Umar Al Farooq - The Great Caliph - Part One: Timeline Of The Life Of Caliph Umar
By
Moin Qazi, New Age Islam
26 October
2022
Amongst the nations before your time, there
have been inspired people (who were not Prophets), and if there is one amongst
my Ummah, he is Umar
- Prophet Muhammad
Timeline
of the Life of Caliph Umar
577: Umar
born in Makkah to Khattab ibn Nufayl and Hantama bint Hisham.
616: Umar’s
conversion to Islam.
634-644:
Umar (b 577 CE – d 3 November 644 CE)) reigns as the second Caliph. The Muslims
subjugate Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. Garrisons were
established in the conquered lands, and the Muslim rulers began to take control
of the financial organisation.
635:
Muslims begin the conquest of Persia and Syria.
635: Arab
Muslims capture the city of Damascus from the Byzantines.
636: Battle
of Yarmuk (also: Yarmuq, Hieromyax): Following the Muslim capture of Damascus
and Edessa, Byzantine Emperor Heraclius organizes a large army that manages to take
back control of those cities. However, Byzantine commander, Baänes is soundly
defeated by Muslim forces under Khalid ibn Walid in a battle in the valley of
the Yarmuk River outside Damascus. This leaves all of Syria open to Arab
domination.
636: The Arabs
under Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas defeat a Sasanian army in the battle of Qadisiyya
(near Hira), gaining Iraq west of the Tigris. A second victory follows at
Jalula, near Ctesiphon.
637: The
Arabs occupy the Persian capital of Ctesiphon. By 651, the entire Persian realm
would come under Islam's rule, which continued its westward expansion.
637: Syria
is conquered by Muslim forces.
637:
Jerusalem falls to invading Muslim forces.
638: Caliph
Umar marries Umm Kulthum; enters Jerusalem.
639-42:
Conquest of Egypt (642 taking of Alexandria) by ‘Amr ibn al-’As. Muslims
capture the sea port of Caesarea in Palestine, marking the end of the Byzantine
presence in Syria.
Timeline of
the Life of Caliph Umar
641: Islam
spreads into Egypt. The Catholic Archbishop invites Muslims to help free Egypt
from Roman oppressors.
641: Under
the leadership of Abd-al-Rahman, Muslims conquer southern areas of Azerbaijan,
Daghestan, Georgia, and Armenia.
641/2:
Under the leadership of Amr ibn al-As, Muslims conquer the Byzantine city of Alexandria
in Egypt. Al-As creates the first Muslim city in Egypt, al-Fustat, and builds
there the first mosque in Egypt.
644: Umar
dies and is succeeded by Uthman.
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The
Greatness of Caliph Umar
The romance
of history is not only fascinating but also genuinely inspiring. Every age has
been a model for the succeeding one, and thus the history of the kingdoms and
the human race has evolved from cave dwellers to visitors to the moon. Butin
this vast penumbra, history remains studded with only a few individuals whose
lives shine in luminescence and whose ideals are living models of shimmering
meteors of wisdom. These great men have been the pathfinders and torchbearers
of plans that shaped glorious civilizations.
Men of
genius are meteors intended to burn to light their century. In history, some
men were exquisite kings, philosophers, scholars, rulers, and generals who
could grasp the true purpose of life quite early and harnessed it into great
societies and did not have to share the ignominy of many others who could not
catch the luminescence of this truth and had to remain content with leaving a
poor legacy.
Those noble
souls, whose teachings survived the driftwood of history and whose names
continue to burnish with greatness, were men driven by a ceaseless urge to
change society by liberating segments of the population that were fenced from
each other by prejudice. All great men - whether social reformers, thinkers,
statesmen, sages, or patriots - differ from ordinary men only in one respect.
They dare to dream and also work to transmute that dream into reality. They
give life both meaning and purpose and devote themselves single-mindedly to
achieving it.
In the
seventh century, the envoy of the Roman Emperor set out for Madinah,
accompanied by a large entourage, flaunting the pageantry of adornments that
the Roman Empire was famous for. On arrival in the metropolis of Islam, he
enquired from a passer-by: “Tell me please, where is the palace of the Caliph?”
The Arab
looked around. He was amused by this strange question, “What do you mean by a
palace?” retorted the Arab.” I mean the palace of Umar, the Caliph of Islam,”
added the envoy. ‘‘Oh! You want to see Umar. Come on, I will take you in his
presence,” replied the Arab.
The envoy
was escorted to the Mosque of the Prophet, and, to his utter astonishment, a
man who was lying on the bare floor of the mosque was introduced to him as
Caliph Umar, the greatest ruler of his time, whose armies held sway over the
three known continents of the world. The envoy was taken aback at such a
strange sight. The report of what he observed in Madinah was enough to impress
the Roman Emperor with the invincible might of Islam.
