THE RIGHTLY GUIDED CALIPHS

Caliphate of Hazrat Umar Farooq

Hazrat Umar: His life before becoming a caliph and his character

• Hazrat Umar belonged to the Quraishi family of Banu Adi.

• His father’s name was Khattab bin Nufail.

• The ancestry of Hazrat Umar coincided with the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in eighth generation.

• The name of Hazrat Umar’s mother Hantamah bint Hisham bin Mughairah.

• He was born in the Year of the Elephant (about 40 years before migration). He was thus 12-13 years
younger than the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

• Hazrat Umar was born in an educated and well-off family. He too was personally eduated by his father.

• In his youth, Hazrat Umar acquired the skills of geneology, fighting, wrestling and oratory.

• Before his acceptance of Islam, Hazrat Umar was appointed to the ambassadorial post by the Quraish.

• He was well-established in trade.

• Hazrat Umar was 27 years old when the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was given the charge of Messengership.

• In the sixth year of Prophethood, Hazrat Umar accepted Islam in Arqam’s house in Makkah, which at
that time was the centre of Prophet’s preaching.

• After his conversion to Islam, Muslims performed prayer for the first time in Ka’bah.

• He was thirty three years old when he embraced Islam.

• He was given the title Farooq i.e. one who can distinguish between right and wrong by the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) after he converted to Islam.

• He migrated to Madina and took part in all major battles, i.e. Badr, Uhad, Ditch, Khyber and Hunain.

• His daughter Hazrat Hafsah was Holy Prophet (PBUH)’s wife.

• He gave half his wealth at the time of the Tabuk Expedition.

Main attributes of his personality:

• Simplicity, kindness, full commitment, dedication and devotion to his duty as Caliph, good judge of
men, able to discern truth from falsehood, high moral standards, tough as administrator, possessed the
qualities of foresight and far-sightedness, quick and sharp in decision-making and ensuring its
implementation.

Election of Hazrat Umar as the second caliph:

• 24 August 634 AD.

• Hazrat Abu Bakr nominated Hazrat Umar as the next Caliph.

• After Hazrat Abu Bakr’s death, most of the eminent Companions of Muhammad (PBUH) swore
allegiance to Hazrat Umar.

Battle of Jar/Battle of the Bridge (October, 634 AD):

• Alarmed by the Muslim victory, the Persian Emperor dispatched a large army, commanded by Bahman.

• The Muslim army was led by Hazrat Abu Ubaydah.

• Before this mighty force, the Arabs fell back and re-crossed the Euphrates.

• The Persian commander challenged Hazrat Abu Ubaydah to cross the river again or allow him to come
to the Arab side.

• Acting rashly and against his advisors’ warnings, Hazrat Abu Ubaydah ordered the Muslim army to
build a bridge of boats and cross the river.

• Once on the opposite side, the Muslims found themselves in an alarming situation. They were
hemmed in between the Persian war-elephants in their front and the swift river Euphrates on their
backs.

• The Arabs and their animals had never seen elephants before and were terrified by these fierce and
gigantic beasts. These elephants routed the Muslim cavalry.

• Hazrat Abu Ubaida ordered the cavalry to dismount and fight on foot.

• Although the Muslims fought bravely and brought down many elephants, they were trampled in large
numbers under the beasts’ feet.

• Hazrat Abu Ubaida himself was martyred by one of the elephants. His brother succeeded him, but one
by one, the Muslim commanders were martyred.

• A Muslim had cut the boat-bridge so that the Muslim army would not lose heart and retreat easily.

• However, the routed soldiers jumped into the river and many lost their lives.
• The new Muslim commander, Hazrat Musanna, ordered the bridge to be rebuilt. He and a small
detachment held back the Persians while the survivors crossed over to the Arab side.

• Out of the original Muslim force of 9,000 men, approximately: I) 3000 survived. II) 2,000 fell
fighting. III) 2,000 drowned in the river. IV) 2,000 fled to Madina and elsewhere.

Battle of Buwayb (November, 634 AD):

• Acting wisely and calmly after the disastrous Battle of Jasr, Umar rallied his allies to fight against the
Persian Empire.

• When the Persians came to know of this, they sent a large force under the command of Mehran, an
expert in Arabian warfare techniques.

• The Muslim army was commanded by Hazrat Musanna.

• Like the Battle of Jasr, the Persian army camped on the eastern side of the Euphrates.

• This time, however, the Muslims allowed the Persians to cross over to the Arabian side.

• The next day, the two armies engaged in a fierce battle at Buwayb.

• Even though the Persian force was many times larger than the Muslim army, they were put to rout
when Mehran was killed.

• The Muslim force destroyed the bridge over the Euphrates when the Persians tried to fall back.
Persians were killed in large numbers and their army was almost completely destroyed.