Please read this if you havent.
The First Fitnah
Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddiq (RA)
Hazrat Omar (RA) Part I
Right after the death of the first Caliph Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddiq (RA), Hazrat Omar (RA) took over the formal direction of affairs from Hazrat Abu Bakar (RA). Although he had been chosen by the first Caliph, he was a man who was respected but not hugely loved by the people in Medina. He had a tough task ahead and in the coming years, he proved himself worthy of the post by being stern, energetic and austere.
One of his first actions was to demote Hazrat Khalid ibn Al-Walid (RA) from the supreme command. Although the two were cousins, it is believed that the demotion was due to certain mishaps during the Rida Wars. Hazrat Omar (RA) appointed Hazrat Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah (RA) as the new commander in chief. It is known that Hazrat Omar (RA) regretted his decision later in his life when Hazrat Khalid ibn Al-Walid (RA) was serving the Muslim Empire as a mere soldier with loyalty.
As by now the Muslim empire had expanded, it was divided into provinces and autonomous territories where the sovereign political authority was the Caliph himself. The provinces, administered by governors, were further divided into districts which were headed by junior governors who worked under the supervision of their governors. Various strict rules were to be followed by all the State officers. He was also the first to establish a a special department for the investigation of complaints against the officers of the State to maintain transparency. He also made sure to have his intelligence agents in each and every department.
Hazrat Omar (RA) was a genius, someone the West envies. There is no one quite like him in centuries of Western history. Even people like Abraham Lincoln can only come close to very few aspects of his personality and the reforms that he brought. He was someone who believed in military expansion and during his era, the Islamic Empire grew rapidly and at the time of his death, the Islamic empire extended from Libya to Indus River. And who can forget the stories of his heroic yet simple entrance in Jerusalem on a milk white camel where the white clothed Caliph received the keys to Jerusalem from the black-clad Patriarch…the stories which our grandparents just loved to tell us when we were young.
He was a man of integrity and he did not falter even when his own son (Abu Shahmah) was found drunk in public. Abu Shahmah was not spared, he recieved 80 lashes for breaking the law…a punishment which killed him. He despised pompous display of wealth and had no gatekeepers, audience halls or bodyguards. And thus, it only took a single man, Abu Lulu, the persian slave, to attack the Caliph. It is believed that Abu Lulu attacked the Caliph while he was leading the Fajr prayers, stabbing him 5-6 times. Abu Lulu was captured by the people around but he committed suicide. Hazrat Omar (RA), according to some narrations, died 3 days later and 5 days later according to some other narrations. Whatever the case may be, he embraced Shahadat on 1st Muharram, 24 Hijri.
On his deathbed, he also appointed a committee of six persons, which included both Hazrat Usman (RA) and Hazrat Ali (RA), to choose a Caliph amongst themselves. Also onn his deathbed, he requested Hazrat Aisha (RA) to allow him to be buried along his master, the Prophet (SAW)…a wish that Hazrat Aisha (RA) just could not let go in vain.
Important Note
) to publish them. So for all those people who have over time become buddies, acquaintances or prefer to remain strangers/silent readers and also those who practically always have something negative to say and yet come to the blog everyday…I have to say I wonder at you being here. Through blogging, I have been able to meet some really wonderful people and although I still do not consider my blog to be a mainstream one, I know there are people who wait for me to update it.
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