عمر بن عبد العزيز: الخليفةُ الرَّاشِدُ
Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz: The Rightly Guided Caliph
(61/63H-101H)
الحمد للهِ ربِّ العالمينَ لهُ النِّعمةُ وله الفضلُ ولهُ الثَّناءُ الحسن صلواتُ اللهِ البَرِّ الرحيمِ والملائِكةِ المُقرَّبينَ على سيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أشرفِ المرسلينَ وحبيبِ ربِّ العالمينَ وعلى جميعِ إخوانِهِ منَ النَّبييّنَ والمُرسلينَ وءالِ كُلٍّ والصَّالحينَ وسلامُ اللهِ عليهِمْ أجمعينَ أمّا بعدُ، يَقُوُلُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَل:
﴿مِنَ المُؤمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُواْ مَا عَاهَدوُاْ اللهَ عَلَيهِ فَمِنهُم مَنْ قَضَى نَحْبَهُ وَمِنهُم مَّنْ يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُواْ تَبدِيلاً﴾ الأحزاب/ ٢٣.
إخوة الإيمان عندما نستعرض تاريخ أمتنا نقرأ سيرة عظماء كانوا مشاعل نور، عظماء العالم الماضي والحاضر والمستقبل. ومن هؤلاء الجهابذة رجل من التابعين، كان طودًا راسخًا وشهابًا لامعًا تستمد منه الأجيال معاني العدل والشرف والإخلاص والعظمة، ذلك هو أمير المؤمنين عمر بن عبد العزيز الإمام المجتهد والخليفة الراشد السادس ومجدد المائة الأولى من الهجرة المباركة رضي الله عنه وأرضاه.
هو أبو جعفر عمر بن عبد العزيز بن مروان بن الحكم بن العاص بن أمية بن عبد شمس، أمه ليلى أم عاصم بنت عاصم بن عمر بن الخطاب. كان سليل الفاروق عمر رضي الله عنه من جهة أمه ورث منه كثيرًا من شمائله الشماء، ومناقبه الغراء: من إيثار الحق ومناصرة العدل والعفة والورع والتقوى. كان رضي الله عنه أبيضًا مليحًا، جميلاً، مهيبًا، نحيف الجسم، حسن اللحية. كان رضي اللهُ عنه من أعظم النَّاسِ وأكيس النَّاسِ وأجملهم في مشيتهِ ولبسه وهيئته، نقش خاتمه “عمر يؤمن بالله مخلصًا“، كان بوجهه شجة ضربته دابة في وجهه وهو غلام فجعل أبوه يمسح الدم عنه ويقول: “إن كنت أشج بني أمية إنك لسعيد“، وكان عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه يقول : “يكون من ولدي رجل بوجهه شجة يملأ الأرض عدلاً كما ملئت جورًا“.
Praise be to Allah and may Allah increase the honor and raise the rank of our Master Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam.
Dear Muslims, when we go over the history of our nation; we read the biographies of the great men of the past, present, and the future. Among them was a man of the Tabi^in (followers of the companions). He was a great and knowledgeable scholar, who was like a solid mountain; whom the generations take the meanings of justice, honor, and sincerity from ; he is the Amir of the Believers (Amir-ul-Mu’minin), the mujtahid imam, the sixth just caliph and the Mujadid (the re-newer) of the first one hundred Hijri years Abu Ja^far ^Umar, the son of ^Abdul-^Aziz, the son of Marwan, the son of al-Hakam, the son of ^As, the son of ^Abdu Shams. His mother is Layla, Ummu ^Asim the daughter of ^Asim, the son of ^Umar Ibnul Khattab. His lineage goes back to the Amir of The Believers al-Faruq (^Umar) may Allah raise his rank.” He inherited lots of the good traits and manners of his great grandfather (from his mothers side) ^Umar Ibnul Khattab such as: Supporting the truth, justice, God-fearing and piety.
^Umar was a skinny, white, handsome with an awe and a nice beard. He was among the great and intelligent people, he was the most handsome person at that time in the way he walks, dresses, and in his physical appearance.
His ring was engraved with: “^Umar believes sincerely in Allah”.
An animal hit him once leaving a scar in his face, his father said while wiping the blood off his face: “If you were to be the one with a scar, then you would be the happiest among the Umaiyyads.” ^Umar Ibn al-Khattab used to say: “There will be among my off-springs a man with a scar in his face who will fill the earth with justice same as it was filled with injustice and oppression.”
