Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
When Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) became the khalifa, a small amount of wealth was fixed as his daily allowance from the Baytul Maal (with the maswarah (consultation) of the Sahaabah). After some time, some Sahaabah including Hadhrat Ali, Hadhrat Uthmaan, Hadhrat Zubair and Hadhrat Talhah (Radhiallahu Anhum) proposed that the allowance of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) should be increased, as it was barely sufficient for his needs. However, each person felt reluctant to present the suggestion to Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu).
The Sahaabah thus approached Ummul Mu’mineen Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiallahu Anha), the daughter of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), and requested her to put forward the suggestion to Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) without mentioning their names to him.
When Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiallahu Anha) mentioned the suggested proposal to Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), he became upset and asked: “Who are those that are making this suggestion?”
Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiallahu Anha): Let me first know your opinion on this matter.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): If I knew who these people were, I would smite them on their faces. O Hafsah! Tell me what was the best clothing of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in your house?
Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiallahu Anha): It was a pair of reddish brown clothes, which Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) wore on Friday or while receiving an envoy.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): What was the best food that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) ever partook of at your house?
Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiallahu Anha): The only food we used to partake of was simple barley bread. One day I anointed a piece of bread with the sediments from an empty butter tin, and he ate it with relish and offered it to others as well.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): What was the best bedding that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) ever used in your house?"
Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiallahu Anha): It was a piece of thick cloth. In the summer it was spread into four layers, and in the winter into two. He would spread half the cloth underneath him and cover himself with the other half.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anho): O Hafsah! Go and tell these people that Rasulullah(Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) through his personal example has set a standard and it is my duty to follow him. The example of my two companions (viz. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiallahu Anhu) and I, is like that of three men travelling on the same road. The first man started with certain provisions and reached the goal. The second followed the first and joined him. Now the third is on his way. If he follows their way, he will also join them, otherwise he will never reach them.
Such was the life of the person who was feared by the kings and the monarchs of the world. What a simple life he led! All this was in adherence to the mubaarak sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). [1]
[1] حياة الصحابة (جلد ثاني)
