1. It is narrated from Umar that he asked from the pulpit: “What do you
conclude from the verse:
أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ عَلَىٰ تَخَوُّفٍۢ
“Or that He may not seize them by causing them to suffer gradual loss.”1?”
Everyone was silent. An old man from Huzail tribe arose and said: ‘to suffer
gradual loss’ is from our language and it implies reduction.
Umar asked: “Is this point mentioned in Arab poetry?”
He replied: “Yes, our poet, Abu Kabeer Hazali – Zuhair describes a camel, whose humps were high and fat before, but have now become thin due to long
journeys, and he says:
“Due to roaming and traveling from high mountains, loads of flesh are
reduced from this camel, as a branch is chafed into a bow.”
At this point, Umar said:
“People should learn their collections of poems, so that they may not be
lost.”
They asked: What is our collection?
He replied: “Poems from the period of Ignorance (Jahiliyya), because
exegesis of the Book and meaning of your discourse is present in them.”1
2. It is narrated from Abu Sult Thaqafi that: Umar bin Khattab pronounced he ‘r’ in the term ‘strait and narrow’ (حَرَجًۭا) in the verse:
وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُۥ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُۥ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًۭا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ
“And (for) whomsoever He intends that He should cause him to
err, He makes his breast strait and narrow as though he were
ascending upwards.”2
…with vowel ‘a’ and some companions of the Prophet present there recited
it with vowel ‘e’ (Harij). Umar said: Bring to me a shepherd from Kinana from
Madlaj tribe. When they brought him, Umar asked: Young man, what is ‘Harja’.
He replied: In our view ‘Harja’ is a tree and no domestic or wild animal can
access it.
At that time, Umar said: “The heart of the hypocrite is same: no goodness
can enter it.”3
3. Abdullah bin Umar says: Umar bin Khattab recited the verse of:
وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍۢ ۚ
“And has not laid upon you any hardship in religion”4
Then he said: “Bring to me a man from the clan of Madlaj.” Umar asked
him: “What is the meaning of Harajin (حَرَجٍۢ) in your language?” He replied:
“Trouble and difficulty.”5
4. Hakeem has narrated from Saeed bin Musayyab that: Umar bin Khattab
concluded the recitation of the verse:
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ
“Those who believe and do not mix up their faith with iniquity.”6
Then he went to Ubayy bin Kaab and asked: “Which of us have not
committed injustice?”
Ubayy said: “It implies polytheism. Have you not heard the statement of
Luqman to his son:
(يَـٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌۭ (١٣
“O my son! do not associate aught with Allah; most surely polytheism is a grievous iniquity.”7
I regard the Caliph excused in the matter that knowledge of Book and
Sunnah remained concealed from him or he was incapable of adjudication,
because of his being engrossed in brokering quadrupeds,8 preoccupation in
market9 and trading in yarn.
The fact is that leaves of the salam tree were used for tanning).10 During the
period of poverty, when he barely had enough to survive, he was prevented from
acquiring knowledge, but I don’t regard him excused from his lack of awareness
of his language, which he spoke day and night.
إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْقَصَصُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ
“Most surely this is the true explanation.”11
وَلَقَدْ جِئْنَـٰهُم بِكِتَـٰبٍۢ فَصَّلْنَـٰهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ
“And certainly We have brought them a Book which We have made clear with knowledge.”12
(وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ (٢٤
“And they have no knowledge of that; they only conjecture.”13
ۚإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا
“Surely conjecture will not avail aught against the truth.”14