ولد عمر بن عبد العزيز سنة إحدى وستين للهجرة وقيل سنة ثلاثة وستين للهجرة وكانت ولادته بالمدينة، كان يأتي عبد الله بن عمر وهو بعد غلام صغير لقرابة أمه منه، ثُمَّ يرجع إلى أمه فيقول: “يا أُماهُ، أنا أُحِبُ أن أكون مثل خالي” – يريد عبد الله بن عمر- فتقولُ لَهُ: “أُعزُب، أنت تكون مثل خالك؟ ” فَلَمَّا كَبُرَ سَارَ أَبُوهُ عبد العزيز بن مروان إِلى مصر أميرًا عليها ثُمَّ كتب إلى زَوجَتِهِ أُمُ عَاصِمْ أن تقدم عليهِ بولدها، فأتت عمها عبد الله بن عمر فأعلمتهُ بكتاب زوجها، فقال لها: “يا ابنة أخي هو زوجك فالحقي به“. فلما أرادت الخروج قال لها: “خلفي هذا الغلام عندنا – يريد عمر – فَإنَّهُ أشبهَكُم بنا” فَخَّلفته عنده ولم تخالفه، فلما قدمت على عبد العزيز أخبرته بخبر عمر، فَسُرَّ بِذَلِكَ وَكَتَبَ إلى أَخيهِ عبد الملك بن مروان يخبره بأمره، فكتب عبد الملك أن يُجْدَى عليه ألف دينار في كُلِ شهر؛ ثُمَّ قَدِمَ عُمَرُ على أبيهِ فأقام عنده ما شاء الله.
He was born in Madinah in 61 AH, some said it was the year 63 AH. When he was a young boy, he used to go to ^Abdullah Ibn ^Umar , who was his mother’s uncle, and he would say to his mother : “O mom, I would like to be like my uncle”. She would say to him: “Stop it, you want to be like your uncle ?”
When was grown, his father ^Abdul-^Aziz Ibn Marwan set forth to Egypt after he became the Amir of Egypt, he wrote to his wife Ummu ^Asim to come to him with her son. She went to her uncle ^Abdullah Ibn ^Umar and told him about her husband’s message, he said to her: “O my niece he is your husband, so follow him.” When she wanted to leave he said to her: “Leave this boy with us –he means ^Umar- for he is the only one among you who looks like us .” She left him with him and came to ^Abdul-^Aziz and told him where did she leave ^Umar, he was pleased to hear that. ^Abdul-^Aziz wrote to his brother ^Abdul-Malik Ibn Marwan about the matter of ^Umar. ^Abdul-Malik then ordered his workers to pay ^Umar one thousand dinar every month. Later ^Umar came to his father and stayed with him for as long as Allah willed for him to stay.
علومه:
His knowledge
عُنِيَ أبوه بتربيته منذ نشأته، فكتب إلى صالح بن كيسان بالمدينة أن يتعهده ويرعاه. وقد روى الحديث وتلقى الفقه عن جماعة من الصحابة، منهم أنس بن مالك المتوفى سنة تسعين للهجرة وقد جاوز المائة، رءاه عمر وروى عنه وصلى أنس خلفه، ومنهم عبد الله بن عمر بن الخَطّاب المتوفى سنة أربعة وسبعين للهجرة، وهو عم أمه كما قدمنا، وعبد الله بن جعفر بن أبي طالب المتوفي سنة ثمانين للهجرة، وتلقى من جماعة من كبار التابعين منهم سعيد بن المسيِّب المتوفى سنة أربع وتسعين للهجرة وهو رأس علماء التابعين وفقيههم، وعروة بن الزبير المتوفى سنة أربع وتسعين للهجرة، وسالم بن عبد الله ابن عمر المتوفي سنة مائة وست للهجرة، وعبيد بن عبد الله بن عتبة بن مسعود المتوفى سنة تسعة وتسعين للهجرة، وكان عمر بن عبد العزيز يقول: “لأن يكون لي مجلس من عُبيد الله أحب إليَّ من الدنيا وما فيها“، ومحمد بن مسلم بن شهاب الزهري المتوفى سنة مائة وخمس وعشرين للهجرة، وقد كتب عمر بعدُ إلى الآفاق: “عليكم بابن شهاب فإنكم لا تجدون أحدًا أعلمُ بالسنةِ الماضيةِ منهُ“.
