Before this, we mentioned about the nature, behavior, and capacities of the
second Caliph, including understanding, knowledge, acts, his lofty steps in
different directions, which made you aware of this reality that what would be
mentioned is here is a product of extremism in narrating excellence, and for
getting meager food, which he deems as his strength and his spiritual life since
the first day till the till the first Caliph left Caliphate to him and he sat on the seat
of Caliphate, were destroyed.
For years, he grazed camels in Zajnan valley1 and always worked in fear and
humility; he used to be lashed across his face (and in such circumstances had no
security).2
He gathered firewood for a long period of time and along with his father,
Khattab, carried loads of firewood on his head and wore woolen garment usually
worn by slave-girls, which were so short that it did not reach to his elbows and
knees.
Later he stood in the market of Ukaz with a staff to chase away the
children,3 and on that day, he was named as Umair [younger Umar].4
A long time ago, before the days of his Islam, he pursued the occupation of
hiring out camels and mules, and trading in the market prevented him from
learning about Quran and Sunnah.5
For long time, he sold cloth and leaves in Baqi.
I don’t know from where Ibne Jauzi found the report he has mentioned in
Seerah Umar,6 that: During the period of Ignorance, Umar was having the power
of arbitration. If a battle took place between the Quraish and others, they sent him
for arbitration.
Abu Umar has added in Istiab:7 If someone boasted regarding lineage and
family, they sent him to Umar for evaluation.8
Were all Quraish from this backward class of society that they presented their disputes to a youth, while there were persons present among them, who
were valiant, senior, chiefs, poets and orators?
Or the senders did not care, who they were asking to adjudicate. It was
neither this nor that, but misplaced affection makes man blind and you will see
many such scenes in addition to instances we mentioned, which were fabricated
through the hands of extremism.
1. Statements about Umar’s knowledge
1. It is narrated from Ibne Masud regarding his knowledge that: If the
knowledge of all the is placed in one pan of the balance and knowledge of Umar
in the other, knowledge of Umar would be heavier;9 and they believed that he
possessed nine-tenths of knowledge.
It is mentioned in the words of Mohib Tabari that if knowledge of Umar is
placed in one pan of balance and the knowledge of all the other folks of the world
in the other, Umar’s knowledge would be heavier.
2. Huzaifah said: The knowledge of all the people was destroyed in the
chamber of the burial of Umar along with his knowledge [was buried with him].10
3. Ibne Musayyab said: After Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), I don’t know of
anyone more intelligent than Umar.11
“If you don’t know, ignorance is a calamity and if you know, it is greater calamity!”
You know well that these false statements are not at all compatible with
masterpieces of Umar’s knowledge recorded in history, some of which we
mentioned before12 and some we present here that fully expose the reality:
بَلِ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ
“Nay! man is evidence against himself,”13