UMAR IBN AL KHATTAB’S ACCEPTANCE OF ISLAM
Umar ibn Al-Khattab had a strong personality. His acceptance of Islam was a great help of God for Islam. This help came to Islam through dawah work.
In the 6th year of prophethood, a considerable number of Makkans had entered the fold of Islam. However, the majority of these people belonged to the lower class of the society. That is why people did not attach any importance to Islamic ideas. This door was also opened by dawah work. At that time, there were two highly influential people in Makkah: Umar ibn Al-Khattab and Abu Jahl ibn Hisham.
The Prophet offered this prayer in Makkah: “O Lord, strengthen Islam by means of Umar ibn Al-Khattab or Abu-Jahl ibn Hisham.” (Kashful Khifa, Hadith No. 546)
The situation was so hostile at that time, that the Makkan leader, Abu Jahl, announced that anyone who killed Muhammad would be given a hundred camels as a reward. Umar bin Al-Khattab was a strong personality. So, he set out from his home with the intention of killing the Prophet and earning the reward of a hundred camels.
On his way, he learned that his own sister Fatima bint Khattab and his brother-in-law Said ibn Zaid had become Muslims and concealed the fact from Umar. When Umar learned of this fact, he immediately left for his sister’s home, and he started beating his sister and brother-in-law. His sister said: “O son of Khattab! Do whatever you can do. Now that we’ve turned to Islam, we are not going to turn back.” When Umar saw blood on his sister, he was sorry for what he had done. He turned back and said: “Tell me about the religion which you have adopted.” She gave him the manuscript which contained Chapter Taha (Chapter 20) of the Quran. Umar started reading it and he exclaimed: “How fine and noble is this speech!” Then he said to his brother-in-law, “Lead me to Muhammad so that I may accept Islam.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, p. 345) He was then brought to the house at al-Saffa where the Prophet was seated with some of his Companions. And then Umar ibn Al-Khattab accepted Islam at the hand of the Prophet.
Umar had a strong physique, and he was so tall that when he entered Masjid-e-Nabawi, he hit his head on the door of the mosque. The acceptance of Islam by such a prominent person was a very great help of God for Islam. Again, this great help came to Islam through dawah work. Abdullah bin Masood says that the Islam of Umar was equal to a victory. “We were not able to pray in the Kabah until Umar accepted Islam. When he accepted Islam, he was enough to deal with the Quraysh, he himself prayed in the Kabah and we also prayed with him.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, p. 342)