His father took good care of raising him since he was growing up. He wrote to Salih Ibn Kaysan to take care of him and to look after him.
He narrated the hadith and acquired the science jurisprudence (fiqh) from a group of the Companions among them: Anas Ibn Malik, who died in the 90 AH when he was over 100 years old. ^Umar met him and narrated hadith from his route, Anas also prayed behind ^Umar while ^Umar was the imam leading the prayer. Also he took that knowledge from ^Abdullah Ibn ^Umar, who died in 74 AH, he was his mother’s uncle too as stated earlier; and from ^Abdullah Ibn Ja^far Ibn Abi Talib who died in 80 AH.
He also learned from a group of at-Tabi^in like: Sa^id Ibn al-Musaiyyeb who died in 94 AH, he was the top scholar among at-Tabi^in, ^Arwah Ibn az-Zubayr who died in 94 AH, Salim Ibn ^Abdullah Ibn ^Umar who died in 106 AH, ^Ubayd Ibn ^Abdullah Ibn ^Utbah Ibn Mas^ud who died in 99 AH . ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz used to say: “Being in a session for ^Ubaydullah is more loved to me than this world and what is in it.” He also took the knowledge from Muhammad Ibn Muslim Ibn Shihab az-Zuhriyy who died in 125 AH.
^Umar wrote to different areas: “Take the Knowledge from Ibn Shihab, for you will not find any one who knows about the previous year more than him.”
على هؤلاء العلماء الجهابذةِ وعلى غيرهم من علماء المدينةِ تخرج عمر في علوم الدين حتى حذقها وصار فيها إمامًا ضليعًا مبرّزًا، وقال ميمون بن مهران المتوفى سنة مائة وسبع عشرة للهجرة: “ما كان العلماء عند عمر بن عبد العزيز إلا تلاميذ”، وقال: “عمر بن عبد العزيز معلم العلماء” ، وقد حَدَّثَ عن نفسه فقال: “لقد رأيتني وأنا بالمدينةِ غُلاَمٌ مع الغلمان ثم تاقت نفسي إلى العلم بالعربيةِ والشعرِ فأصبتُ مِنهُ حَاجَتي“.
^Umar graduated from the school of those great knowledgeable scholars with a solid knowledge in the Religion, thus he became a dignified imam in it.
Maymun Ibn Mahran, who died in 107 AH, said about him: “The scholars were just students comparable to ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz.” He also said: “^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz is the teacher of the scholars.”
^Umar said about himself: “I was just a boy like other boys in Madinah, then I wished to learn Arabic Language and poetry, then I got what I wanted of that.”
ولايته على المدينة:
His governance over Madinah
وفي ربيع الأول سنة 87 للهجرة وَلاّهُ الوليد بن عبد الملك المدينة فقدمها ونزل دار جده مروان بن الحكم، ودخل عليه الناس فسلموا، فَلَمّا صلى الظهر دعا عشرة من فقهاء المدينة: عروة بن الزبير، وعبد الله بن عبيد الله بن عتبة، وأبا بكر بن عبد الرحمن، وأبا بكر بن سليمان، وسليمان بن يسار، والقاسم بن محمد، وسالم بن عبد الله ابن عمر، وعبد الله بن عبد الله بن عمر، وعبد الله بن عامر بن أبي ربيعة، وخارجة بن زيد، فدخلوا عليه فجلسوا فحمد الله وأثنى عليه بما هو أهله ثم قال: “إني قد دعوتكم لأمر تؤجرون عليه، وتكونوا فيه أعوانًا على الحق، ما أريد أن أقطع أمرًا إلا برأيكم، أو برأي من حضر منكم، فإن رأيتم أحدًا يتعدى، أو بلغكم عن عامل لي ظلامة، فأَحْرِجْ باللهِ على من بَلَغَهُ ذلك إلا بلغني“.
In 87 AH al-Walid Ibn ^Abdul-Malik appointed him as a ruler of Madinah. He went to it and stayed at the residence of his grandfather Marwan Ibn al-Hakam. People came to him and said salam to him; when he finished praying Dhuhr (Noon) Prayer; he called ten of the top fuqaha’ of Madinah:
^Arwah Ibn az-Zubayr, ^Abdullah Ibn ^Ubaydullah Ibn ^Utbah, Aba Bakr Ibn ^Abdur-Rahman, Aba Bakr Ibn Sulayman, Sulayman Ibn Yasar, al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad, Salim Ibn ^Abdullah Ibn ^Umar, ^Abdullah Ibn ^Abdullah Ibn ^Umar, ^Abdullah Ibn ^Amir Ibn Rabi^ah, and Kharijah Ibn Zayd.
