THE STORY OF CALIPHATE UMAR BUN AL-KHATTAB (r.t.a) (Episode 55)

 Muslims Till Death:

ASSALAAMU ALAYKUM WARAHMATULLAH WABARAKAATUHU.  👇.                                                                            *THE STORY OF CALIPHATE UMAR BUN AL-KHATTAB (r.t.a) (Episode 55)*

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It is related that one night Umar went on his round in Madina as usual. It was the dead of night, and every where was quiet. From one of the houses in the street, Umar heard a lady lamenting. She said: The night is wearisome and keeps me sleepless;
For I have none to keep me company.
I fear Allah, Who keeps watch over our souls,
And would not take another companion,
But who could tell Umar,
That he should not be so cruel,
As to keep my husband away from me,
For such a long period."
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Umar knocked at the door, and when the lady came to the door he said: “I have heard, what you wanted to be conveyed to Umar.

How long has your husband been away."
The lady said, "About a year."
Umar said, "Rest assured your husband would come back to you shortly”. Umar consulted Hafsa as to the maximum period for which a man might remain separate from his wife. She suggested a period of four months. Umar accordingly issued orders to the effect that unless a man of the armed forces could take his wife with him, he should be allowed a spell of leave after every four months of active service on the front.
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It is related that once while riding a camel, the whip of Umar dropped. Many persons who saw the whip fall rushed to pick up the whip to hand it over to the Caliph. Umar asked them to mind their own business, and not to bother about his whip. Umar dismounted and picked up his whip himself.

Iqbal has dramatised the episode in his classic poem 'The Secrets of the Self'. Iqbal exhorts: “Like Umar, come down from the camel,
Beware of incurring obligations, beware"
From this episode, Iqbal deduces a code of conduct, the highlights whereof are:
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"Do not incur the obligation of any person,
Do not debase yourself by receiving benefits.
Self is weakened by asking; asking disintegrates the Self,
By asking, poverty is made more abject.
By begging, the beggar is made poorer,
Even if you are poor and overwhelmed by affliction,
Do not seek your bread by the bounty of another."
Iqbal further elaborates:
"God loves a man that earns his living;
Woe to him that accepts bounty from another's table.
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The more your hands are empty, the more you are master of yourself.
Seek no favours and walk with your head erect like the pine.
Sweet is a little dew gathered by one's own hand,
Be a man of honour, and like the bubble
Keep the cup inverted even in the midst of the sea."

It was the year of the famine. Umar took pains to ensure that adequate relief reached all people, and that there were no persons in the city who went to sleep hungry. One night as usual Umar went on his round. He was accompanied by his slave Aslam.
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As he strolled from street to street all was quiet and the people seemed to be asleep. Umar thought to himself, "Thank God, there is no one in this city whom the famine has afflicted."

Then as he turned a corner he saw a cottage where light was burning, and from where the sound of the weeping of the children was heard. Umar went to the cottage. He saw that the lady of the house was cooking something on the hearth, and the children were crying.

Umar knocked at the gate, and addressing the lady of the house Umar enquired why were the children crying.
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She said that they were crying because they were hungry.

"And what are you cooking", asked Umar. The lady said that in the kettle there was only water and stones. That was to while away the children that food was being cooked for them. She hoped that exhausted the children would go to sleep.

Hearing this tale of woe, Umar felt guilty. He had thought that because of the arrangements made by him, no one was afflicted in the city and here was a family which was starving. Umar said to the lady that he would arrange relief for her family immediately. Umar went to the Baitul Mal.
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There he put the necessary provisions in a bag and carried the bag to the cottage. His slave insisted that he would carry the bag, but Umar said that he would carry his burden himself. Umar handed over the bag of provisions to the lady. Umar sat by the hearth and helped the lady cook the meals. When the meals were ready the children were awakened and served with the delicious meals. As the children ate to their fill and were satisfied they smiled the smile of happiness. Seeing the destitute children smile Umar also felt happy. Umar enquired of the lady whether there was none to support.
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She said that the father of the children had died, and there was no body to support. Whatever little was in the house had been gradually used up and they were starving since the last three days. Umar asked the lady why she had not brought her distress to the notice of the Caliph. The lady said that in spite of her poverty she had some sence of self-respect and she could not go and beg the Caliph for any favour. She added that it was incumbent on the Caliph to ascertain that there was no one in his charge who was starving. Umar said, "You are right. Please excuse me for the remissness in the past.
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For the future it will be my responsibility to see that your wants are satisfied."

And when the lady realised that the man who had come to her relief was the Caliph himself, she felt satisfied that the Caliph had discharged his onerous responsibilities creditably.

When Umar opened the register for public allowances, and allowed stipends for children as well, he laid down the condition that the children were not to get any allowance until they were weaned. In their desire to get allowances for the children, the parents cut down the period of weaning.
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End of Today's Education. Subhanakallahuma wabihamdik ash-hadu an laaila Anta astagfiruka wa atuuubu ilayhi. Questions, Suggestions and problems are welcome privately. *We shall continue tomorrow on this same topic in sha Allah*. May HE strengthen and make us steadfast in faith. May HE accept our ibaadat and grant us the Good in this World and the Hereafter. May Allah Azza wa jalla forgive and grant us Jannah...AMIN.