Rumor Of Divorce By The Holy Prophet

In Madina, Umar lived in an elevated part of the city. His neighbor was Banu Umayya bin Zaid Ansari. The  practice was that one day Umar attended the Holy Prophet, and informed his Ansari friend about all that  had happened in the Prophet's Mosque. The other day Banu Umayya attended the Prophet's Mosque and  on return informed Umar of all that had happened that day. 

Umar felt that while in Mecca the Quraishites dominated over their women, in Madina things had changed,  and the women asserted themselves. One day Umar was cross with his wife on some matter, but instead  of being quiet she retorted, "How is it that you feel annoyed at my remonstrance. Go and see that the  wives of the Holy Prophet remonstrate with the Holy Prophet. Tonight one of his wives quarreled with him  all the night." 

Hearing this, Umar went to his daughter Hafsa and enquired of her whether she had quarreled with the  Holy Prophet. She said that she had quarreled with the Holy Prophet as she had a grievance. Thereupon  Umar said, "Hafsa you are incurring loss. Don't you know by annoying the Holy Prophet you invite the  wrath of God." After reprimanding her in severe terms, Umar returned home. 

At night, the Ansari neighbor of Umar knocked at his door, and as Umar went to see what was the  matter, his friend told him that something very grave had happened. Umar thought that perhaps Banu  Ghassan whose attack was expected had invaded Madina. Umar enquired whether Banu Ghassan had  launched the attack. Banu Umaya said, "No. Something more serious than that has happened". When  Umar pressed him to tell what had happened he said that the Holy Prophet had divorced his wives. 

Umar was very much upset at the news. He spent the whole night in prayer. Early in the morning next  day, Umar went to Hafsa. He found her weeping. He enquired of her whether the Holy Prophet had  divorced her. She said that she did not know. Umar rebuked her saying. "Did I not warn you before hand  that by annoying the Holy Prophet you would be inviting trouble?" Thereupon Hafsa burst into violent  sobs. Umar left her weeping and went to the Prophet's Mosque. There the people were sitting in groups  here and there and were lamenting that the Holy Prophet had divorced his wives. 

The Holy Prophet was in the cell attached to the Mosque. Umar went to the cell, and asked the slave at  the door to seek the Holy Prophet's permission to his admittance. The slave returned to say that he had  sought the requisite permission from the Holy Prophet but he had kept quiet. 

Umar returned to the main hall of the Mosque, and sat in a corner in a dejected mood. After some time he  rose and went again to the ceil of the Holy Prophet. Once again he requested the slave to get permission  for his admittance. The slave returned to say that the Holy Prophet had made no reply 

Umar returned once again to the main hall of the Mosque. He was highly upset and he prayed to God for  mercy. Then once again he went to the cell of the Holy Prophet. This time he was allowed permission.  Entering the cell, Umar said: 

"O Messenger of God, I have not come to plead for Hafsa. 

If that is your pleasure I would wring her neck with my own hands." 

That softened the Holy Prophet and he smiled at the words of Umar. 

Umar further said, "I find that in Mecca our ladies were docile; the climate of Madina has made them  assertive. O Prophet of God if because of the impudence of your wives, you have divorced them, God, His  angels, and all your followers are with you." 

The Holy Prophet smiled and said, "Be assured, I have not divorced my wives. I have only decided to  remain separate from them for a period of one month." 

"Then may I tell so to Hafsa", said Umar. 

The Holy Prophet said. "You may, if you like". 

Umar cast a glance across the room. The Holy Prophet lay on a bare mat. There was no furniture in the  room. There was hardly anything for the Holy Prophet to eat, but a barley bread. Seeing this extreme  state of austerity, tears began to trickle from the eyes of Umar. 

The Holy Prophet said, "Ibn-i-Khattab, what makes you weep ?" 

Umar said, "You are the Prophet of God and you are living in such straitened circumstances. The people of  Persia and Byzantine live in luxury. O Prophet of God why don't you pray to God that he should bestow  wealth on you?" 

The Holy Prophet said. "Do you think He Who made me His Prophet could not make me wealthy. Indeed  He offered me the keys of all treasures in the world, but I refused them in return for the treasures in the  next world. Surely treasures in the next world are to be preferred to petty wealth in this world. And as for  the riches of Persia and Byzantine rest assured all such wealth will lie at the feet of the Muslims. I will not  be alive then, but in your lifetime, both Persia and Byzantine will be overpowered by the Muslims."

