Caliph Umar Bin Abdul Aziz
Changing the face of both the state and country in a short three years, re-establishing the understanding of administration, and reforming and systemizing it with the Sunnah, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) was called the “fifth Rashidun Caliph” by the great scholar Sufyan al-Thawri (quddisa sirruhu) and imam al-Shafi’i (rahmatullahi alayh).
The number of Rashidun Caliphs is four. Yet, the eighth Umayyad Caliph, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh), is known as the “Fifth Rashidun Caliph” in Islamic history. Moreover, he is called “Umar the Second” because he revived the concept of justice, which had been severely neglected in the state administration, and because he was the namesake of Umar bin Khattab (radiyallahu anh). Let us familiarize ourselves with this exemplary person in Islamic history.
Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) was born in 680 CE (61 A.H) in Medinah, the city of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He was the son of Abdul Aziz bin Marwan, the governor of Egypt during the Umayyads, while his mother, Umm Asim, was the granddaughter of Caliph Umar bin Khattab (radiyallahu anh).
A Child Among the Sahabah and the Scholars
Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) spent his childhood in Medinah with his uncles. He memorized the Holy Qur’an at an early age, and his father entrusted him to Imam Salih bin Qaysan, a celebrated scholar in Medinah. When Salih bin Qaysan came to Haramayn for pilgrimage, he told Umar’s father, who visited him, about his son as follows:
“I have never seen anyone who has the love of Allah in his heart as much as this child.”
He met with celebrated companions such as Anas bin Malik (rahmatullahi alayh) and his uncle Abdullah bin Umar (radiyallahu anh) during his childhood in Medinah. Then, he went to Egypt to stay with his father. He spent his early youth there studying Islamic knowledge.
Anas bin Malik (radiyallahu anh) said about Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh), “I haven’t seen anyone who resembles the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) more than him in being an imam.”
“The scholars were like students compared to Umar bin Abdul Aziz,” said Maymun bin Mihran (rahmatullahi alayh), a fıqh scholar, about Umar bin Abdul Aziz’s (rahmatullahi alayh) competence in scholarly knowledge. As if confirming his words, Mujahid (rahmatullahi alayh), who was his teacher, said, “We came to teach Umar bin Abdul Aziz knowledge. However, we ended up learning from him.”
Cited as one of the leading scholars among the tabi’un generation, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) was steeped in the knowledge of hadith, fiqh, and kalam. He was accepted as a reliable reporter of hadiths. Ibn Bagandi (rahmatullahi alayh) collected the hadiths reported by him in his book titled Musnad.
Abdul Qahir al Baghdadi (rahmatullahi alayh) reported that Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) had been the leading theologian during the tabi’un period and that he wrote a booklet against the views of the Mutazilah (the dissenters), which was one of the bid’ah (innovated) sects.
Collecting authentic hadiths, compiling them into a book, and spreading them throughout most of the Islamic state were the most important scholarly activities performed by Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) through the authority of the state during his caliphate.
An Extraordinary Governor of Medinah
Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) was summoned to Damascus by the Caliph Abdul Malik upon his father’s death in 705 CE He married the caliph’s daughter Fatima and was appointed as governor of Hijaz. When he arrived in Medinah, the headquarters of the governorship, his first act was to establish a consultative council with ten scholars well-versed in the science of fiqh. These activities enabled Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) to make the right decisions during his governorship.
When appointed as governor of the city of the Holy Prophet, where his childhood years had passed, he addressed the council of scholars as follows:
“O my brothers! I have been appointed as a servant of Haramayn, not as a governor. You also know that my main duty is to stay on the path of justice. If you do not inform me about the oppressors, the ones causing the oppression, the defrauders, and the ones deviating from the right path, then you will be held responsible. I have appointed you as a consultant and helper. Your opinions will be conferred on every issue. I ask your help to check whether the officers serve the public or not.”
Ruling the people with justice and compassion during his duty as the governor of Hijaz for about seven years, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) enlarged the Prophet’s Masjid and had the other masjids, where the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed, repaired. He became famous all over Hijaz for his mercy and compassion for the people and his justice and bravery that prevented all kinds of oppression during his administration. Moreover, he criticized the practices of many governors, notably al-Hajjaj, the governor of Iraq. He was removed from the governorship in 712 CE because of his stance against the false practices of other governors.