Umar, in
full ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭtāb, (born c. 586, Mecca, Arabia [now in Saudi Arabia] - died November
3, 644, Medina, Arabia), the second Muslim caliph (from 634). He was the second
successor, or Caliph, to Muhammad, but he was also Muhammad’s father-in-law.
Umar is sometimes referred to as the “St. Paul” of Islam, first because of his
success in spreading Islam and second because he was originally opposed to
Islam, but underwent a conversion experience that caused him to reverse course
and support Prophet Muhammad. It was under him that Arab armies conquered much
of the world that Became Arabia of his day.
He is a
significant figure in the development of Muslim civilization. He supervised the
installation of Abu Bakr as the first Caliph and masterminded the victories
over both the Byzantine and Persian empires. Simplicity, poverty, justice -
these are three qualities of the brave and energetic man who led the Arabs out
of the confines of the Arabian Desert into the lush lands of the age-old
Fertile Crescent
Umar was
part of the first emigration to Medina and became an important companion of
Muhammad. He participated in all of the Muslim battles against the Quraish.
Umar was an implacable puritan and the architect of the whole political
geography of the Islamic empire. A member of the clan of ʿAdī of the Meccan tribe of Quraysh, ʿUmar at first opposed Muhammad but,
in about 615, became a Muslim. By 622, when he went to Medina with Muhammad and
the other Meccan Muslims, he had become one of Muhammad’s chief advisers, closely associated
with Abū Bakr. His position in the state was marked by Muhammad’s marriage to
his daughter Ḥafṣah in 625. On Muhammad’s death in 632, ʿUmar was primarily responsible for
reconciling the Medinan Muslims to the acceptance of a Meccan, Abū Bakr, as head of state (caliph). Abū Bakr (reigned 632–634) relied
extensively on ʿUmar and nominated him to succeed him. As caliph, ʿUmar was the first to call himself “commander of the faithful” (Amīr Al-Muʾminīn). His reign saw the transformation of the
Islamic state from an Arabian principality to a world power.
Umar was a
member of the Ummayah clan of the Makkan Quraysh tribe – thus, the name of the
empire he founded was the Umayyad Empire. After the death of Muhammad, Umar
made sure that the community leadership went to Abu Bakr. This effort helped
ensure that the group was not split according to differing loyalties between
those from Makkah and those from Madinah. Abu Bakr designated Umar as his
successor when he was on his deathbed.
The
Great Expansion
Throughout
this remarkable expansion, ʿUmar closely controlled general policy and laid down the principles for
administering the conquered lands. The structure of the later Islamic empire,
including legal practice, is primarily due to him. ʿUmar established the Diwan (a
register of warriors’ pensions that, over time evolved into a powerful
governmental body), inaugurated the Islamic Hijrī calendar, and created the
office of the qadi (judge). He also established the garrison cities of Al-Fusṭāṭ in Egypt and Basra and Kūfah in
Iraq.
Converting
to Islam in the 6th year after Muhammad’s first revelation, Umar spent 18 years
in the companionship of Muhammad. He succeeded Caliph Abu Bakr on 23 August 634
and transformed his inherited empire. His reign saw the evolution of the
Islamic state from an Arabian principality to a world power, controlling the
whole territory of the former Sassanid Persian Empire and more than two-thirds
of the Eastern Roman Empire.
A Bold
Strategist
Umar’s
legislative abilities, his firm political and administrative control over a
rapidly expanding empire and his brilliantly coordinated attacks against the
Sassanid Persian Empire that resulted in the conquest of the Persian Empire in
less than two years marked his reputation as an astute political and military
strategist. Throughout this remarkable expansion, Umar closely controlled
general policy and laid down the principles for administering the conquered
lands. The structure of the later Islamic empire, including legal and
administrative systems and financial architecture, is largely a result of his
farsightedness and wisdom. A strong ruler, stern toward offenders, and ascetic
to the point of harshness, he was universally respected for his justice and
authority.
Umar
personified what the Arabs called muruwwa, the virtue of being a man. It
connotes a cluster of virtues: bravery, generosity, practical wisdom and
honour, all highly valued and praised in Arab tribal culture. Umar was endowed
with extraordinary practical knowledge. Practical learning - the Greeks called
phronesis–is essentially the art of knowing the right thing to do at the right
time and in the right way. It encompasses the ability to see ahead, predict how
things will unfold, and forecast the consequences of a given course of action.