The Funeral Of Abdullah Bin Ubayy

Abdullah bin Ubayy was an Ansar chief of Madina. Abdullah bin Ubayy had the ambition to wear the crown  of Madina. When the people of Madina invited the Holy Prophet and the Muslims to migrate to Madina and  accepted the Holy Prophet as their ruler the designs of Abdullah bin Ubayy were frustrated. As all the  Arabs of Madina accepted Islam, Abdullah also became a Muslim as a measure of expediency. Islam,  however, sat lightly on him, and he often indulged in activities hostile to Islam. 

In the battle of Uhud, he betrayed the Muslim trust and withdrew his contingent at the last moment. On  the occasion of the raid of Al-Mustaliq he said unbecoming things against the Muhajreen including the Holy  Prophet. In the sad episode of False Allegation he was responsible for calumny against Ayesha. Umar  sought the permission of the Holy Prophet to kill Abdullah bin Ubayy, but the Holy Prophet, kind-hearted  as he was, did not give the permission. 

Even Allah had taken notice of the hypocrisy of Abdullah bin Ubayy, and in a revelation to the Holy  Prophet it was said that even if he prayed for the hypocrites seventy times his prayer would not be  accepted. 

When Abdullah bin Ubayy died, the Holy Prophet attended his funeral and decided to lead the funeral  prayer. At this stage Umar waited on the Holy Prophet, and tried to dissuade him from leading the funeral  prayer of Abdullah bin Ubayy. Umar recounted the various hypocrisies of Abdullah, and also referred to the  revelation where under God had said that the hypocrites would not be forgiven even if seventy prayers  were offered. 

The Holy Prophet said: 

"Umar, get behind me and let us offer the prayer. In this matter God has given me the choice, and I have  decided to adopt a magnanimous attitude." 

Thereupon Umar joined the ranks and the funeral prayers were offered under the leadership of the Holy  Prophet. The Holy Prophet remained in the graveyard till Abdullah was buried. Then the Holy Prophet  prayed over the grave of Abdullah before returning home. 

A few days later, the following verses were revealed to the Holy Prophet: 

"And never pray for any of them at his funeral, And do not stand by his grave, For they disbelieved in God  and His Apostle." 9:13 

When the Holy Prophet informed Umar of these verses, Umar felt happy that Almighty Allah had confirmed  his point of view.

When Gabriel Appeared In The Shape Of A Man

Umar stated that one day when he and some other companions were with God's Messenger, a man with  very white clothing and very black hair came up. Sitting down beside the Holy Prophet leaning his knees  against his, and placing his hands on his thighs he said, "Tell me Muhammad about Islam." 

The Holy Prophet said, " Islam means that you should testify that there is no god but Allah; that  Muhammad is God's Messenger; that you should observe the prayer, pay the Zakat, fast during Ramadan,  and make the pilgrimage to the House of God, if you have the means". 

The visitor said "You have spoken the truth. Now tell me about faith " 

The Holy Prophet said, "It means that you should believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His Apostles, and  the last day, and that you should believe in the decreeing both of good and evil." 

The man said that that was true. He then asked, "Now tell me about doing good." 

The Holy Prophet said, "It means that you should worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, and if you aye  not seeing him (perceive) that He is in fact seeing you." 

The man accepted the statement as correct. He next asked, "Now tell me about the Hour". 

The Holy Prophet said, "The one who is asked about is no better informed than the one who is asking". 

Thereupon the man said, "Then tell me about its signs". 

The Holy Prophet replied, "The signs are that a maid servant should beget her mistress, and that you  should see barefooted naked poor men and shepherds exulting themselves in buildings." 

The visitor felt satisfied then he sought leave to depart and as soon as leave was given he disappeared  Umar who was present wondered who was the visitor. 

Turning to Umar, the Holy Prophet said, "Do you know who was the visitor?" 

Umar replied that he did not know. 

Thereupon the Holy Prophet said, "He was Gabriel, who came to you to teach your religion." 

Tidings Of Paradise

It is related by Abu Huraira that once he along with other companions including Abu Bakr and Umar were  sitting with the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet rose from their midst and went to the garden of Ansar  Banu Najjar. 

The return of the Holy Prophet was delayed, and his companions felt anxious. Abu Huraira was the first to  proceed to the garden of Banu Najjar. There he found no gate. He managed to go inside the garden  through a drain. 

Seeing him, the Holy Prophet said, "Abu Huraira what brings you here?" 

Abu Huraira said, "You took long to return and we felt worried. So we have come after you". 

