I heard a person saying that Amirul Mumineen Umar (RA) climbed into a house of a lady who was singing and tried to tell her that she should stop it. The lady in turn told him, "Why did you come to my house without my permission and violate my privacy?" Umar (RA) felt very sorry and asked for forgiveness. I want to know is this authentic or just a fabricated statement?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

We have not come across this story in any books of Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), but the signs of lying appear on it. 'Umar was the most knowledgeable person about the Saying of Allaah The Almighty (which means): {O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants. That is best for you; perhaps you will be reminded [i.e. advised].} [Quran 24:27]

Moreover, the scholars stated the reason of the descent (of the verses) that a boy entered to 'Umar while he was sleeping, and then the latter said, "I wish Allaah prohibited our fathers, children and servants from entering upon us except with permission". Then Allaah The Almighty revealed (what means): {O you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not [yet] reached puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times: before the dawn prayer and when you put aside your clothing [for rest] at noon and after the night prayer. [These are] three times of privacy for you.} [Quran 24:58].

It is confirmed that 'Umar said, ''Learn Chapter Al-Baqarah [Quran, 2] and Chapter An-Noor [Quran, 24], as these two chapters contain the religious obligations.'' [Al-Haakim]. Therefore, it is unimaginable for a man of great status like 'Umar to climb a wall and enter the house of a woman without her permission.

However, it is confirmed that once 'Umar went out by night to protect the people from thieves and evil doers and he heard a woman reciting poetry complaining about the absence of her husband from her and fearing to be tempted to commit adultery. So, the next morning, he sent for this woman to come to him. When he inquired about her, he found out that her husband had gone out in a battle, so 'Umar sent a woman to reside with her until her husband came back. Then he wrote to her husband to come back. When he came back, 'Umar asked his daughter Hafsah as to how long may a husband be absent from his wife (without the wife being harmed or tempted) and she replied, "Six months". Thereupon, 'Umar issued an order that a fighter should not be absent from his wife for more than six months and he applied this on all people.

Allaah Knows best.