Day of Celebration: A Reply to a Jew

With regard to a reply given by Hazrat Umar (ra) to a Jew, there is a narration by Tariq. He narrated from Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab, “A Jewish man came to Hazrat Umar (ra) and said, ‘O Leader of the Faithful! There is a verse in your Book which you recite, if it was revealed to us’”, i.e. revealed to the Jews, “‘we would declare that day as a day of celebration.’ Hazrat Umar (ra) asked which verse was it. The man replied:

اَلْيَوْمَ‭ ‬اَكْمَلْتُ‭ ‬لَكُمْ‭ ‬دِيْنَكُمْ‭ ‬وَ‭ ‬اَتْمَمْتُ‭ ‬عَلَيْكُمْ‭ ‬نِعْمَتِيْ‭ ‬وَرَضِيْتُ‭ ‬لَكُمُ‭ ‬الْاِسْلَامَ‭ ‬دِيْنًا

“‘This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as religion [Ch.5: V.4]’. Hazrat Umar (ra) replied, ‘I can recall that day and the place where this verse was revealed to the Holy Prophet (sa). It was a Friday, and the Holy Prophet (sa) was standing in Arafat.’”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Iman, Hadith 45)