His Respect & Honour of the Holy Prophet (sa)

There is also a narration about how Hazrat Umar (ra) respected and honoured the Holy Prophet (sa) and understood his lofty status. It is narrated by Hazrat Ibn Umar (ra) that he was once accompanying the Holy Prophet (sa) on a journey and was riding a camel of Hazrat Umar (ra) which would not remain in control. It would occasionally overtake the mount of the Holy Prophet (sa) and upon this, his father, Hazrat Umar (ra), would exclaim, “Abdullah! No one should ever overtake the Holy Prophet (sa)! Your mount should not pass in front of the mount of the Holy Prophet (sa)!” The Holy Prophet (sa) asked Hazrat Umar (ra) to sell [the camel] to him. Hazrat Umar (ra) replied that it was already the possession of the Holy Prophet (sa). Thus, the Holy Prophet (sa) purchased it and gifted it to Abdullah, saying that he could do with it whatever he wished.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Hibah, Bab man Ahda lahu Hadiyyah, Hadith 2610)

Hazrat Anas (ra) bin Malik narrates that once, when the sun began to descend from its zenith, the Holy Prophet (sa) came to offer Zuhr prayers and thereafter stood at the pulpit. He addressed the people about a promised time during which many major events would take place. He then said that if anyone wished to ask him anything, they could do so and he would answer them as long as he remained there. Many people began to cry and weep, while the Holy Prophet (sa) reiterated many times that they should ask him questions. Upon this, Hazrat Abdullah bin Huzafah Sahmi stood up and enquired, “Who is my father?” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “Huzafah.” The Holy Prophet (sa) again reiterated that they should ask him questions. Hazrat Umar (ra) sat on his knees and said:

رَضِيْـنَا‭ ‬بِاللّٰهِ‭ ‬رَبًّـا‭ ‬وَبِالْإسْلَامِ‭ ‬دِيْـنًا‭ ‬وَبِمُحَـمَّدٍ‭ ‬نَبِيًّا

That is, “We are content with Allah as our Lord and Islam as our faith and Muhammad (sa) as our prophet.” Thereupon, the Holy Prophet (sa) became silent. The Holy Prophet (sa) then said, “Paradise and the fire were shown before me in the width of that wall, and I have never seen such goodness and evil.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Mawaqit al-Salah, Bab Waqt al-Zuhr Inda al-Zawal, Hadith 540)

A similar narration in Bukhari makes mention of this, which is narrated by Hazrat Abu Musa (ra). He narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) was asked about matters which he did not like. When the Holy Prophet (sa) began to be questioned even more, he became angry and said that they could ask him about whatever they pleased. Upon this, one person stood and enquired as to who his father was. The Holy Prophet (sa) replied that his father was Huzafah. Then, another person stood and asked, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah, who is my father?” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied that his father was Salim, the freed slave of Shaiba. When Hazrat Umar (ra) saw the change of emotion in the countenance of the Holy Prophet (sa), he said, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! We repent for our mistake before Allah, the High and Mighty.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Ilm, Bab al-Ghadab fi al-Maudi’ah, Hadith 92)

There is another narration of Bukhari in this regard, which is narrated by Zuhri. He narrates that Hazrat Anasra bin Malik related to him that once, when the Holy Prophet (sa) was departing, Hazrat Abdullah (ra) bin Huzafah stood up and enquired as to who his father was. The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “Your father is Huzafah.” The Holy Prophet (sa) then repeated many times that people should ask him questions. Upon this, Hazrat Umar (ra) sat on his knees and said, “We are content with Allah as our Lord and Islam as our faith and Muhammad (sa) as our prophet.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophet (sa) did not say anything.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Ilm, Bab man Baraka ala Rukbataih inda al-Imam aw al-Muhaddath, Hadith 93)

Hazrat Abu Qatadah Ansarira narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) was once asked about his fasting. The Holy Prophet (sa) was displeased at this question. Hazrat Umar (ra) said, “We are content with Allah as our Lord and with Islam as our faith and with Muhammad (sa) as our prophet and with our bai‘at as being a true covenant.”

(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Siyam, bab istijab Siyam Thalathat Ayyam min Kull Shahr wa Yaum Arafat, Hadith 2747)

Then, there is another narration in Sahih Bukhari, which states that once, Hazrat Umar (ra) visited the Holy Prophet (sa) while he was staying in the upper storey. Hazrat Umar (ra) relates, “I saw the Holy Prophet (sa) resting on a mat. There was no bedding in between the Holy Prophet (sa) and the mat, which caused the mat to leave impressions on his side. He was reclining on a leather pillow filled with bark from a date palm. When I looked toward the Holy Prophet’s (sa) residence, by Allah, I saw nothing but three raw hides. I asked the Holy Prophet (sa) to pray for his ummah so that Allah may grant them affluence, because the Persians and Byzantines were given great wealth and attained the riches of the world whereas they did not worship Allah. The Holy Prophet (sa), while seated and reclining, said, ‘O son of Khattab, are you still in doubt? They are such people who, in this very life, have very quickly been given that which they derive pleasure from.’ I then asked the Holy Prophet (sa) to pray for my forgiveness.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Mazalim, Bab al-Ghurfah wa al-Aliyyah al-Musharrafah wa Ghair al-Musharrafah, Hadith 2468)

The Promised Messiah (as) states:

“Once, Hazrat Umar (ra) went to the house of the Holy Prophet (sa) and saw that there were no provisions. He saw that the Holy Prophet (sa) was resting on a mat which left impressions on his back. Hazrat Umar (ra) saw this state and began to weep. The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘O Umar, why do you weep?’ Hazrat Umar (ra) submitted, ‘I weep upon seeing your pain. The emperors of the Byzantine and Persian empires, who are disbelievers, are living lives of comfort, while you spend your life in these hardships.’ Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘What concern do I have with this world? My example is like that of a traveller who travels in severe heat on a she-camel. When the searing heat of midday troubles him, he stops to take a rest under the shade of a tree in that very state. After a few minutes, he continues his journey in that same heat.’”

(Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 23, pp. 299-300)

There is an incident where the Holy Prophet (sa) asked Hazrat Umar (ra) for prayers. Hazrat Umar (ra) says, “I requested the Holy Prophet (sa) for permission to perform the Umrah [the lesser pilgrimage]. The Holy Prophet (sa) granted me permission and said:

‮ ‬لَا‭ ‬تَنْسَنَا‭ ‬يَا‭ ‬أُخَيَّ‭ ‬مِنْ‭ ‬دُعَائِكَ

‘My brother! Do not forget us in your prayers.’”

Hazrat Umar (ra) says, “Even if I was given everything in the world, in exchange for these words, it would not make me nearly as happy.”

According to another narration, the words were:

أَشْرِكْنَا‭ ‬يَا‭ ‬أُخَيَّ‭ ‬فِي‭ ‬دُعَائِكَ

“O my brother! Include us in your prayers.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Witr, Bab al-Dua, Hadith 1498)