Author: Abu Al-Asjad Siddiq Raza
Before accepting Islam, Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (رضی اللہ عنہ) once set out with a sword hanging by his side. He met a person from Banu Zuhrah (Naeem bin Abdullah) who asked, "O Umar! Where are you going?" Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) replied, "I intend to kill Muhammad (ﷺ)." Naeem responded, "If you kill Muhammad (ﷺ), how will you escape from Banu Hashim and Banu Zuhrah?"
Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) retorted, "It seems you have also renounced your previous religion." Naeem said, "O Umar! Should I not inform you of something surprising? Your sister and brother-in-law have also forsaken your religion." Upon hearing this, Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) marched angrily towards them until he reached their place. At that time, a man from the Muhajirun, Sayyiduna Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ), was with them. When Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ) sensed Umar’s (رضی اللہ عنہ) arrival, he hid inside the house.
Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) asked his sister and brother-in-law, "What is this low voice I heard?" According to Darimi, they were reciting Surah Ta-Ha. They replied, "It was nothing, we were just talking to each other." Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) said, "It seems you both have renounced your faith." His brother-in-law responded, "O Umar! What if the truth is in a religion other than yours?" Upon hearing this, Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) attacked his brother-in-law and severely beat him. His sister intervened, and Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) struck her hard, causing her face to bleed. She said angrily, "O Umar! What if the truth is in a religion other than yours? I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad (ﷺ) is His Messenger."
When Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) felt dejected, he said, "Give me the book you have so I can read it." His sister told him that only the pure can touch it, so he should purify himself. Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) performed ablution, then read from the book until he reached the verse:
"Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance."
[Ta-Ha: 14]
Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) then asked, "Tell me where Muhammad (ﷺ) is." When Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ) heard this, he came out and said, "Glad tidings, O Umar! I hope the Prophet's (ﷺ) supplication on Thursday will be fulfilled:
'O Allah, strengthen Islam through Umar bin Al-Khattab or Amr bin Hisham.'
This is the effect of that supplication."
Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ) informed Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) that the Prophet (ﷺ) was in a house at the foot of Mount Safa. At that time, Sayyiduna Hamza, Sayyiduna Talha, and a few other companions (رضی اللہ عنهم) were guarding the door. When Hamza (رضی اللہ عنہ) saw people were afraid of Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ), he said, "Yes, it is Umar. If Allah intends good for him, he will accept Islam and follow the Prophet (ﷺ). If he has other intentions, killing him will be easy for us." The Prophet (ﷺ) was inside, receiving revelation.
The Prophet (ﷺ) came out, grabbed Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) by his clothes and sword, and said, "O Umar! Will you not stop until Allah humiliates you as He did with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah? O Allah, strengthen Islam through Umar bin Al-Khattab." Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) then declared, "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah," and he accepted Islam, saying, "Come out, O Messenger of Allah."
This narrative is highly questionable.
Five Chains of Narration and Their Weaknesses:
First Chain:
Imam Bayhaqi narrated this story in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (2:219-220) and Ibn Sa'd in Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra (3:267), among others. The chain includes Al-Qasim bin Uthman Al-Basri, who is weak.
Second Chain:
Imam Tabarani narrated it in Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir (2:97) with Yazid bin Rabee'ah Al-Rahbi, who is considered weak.
Third Chain:
Imam Bayhaqi and others narrated through Ishaq bin Ibrahim Al-Hanini and Usama bin Zaid bin Aslam, both weak narrators.
Fourth Chain:
Abu Nu'aym narrated in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (1:241) and Hilyat al-Awliya (1:40) with Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Abi Farwah, who is extremely weak.
Fifth Chain:
Abu Nu'aym in Hilyat al-Awliya (1:39-40) with Yahya bin Yali Al-Aslami and Abdullah bin Al-Mu'mal, both weak narrators.
Conclusion:
This story of Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) accepting Islam is not substantiated based on the principles of Hadith authentication.
Note:
Some fabricated stories about Sayyiduna Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) have been addressed by Maulana Altaf-ur-Rahman Johar, who has proven their baselessness in his article "A Critical Analysis of Some Incidents Related to Sayyiduna Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ)."
