Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhu)

ABDULLAH BIN UMAR(radhiyallahu anhu)

The Muslims had been in Madinah only a year when the kuffar of Makkah led a big army against them. The enemy plan was to wipe out Islam before it could strike roots. Islam was, therefore, facing the gravest challenge of its brief history. On the outcome of the coming encounter hung the fate of the new faith.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was fully alive to the grim implications. He set about meeting the challenge. He had no more than three hundred and thirteen fighting men. He led them to Badr putting his trust in Allah. As this small force was about to leave, a number of youngsters also joined it. In the inspection of his troops before the march, these lads were told to stay behind. One of these lads was Abdullah, son of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu). He was only ten but wanted very much to fight for the cause of Allah. It was with a heavy heart that he obeyed the order to stay back in Medina.
EARLY TRAINING
The call for Islam has been ringing in the ears of the Meccan kuffar for three years when Abdullah was born. However, his father thus far kept his ears shut against the truth. He was one of the bitterest enemies of Islam. But before long Umar was a changed man. He happened to hear a few verses of the Quran and the miracle took place. The natural pull of Islam had its full effect on Umar’s keen, sensitive mind. So far he had opposed Islam in good faith. Now he saw his mistake, he used all the weight of his strong personality to make amends for the mistake.
Young Abdullah got his early training in a home that was saturated with the true spirit of Islam. He entered the fold of Islam when only a small child. He grew under the care of a father who was noted for strict observance of the commandments of Allah. This made a special mark on the character of Abdullah. He became a devoted to the master and as unbending in the declaration of truth as his great father. These characteristics mark Abdullah out as one of the noblest sons of Islam.
ABDULLAH THE GOOD
Abdullah was still a child when he had to flee to Medina. Tender age kept him from taking part in the battles of Badr and Uhad. But by the time battle of the trench was fought, Abdullah was a young man of fifteen. He gave an excellent account of himself in the critical days of the siege. From then on, he fought for the cause of Islam in every battle that occurred during the lifetime of the master.
Abdullah was only a lad when he saw a dream that had far reaching effects. He was sitting in the mosque, after offering the prayer. Suddenly his eye lids closed. He saw two angels came down the sky. They carried him away to a beautiful place.
Abdullah narrated the dream to his sister, Hazrat Hafsa (radhiyallahu anhaa), one of the wives of the Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). She told the Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) about it. He said, "Abdullah is a good man . At night he should spend as much of his time in prayer as he is capable of."
Abdullah eagerly accepted the suggestion. He started a life long night vigil. He hardly slept at night, spending most of the time in earnest prayer. All night long he wept and sobbed for the forgiveness of Allah. Such was his devotion to his Master that he spend the greater part of the day in his company. By such extreme piety he justified the title of ‘good’ conferred on him by Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
Abdullah struck to this pattern of life to the last breath. After Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had passed away, he started weeping whenever someone talked about the Messenger of Allah. The same thing happened when he passed the historic sites where his beloved Master had fought the forces of evil. Tears streamed from his eyes when he recited the Holy Quran. In short Abdullah was an embodiment of the fear of Allah. People knew him as Abdullah, the good.
TORCH BEARER OF KNOWLEDGE
Deep piety and closeness to Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) gave Abdullah an insight in to the true sprit of Islam which few could equal. He could tell from personal knowledge the opinion of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) on most problems of life and the true significance of the various verses of the Holy Quran. People started turning to him for guidance over since he came to Medina. The companions came to look upon him as a leader of faith. As time passed, Abdullah’s importance as a teacher grew. He lived for sixty years after the death of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). From all over the world of Islam, people thronged to him for guidance. He was the most careful and dependable scholar of Hadith. He thoroughly knew each and every detail of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)’s life. He had preserved in his wonderful memory the exact words of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
Even the smallest details in life, Abdullah followed the example of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). When he went to the mosque for prayer he exactly copied the movements of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and sat where he had sat.
When he went to Makka for pilgrimage, he led his camel along the paths trodden by his Master’s camel. In Makka, he stayed where Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had stayed. The same was true of dress, food and manners. Abdullah did all that was humanly possible to reproduce the picture of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) which was constantly before his eyes. This made him the spiritual giant in the early umayyad period.
OTHER WORLDLINESS
Like his illustrious father, Abdullah cared little for the prizes and comforts of this world. His knowledge and piety earned him top position in the faith during the lifetime of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). But he never used this position to seek worldy gain.
When Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) lay mortally wounded, some of the companions came to him and said: "Commander of the faithful! It is appropriate that you nominate your successor."
To this Hazrat Umar replied: "Whom should I nominate? If Abu Ubaida bin Jarrah (radhiyallahu anhu) had been alive, I should have nominated him." At this one of the companions spoke out: "Let me guide you. Nominate Abdullah, the good." The suggestion was an apt one. In knowledge and piety, Abdullah was easily the most outstanding figure. But the dying Caliph’s answer was:
Woe to you! By Allah I don’t want this. I have no wish to burden any of my relatives with Caliphate. It won’t be a good thing for them. It is enough for my Kingsmen that one of them should be called to account for the affairs of Islam, on the day of Judgement."
When the Caliph’s end came near, the companions again took up the matter, pressing him to nominate someone. Omar’s reply was: "You must follow the men with whom Rasoolullaa (sallallahu allaiyhi wasallam) was well pleased and whom he definitely gave the good news of heaven. These men are: Ali, Othman, Saad bin Waqqas, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Zubair and Talha. Let these men choose a Caliph from among them. My son Abdullah may take part in there deliberations, but he should not be considered for Caliphate."