Prayers of Hazrat Umar (ra)
There are also certain prayers of Hazrat Umar (ra). Amr bin Maimoon relates that Hazrat Umar (ra) would pray:
اللّٰهُمَّ تَوَفَّنِيْ مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ وَلَا تُخَلِّفْنِيْ فِي الْأَشْرَارِ وَقِنِيْ عَذَابَ الْنَّارِ وَأَلْحِقْنِيْ بِالْأَخْيَارِ
“O Allah, cause my demise to be with righteous people, and do not leave me behind amongst evil people. Save me from the torment of the fire, and include me among the righteous people.”
(Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Dhikr Hijrat Umar (ra) bin al-Khattab [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi, 1996], p. 177)
Yahya bin Saeed bin Musayyab narrates that when Hazrat Umar (ra) bin al-Khattab was returning from Mina, he stopped his camel in Abtah, and he created a mound of rocks from the valley of Batha. He then placed a corner of his cloak over the mound and lay down on the cloak. Then he raised his hands towards the sky and prayed:
اللّٰهُمَّ كَبُرَتْ سِنِّيْ وَضَعُفَتْ قُوَّتِيْ وَانْتَشَرَتْ رَعِيَّتِيْ فَاقْبِضْنِيْ إِلَيْكَ غَيْرَ مُضَيِّعٍ وَلَا مُفَرِّطٍ
“O Allah, I have lived for a long time and my strength has weakened, while the people under my rule have increased. Cause me to die in a way whereby I am not ruined.” Thus, the month of Dhul Hijjah had not finished when he was attacked and martyred.
(Ali Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma‘rifat al-Sahabah, Vol. 4, Umar (ra) bin al-Khattab [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2003], p. 162)
Hazrat Ibn Umar (ra) narrates, that during a famine, Hazrat Umar (ra) adopted a new habit which he had not adopted before. After leading Isha [late evening] prayer, he would enter his home and continuously offer prayers until the latter part of the night. Then, he would emerge and would walk to every corner of Medina. One night, at the time of sehri [pre-dawn], he heard him saying:
اللّٰهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلْ هَلَاكَ أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَى يَدَيَّ
“O Allah, let not the nation of Muhammad (sa) be ruined at my hands.” (Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, 1990], p. 237)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (ra) says:
“One should pray solely for the sake of God Almighty. Then, whether others think of him to be bad or good should not matter. One should not intentionally portray themselves to be bad, as has been forbidden through a prayer of the Holy Prophet (sa) which he taught to Hazrat Umar (ra), and that is:
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ سَرِيْرَتِي خَيْرًا مِنْ عَلَانِيَّتِي وَاجْعَلْ عَلَانِيَّتِي صَالِحَةً
“‘O Allah, make that which is within me better than that which is apparent, and make my apparent good.’”
(Haqaiq-ul-Furqan, Vol. 4, p. 482)