Umar Accepts Islam | TOI | The Speaking Tree | 18.9.2011

1-Umar bin-Khattab was an important man in Makkah. He was very rich. He was brave. But he was also stubborn. Umar refused to accept Islam. He troubled the Muslims. He did not let them pray in peace and threatened to beat anybody who opposed him. People were afraid of him.

2-One day, Prophet Muhmmad and his followers gathered in a house to pray. When Umar came to know about the gathering, he rushed towards the house with sword. A man saw him walking in haste and asked, "Where are you going with a sword in your hand?" Umar said: "I am going to kill Muhammad. He is spreading mischief among our people." The man said to Umar: "if you kill the Prophet, his tribe will kill you. Let Him be. It would be better if you are aware of what is happening in your own family." "What is the matter with my family?" roared Umar. The man said, "Your sister and her husband have become Muslims. And you know nothing about it!"

3-Umar was furious. He turned around and ran to his sister's house. He stopped outside the door and listened. He could hear somebody praying aloud. He pushed the door open and went in. Umar's sister immediately hid the paper from which the couple was reading. Seeing this, Umar become so angry that he hit his sister. He also hit his brother-in-law. "Have you two become Muslims?" he asked. Though they were afraid of Umar, their love for Allah was greater. They said, "Yes. We are Muslims. We believe in Allah and his Prophet. Do what you please."

4-When Umar realised that he had hurt his sister, he become ashamed. He said to her: "Give me that paper. Let me see what is written there." He read the verses sand said: "These words are truly beautiful. Lead me to Muhammad. I want to accept Islam too." Umar went to meet the Prophet and said to Him: "O Messenger of Allah, I have come to tell you that I also believe in Allah." Muhammad embraced him. Islam was strengthened by Umar bin al-Khattab becoming a Muslim.

The Night Journey

1-One night, Prophet Muhammad was sleeping near the Kabah. Suddenly he felt that somebody was trying to wake him up. He opened his eyes and looked up. It was the Angle jibril. He had with him a winged horse named Buraq. Muhammad mounted Buraq and the jibril took him to Jerusalem. When they reached Jerusalem, they went to Masjid-al-Aqsa. The Prophet prayed there. From there, they went to heaven. They were many angles walking around. All the angles smiled at the Prophet except one. The angle who did not smiled was called Malik, the keeper of Hell.

2-The Prophet asked Jibril: "can you ask Malik to show me Hell?" jibril ordered to Malik to do so, and when he removed the cover from Hell, flames blazed high into the air! From there, jibril took the Prophet to higher heavens. He met the earlier Prophets. He met Isa, and Yahya. He also met Yusuf, Idris and Musa. At the entrance to the highest heaven, he saw Abraham.

3-jibril took Muhammad to paradise. And there the Prophet drew near to Allah! The Prophet then returned to Makkah. In the morning, he told the Quraysh what had happened. Most of them said: "you are lying. It takes one month to reach Syria and one more month to return Makkah. How could you do it in one night?" They went to Abu Bakr and asked him: "what do you think? Muhammad says that he went to Jerusalem at night. He says he even prayed there".

4- Abu Bakr said, "If Muhammad says so, then it is true." The Prophet was pleased that Abu Bakr believed in Allah and in His messenger, and he gave Abu Bakr the title 'al-Siddiq', meaning the truthful One.