They came to him ,entered his place, and sat down. He praised Allah all the due praise and said: “I have called you for a matter which will earn you reward, and also to be supporters of the truth. I shall not decide on a matter unless I take your opinion into consideration, if you see someone violating the boundaries, or if you hear of any in justice of any of my worker; I ask you by the Greatness Allah to inform me about that”.
لقد كانت هذه الكلمة الوجيزة هي الدستور الذي سَنَّهُ لِحُكْمِهِ والنهج القويم الذي رام أن ينتهجه في ولايته، فلا غَرْوَ أن يسطر المؤرخون اسمه في صحيفة تاريخه.
This short statement was the constitution and the straight methodology which he put for his rule. So, it is no wonder that the historians and biographers listed him among the great and just rulers.
وُلِيَ عُمرُ المدينةَ فَسَارَ سيرةً حَسَنَةً، وولّى على قضائها أبا بكر محمد بن عمرو بن حزم، وعرف للعلماء حقهم وفضلهم فأولاهم ما هم أهله من الإكبار والإجلال، وظل عمر على ولايتها المدينة حتى كانت سنة 91 للهجرة فضمت إليه ولاية مكة، ثم عزله الوليد سنة 93 للهجرة، وكان سبب ذلك أن كتب عمر إلى الوليد يخبرهُ بظلم الحَجَّاج لأهل العراق واعتدائه عليهم، وبلغ ذلك الحجاج فكتب إلى الوليد: “إنَّ من قِبَلي من مُرّاق أهل العراق، إهل الشقاق، قد جَلوا عن العراق، ولجئوا إلى المدينة ومكة، وإِنَّ ذَلِكَ وَهنٌ “. فكتب الوليد إلى الحجاج أن أشر علي برجلين، فكتب إليه يُشيرُ عليهِ بعثمان بن حبان وخالد بن عبد الله، فولى خالدًا مكة وعثمان المدينة وعزل عمر بن عبد العزيز، فخرج من المدينة فأقام بالسويداء.
He ran the affairs of Madinah with good management and appointed Aba Bakr Muhammad Ibn ^Amru Ibn Hazim to the office of Justice. He knew the merit and the value of the scholars, so he honored them with what they deserve. He remained as a ruler of Madinah until 91 AH, when Makkah was added to his rule too. Al-Walid removed him in 93 AH. The reason behind that was that ^Umar wrote to al-Walid telling him about the oppression and the aggression of al-Hajjaj to the people of Iraq. Al-Hajjaj knew about that and sent to al-Walid the following message: “Some of the hypocrites from the people of disunity in Iraq where I am right now had left Iraq and took refuge in Makkah and Madinah, and this is would cause feebleness.” Al-Walid then wrote to al-Hajjaj requesting that he tells him about two good men which he suggests to be appointed to Makkah and Madinah, he wrote him back telling him about: ^Uthman Ibn Hibban and Khalid Ibn ^Abdullah. Al-Walid then appointed Khalid to Makkah and ^Uthman to Madinah and removed ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz. ^Umar then left Madinah and resided in as-Suwayda’ (present time in Syria).
خلافته وأخلاقه:
Assuming the office of caliph, and his manners
ولي عمر بن عبد العزيز رضي الله عنه الخلافة من سنة 99 إلى سنة 101 للهجرة، بعد وفاة الخليفة إبن عمه سليمان بن عبد الملك، لَمَّا استُخْلِفَ قُوِمَت ثِيَابُهُ التي عليه فإذا هي تعدُلُ اثني عشر درهمًا.
He was entrusted to the Caliphate from 99 AH to 101 AH after the death of the Caliph Sulayman Ibn ^Abdul Malik who was his cousin.
They appraised his clothes when he was appointed to the office of Caliphate and found out that they worth twelve dirhams.
