150 Stories of Umar Ibn Al Khattab

This is a biography of one of the greatest Caliphs of the Islamic epoch.The well known author Moin Qazi describes the vast range of his noble qualitiesIn the seventh century, the envoy of the Roman Emperor set out for Medinah, accompanied by a large entourage, flaunting the pageantry of adornments for which the Roman Empire was famous. On arrival in the metropolis of Islam, he enquired from a passer-by: “Tell me please, where is the palace of the Caliph?” The Arab looked around and was confused by the absence of any sign of royalty. He was amazed and prompted by a curious emotional thought. He hinted to the Arab commoner, “What do you mean by a palace?” retorted the Arab.” I mean the palace of Umar, the Caliph of Islam,” added the envoy. ‘‘Oh! You want to see Umar. He took him inside the palace. To his amazement, the Caliph was lying on the floor shorn of any trappings of royalty, which the envoy felt embarrassed at the humble sight. His report of the observation Impressed the Roman Emperor. Converting to Islam in the 6th year after Prophet Muhammad’s first revelation, Umar spent 18 years in the companionship of the Prophet. He succeeded Caliph Abu Bakr on 23 August 634 and played a significant role in Islam. His reign saw the transformation of the Islamic state from an Arabian principality to a world power, controlling the whole territory of the former Sassanid Persian Empire and more than two-thirds of the Eastern Roman Empire. His legislative abilities, his firm political and administrative control over a rapidly expanding empire and his brilliantly coordinated attacks against the Sassanid Persian Empire that resulted in the conquest of the Persian Empire in less than two years marked his reputation as an astute political and military strategist. Throughout this remarkable expansion,. A strong ruler, stern toward offenders, and ascetic to the point of harshness, he enjoyed enormous respect for his commitment to justice and authority.