History of Khulafah Rashideen by Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti - translated by Abdassamad Clarke

At-Tirmidhi narrated that Ibn cUmar narrated that: The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘O Allah, strengthen Islam with whoever is more beloved to You of these two men: cUmar ibn al-Khattab or Abu Jahl ibn Hisham.’ At-Tabarani narrated this from hadith of Ibn Mascud and Anas, may Allah be pleased with them.

Al-Hakim narrated that Ibn cAbbas related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘O Allah, strengthen Islam by cUmar ibn al-Khattab especially.’ At-Tabarani narrated this in the Awsat from a hadith of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and in the Kabir from hadith of Thawban.

Ahmad narrated that cUmar said: I went out to confront the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and found that he had preceded me to the mosque (of Makkah). I stood behind him and he began by reciting Suratu’l-Haqqah. I was astonished by the composition of the Qur’an, so I said, ‘By Allah, this is a poet as Quraysh say.’ Then he recited, ‘It is truly the saying of a noble messenger, and it is not the saying of a poet, how little you believe...’ (Qur’an 69: 40) to the end of the ayah, and Islam came about in my heart.

Ibn Abi Jabir narrated that Jabir said: The beginning of TJmar’s Islam was that cUmar said, ‘My sister’s time to give birth came to her at night so I went out of the house, and entered the precincts of (he Kacbah. Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and entered the Hijr (the low-walled, semi-circular area to one end of the Kacbah) and on him there were two rough cloths.

Me prayed to Allah as much as Allah willed, then he turned away and I heard something the like of which I had not heard. He went out and I followed him and he said, “Who is this?” I said, “cUmar.” He said, “cUmar, will you not leave me alone, either by night or liy day?” I became afraid that he might supplicate against me, so I said, “I witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah.” He said, “cUmar, keep it secret.” I said, “No, by the One Who sent you with the truth, I will openly declare it just as I openly declared idolatry.”’ Ibn Sacd, Abu YaTa, al-Hakim, and al-Bayhaqi in ad-Dala’il, narrated that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: cUmar went out wearing his sword, and a man from Bani Zuhrah met him and said, ‘Where do you intend going, cUmar?’ He said, ‘I want to kill Muhammad.’ He said, ‘How will you be safe from Bani Hashim and Bani Zuhrah if you have killed Muhammad?’ He said, ‘I can only believe that you have converted.’ He said, ‘Shall I show you something astonishing; your brother-in-law and your sister have converted and abandoned your deen! cUmar walked on and came to the two of them while Khabbab was with them. When he heard the sound of cUmar he hid in the house, and then he (cUmar) entered and said, ‘What is this murmur of lowered voices?’ They had been reciting Taha. They said, ‘Nothing but some conversation which we were holding.’ He said, ‘Perhaps you two have converted?’ His brother-in-law said to him, ‘cUmar, what if the truth were outside of your deenV So cUmar leapt upon him and struck him severely.

His sister came to push him away from her husband and he struck her a blow with his hand so that her face bled. Then she said, and she was angry, ‘And if the truth were outside of your deen? I witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.’ cUmar said, ‘Give me the writing which you have and I will read it,’ — and TJmar used to read. His sister said to him, ‘You are dirty, and no-one reads it but the purified (so stand and bathe yourself or perform wudu).’ He stood and performed wudu, then he took the writing and read Taha until it came to, ‘ Truly I, I am Allah there is no god except Me, so worship Me and establish the prayer for My remembrance.’ (Qur’an 20: 14). cUmar said, ‘Show me the way to Muhammad.’ When Khabbab heard the words of cUmar he came out and said, ‘Rejoice, TJmar! Because I hope that you are the (answer to the) supplication which the Messenger of Allah made for you on the night of Thursday, “O Allah, strengthen Islam with cUmar ibn al-Khattab or with cAmr ibn Hisham.’” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in the lower part of the house which was at the foot of Safa and TJmar went off until he came to the house, at the door of which were Hamzah, Talhah and others. Hamzah said, ‘This is cUmar; If Allah wants good for him he will become a Muslim; and if He wishes other than that, then killing him will be a little thing for us.’ He said: And the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was inside receiving revelation. He came out when cUmar arrived, took hold of the folds of his clothes and the straps of his sword, and said, ‘You won’t give up, cUmar, until Allah visits you with disgrace and punishment like he did al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah.’ cUmar said, ‘I witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the slave of Allah and His Messenger.’ Al-Bazzar, at-Tabarani, Abu Nucaym in al-Hilyah, and al-Bayhaqi in ad-Dala’ilnarrated that Aslam said: TJmar said to us, ‘I was the most severe of people against the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Then one hot day at midday I was in one of the pathways of Makkah, and a man met me and said, “I am amazed at you, Ibn al-Khattab. You claim that you are like this and like this, and this matter has entered your own house.” I said, “What is that?” He said, “Your sister has become a Muslim.” So I went back in a fury and struck the door. Someone said, “Who is It?” I said, “cUmar.” They hurried and hid from me. They had been reciting a page which they had and they abandoned it and forgot It. My sister got up to open the door, and I said to her, “Enemy of her own self, have you converted?” I struck her upon the head with something that I had in my hand so that the blood flowed and she cried. She said, “Ibn al-Khattab, whatever you are going to do, then do it, for I have converted.” I entered and sat down on the couch. Then I glanced at the page and said, “What is this?

