Asalaamualaykum…. Below is my essay on why Umar R. A is my Hero
My Hero Umar R. A
” Islam of Umar was a victory, his emigration a source of help and his khilaafat a source of mercy” – Abdullah bin Masood R. A
As a young girl I was always fascinated with history, and loved listening to and reading stories about the sahabah R. A. I was always in awe of how such Jaahil people could become the greatest amongst this ummah. I enjoyed all the history lessons yet one fascinated me more than the others, one that I could not get enough off, one that I always wanted to learn more about and would go back to whenever I felt the need for motivation. That was the life of my HERO, Umar R. A.
A Shepard as a young boy and the general of an army as an older man….. UMAR BIN KHATAAB R. A, a man of great stature, tall, handsome, Courageous and knowledgeable. A man who when he would walk down one path shaitaan would walk down another. A man that when he became a Muslim, Islam was not a hidden religion anymore, when he announced his emigration no one stopped him and when he became Khalifa Islam spread beyond the Arabian peninsula.
Umar bin khataab R. A, my Hero.
With just those few words anyone would immediately realize why he is my Hero, however while Umar R. A had a bold brave side, he also had a side of softness and compassion. He knew when to be firm and when to be gentle. His imaan and ikhlaas was incomparable, his knowledge and wisdom in war, business and the spread of Islam was just a glimpse of his insight and wisdom.
He taught people that Allah alone grants victory and to emphasize this he pulled the position from commander in chief from Khalid Bin Walid R. A, so that the Muslims would understand that victory comes from Allah alone. He taught people respecting other religions by praying outside a synagogue when conquering Jerusalem so that they do not break down the temple of the Jews and make it a place of worship for themselves. He taught people that even as a Khalifa there has to be consultation and that everyone’s opinions mattered, and stated “No khilaafat without Shura” – (Kanzul Umaal)
I then ask you can such a man not be a true Hero? A perfect balance in every aspect, yet humble with his achievements, this however is still not the sole reason that he is my Hero.
The most important aspect for me is due to the background of this illustrious companion, on his way to kill the messenger of Allah, yet he becomes one of the greatest flag bearers of Islam. That in itself makes one understand that no matter how arrogant, proud and ignorant one is, and no matter how much one has sinned, if you just turn to Allah, and leave a life of sin for Him, He will be more than willing to forgive you. The hope that I and many others have due to the life of Umar R. A is why he is truly my hero. When learning about Umar R. A, you fall in love with Islam and with Allah on an entirely new level and whenever you feel your faith quiver, even a little bit, contemplating about his life makes you realize the true beauty of Islam and how merciful, compassionate and forgiving Allah is. For this reason I always said that if Allah blesses me with a son I will name him Umar and can only hope and pray that he will emulate this magnificent man.
Jazakallah
Fathima. J.