قال يومًا لامرأته فاطمة بنت عبد الملك وكان عندها جواهر كثيرة أمر لها أبوها بها: اختاري إما أن تردّي حليك إلى بيت المال، وإما أن تأذني لي بفراقك فإني أكره أن أكون أنا وأنت وهو في بيت واحد، فقالت: بل أختارُكَ عليهِ وعلى أضعافِهِ، فأمَرَ بِهِ فَحُمِلَ حَتَى وُضِعَ في بيتِ المَالِ. فلما مات عمر واستخلف يزيد بن عبد الملك بن مروان قال لها: إن شئت رددت إليكِ حليك، قالت: لا واللهِ لا أطيب به نفسًا في حياته وأرجع إِليه بعد موته.
One day he said to his wife Fatimah Bintu ^Abdul Malik, who used to have jewels which were ordered to her by her father: “Choose between returning your jewels to “Bayt-ul-mal” (the state fund) or permit me to leave you, for I hate that me, you and these jewels be in the same house.” She said: “I would rather choose you over it and over its multiples.” He ordered them to be put in the state fund. When ^Umar died may Allah have mercy upon him, the new Caliph Yazid the son of ^Abdul-Malik the son of Marwan said to Fatimah: “If you want, I would return your jewels to you.” She said: “No, I swear by Allah that I was happy without them during his lifetime, so I will not have them back after his death.”
ذكروا أنَّهُ لَمَّا دُفِنَ سُليمانُ بن عبد المَلِك وانصرف النَّاسُ عَنْ قَبْرِهِ سَمِعَ عُمَر ضَجَةً فَقَالَ: ما هَذا ؟ قِيلَ لَهُ: مَرَاكِبُ الخِلاَفَةِ قُدِمَتْ إِلَيكَ يا أَميرَ المؤمنين لتركبها، فقال: ما لي ولها نَحوّها عني وَقَرِّبوا لي دابتي، فَقُرِّبَت إِليه فَرَكِبَهَا وقال: إِنمَا أنا رَجُلٌ مِنَ المسلِمينَ وَسَارَ مُختَلِطًا بِالنَّاسِ حَتَىَ دَخَلَ المَسجِدَ فَصَعَدَ المِنبَرْ فحمد الله وأثنى عليه وقال: “أيها النَّاسُ إِنَّهُ لا كِتَابَ بَعدَ القُرءانِ ولا نبيَّ بعد محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، وإني واللهِ لستُ بِقاضٍ، ولكني منفذ ولست بمبتدع ولكني متبع، ولست بخير من أحدكم ولكني أثقلكم حملاً، وإِني ابتُليتُ بِهَذا الأمرِ من غير رأيي ولا مطلوبي ولا مشورتي وإني قد أحللت أعناقكم من بيعتي فاختاروا لأنفسكم غيري“. فصَاحَ النَّاسُ صيحَةً وَاحِدَةً: قد اخترناكَ يا أميرَ المؤمنين. ثَمَّ قال: “أيُها النَّاس من أطَاعَ الله تعالى وجبت طاعته، ومن عصى اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلْ فلا طاعَةَ لَهُ أطيعوني ما أطعتُ اللهَ، فإِن عَصيتَهُ فلا طاعةَ لي عليكم“.
It was said that when Sulayman Ibn ^Abdil-Malik was buried and people moved away from his grave, ^Umar heard a noise, he said: “What was that.” They said: They are the carts of the Caliphate brought to you to ride them O Amir of the Believers. He said: “I do not want them, take them away from me and bring me my own animal which I normally ride.” They brought it to him and he rode it; he said: “I am just a man of the Muslims.” He proceeded among the people until he reached the mosque, he went up the minbar (platform) and said: “O people there is no (Divine) Book after the Qur’an and there is no prophet after Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. I swear by Allah that I am not a judge; however, I carry out what I was ordered to do. I am no innovator; however, I am a follower. I am no better than any one of you, but I am the one who is carrying the heaviest load amongst you; and I was inflicted with this without my opinion being taken in this matter; and without me asking for it; and without being consulted. I have decided to release you from the allegiance you have given me; so pick for yourself someone other than me.” People then yelled in one voice: We chose you O Amir of the Believers. He then said: “O people, whoever obeys Allah ta^ala then it is an obligation to obey him, and whoever disobeys him, then he is not to be obeyed; so obey me as long as I obey Allah; and if I would disobey Him then you are not obligated to obey me.”
ومما جاء عن تواضعه أن شخصًا مدحه في وجهه فقال له: “يا هذا لو عرفت من نفسي ما أعرف منها ما نظرت في وجهي“. وقد أخذ رضي الله عنه على عاتقه النظر في المظالم فردَّها، وراعى السنن العادلة فأعادها. وقال يومًا لرجلٍ: “مَنْ سيِّدُ قَومِكَ؟” قال: أنا، قال: “لو إنَّكَ كذلك لم تَقُلهُ“.