(Jive it to me.” She said, “You are not one of its people, you don’t clean yourself after intercourse, and this is a writing which none touches except for those who have purified themselves.” But I wouldn’t give up until she gave it to me. I opened it and there in it was, “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the CompassionateWhen I passed by one of the names of Allah, exalted is He, I became afraid of it and I put down the page. Then I came back to myself and picked up the page and there in it was, “There glorifies Allah that which is in the heavens and the earth" and I became afraid. I read up until, “ believe in Allah and His messenger^' (Qur’an 57: 1-7)

and so I said, “I witness that there is no god but Allah,” and so they all came out to me hastily, saying, “Allahu Akbar\” and said, “Rejoice! Because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, supplicated on Monday and said, ‘O Allah strengthen Your deen with whoever is the more beloved of the two men to You, either Abu Jahl ibn Hisham or cUmar.’” They directed me to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in a house at the foot of as-Safa, and I went to it and knocked on the door. They said, “Who is it?” I said, “Ibn al-Khattab.” They knew my severity against the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so nobody moved to open the door until he said, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Open it for him.” They opened it for me, two men grabbed hold of me by the upper arms and brought me to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said, “Leave him alone.” Then he grabbed me by my shirt and dragged me forcibly towards him and said, “Accept Islam, Ibn al-Khattab. O Allah guide him,” and I bore witness and the Muslims said, “Allahu Akbar\” so loudly that it was heard in the valleys of Makkah.

‘They had been concealing themselves. I did not wish to see a man striking and being struck but that I experienced it myself and none of that touched me. I went to my uncle Abu Jahl ibn Hisham, who was one of the nobility, and knocked on his door. He said, “Who is it?” I said, “Ibn al-Khattab, and I have converted.” He said, “Don’t do it,” and slammed the door on me. I said, “This isn’t anything,” and went to one of the great ones of Quraysh, called out to him and he came out to me. I said to him the same as I had said to my uncle, he said to me the same as my uncle had said to me, went in and slammed the door on me. I said, “This isn’t anything, the Muslims are being struck and I am not being struck.” A man said to me, “Would you like your acceptance of Islam to be known?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “When people are seated in the Hijr go to so-and-so, a man who cannot possibly conceal a secret, and say to him, just between yourself and him, ‘I have converted,’ for it is very rare that he has ever concealed a secret.” I went and people had already gathered in the Hijr. I said, just between me and him, “I have converted.” He said, “Did you really do that?” I said, “Yes.” He cried at the top of his voice, “Ibn al-Khattab has converted.” They ran up to me; I was hitting them, they were hitting me and people gathered around me. Then my uncle said, “What is this group?” Someone said, “cUmar has converted.” He stood upon the Hijr and indicated with the palm of his hand, “I have helped the son of my sister.” They dispersed from around me. I did not want to have seen any of the Muslims being struck and striking without seeing it myself, so I said, “This which has happened to me is nothing.” I went to my uncle and said, “Your help is returned to you,” and I continued to hit and be hit until Allah strengthened Islam.’ Abu Nucaym narrated in ad-Dala’il and Ibn cAsakir that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, said: I asked cUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, ‘For what reason were you called Al-Faruq?’ He said, ‘Hamzah accepted Islam three days before me. I went to the mosque, and Abu Jahl hurried up to abuse the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Hamzah was told about it. He took his bow and came to the mosque up to the circle of Quraysh in which Abu Jahl was. He leant upon his bow facing Abu Jahl and looked at him, and Abu Jahl recognised the mischief in his face, and said, “What is wrong with you, Abu cUmarah?” 1 le raised his bow and with it struck one of the veins in his neck, tutting it so that blood flowed. Quraysh rectified that from fear of mischief and trouble.’ He said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was concealed in the house of al-Arqam al-Makhzumi so Hamzah went off and accepted Islam.

