It is narrated from Ibne Abbas that a mentally incompetent woman, accused
of adultery was brought to Umar. Umar discussed this with some people and
declared that she must be stoned to death. Ali (a.s.) passed from there and
inquired what was going on about that female. They replied: “She is mentally deranged from some tribe and is accused of having committed adultery and Umar
has ordered her to be stoned to death.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “Release her.” Then he came to Umar said: “Chief of believers, do you not remember that Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: Three
people are absolved of religious responsibility: the insane, till he regains sanity;
the child, till he reaches maturity and the sleeping one, till he wakes up?”
At that time, Umar released the woman and began to recite Takbeer.1
Reminder
In his Saheeh,2 Bukhari has mentioned this report. But whenever Bukhari
feels that a report casts aspersion on Caliph, he edits that report in order to save
the honor of Caliph, and he does not like that people should be allowed know the
truth about ignorance of Caliph regarding well known Sunnah or his forgetting it
at the time of delivering judgment.
He has narrated the report as follows: Ali said to Umar: “Do you not know
that legal penalty is not applicable to the insane till they regains sanity, and the
child till he gains maturity and the sleeping one, till he wakes up?”
7. Caliph’s ignorance about interpretation of Quran
It is narrated from Abu Saeed Khudri that:
“I performed Hajj in the company of Umar bin Khattab. When he was
circumambulating Kaaba, he addressed Hajar al-Aswad: ‘No doubt, I know that
you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen
Allah’s Apostle kissing you, I would not have kissed you.’ Then he kissed it. Ali
Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) said: ‘On the contrary, it gives benefits and harm, if you
only knew from the interpretation of Book of Almighty Allah, in which He says:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ
“And when your Lord brought forth from the children of
Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear
witness against their own souls.”3
Then when they confessed that He is the Lord and they are servants, He
wrote their covenant on a white sheet and placed it in the mouth of this stone.
Indeed, on Judgment Day, this stone will be raised and it would be having a pair
of eyes, tongue and lips; and it will testify in favor of those, who honored the
covenant. Thus, on the basis of Quran, this stone is the trustee of Almighty
Allah.’
Umar said: ‘O Abul Hasan, may God not keep me alive in the land, where you are not present.’”
It is mentioned in another version that he said: “O Abul Hasan, I seek refuge
of God from living in a nation, in which you are not present.”4
8. Everyone is more knowledgeable than Umar
One day, Umar was thirsty and he passed by a youth of Ansa. So he asked
for water. The boy mixed some honey in water and brought it to Umar. Umar did
not drink it, saying: Almighty Allah says:
أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَـٰتِكُمْ فِى حَيَاتِكُمُ ٱلدُّنْيَا
“You did away with your good things in your life of the world…”5
The youth said: O chief of believers, this verse is not for you or any other Muslim. Recite its preceding words:
وَيَوْمَ يُعْرَضُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَـٰتِكُمْ فِى حَيَاتِكُمُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهَا
“And on the day when those who disbelieve shall be brought
before the fire: You did away with your good things in your life
of the world and you enjoyed them for a while.”6
Umar remarked: “Everyone is more learned than Umar.”7