Thereafter the Holy Prophet gave him his shoes and said, "Go carrying these shoes outside the garden,  and whomsoever you meet who declares the article of faith with the sincerity of heart, give him the  tidings of Paradise." 

As Abu Huraira came out of the garden carrying the shoes of the Holy Prophet, the first person to meet  him was Umar. 

Umar said to Abu Huraira, "Why are you carrying the shoes of the Holy Prophet ?" 

Abu Huraira said, "I am carrying these shoes under the command of the Holy Prophet. I have been  commissioned to give the tidings of Paradise to whomsoever I meet, while carrying these shoes, who  declares that he believes in the article of faith with sincerity of heart." 

Umar felt angry. He handled Abu Huraira rather violently and said, "No such tidings are necessary. Abu  Huraira go back." 

As Abu Huraira went back to the Holy Prophet, he complained against Umar, and said that Umar had  obstructed him in the performance of the mission that the Holy Prophet had entrusted to him. 

In the meantime Umar also turned up. Seeing him, the Holy Prophet said, "Why did you behave rudely to  Abu Huraira?" 

Umar said "May my parents be a sacrifice to you Holy Prophet. The truth of the matter is that he intended  to give the tidings of Paradise to all Muslims irrespective of their conduct. That would have been  repugnant to the injunctions of Islam which makes admission to Paradise contingent by doing good. Holy  Prophet, do not issue permits for the Paradise. Let the people do their duties. If they are assured of  Paradise before hand there is the danger that they would relax in the performance of their obligations." 

The Holy Prophet said, "Alright, let the Muslims perform their obligations."

The Farewell Pilgrimage

Early in A.D. 632 the Holy Prophet decided to proceed to Mecca to perform the Hajj. The pilgrimage was  planed on a large scale. Messengers were sent to all parts of Arabia asking the Muslims to collect at  Madina for the purpose of the pilgrimage. In response to this call over one lakh persons assembled in  Madina. 

Then the caravan of over one lakh persons started for Mecca. The Holy Prophet rode at the head. All his  wives accompanied him. Then followed Abu Bakr and Umar accompanied by their families. 

At Dhul Hulaifa the Holy Prophet and all his followers put on the Ihram. The Holy Prophet gave the signal  call "Labbaik, Allabumma Labbaik--here I am at Thy service O Lord." This cry was repeated by all the one  lakh persons in the congregation. 

The party reached Mecca on the 4th of Zul Hajj, after a journey of nineteen days. On the 8th of Zul Hajj  the party left Mecca for Mina and passed the night there. Next day the party proceeded to Arafat. After  mid-day prayers on the 9th of Zul Hajj the Holy Prophet delivered his historic address. 

After giving praise to God, the Holy Prophet said: 

"O people, listen carefully to my words for I may not be among you next year, nor ever address you again  from this spot. O people just as you regard this month as sacred, so regard the life and property of every  Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that  none may hurt you. Usury is forbidden. Satan has despaired of leading you astray in big things, so  beware of obeying him in small things. Women have rights over you and you have rights over them. Be  good to them. You may soon have to appear before God and answer for your deeds so beware. Do not  go astray after I have gone. O people no prophet will come after me, and no new faith will be born.  Worship your God, say your prayer, fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in charity. All  Muslims free or enslaved have the same rights and the same responsibilities. None is higher than the  other unless he is higher in virtue. Feed your slaves as you feed yourselves; clothe them as you clothe  yourselves. Do not oppress them, nor usurp their rights." 

Having spoken thus the Holy Prophet turned his face to the Heaven and said: 

"Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people." 

And then all the people said: 

"Yes, you have done so." 

After the Holy Prophet had delivered his address, God revealed to him the verses: 

"This day have We perfected for you your faith, And completed Our blessing upon you And have accepted  for you Islam as religion." 

As Umar heard these verses, he felt happy that God had perfected the faith for them. Umar called on Abu  Bakr and found him very sad. Umar asked Abu Bakr the reason for his sadness when God had sent the  tidings that their faith had been perfected. Abu Bakr said that the implication of these verses was that the  mission of the Holy Prophet had been completed, and that the day when the Holy Prophet would depart  to meet his Lord was not far off. Umar could not, however, share the fears of Abu Bakr that the Holy  Prophet would not live long in their midst. 

The party left Arafat in the evening and passed the night at Muzdalifa. The following day they went to  Mina and sacrificed the animals. The Holy Prophet sacrificed 63 animals, one for each year of his life. Umar  sacrificed 52 animals. The men next shaved their heads and the Hajj was completed. Thereafter the Holy  Prophet and his followers returned to Madina.