I went out three days after him and there was so-and-so son of soaud- so al-Makhzumi, and I said to him, “Do you yearn to get out of the deen of your ancestors and follow the deen of Muhammad?” He said, “If I did, then one who has much greater right upon you has also done it.” I said, “Who is he?” He said, “Your sister and your brother in-law.” I went off, found the door locked and heard t he murmur of lowered voices. Then the door was opened for me.

1 entered and said, “What is this I hear with you?” They said, “You didn’t hear anything,” and the conversation continued between us until I took hold of my brother in-law’s head and hit him, making him bleed. My sister stood up to me and took hold of my head and said, “That has happened despite you.” I was ashamed when I saw the blood, so I sat down and said, “Show me this writing.” My sister said, “No-one touches it except for the purified. If you are truthful then get up and bathe yourself.” I got up and bathed myself, then I returned and sat down. They brought me a page in which was, “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.” 1 said, “Wholesome and pure names!” “Taha. We have not revealed the Qur’an to you for you to grieve, ...” up to His words, .. Hit are the most beautiful names’’ (Qur’an 20: 1-8). It became a greafl matter in my heart and I said, “From this Quraysh have fled!” I accepted Islam and said, “Where is the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?” She said, “He is in the house of al-Arqam.” I went to the house and knocked on the door. The people gathered and Hamzah said to them, “What is wrong with you.” They said, “cUmar.” He said, “And if it is TJmar? Open the door for him. If he has accepted, then we will accept that from him, and if he turns his back, we will kill him.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, heard that and came out. I pronounced the shahadah and the people of the house said, ‘‘Allahu Akbar\” in such a way that the people of Makkah heard it. I said, “Messenger of Allah, are we not upon the truth?” He said, “Of course.” I said, “Why do we conceal it?” We went out in two ranks, in one of which I was and in the other Hamzah, until we entered the mosque, and Quraysh looked at me and at Hamzah. There came upon them gloom and depression the like of which had never before come upon them. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, named me on that day “al-Faruq” because Islam had been shown openly and a separation made between the truth and falsehood.’ Ibn Sacd narrated that Dhakwan said: I said to cA’ishah, ‘Who named TJmar “al-Faruq’V She said, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ Ibn Majah and al-Hakim narrated that Ibn cAbbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: When TJmar accepted Islam, then Jibril descended and said, ‘Muhammad, the inhabitants of heaven rejoice in TJmar’s acceptance of Islam.” Al-Bazzar and al-Hakim, who declared it sahih, narrated that Ibn cAbbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: When TJmar accepted Islam, the idolaters said, ‘The people have been split in half from us today,’ and Allah revealed, ‘O Prophet, Allah is enough for you; and whoever follows you of the believers' (Qur’an 8: 64).

Al-Bukhari narrated that Ibn Mascud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: We continued to become mighty after the acceptance of Islam by cUmar.

Ibn Sacd and at-Tabarani narrated that Ibn Mascud, may Allah he pleased with him, said: The Islam of cUmar was an opening, his emigration was a help and his imamate was a mercy. I saw us unable to pray towards the House until cUmar accepted Islam.

When cUmar accepted Islam, he fought them until they left us «lone and we prayed.

Ibn Sacd and al-Hakim narrated that Hudhayfah said: When 'Umar accepted Islam, Islam was like the man advancing towards you, only increasing in nearness. When cUmar was killed, Islam was like the man backing away from you, only increasing in distance.

At-Tabarani narrated that Ibn cAbbas, may Allah be pleased with (hem both, said: The first man to be open about Islam was cUmar ibn al-Khattab.

Ibn Sacd narrated that Suhayb said: When cUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, accepted Islam, he was open about it, invited people to it openly; we sat around the House in circles, we made circuits around the House, we took our rights from whoever was tough with us, and we retaliated against him for some of what he brought us.

Ibn Sacd narrated that Aslam the freed slave of cUmar said: cUmar accepted Islam in Dhu’l-Hijjah of the sixth year of prophethood while he was twenty-six years old.