Taking the Position of Caliph
Going to Damascus after being removed from the governorship, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) continued his criticism of the cruel administrators and officers. Caliph Sulayman, the successor of Al-Walid, took Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) among his consultants and nominated him as his heir apparent to prevent his brother and sons from causing a domestic disturbance during his fatal illness. Upon the death of Caliph Sulayman in 717 CE, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) was declared the holder of the Caliphate. Although he stated that this position was given to him beyond the scope of his knowledge and that he did not want to take up the caliphate, he started his duty on the 22nd of September 717 CE as the Umayyad Caliph through the insistence of those joining the allegiance ceremony.
The new caliph, who would be in that position for only three years, would uproot the faulty practices of the Umayyad administrators, re-build the people’s trust in the administration and create an environment that reminded the believers of the Age of Bliss through the decisions he would make.
Now, a caliph, who wore the characteristics of his great-grandfather Umar al-Faruq the second caliph of Islam, was on the throne of the Umayyad. The first signs of the beginning of the new era came shortly after. Among the state officials, those who were baffled, those who were filled with admiration and those who were bristling with grudge were in a chaotic uproar.
His first act was to abolish the things adopted by the previous rulers as signs of the sultanate. He donated the luxury items in the palace to the state treasury and freed the slaves and handmaidens. He had his aides make a list of the properties that some governors and Umayyad family members took from government property using the influence of the caliphate. He brought all of them to justice by having them answer for usurping government property.
Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) continued his duty ignoring the threats made against him due to such acts. The members of the dynasty and the officials who oppressed the people and were involved in the corruption of the state were relieved of their positions of power and authority. They were replaced by honest and pious Muslims regardless of their tribes.
The first speech of Caliph Umar (rahmatullahi alayh) to his public was as follows:
“O people!
Know that there is no (Divine) Book after the Qur’an, and there is no prophet after Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). I am not a judge who makes laws; however, I’m the one who carries out the laws that are in place. I will not add anything to or remove anything from the predetermined decrees by myself; however, I will be a follower of the path set before me. The one who is afraid of and escapes from a cruel ruler is not cruel. Be careful! A ruthless ruler is someone who is effectively in rebellion. Be careful! Where there is rebellion against the Almighty and Majestic Creator, there can be no obedience to the created who is guilty of the rebellion.
O people!
Those who wish to endeavor with us will do so if they do five things: Convey to us the needs of those whose needs have not reached us… Be our aid in what is right and just... Serve as guides who lead people to good… Not backbite or malign anyone… Not waste their time with idle things… Whoever is unable to fulfill these conditions should not ask to be assigned a duty by us!”
When some relatives of his asked for duty from him, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) replied to them as follows:
“If you want, I’ll make you soldiers and send you to the conquests as commanders.”
His relatives said:
“Why are you offering us jobs that we cannot do? We’re your relatives, so you should share the positions with us!”
He replied as follows:
“Yes, you’re my relatives. However, there is no difference between you and any other believers regarding administration.”
A Caliph Who Seeks Advice
During the first days of his caliphate, seeing him thoughtful and cheerless, a servant asked him:
“Sir, what is bothering you? Why are you so sad?”
Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) replied as follows:
“I have been assigned the duty of protecting the rights of all believers from the East to the West and upholding their laws. Is there anything more significant than this among the reasons one may worry?”
One day, the great fiqh scholars of the time, Salim bin Abdullah, Raja bin Haywa, and Muhammad bin Ka’b appeared before Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh). He said:
“People regard being in the caliphate office as a blessing. Yet, I see it as a burden and a responsibility that is hard to bear. Give me advice. I will listen to your precautions and remedies.”
One of them said:
“O caliph! If you want to be relieved of this responsibility on the Day of Judgment, see the old Muslims as your father, the young as your siblings, and the kids as your children! Then, you can behave towards all Muslims as if they are your family members.”
Another stated:
“O Umar, ask for your people what you ask for yourself! Protect your people from what you do not like having done to you!”
