The Battle of Hunain

Then, there is another incident which does not directly relate to Hazrat Umar (ra), but he is also mentioned in it, and so I will relate it.

Hazrat Abu Qatadah (ra) stated:

“During the Battle of Hunain, I saw a person from among the Muslims who was fighting against an idolater and in the meantime, I saw another idolater quietly creeping up from behind him in an attempt to kill him. Upon seeing this, I quickly went towards that person who wished to kill the Muslim in this deceiving manner.

“He raised his hand to attack me and I struck a blow to his hand thus cutting it off. He then got hold of me and grabbed me so tightly that I was unable to do anything. He finally let go and stood unsteadily; I then pushed him away and killed him. Then it so happened that the Muslims retreated as they were losing, and I was also among those who retreated. I then saw Hazrat Umar bin Khattab with a group of people and I asked them why they had retreated, to which Hazrat Umar (ra) replied that it was as Allah willed. Then people returned to the Holy Prophet (sa), who said that whoever could prove that they had killed a certain individual, could keep that person’s belongings. I got up to look for proof about the person I had killed but could not find anyone who would give testimony, and so I gave up and sat down.

“Then a thought came to mind, and I mentioned the incident regarding the person I had killed to the Holy Prophet (sa). One of the people sitting with him said that he had the weapons of the person I had killed, and that the Holy Prophet (sa) should give me something else instead. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said that it could not be that the Holy Prophet (sa) grants spoils to an ordinary person from the Quraish and does not do the same for a lion of Allah who was fighting on behalf of Allah and His Messenger (sa).”

Hazrat Abu Qatadah (ra) further states, “The Holy Prophet (sa) stood up and granted me those particular spoils of war. I used them to buy a small orchard of date trees and this was the first time since having accepted Islam that I acquired some wealth and turned it into an asset.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Maghazi, Hadith no. 4322)

Hazrat Ibn Umar (ra) relates:

“When we returned from the Battle of Hunain, Hazrat Umar (ra) asked the Holy Prophet (sa) about a vow he had taken during the Era of Ignorance [Jahiliyyah] which was to undertake e‘tikaf [period of seclusion]. The Holy Prophet (sa) instructed that he should fulfil this promise.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Maghazi, Hadith no. 4320)

In other words, even if it was made during the Era of Ignorance, he ought to fulfil it. But alongside this was the condition that it should be fulfilled whilst remaining within the teachings of Islam.