The Humility of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

Hazrat Miswar bin Makhramah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that when Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was stabbed, he began to grieve and became extremely worried about the ummah.

Hazrat bin Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) comforted him saying: “O Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen! There is no need for you to grieve. You remained in the company of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and you fulfilled the rights of his companionship. Then Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) departed from this temporary abode in the condition that he was pleased with you.

“You then remained in the company of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and you honoured this relationship. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thereafter left the world while he was pleased with you.

“You then remained among the Muslims (as Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen) and you fulfilled the rights of the Ummah. If you pass away and separate from them, then certainly you will be departing from them in the condition that they are pleased with you.”

Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied: “As for what you have mentioned regarding the companionship of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and his being pleased with me, then (this is nothing of my own achievement instead) this is a great bounty and favour from the side of Allah Ta‘ala which He has bestowed upon me.

“With regards to the companionship of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and his being pleased with me, then this is also a bounty from the side of Allah Ta‘ala which he has bestowed upon me. As for this worry and grief that you find me in, this is on account of the concern I have for yourself and the rest of the Muslim ummah (that what will your condition be after I leave this world).

“I take a qasm on Allah Ta‘ala, if I had in my possession gold equivalent to the entire world, then I would certainly use it to ransom myself from the punishment of Allah Ta‘ala before I stand up before Him and meet Him.

Look at the fear of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), despite him being granted the glad tidings of Jannah in this world by Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), this was the extent of his fear of Allah Ta‘ala at the time of his death.