The other advised:
“During your office, maintain such a fast against the blessings of the world that death will be your iftar!”
Yazid al-Raqqashi (quddisa sirruhu), one of the ascetics of the time, appeared before Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh). When the caliph said, “Give me advice!”, Raqqashi (rahmatullahi alayh) replied:
“O Amir al-Mu’minin! You will also die as the previous caliphs died.”
Hearing this, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) began to weep and said, “Go on, please.” Yazid al-Raqqashi (quddisa sirruhu) responded:
“None of your fathers, from Adam (alayhissalam) until the generation that preceded yours, is alive. They have all passed away.”
While the Caliph’s tears were running down his beard, he again said, “Go on, please.” Raqqashi (quddisa sirruhu) continued:
“O Caliph! There is no place other than Heaven and Hell after death.”
Hearing this, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) could not take it anymore and fainted.
Changing the face of both the state and country in a short period of 3 years, re-establishing the understanding of administration, and reforming and systemizing it with the Sunnah, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) was called the “fifth Rashidun Caliph” by the great scholar Sufyan al-Thawri (quddisa sirruhu) and Imam al-Shafi’i (rahmatullahi alayh).
His Death, His Reunion
He was known as “Umar the Second” because of his resemblance to Umar bin Khattab (radiyallahu anh), who was famous for his justice in the history of Islam. Umar the Second passed away on the 10th of February, 720 CE, at the age of 40. The following incident was reported regarding his death:
The Great Caliph, a beacon of justice, suddenly began to weep on his deathbed. Those around him asked:
“What is the reason for your tears? Are you in a lot of pain?”
He replied:
“No. Worrying about what will happen to me in the hereafter makes me cry.”
One of them said:
“You have revived and performed the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah during your administration with the help of Allah. The star of your justice has been so high.”
In response, Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) said:
“I will appear before Allah with the accounts of my subjects on my head. I am not sure whether I treated everybody fairly. I also have my faults. These all terrify me.”
Then, he continued as follows:
“O Allah, I am such a person that you have bestowed me the sultanate, and you have prohibited me from doing wrong things. Yet, I have rebelled against you with my faults.”
He repeated these words three times. Then, he said, “La ilaha illallah! Only Allah is worthy of worship.” He lifted his head, and it seemed he was observing something carefully. In this state, he said quietly:
“I see something which is neither human nor jinn.”
After a short while, he passed away.
May Allah have mercy upon him and increase his rank.
***
The Last Speech to the People
In his last Friday khutbah, Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz (rahmatullahi alayh) addressed the people as follows:
“O gathering of believers!
Know that safety and assurance against fears on the day of the great gathering is for those who fear Allah today and avoid sins and blasphemy, hold the everlasting world of akhirah in higher regard than this fleeting life, and are not prisoners to their desires. Anyone who embraces a way of life in contrast to this is a victim of self-deception.
Those who live out their lives with injustice and corruption will remain empty-handed and full of regret. Today, you take the place of those before you. And you will be replaced by those coming next. You see that those who come are going, and those who go are not coming back. The place you will inevitably go is before Allah, who is the owner of the property.
Every day, you see those who go to the abode of the hereafter, and you bid them farewell. You leave them alone and isolated under the black earth without beds and pillows in their graves. How exemplary and deserving of mercy are those mortals who have tasted the pain of death! They have traveled to a world they do not know, separating from their loved ones. They have awoken from the sleep of heedlessness, of a life that comes and goes, yet it is too late, and the opportunity for compensation has been lost. While they were fed in kindness and blessings, their beds and pillows have become the dry earth. They cannot make use of the goods they have abandoned. Now, they are waiting for the help of any good deeds, even if they make up as little as a hill of beans. Can’t you draw lessons from these situations that are worth thinking about?
O people!
Do not think I am giving you such advice because I see myself as superior. Maybe, there is none among you who needs Allah’s mercy and forgiveness more than me. I ask for mercy and forgiveness from Allah, both for you and myself. Walk with the guidance of the Book of Allah and the morality of His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Peace is only possible in this way.”
Mümin Munis
