‘Abdudullaah ibn ‘Umar- The persistent and repentant to Allah - I

29/09/2010| IslamWeb

When he was at the peak of his long life he said, "I swore the oath of allegiance to the Prophet . I never broke my oath, nor have I turned to something else to this day. I never swore allegiance to those in civil strife, nor did I awake a sleeping Muslim."

These words are a summary of the life of that virtuous man who lived past the age of 80. His relationship with Islam and the Prophet began when he was only 13 years old, when he accompanied his father to the battle of Badr, hoping to have a place among the fighters, but he was sent back by the Prophet due to his young age. Since that day - and even before that when he accompanied his father on his Hijrah to Al-Madeenah - that young boy who possessed premature manly merits began his relation with the Prophet of Islam .

From that day till the day he passed away at the age of 85, we will always find him persistent, repentant, never deviating from his path, not even by a hairbreadth, never breaking the oath of allegiance which he had sworn, nor breaking a pledge he had made. The merits of Abdullaah Ibn `Umar, which dazzle people's vision, are abundant. Among these are his knowledge, modesty, the straightness of his conscience and path, his generosity, piety, persistence in worship, and his sincere adherence to the Prophet's model. By means of all these merits and qualities did Ibn `Umar shape his unique personality, his sincere and truthful life.

He learned a lot of good manners from his father, `Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, and together with him, they learned from the Prophet all the good manners and all that can be described as noble virtues.

Like his father, his belief in Allah and His Prophet was perfect; therefore, the way he pursued the Prophet's steps was admirable. He was always looking at what the Prophet was doing in every matter and then humbly imitating his deeds to the finest detail. For example, wherever the Prophet prayed, there also would lbn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, pray, and on the same spot. If the Prophet invoked Allah while standing, then lbn 'Umar would invoke Allah while standing. If the Prophet invoked Allah while sitting, so also would lbn `Umar invoke Allah while sitting. On the same particular route where the Prophet once dismounted from his camel and prayed two Rak'ahs, so would lbn `Umar do the same while traveling to the same place.

Moreover, he remembered that the Prophet's camel turned twice at a certain spot in Makkah before the Prophet dismounted and before his two Rak'ahs of prayer. The camel may have done that spontaneously to prepare itself a suitable halting place, but lbn `Umar would reach that spot, turn his camel in a circle, then allow it to kneel down. After that he would pray two Rak'ahs in exactly the same manner he had seen the Prophet do. Such exaggerated imitation once provoked the Mother of the Believers `Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, to say, "No one followed the Prophet's steps in his coming and going as lbn `Umar did."

He spent his long, blessed life and his firm loyalty adhering to the Prophet's Sunnah to the extent that a time came when the virtuous Muslims were asking Allah, "O Allah, save lbn `Umar as long as I live so that I can follow him. I don't know anyone still adhering to the early traditions except him."

Similar to that strong and firm adherence to each of the Prophet's steps and practice (Sunnah) was lbn `Umar's respect for the Prophetic traditions (Hadeeth). He never related a Hadeeth unless he remembered it to the letter. His contemporaries said, "None of the Companions of the Prophet was more cautious not to add or subtract something from a Hadeeth than 'Abdullaah lbn `Umar."

 In the same way he was very cautious when giving a Fatwa (legal formal opinion in Islamic law). One day somebody came to ask him a Fatwa. When he put forward his question, lbn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, answered, "I have no knowledge concerning what you are asking about." The man went his way. He had hardly left the place when Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, rubbed his hands happily saying to himself, "Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, has been asked about what he doesn't know, so he said, `I don't know!'" He was very much afraid to perform Ijtihaad (independent judgment in a legal question) in his Fatwa, although he was living according to the instructions of a great religion, a religion which grants a reward to the one who makes a mistake and two rewards to the one who comes out with a correct righteous Fatwa. However, lbn `Umar's piety deprived him of the courage to make any Fatwas.

In the same way he refrained from the post of judge. The position of a judge was one of the highest positions of state and society, guaranteeing the one engaged in it wealth, prestige, and glory. But why should the pious Ibn `Umar need money, prestige, and glory? The Caliph `Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, once sent for him and asked him to hold the position of judge but he apologized. `Uthmaan may Allah be pleased with him asked him, "Do you disobey me?" Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, answered, "No, but it came to my knowledge that judges are of three kinds. One who judges ignorantly: he is in hell; one who judges according to his desire: he is in hell; one who involves himself in making Ijtihaad and is unerring in his judgment. That one will turn empty-handed, no sin committed and no reward to be granted. I ask you by Allah to exempt me." `Uthmaan may Allah be pleased with him exempted him after he pledged him never to tell anyone about that, for `Uthmaan knew Ibn `Umar's place in people's hearts and he was afraid that if the pious and virtuous knew his refraining from holding the position of judge, they would follow him and do the same, and then the Caliph would not find a pious person to be judge.

It may seem as if Ibn `Umar's, may Allah be pleased with him, stance was a passive one. However, it was not so. Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, did not abstain from accepting the post when there was no one more suitable to hold it than himself. In fact a lot of the Prophet's pious and virtuous Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were actually occupied with Fatwa and judgment.

His restraint and abstention would not paralyze the function of jurisdiction, nor would it cause it to be held by unqualified ones, so Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, preferred to devote his time to purifying his soul with more worship and more obedience. Furthermore, in that stage of Islamic history, life became more comfortable and luxurious, money more abundant, positions and authoritative ranks more available. The temptation of money and authoritative ranks began to enter the hearts of the pious and faithful , which made some of the Prophet's Companions - Ibn `Umar among them - to lift the banner of resistance to that temptation by means of making themselves models and examples of worship, piety, and abstention, refraining from high ranks in order to defeat their temptation.

Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, made himself a "friend of the night", praying at night, crying, and asking forgiveness during its latter hours before daybreak. He had once, during his youth, seen a dream. The Prophet interpreted it in a way which made the night prayer Abdullaah's utmost hope and a means of his delight and joy.

Let us listen to him, while he narrates the story of his dream: During the Prophetic era, I saw a dream in which I was riding a piece of brocade which let me fly to any place in Paradise I wished. Then I saw two approaching me, intending to take me to hell, but an angel met them saying, "Don't be afraid," so they left me. My sister Hafsah narrated the dream to the Prophet who said, "What an excellent man Abdullaah is. If he is praying at night, then let him pray more."

From that day until he met with Allah, he never stopped performing his night prayer, neither while staying in one place nor while traveling. He was frequently praying, reciting the Quran, and praising Allah. Like his father, his tears rolled down abundantly whenever he heard a warning verse in the Quran.

‘Abdudullaah ibn ‘Umar- The persistent and repentant to Allah - II

‘Abdudullaah ibn ‘Umar- The persistent and repentant to Allah - III