Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
During the Khilafat of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anho), Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anho) would patrol the streets and suburbs of Madinah Munawwarah during the night to keep watch. During one of his night patrols, he noticed a camelhair tent pitched in an open space. He had never seen this particular tent before. Approaching the tent, he found an individual sitting outside, and from inside the tent groans of a sick person could be heard. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) greeted the stranger with salaam and sat down beside him and the following dialogue ensued:
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Where are you from, my brother?
The person: I am from the desert and a stranger to this place. I have come to request the Amir ul-Mu’mineen for some assistance in my need.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Who is groaning inside your tent?
The person: Please mind your own business.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Please inform me. Perhaps I can be of some assistance to you.
The person: If you wish to know, it is my wife groaning due to labour pains.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Is there anybody present to attend to her?
The person: No one is present.
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), thereupon, got up and hurried to his home. He immediately informed his wife Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) saying: “O my wife, indeed Allah Ta’ala has brought about an opportunity for us to receive great blessings.”
Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha): ' What is it, O Amir-ul-Mominin?
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho): A poor woman from the desert is in labour, with no one to attend to her.
Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha): If it pleases you, I am ready to attend to her.
Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) was after all the daughter of Hadhrat Fatimah (Radhiallahu Anha), and the granddaughter of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). How could she hesitate in fulfilling what is pleasing to Allah Ta’ala in serving her forlorn sister at the time of need?
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Then you should hasten. Also take with you a pan, some butter, provisions and things required during the child birth.
Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) immediately complied and accompanying Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) set out to the place where the tent was pitched. She entered the tent, while Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) made a fire and occupied himself with cooking something which those people could eat. After some time, Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) called out from inside the tent: “Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, congratulate your friend on the birth of a son.”
The person was put to shame and felt greatly embarrassed when he heard the address of “Amir-ul-Mu’mineen” and realized the position of the person who had been serving him. However Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) allayed his fears saying: “There is nothing to worry about.”
He then placed the pan near the tent, asking his wife to take it and feed the woman. She fed her and returned the pan. Then Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) asked the bedouin to partake of the food, as he had remained awake the entire night.
Having rendered this service, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) returned home with his wife, telling the person: “Come to me tomorrow, and I shall see what I can do for you.”
Is there any king, or even an ordinary middle class person of our time, who will thus render service to the creation like how Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) and his wife rendered? We should realize that unless we really follow in the footsteps of those God-fearing people whom we profess to look up to as our role-models, we cannot deserve and wish for the special blessings that Allah Ta’ala bestowed upon them. [1]
[1] فضائل اعمال
