A Brief Biography of Sayyiduna Umar Bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ

Dear Islamic brothers! Perhaps, everyday thousands of people come into the world, spend their life and then depart this life. After sometimes they are forgotten, but some people spend their life in such a splendid way that they are remembered by even those who are born centuries after their death and develop love for them, though they have not seen them.

Blessed Birth:

Sayyiduna Umer bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ is one of those great personalities of Islamic history. He was born in either 61 AH or 63 AH in the family of Bannu Umayya in Madinah Munawra.

Blessed Appearance:

Sayyiduna Umer bin Abdul Aziz was white, with a thin face, deep eyes and a beautiful beard. In his childhood, a donkey kicked him in his forehead leaving a mark. That’s why he was called ‘اشج بني امية Ashajoo Banni Ummayya’.

Marriage:

Ameer-ul-Momineen Sayyiduna Umer bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ was a pious person. Perhaps, that’s why his uncle caliph Abdul Mulk had great love and respect for him as compared to other Umvi family. After the demise of his father his uncle married his loving daughter, Fatima to him.

Love for Knowledge:

Sayyiduna Umer bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ received his education in Madinah Munawra. He was not only a great Islamic scholar himself, but he was also a great admirer of knowledge and Islamic scholars. He said, become an Islamic scholar if possible or if it is not possible, become an Islamic student, even if it is not possible, so have love for Islamic scholars. Further, if it is not possible, so at least do not have malice towards them. He further said, “Whoever accepts this advice, will find some way to salvation.

Sayyiduna Umer bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ has said, ‘You cannot acquire knowledge until you prefer it to ignorance and cannot get the right until you give up the wrong. He wrote a letter to Sayyiduna Abdul Rehman bin Naeem: Undoubtedly, knowledge and practice are close to each other; therefore you become a practicing Islamic scholar because the people who possess knowledge, but do not act upon it, their knowledge becomes a trouble for them.

Salah like the Salah of Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ

Sayyiduna Umar Bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ used to act upon the Sunnah of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ and the blessed companions رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُم. When he رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ was the governor of Madina, a glorious and chosen blessed companion Sayyiduna Anas Bin Malikرَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ arrived from Iraq and he offered Salah led by Sayyiduna Umar Bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ. He liked the Salah of Sayyiduna Umar Bin Abdul Aziz too much. After Salah, he commented: I have not seen anyone better than this young man performing Salah like the Salah of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ.

 (Seerat Ibn-e-Jozi, pp.34)

If we see the worship of Sayyiduna Umer bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ, we find him the chief of worshippers, very pious and an abstinent person. When we see his fear of Allah, we feel envy at it; if we read about his yearning for recitation, we start weeping; if we see his vast knowledge, we will find him far ahead of great Islamic scholars; as first revivalist of Islam if we count his reformative achievements he will appear different from everyone; if we observe his form of government, we find him one of the most successful rulers and so much successful that he is considered to be amongst Khulfa-e-Rashideen.

He became governor of Makkah tul Mukarrama, Madinah tul Munawra and Ta’aif. Having served well as a governor for 6 years he resigned and was appointed as a special advisor of caliph. He became caliph almost at the age of 36 [on 10 Saffar al-muzzafar, 99 H] after the demise of Suleman bin Abdul Malik. He performed the duties of Khilafat in such a glorious way that his name has been written in golden words in the history.

Blessed Demise:

Having served as a caliph for almost 30 months Sayyiduna Umer bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ departed this life on Wednesday at the age of 39, on 25thRajab, 101 H. He was buried near Halb in Dair Sima’an which is in Syria. The great leader of Hanbals, Sayyiduna Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ has said: When you see that a person loves Umer bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِand talks about his attributes and propagate them, so it will result in only goodness.