Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would often hold a blade of dry grass in his hand and say, “I wish I were a blade of dry grass like this.” Sometimes, he would say, “I wish my mother had not given birth to me.”
Once, Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was busy with some work when a person came to him, and said, “So-and-so has taken my right! Come with me to the person to get back my right!”
Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) lifted his whip and struck him once saying, “When I sit for this work, then at that time, you do not come to me, but when I am engaged in other work, then you come and say to me, ‘Come with me to the person to get back my right’”
At this, the person walked away, but Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) sent someone to call him. (When he came,) Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) handed his whip over to him and said, “You now lash me once (as I lashed you).” However, the man said, “I forgive you for the sake of Allah.”
Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thereafter went home, performed two rakaats of salaah in repentance, and reproached himself saying, “O Umar! You were low, but Allah Ta‘ala elevated you. You were lost, but Allah Ta‘ala guided you. You were without honour, but Allah Ta‘ala granted you honour and made you the ruler over the people. Now, one person among them comes to you and seeks your assistance in his problem, and you strike him with your whip? Tomorrow, on the Day of Qiyaamah, what answer will you give to Allah Ta‘ala?”
In this manner, Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) continued to reproach himself for a very long time.
(Fazaa’il-e-A’maal [English] pg. 40-41, [Urdu] pg. 31)