Among what was said about his humility is that once a person praised him in his presence, he said to him: “O you, had you known about myself what I know about it, you would have not looked at me twice.” He took care of returning the rights to their owners and restored the just laws.
On another occasion he asked a person : “Who is the master of your people?” He said: “It’s me.” ^Umar said: “If that was true, you would have not said that.”
وجعل شعاره الزهد في الدنيا والإعراض عن متعتها الزائلة، ومما يُروى عن مالك بن دينار رضي الله عنه في عدل عمر بن عبد العزيز أنه قال: “لما وُلي عمر بن عبد العزيز رحمه الله قالت رعاة الشاة في ذروة الجبل: من هذا الخليفة الصالح الذي قام على الناس؟ قيل لهم؛ وما أعلمكم بذلك؟ قالوا: إنا إذا قام على الناس خليفة صالح كُفَّت الذئاب والأُسد عن شياهنا“. ومما جاء أيضًا عن عدله بين الرعية ما رُويَ أنه ما مات رضي الله عنه حتى جعل الرجل يأتي بالمال العظيم فيقول: “إجعَلوا هذا حيث ترون في الفقراء“، فما يبرح حتى يرجع بماله لا يجدون أحدًا يأخذه، وقد اكتفى الناس في عهده. حتى قيل: “أغنى عمر بن عبد العزيز الناس“.
He made his slogan zuhd (being detached from the worldly interests) and keeping himself away from the vanished pleasures of this world. Malik Ibn Dinar said: When ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul ^Aziz was entrusted to the Caliphate the shepherds in the hills of the mountains said: “Who is the righteous caliph that has been appointed to look after the people ?” Some said to them: “Who told you about that?”. They said: “Because, if a righteous caliph was to be appointed to look after the people, then the wolves and lions would leave off our sheep.”
It was also said about his fairness and justice to people that if a person was to give a large sum of money to the poor, his money would be returned to him untouched because nobody would be found to take it. People were satisfied in his days, and it was said: “^Umar Ibn ^Abdul ^Aziz had fulfilled the needs of the people.”
ومما يروى أن إعرابيًا قصد عمر بن عبد العزيز وكان فقيرًا فقال: “يا أمير المؤمنين جاءت بي إليك الحاجة وانتهت بي الفاقة واللهُ سائلك عني يوم القيامة“، فاهتز عمر من خشية الله وقال: “أعد“. فأعاد فنكَّس رضي الله عنه رأسه وأرسل دموعه حتى بلَّت الأرض، ثم أمر له بثلاثمائة، ولكل واحدة من بناته بمائة وكان عنده ثماني بنات، وأعطاه بعد ذلك مائة وقال له: “هذه المائة أعطيتك من مالي إذهب فاستنفقها حتى تخرج صدقات المسلمين فتأخذ معهم“.
Also it was related that a poor Arabian came to ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul ^Aziz and said: “O Amir of the Believers I came to you out of poverty, I have nothing left and Allah will question you about me on the Day of Judgment.” ^Umar was shaken out of fear of Allah and said to him: “Repeat what you have just said.” The man did. ^Umar, may Allah raise his rank, bent his head down-words and cried until the floor underneath him was soaked. He ordered his workers to give that man three hundred, and to each one of his daughters one hundred – he had eight daughters –. On top of that he gave him one hundred and said:
“I gave you this one hundred from my own money, go and spend it on your needs until it is time for the charities (sadaqat), you would then take from them along with Muslims.”
ءاثاره الحميدة:
His praised works
ومما تجدر الإشارة إليه والتنويه به هو أنه رضي الله عنه سَنَّ في الإِسلام سنَّةً حَسَنةً وافَقَهُ عليها العلماء، لأنها كانت من جملة البدع الحسنة التي توافق الشرع ولا تخالفه، وهي تجويفه المحراب في المساجد، فهو أول من عمل المحراب.
وهو أول من منع مَسَبَّة الإمام علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه على المنابر وأمر أن يُقرأ قول الله تعالى (إِنَّ اللهَ يَأمُرُ بِالعَدلِ وَالإِحسَانِ وإِيتآءِ ذِي القُربَىَ وَيَنهَى عَنِ الفَحشآءِ والمُنكَرِ والبَغيِ يَعِظُكُم لَعَلَّكُم تَذكَّرُون) النحل / 90، إذ كان بنو أمية يأمرون بسب الإمام علي رضي الله عنه.