Throughout
his reign, Umar remained a legendary puritan, a stern, austere man who came
down hard on any public display of vulgarity, gambling, improper dress, the
misuse of state property, or abuse of delegated powers. He expected those
entrusted with the high office to have morality to match their exalted
responsibilities.
In 644, ʿUmar was attacked by an enslaved
Persian Christian named Abū Luʾluʾah and died from his wounds three days later.
While he lay dying, ʿUmar appointed a six-man council that eventually selected ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān as his successor.
A strong
ruler, stern toward offenders, and ascetic to the point of harshness, ʿUmar was universally respected for
his justice and authority. His role in decisively shaping the early Islamic
community is widely acknowledged.
When the
Roman emperor heard about his death, he said: "A virtuous person has
passed away... I am hardly surprised to see an ascetic who renounced the world
and gave himself to the prayers of Allah. But I am certainly surprised at a
person who had all the world's pleasures at his feet and yet shut his eyes
against them and lived a life of piety and renunciation."
Umar’s
whole being was focused on pleasing God; he feared God’s punishment but hoped
for Paradise. Umar could distinguish between truth and falsehood; he was pained
when the Ummah or any member of it was hurt, and he felt joy when those under
his care were content and happy worshipping their Lord.
Many regard
Umar as one of the greatest political geniuses in history. He is often seen as
the architect of the Islamic Empire. Under his leadership, the empire expanded
at an unbelievable pace and several administrative reforms were undertaken. As
a jurist, he began to codify Islamic law. He decreed that the Islamic calendar
should be counted from the year of the Hijra of Muhammad from Makkah to
Madinah.
The
achievements of Umar are all the more remarkable, considering that he lacked
the advantage of birth, nobility, or wealth that some of the other Companions
enjoyed. He was born into the tribe of Bani ‘Adi, a poorer cousin among the Quraysh.
In his own words, before he accepted Islam, he was at various times a petty
merchant and a shepherd who would often lose his sheep. From such humble
beginnings, he rose to weld together an empire greater in size than Rome or
Persia, governed it with the Wisdom of Solomon, and administered it with the
sagacity of Joseph.
The Prophet
had great praise for Umar’s knowledge and faith. He bore witness to the
superiority of Umar in his faith and knowledge, saying: ‘While I was sleeping,
I saw the people being presented to me. Each of them was wearing a shirt. Some
reached to their breast and some reached farther than that. Then Umar was shown
to me with his shirt reaching to the ground.’ They asked: ‘How do you interpret
it, Allah’s Messenger?’ He said: ‘Faith’ [Al-Bukhari]. About his knowledge, the
Prophet said, ‘While sleeping, I drank until I saw springs coming from my
fingernails. Then, I gave Umar some to drink.’ They said: ‘How do you interpret
it, Allah’s Messenger?’ He said: ‘Knowledge.’ Prophet Muhammad said, “If there
were to be a Prophet after me, then he would be Umar ibn Al-Khattab.” (Sahih
Bukhari Volume 5, Book 57, Number 38).
Umar was
one of the ‘chosen ten’ Companions of the Prophet of Islam who were assured of
Paradise. However, this did not stop him from tirelessly working all his life
to please God. He was a man of knowledge, known for his generosity and tireless
devotion to the worship of God and, perhaps, above all, his devotion to the Ummah
of Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad would repeatedly counsel the Ummah, “A man
is not a true believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for
himself.”
As long as
he lived, Umar’s moral authority was undisputed. Al Tabari records: ‘Umar said
to Selman: ‘Am I a king or a Caliph?’ and Selman answered: ‘If you have levied
from the lands of the Muslims one dirham, or more, or less, and applied it
unlawfully, you are a king, not a Caliph.’ And ‘Umar wept. Umar owned one shirt
and one mantle, both noted for their patchwork.
The glory
of Islam was his only concern. Umar’s achievements are impressive indeed. After
Muhammad himself, he was the principal figure in the expansion of the Arab kingdom.
Simplicity, poverty, and justice are three qualities of the brave and energetic
man who led the Arabs out of the confines of the Arabian Desert into the lush
lands of the age-old Fertile Crescent. Without his rapid conquests, it is
doubtful if Islam would have been so expansive.
Furthermore,
most of the territory conquered during his reign remained Arab. Of course, it
was Muhammad who was the prime mover. But it would be a grave mistake to ignore
Umar’s contribution. Umar capitalized on the momentum built in Prophet’s time
and harnessed it into a well-crafted and marvellously executed strategy.
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Moin
Qazi is the author of the bestselling book, Village Diary of a Heretic Banker.
He has worked in the development finance sector for almost four decades.
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