Omar Ibnul Khattab's (ra) conversion to Islam

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem

Answers to Questions

1- What is preponderant is that 'Omar Ibnul Khattab (ra) embraced Islam during the period of the secret Daawah, i.e. the Culturing Period, and not during the overt Daawah, i.e. the Interaction Period. In other words, he embraced Islam around the third year. The report claiming that he embraced Islam in the sixth year is far-fetched.

2- The Party quoted the event related to the Muslims appearance in two rows after 'Omar had embraced Islam from the book entitled Hilyatul Awliyaa Wa Tabaqatul Asfiyaa [The Beauty of the Righteous and the Ranks of the Elite] of Abu Naeem al-Asfahani; he wrote on Volume 1, page 45 the following:

Mohammed Ibnu Ahmed Inbul Hassan told us on the authority of Mohammed Ibnu Uthman Ibnu Abi Shibah, on that of Abdul Hameed Ibnu Saleh, on that of Mohammed Ibnu Abban, on the authority of Ishaaq Ibnu Abdullah Ibnu Abban Ibnu Saleh, on the authority of Mujahid on that of Ibnu Abbas who said:

I asked 'Omar (ra): For what reason were you called Al-Faruq?". He said: "Hamzah accepted Islam three days before me; then Allah opened my heart to Islam so I said Allah, there is no god but He; to him belong the beautiful names. There is no scent sweeter than that of the Messenger of Allah (saw)". I asked: "Where is the Messenger of Allah (saw)?". So my sister said: "He is in Dar al-Arqam Ibnul Arqam at al-Safa"; so I headed to the house and knocked on the door. The folk gathered and Hamzah asked them: "What is wrong with you?" they said: "'Omar".

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Omar Ibnul Khattab's (ra) conversion to Islam

He said: "Then the Messenger of Allah (saw) came out, grabbed 'Omar by his garment and threw him, causing him to fall on his knee; he then said: When are you going to stop your act 'Omar? so I said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no associates, and I bear witness that Mohammed is His servant and His Messenger". He said: Upon hearing that, the believers exclaimed ALLAHU AKBAR!" and their loud voices were heard by those living in the vicinity of the Mosque. Then I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Would we not be right, regardless whether we live or die?" He (saw) said: Indeed, I swear by Him in whose hand my soul stands, that you are right whether you live or die. 'Omar then said Why hide then? I swear by Him Who sent you with the Message of Truth that you should come out. 'Omar added We then walked out with the Messenger of Allah in two rows, Hamza leading one and me the other until we reached the Sacred Mosque. I looked at Quraysh and to Hamzah and realised that Quraysh became distressed as never before. Then the Messenger of Allah called me Al-Faruq; and Allah through him distinguished between right and wrong.

3- It is obligatory to reveal the Daawah during the Culturing Period and to reveal both the Daawah and the Structure in the Period of Interaction. The Daawah of the Messenger of Allah (saw) was known to Quraysh; they used to witness Mohammed (saw) calling to Islam and win people over to the Daawah. Quraysh were aware of some individuals who had followed the religion of Mohammed (saw); however, they did not know some others who had chosen to conceal their faith. They were also oblivious to the nature of the meetings between Mohammed (saw) and his noble Sahaba. However, in the second period, the Period of Interaction, once Hamzah Ibnu Abdul Muttalib accepted Islam, followed by Omar Ibnul Khattab three days later, the might of the Muslims increased and Allah (swt) revealed to His Messenger the command to reveal the bloc: Therefore expound openly what you are commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with Allah. For sufficient are we unto you against those who scoff. Those who adopt, with Allah, another god: but soon will they come to know. [15-94, 95, 96].

Hence, the Messenger of Allah (saw) complied with the command of Allah (swt) and revealed the bloc openly to all people, though some Muslim individuals remained anonymous. The Messenger of Allah (saw) and his Sahaba moved from the covert stage to the overt stage and from the stage of contacting only those he would sense their readiness to addressing all people. This indicated that revealing the bloc occurs in the Period of Interaction and not in the Period of Culturing.

4 Revealing the structure is obligatory and it is part of the method; the style of revealing it is subject to the requirements of the situation, because it is part of the styles and not part of the method. The method is to reveal the bloc, but not the style of its revealing.

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Omar Ibnul Khattab's (ra) conversion to Islam

14 Jumadah Al-Akhirah 1431h

28 May 2010

www.hizbuttahrir.org

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