وكتب إلى عماله أن لا يقيد مسجون بقَيدٍ فإنَّهُ يَمنَعُ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ، وكتب إلى عمالهِ:
“إذا دعتكم قدرتكم على النَّاسِ إِلى ظلمهم فاذكروا قدرة الله عليكم ونفاذ ما تأمرون إِليهم وبقاء ما يأتي لكم من العذاب بسببهم“.
ومن أعماله الجليلة أيضًا أنه أبطل المكوس التي كان بنو أمية قد أخذوها من الناس بغير حق وردَّ الحق إلى أهله. وله أعمال كثيرة بالإضافة إلى شهرته وشهادات العلماء بفضله وصلاحه تؤكد تقواه وورعه وخدمته للأمة الإسلامية.
^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz, may Allah raise his rank, innovated a good innovation which was agreed upon by the scholars of his time, since it complied with the rules of the Shar^ (Religion). That innovation was: Making the holed mahariyyb where the imam stands while leading the prayer. He was the first one to make the mihrab.
He was the first one who stopped people from cussing Imam ^Aliyy Ibn Abi Talib may Allah raise his rank from the minarets. The Umaiyyads used to order others cuss our Master ^Aliyy may Allah raise his rank.
He wrote to his workers not to handcuff any jailed person for it prevents him from performing Prayer. He also wrote to them: “If your power over people were to lead you to treat them unjustly then remember the Power of Allah over you, and that what gives you the power to order them would be gone; and that what would bring you torture due to treating them that way would stay.”
He abolished the taxes too which were placed unjustly by the Umaiyyads, and gave the money back to its owners. In addition to other great deeds he did in serving the Muslim nation.
كان النَّاس منذ بدء الدعوة المحمدية يعتمدون في الحديث الشريف على الحفظ والاستظهار، فَلَمَّا كثرت الغزوات واتسعت الفتوح ومات من حملة الحديث من مات، وتفرق باقيهم في البلاد وكان عند كل منهم شئ من الحديث، وقد ينفرد بعضهم منه بما لم يسمعه سواه، وَقَلَ الضبطُ وكان يلتبس الباطل بالحق، مسَت الحاجة إلى تدوينه، فكان أول من أمر بتدوين الحديث عمر بن عبد العزيز إبان خلافته، إذ رأى أنَّ في تدوينه حفظًا له وإبقاء عليه.
Initially, during the Call of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, many Muslims were diligent in memorizing the (hadith) sayings of the Prophet peace be upon him. As Islam spread through many countries, battles increased killing many memorizers of hadith. The remaining memorizers were dispersed throughout the countries. Growing concern arose that some of memorizers might keep the hadith to themselves; verification of hadith became little and falsehood and fabrication was being mistaken for the genuine truth. The need to write down and document the hadith became very apparent. The first person who ordered written documentation of hadith was ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz; who did so after he was appointed to the office of Caliphate. He viewed written documentation as the best means of preserving genuine hadith of the Prophet Peace be upon him.
جاء في “فتح الباري” في باب كتابة العلم: “وأول من دوَن الحديث ابن شهاب الزهري على رأس المائة، بأمر من عمر بن عبد العزيز، ثُمَّ كَثُرَ التدوين والتصنيف، وَحَصَلَ بِذَلِكَ خيرٌ كثيرٌ”. وجاء في “الفتح”: وقد رُويت هذه القصة بلفظ: “كتب عمر بن عبد العزيز إلى الأفاق: انظروا حديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فاجمعوه”.
In “Fath al-Bariyy” for Ibn Hajar it was mentioned that: “The first one to write down the hadith was Ibn Shihab az-Zuhriyy at the turn of the first century by the order of ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul ^Aziz.” Al-Bukhariyy also mentioned in “al-Fath”: ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul ^Aziz wrote to all the countries: “Search for the hadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam and assemble them.”
