When Umar returned to Medina from Shaam, he went among the people to
learn about their condition, he passed by the tent of an aged lady. He went to her
and she asked:
“O man, what has Umar achieved?”
Umar replied: “He has just returned from Shaam.”
She said: “May God not keep him secure.”
Umar asked: “Woe on you, why?”
She replied: “Because since he came on the seat of Caliphate, till now, by
God, I have not received any stipend from him.”
Umar said: “Woe upon you, how can Umar know about your condition,
while you are living in this remote place?”
The old woman said: “How nice of a person to be the ruler when he does not
know what goes in his kingdom!”
He (the narrator) says: Umar came out from there while wailing:
“Woe on Umar! Woe upon him for the complaints. O Umar all are more
knowledgeable than you.”
It is mentioned in another report:
“O Umar, all are knowledgeable, except you; even old ladies.”1
Allamah Amini says: The lesson we learn from this story is that the
viewpoint of knowledge of Imam regarding everything or more than that, what to
say about laws of religion, is a clear belief and known by all. It is a natural thing
and is not concealed from anyone. The Caliph lacked this specialty and on the
basis of his own confession, all people, even old ladies, were more
knowledgeable than him.
28. Viewpoint of Caliph regarding the tree of Rizwan
It is narrated from Nafe that: People went to the tree of allegiance of
Rizwan, under which they had paid allegiance to the Prophet, in order to pray and
seek benediction from it.
Umar was informed of this and he warned the people to desist. Then he
ordered that tree to be removed.2
Ibne Abil Hadeed has mentioned this in Sharh, and he says:3
“After the passing away of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), people went to the
tree of the allegiance of Rizwan and prayed there. Umar said: ‘O people, I see
that you have worshipped the idol of Uzza! Know that after this, if anyone does
this again I would strike off his head as punishment for apostasy.’ After that he
ordered them to cut off the tree.”