#2 Umar ibn al-Khattab from The History of the Khalifahs by Jalal ad- Din as-Suyuti

The reports on his acceptance of Islam
At-Tirmidhi narrated that Ibn ‘Umar 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: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab or Abu
Jahl ibn Hisham.’ At-Tabarani narrated this
from hadith of Ibn Mas‘ud and Anas, may
Allah be pleased with them.
Al-Hakim narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas related
that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, said, ‘O Allah, strengthen
Islam by ‘Umar 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 ‘Umar 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 ‘Umar’s Islam was that ‘Umar
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 the Ka‘bah. 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
Ka‘bah) and on him there were two rough
cloths. He 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, “‘Umar.” He said,
“‘Umar, will you not leave me alone, either by
night or by 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,
“‘Umar, 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 Sa‘d, Abu Ya‘la, al-Hakim, and al-Bayhaqi
in ad-Dala’il, narrated that Anas, may Allah
be pleased with him, said: ‘Umar went out
wearing his sword, and a man from Bani
Zuhrah met him and said, ‘Where do you
intend going, ‘Umar?’ 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.’ ‘Umar walked on
and came to the two of them while Khabbab
was with them. When he heard the sound of
‘Umar he hid in the house, and then he
(‘Umar) 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, ‘‘Umar, what if the
truth were outside of your deen?’ So ‘Umar
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.’ ‘Umar said, ‘Give me the
writing which you have and I will read it,’ –
and ‘Umar 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). ‘Umar said, ‘Show me the way to
Muhammad.’ When Khabbab heard the words
of ‘Umar he came out and said, ‘Rejoice,
‘Umar! 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
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab or with ‘Amr 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 ‘Umar went off until he came to
the house, at the door of which were Hamzah,
Talhah and others. Hamzah said, ‘This is
‘Umar; 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 ‘Umar arrived,
took hold of the folds of his clothes and the
straps of his sword, and said, ‘You won’t give
up, ‘Umar, until Allah visits you with disgrace
and punishment like he did al-Walid ibn al-
Mughirah.’ ‘Umar 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 Nu‘aym in al-
Hilyah , and al-Bayhaqi in ad-Dala’il narrated
that Aslam said: ‘Umar 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, “‘Umar.” 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?
Give 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
Compassionate.” When 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 ‘Umar.’” 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, “‘Umar
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 Nu‘aym narrated in ad-Dala’il and Ibn
‘Asakir that Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased
with both of them, said: I asked ‘Umar, 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 ‘Umarah?” He raised his bow
and with it struck one of the veins in his neck,
cutting 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 so-and-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 the murmur of lowered voices. Then the
door was opened for me. I 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.” I said, “Wholesome and pure
names!” “Taha. We have not revealed the
Qur’an to you for you to grieve, …” up to His
words, “… His are the most beautiful
names.” (Qur’an 20: 1-8). It became a great
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, “‘Umar.” He said,
“And if it is ‘Umar? 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 Sa‘d narrated that Dhakwan said: I said to
‘A’ishah, ‘Who named ‘Umar “al-Faruq”?’ She
said, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace.’
Ibn Majah and al-Hakim narrated that Ibn
‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both,
said: When ‘Umar accepted Islam, then Jibril
descended and said, ‘Muhammad, the
inhabitants of heaven rejoice in ‘Umar’s
acceptance of Islam.”
Al-Bazzar and al-Hakim, who declared it
sahih, narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be
pleased with them both, said: When ‘Umar
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 Mas‘ud, may
Allah be pleased with him, said: We continued
to become mighty after the acceptance of
Islam by ‘Umar.
Ibn Sa‘d and at-Tabarani narrated that Ibn
Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
The Islam of ‘Umar was an opening, his
emigration was a help and his imamate was a
mercy. I saw us unable to pray towards the
House until ‘Umar accepted Islam. When
‘Umar accepted Islam, he fought them until
they left us alone and we prayed.
Ibn Sa‘d and al-Hakim narrated that
Hudhayfah said: When ‘Umar accepted Islam,
Islam was like the man advancing towards
you, only increasing in nearness. When ‘Umar
was killed, Islam was like the man backing
away from you, only increasing in distance.
At-Tabarani narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas, may
Allah be pleased with them both, said: The
first man to be open about Islam was ‘Umar
ibn al-Khattab.
Ibn Sa‘d narrated that Suhayb said: When
‘Umar, 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 Sa‘d narrated that Aslam the freed slave
of ‘Umar said: ‘Umar accepted Islam in Dhu’l-
Hijjah of the sixth year of prophethood while
he was twenty-six years old.