وفاته:
His death
لَمَّا حَضَرَت عمر بن عبد العزيز الوفاة دخل عليه مسلمة بن عبد الملك فقال له:
“يا أمير المؤمنين، إِنَّكَ قد فَطَمْتَ أفواهَ وِلْدِكَ عَن هذا المال، وتركتهم عالة، ولا بد من شئ يصلحهم، فلو اوصيت بهم إِليَّ أو إِلى نُظرائي من أهلِ بَيتِكَ، لكفيتك مئونتهم إن شاءَ الله”، فقال عمر : “أجلسوني”، فأجلسوه فقال: أما ما ذكرت من أني فطمت أفواه أولادي عن هذا المال وتركتهم عالة، فإني لم أمنعهم حقًا هو لهم ولم أَكن لأعطيهم حقًا هو لغيرهم، وأما ما سألت عن الوصاية إليك أو إلى نظرائك من أهل بيتي، فإن وصيَّ ووليَّ فيهم الله الذي نَزَّلَ الكتاب وهو يتولى الصالحين، وإنما بنو عمر أحد رجلين: رجل اتقى الله فسيجعل الله له من امره يسرًا ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب، ورجل عصى الله فلن اكون أول من أعانه بالمال على معصيته، ادعوا لي بنيَّ” فَجعل يصعِّد بصره فيهم حتى اغرورقت عيناه بالدموع ثم قال: “إني ميَّلت رأيي بين أن تستغنوا ويدخل أبوكم النار”، وبين أن تفتقروا ويدخل الجنة فكان أن تفتقروا ويدخل الجَنَّةَ أحب إليه من أن تستغنوا ويدخل النَّار، قوموا يا بني عصمكم الله ورزقكم” ، قالوا: “فما احتاج أحد من اولاد عمر ولا افتقر”.
When ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul ^Aziz was dying Muslimah Ibn ^Abdul Malik visited him and said: “You have forbade your kids from this money and left nothing for them, they must have something, if you were to authorize me or my likes among your relatives we could fulfill their needs and take care of them.” ^Umar then asked them to help him to sit and said: “What you have just mentioned about forbidding them from having this money and leaving them with nothing, I did not prevent them from what belongs to them, and I was not going to give them what belongs to the others. As for what you have mentioned about fulfilling their needs and taking care of them with my relatives, I say that I would leave them to the care and protection of Allah Who revealed the Qur’an. The off-springs of ^Umar are of two kinds: One who is God-fearing, and Allah will provide him with the means of sustenance from wherever he does not expect, and the other is the one who disobeyed Allah, so I will not be the first one in helping him to disobey Allah with money. Call my kids for me.”. He looked thoroughly at them until his eyes were filled with tears and said: “I was under a choice between making you rich and that your father would enter Hellfire, or that you will be poor and he would enter Paradise. So I loved that you will be poor and I would enter Paradise rather than being rich and enter Hellfire. I ask Allah that you will never need anybody and to provide you with the means of sustenance.” It was said that ^Umar’s kids never needed anybody’s support after his death nor they got poor.
وَهُنَا نَذْكُر أمرًا فيه دليلٌ على جَوَازِ التَبَرُكِ بالرسولِ وءاثارِهِ وهو أن عمر بن عبد العزيز أوصى أن يُدْفَنَ معه شئٌ كان عنده من شعر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأظفارٌ من أظفارِهِ وقال: “إذا مِتُّ فاجعلوه في كفني“. ففعلوا ذلك. ذكر ذلك الإمام النووي في كتابه “الأسماء واللغات” في ترجمة عمر بن عبد العزيز.
We would like to mention a matter here about the permissibility of seeking blessings (tabarruk) by the Prophet and his traces sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz asked that some of the hair of the Prophet which he used to have that it be buried with him. He said: “If I die, put this in my shroud.” They did that for him after he died. This was mentioned by Imam an-Nawawiyy in his book “al-Asma’ wal-Lughat” in the chapter of the biography of ^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz.
توفي عمر بن عبد العزيز رحمه الله في رجب سنة 101 للهجرة وكانت خلافته سنتين وخمسة أشهر، ومات وهو ابن تسع وثلاثين سنة وأشهر في محلة يقال لها: “دير سمعان” بمدينة حمص ودفن هناك وقبره يزارُ للتبرك والتوسل به إِلى اللهِ تعالى، رحمه الله ونفعنا ببركاته.
^Umar Ibn ^Abdul-^Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, died in Rajab in 101 AH at the age of 39 and few months in Hums (present time in Syria) in an area called “Dayr Sim^an”. His Caliphate lasted two years and five months. He was buried therein. Muslims visit his grave seeking blessing by asking Allah for things by the virtue of this just caliph.
May Allah have mercy on him and gives us the benefit by his virtue.