Glad tiding of Paradise during his Lifetime
Hazrat Umar (ra) was among those to whom the Holy Prophet (sa) gave the glad tidings of Paradise. Hazrat Abu Musa (ra) relates:
“I was with the Holy Prophet (sa) in one of the orchards in Medina. During this time, an individual approached and asked for the gate to be opened. The Holy Prophet (sa) told me to open the gate for him and to give him the glad tidings of Paradise. I opened the gate for this individual and saw that it was Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). I gave him the glad tidings, which the Holy Prophet (sa) told me to convey to him. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)said ‘Alhamdulillah’ [All praise belongs to Allah] in reply.
“Then, another individual approached and asked for the gate to be opened. The Holy Prophet (sa) again told me to open the gate for him and to give him the glad tidings of Paradise. I opened the gate for this individual and saw that it was Hazrat Umar (ra). I conveyed to him what the Holy Prophet (sa) had said and he replied, ‘Alhamdulillah.’
“Following this, another individual came and asked for the gate to be opened. The Holy Prophet (sa) told me to open the gate for him and to give him the glad tidings of Paradise as well, despite the hardship that would befall him. [I opened the gate for him] and saw that it was Hazrat Uthman (ra). I conveyed to him what the Holy Prophet (sa) had said and he too said ‘Alhamdulillah’ in response and added, ‘We can only seek help from Allah in order to be safeguarded from the hardships.’”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fada‘il Ashab al-Nabi (sa), Bab Manaqib Umar (ra) bin al-Khattab, Hadith 3693)
Hazrat Abdur Rahman (ra) bin Auf relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Abu Bakr shall enter Paradise, Umar shall enter Paradise, Uthman shall enter Paradise” – the Holy Prophet (sa) said this in relation to ten individuals – “Ali shall enter Paradise, Talha shall enter Paradise, Zubair shall enter Paradise, Abdur Rahman bin Auf shall enter Paradise, Saad bin Abi Waqas shall enter Paradise, Saeed bin Zaid shall enter Paradise and Abu Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah shall enter Paradise.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Manaqib Abd al-Rahman bin Auf, Hadith 3747)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) has related that they were once in the company of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “I was asleep and saw myself in Paradise. There, I saw a lady performing ablution near a palace. I asked who this palace belonged to. People replied that it belonged to Umar bin al-Khattab. I was considerate of his feelings and thus returned.” Hazrat Umar (ra) was sitting there as well and when he heard this, he started to cry and submitted, “O Prophet (sa) of Allah! Would I ever feel jealousy towards you in any way? Why did you return from there, you should have granted me your blessings.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Bad‘ al-Khalq, Bab ma Ja‘a fi Sifat al-Jannah wa annaha Makhluq, Hadith 3242)
Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said:
“If anyone from among the illiyyeen [those who dwell in the highest ranks of Paradise] would cast their glance upon the people of Paradise, then Paradise would become illumined owing to their countenance, as if it were a glowing star. Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar are among them as well and how excellent are both these individuals!”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Huruf al-Qira‘at, Hadith 3987)
Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Mas‘ud relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said:
“One of the dwellers of Paradise is approaching you.” And we saw that it was Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)that was coming. The Holy Prophet (sa) again said, “One of the dwellers of Paradise is approaching you.” And we saw that Hazrat Umar (ra) was coming.
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Bab Akhbaruh ‘an Rajul min Ahl al-Jannah fa Atla’a Umar (ra), Hadith 3694)
Similarly, it is related by Hazrat Anasra that the Hoy Prophet (sa) once stated in relation to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)and Hazrat Umar (ra), “Abu Bakr and Umar are the chiefs of the first ones and the last ones amongst the chiefs of the elders of Paradise, with the exception of the Prophets and Messengers.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, bab Iqtadu bi alladhina min Ba’di, Hadith 3664)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Umar bin al-Khattab is like a lamp for the people of Paradise.”
(Imam Isfahani, Hulyat al-Awliya, Vol. 6, Riwayah 8950 [Maktabat al-Iman al-Mansurah, 2007], p. 309)