Before accepting Islam, Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (رضی اللہ عنہ) once set out with a sword hanging by his side. He met a person from Banu Zuhrah (Naeem bin Abdullah) who asked, "O Umar! Where are you going?" Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) replied, "I intend to kill Muhammad (ﷺ)." Naeem responded, "If you kill Muhammad (ﷺ), how will you escape from Banu Hashim and Banu Zuhrah?"
Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) retorted, "It seems you have also renounced your previous religion." Naeem said, "O Umar! Should I not inform you of something surprising? Your sister and brother-in-law have also forsaken your religion." Upon hearing this, Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) marched angrily towards them until he reached their place. At that time, a man from the Muhajirun, Sayyiduna Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ), was with them. When Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ) sensed Umar’s (رضی اللہ عنہ) arrival, he hid inside the house.
Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) asked his sister and brother-in-law, "What is this low voice I heard?" According to Darimi, they were reciting Surah Ta-Ha. They replied, "It was nothing, we were just talking to each other." Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) said, "It seems you both have renounced your faith." His brother-in-law responded, "O Umar! What if the truth is in a religion other than yours?" Upon hearing this, Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) attacked his brother-in-law and severely beat him. His sister intervened, and Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) struck her hard, causing her face to bleed. She said angrily, "O Umar! What if the truth is in a religion other than yours? I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad (ﷺ) is His Messenger."
When Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) felt dejected, he said, "Give me the book you have so I can read it." His sister told him that only the pure can touch it, so he should purify himself. Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) performed ablution, then read from the book until he reached the verse:
"Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance."
[Ta-Ha: 14]
Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) then asked, "Tell me where Muhammad (ﷺ) is." When Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ) heard this, he came out and said, "Glad tidings, O Umar! I hope the Prophet's (ﷺ) supplication on Thursday will be fulfilled:
'O Allah, strengthen Islam through Umar bin Al-Khattab or Amr bin Hisham.'
This is the effect of that supplication."
Khabbab (رضی اللہ عنہ) informed Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) that the Prophet (ﷺ) was in a house at the foot of Mount Safa. At that time, Sayyiduna Hamza, Sayyiduna Talha, and a few other companions (رضی اللہ عنهم) were guarding the door. When Hamza (رضی اللہ عنہ) saw people were afraid of Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ), he said, "Yes, it is Umar. If Allah intends good for him, he will accept Islam and follow the Prophet (ﷺ). If he has other intentions, killing him will be easy for us." The Prophet (ﷺ) was inside, receiving revelation.
The Prophet (ﷺ) came out, grabbed Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) by his clothes and sword, and said, "O Umar! Will you not stop until Allah humiliates you as He did with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah? O Allah, strengthen Islam through Umar bin Al-Khattab." Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) then declared, "I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah," and he accepted Islam, saying, "Come out, O Messenger of Allah."
This narrative is highly questionable.
Five Chains of Narration and Their Weaknesses:
First Chain:
Imam Bayhaqi narrated this story in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (2:219-220) and Ibn Sa'd in Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra (3:267), among others. The chain includes Al-Qasim bin Uthman Al-Basri, who is weak.
Second Chain:
Imam Tabarani narrated it in Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir (2:97) with Yazid bin Rabee'ah Al-Rahbi, who is considered weak.
Third Chain:
Imam Bayhaqi and others narrated through Ishaq bin Ibrahim Al-Hanini and Usama bin Zaid bin Aslam, both weak narrators.
Fourth Chain:
Abu Nu'aym narrated in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (1:241) and Hilyat al-Awliya (1:40) with Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Abi Farwah, who is extremely weak.
Fifth Chain:
Abu Nu'aym in Hilyat al-Awliya (1:39-40) with Yahya bin Yali Al-Aslami and Abdullah bin Al-Mu'mal, both weak narrators.
Conclusion:
This story of Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) accepting Islam is not substantiated based on the principles of Hadith authentication.
Note:
Some fabricated stories about Sayyiduna Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) have been addressed by Maulana Altaf-ur-Rahman Johar, who has proven their baselessness in his article "A Critical Analysis of Some Incidents Related to Sayyiduna Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ)."