Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) was determined to obliterate the religion of Islam and was notorious for persecuting the Muslims prior to embracing Islam. Once the Quraysh held a meeting wherein they sought for people who would volunteer to assassinate Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) boldly offered himself for this job, at which everybody exclaimed: “Surely, you are the one who can accomplish this task, O Umar!”
With his sword hanging from his neck, he immediately set out to accomplish this sinister task. On his way he met Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas (Radhiallahu Anhu) of the Zuhrah clan.
Hadhrat Sa'ad (Radhiallahu Anhu) inquired: Where are you going O Umar?
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): I am on my way to assassinate Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Hadhrat Sa'ad (Radhiallahu Anhu): But do not you see that Banu Hashim, Banu Zuhrah and Banu Abd-e-Manaaf are likely to kill you in retaliation?
Hadhrat Umar (perceiving from the tone and address of Hadhrat Sa’ad (Radhiallahu Anhu) that he was trying to defend Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)): It seems that you have also renounced the religion of your forefathers. Let me deal with you first.
Immediately Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) drew out his sword. Hadhrat Sa'ad (Radhiallahu Anhu) announcing his Islam, also took out his sword.
They were about to start a duel when Hadhrat Sa'ad (Radhiallahu Anhu) said: “O Umar! You ought to first contend with your own household before dealing with others. Your sister (Faatima (Radhiallahu Anha)) and brother-in-law (Sa’eed ibn Zaid (Radhiallahu Anhu)) both have accepted Islam.”
Hearing this, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) flew into a rage and without delay headed towards his sister's house. The door of the house was bolted from inside and both husband and wife were receiving lessons in the Qur'an from Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiallahu Anhu). Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) knocked on the door and shouted for his sister to open it. Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiallahu Anhu) hearing the voice of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), hid himself in the inner room of the house, forgetting to take the pages of the Holy Qur'an with him. When Faatima, the sister of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) opened the door, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) struck her on the head, saying: “O enemy of yourself! You too have renounced your religion!”
Due to the severe strike of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), the head of Faatima (Radhiallahu Anha) began to bleed. However, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), not in the least being concerned, entered the home and inquired, “What work were you engaged in? And who was the stranger I heard from outside?” Sa’eed ibn Zaid (Radhiallahu Anhu) replied, “We were merely talking to each other, O Umar.” Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) said to him, “Have you also forsaken the creed of your forefathers and moved over to the new religion?” His brother-in-law replied, "But what if the new religion be the better and the true one?”
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) became infuriated and pounced on him, pulling his beard and beating him most savagely. When his sister tried to intervene, he violently struck her, causing her face to bleed most profusely. She burst out: “O Umar! Are we being beaten and treated inhumanely only because we have embraced the Deen of Islam? Listen attentively, O Umar! You are free to do as you please. We do not care for we are determined to die as Muslims.”
When Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) realized that his sister was bleeding, his anger subsided and he felt ashamed of himself. His eyes then fell on the pages of the Qur'an left behind by Hadhrat Khabbab (Radhiallahu Anhu).
To Be Continued
