The Validity of the Title “al-Fārūq” for ʿUmar رضي الله عنه

By Ḥāfiẓ Nadīm Ẓahīr

① Question​

Is it proven that Sayyidunā ʿUmar رضي الله عنه carried the title “al-Fārūq”? Some scholars deem the ḥadīth in which the Prophet ﷺ addressed him, أنت الفاروق, to be very weak. Despite that, can we still call him “ʿUmar al-Fārūq”?
(Question by Ḥāfiẓ Iftikḥār ʿĀlam, Karachi)

② Weakness of the Reported Ḥadīth​

• The narration attributing “أنت الفاروق” to the Prophet ﷺ is transmitted by Muḥammad ibn Sā’ib al-Kalbī, whose reports are largely abandoned (matrūk) or disregarded (mahtam).
• Scholarly verdict: This particular report is classified as ḥadīth ḍaʿīf jiddًا (very weak) or even mawḍūʿ (fabricated).

③ Authentic Evidence for the Title​

Despite the weakness of the above ḥadīth, other sound narrations indicate that ʿUmar رضي الله عنه was indeed known by this title:

❀ Ḥadīth of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr رضي الله عنهما

“On the day of the Battle of Yarmūk I found in some of the People of the Book’s chronicles: ‘Abū Bakr is aṣ-Ṣiddīq—by this name you have grasped the truth; and ʿUmar is al-Fārūq—by this name you have attained the truth.’”

(Faḍā’il aṣ-Ṣaḥābah by Imam Aḥmad 1/120, ḥadīth 74 — isnād ṣaḥīḥ)


✔ Verification:

• Dr. Waṣī Allāh ibn Muḥammad ʿAbbās (ḥifẓahullāh), editor of Faḍā’il aṣ-Ṣaḥābah, declares this isnād ṣaḥīḥ.
• Implication: The title al-Fārūq was already recognized during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime.

④ Conclusion​

• While the specific ḥadīth “أنت الفاروق” is weak, authentic sources confirm that Sayyidunā ʿUmar رضي الله عنه was commonly and correctly known by the title al-Fārūq.
• Therefore, referring to him as ʿUmar al-Fārūq is permissible and valid.

والله أعلم