will be sent to Paradise or sent to Hell.”

Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ then wept until his beard was soaked with tears. He said to his servant, “Give this villager my shirt. Not because of the poetry, but because of that Day.” He added, “By Allah! Right now I do not own anything else.”[2]

Tears at the sight of wealth

When the treasure of Iran’s king Kisrā was brought to Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ, somebody asked, “Will you keep it in the state treasury for safekeeping until it is distributed?” He replied, “By Allah! I will not even keep it on the roof of my house until I have issued an order regarding it.”

Eventually, he decided on placing the treasure in the middle of a masjid and appointed guards to watch overnight. By morning the treasure was opened, with red and white pearls shimmering from within. Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ began to cry. “O leader of the Muslims!”, somebody asked, “Why do you cry? By Allah! This is a moment of gratitude and a day of joy.”

Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ sighed, “I say with regret, that whenever such wealth is given to a nation, enmity and hatred are sown among them.” He then distributed the treasure.[3]

Tears of joy and happiness

Umayya b. Ashkar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ of Ṭāˈif was an elderly poet and a Companion of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. One of his sons, Kilāb رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ migrated to Medina during the caliphate of Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ and stayed there for some time. One day, he enlisted himself into the armed forces. Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ asked him select questions before dispatching him with the army. After being away from his son for an extended period, Umayya b. Ashkar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ recited some poetry. One of the couplets translates as, “You left your father in such a state that both his hands tremble with weakness, and you left your mother unable to take even a drink of water.”

When days passed without any news of his son, Umayya b. Ashkar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ travelled from Ṭāˈif to Medina himself. At that time, Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ was in the masjid alongside Companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم from the Muhājirīn and Anṣār.  Umayya رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ stood before them and recited poetry. One of the couplets was, “If intensity of grief could tear the heart apart, the gloom of my fractured heart would surely have flowed away.”

Hearing this, Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ began to cry. He then wrote a letter summoning Kilāb رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ to Medina. When the latter arrived in Medina, Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ asked, “How well did you treat your father?”

Kilāb رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ explained:

I always put him first and took care of everything in his place. When I wanted to give him milk, I chose the camel of his herd that produced the most. I would feed her and not make her work until she was completely at ease. Then, I would wash her hooves, extract milk from her, and offer it to my father to drink.

Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ called for the father. Umayya رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ then arrived, walking stick in hand, with weakened eyesight and a back leant over from old age. “O father of Kilāb!” Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ said , “How are you?” Umayya رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “I am just as you see me.”

Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ further inquired, “Do you want anything?” Umayya رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ wistfully said, “Before I die, I want to see Kilāb رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ. I long to smell and embrace him.”     

Again, Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ was moved to tears. “If Allah Almighty wills, your wish will be fulfilled”, he reassured.  He ordered Kilāb رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ to bring milk for his father in the same manner he used to before. Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ handed the milk to Umayya رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ and said, “O Abū Kilāb! Drink this.” As soon as the father put the cup close to his mouth, he said, “By Allah! I can smell the scent of Kilāb’s hands from this.”

With tears in his eyes, Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ exclaimed, “Here is your son! We have brought him back to you.” Umayya رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ bolted to his feet, embraced his son, and planted kisses upon his body. All present began crying at this emotional scene. Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ gave Kilāb رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ some gifts and instructed him to return home, advising him to stay with his parents. Kilāb رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ did not leave his parents’ side until they departed from this world.[4]

Crying in memory of the Merciful Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

After the Merciful Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم visibly passed away, Sayyiduna ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ once could not contain his emotions when recalling him and exclaimed tearfully:

O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! May my parents be sacrificed for you! There was a tree trunk against which you leant whilst delivering sermons and advising the people. When attendees grew in number, a pulpit was built for you to deliver sermons upon (whilst seated). The tree trunk began to audibly cry due to being separated from you, until you placed your blessed hand upon it in reassurance, and it became silent. That trunk cried when in separation from you despite the fact it was made from wood. Yet, now, you have parted from your Umma.

Your Umma is more rightful to your compassion than that trunk![5]