February 2020

Hazrat Umar R.A Acceptance of Islam:
Hazrat Umar (R.A) left his house, sword in hand, with the intent to kill the Holy Prophet (PBUH). As he made his way, he saw Naeem Bin Abdullah who asked Hazrat Umar (R.A) where he was heading off to and what his intentions were. Hazrat Umar (R.A) replied that he was going out to kill the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Naeem Bin Abdullah told Hazrat Umar (R.A) to first enquire about his own household members, as his sister, Fatimah (R.A), and her husband had accepted Islam. Enraged at hearing this, he stormed off in the direction of his sister’s house.
He found them reciting the Holy Quran. Witnessing this Hazrat Umar (R.A), unable to contain himself, began quarrelling with his brother-in-law. As things escalated quickly, his sister tried to stop them and by doing so Hazrat Umar’s (R.A) hand struck her face causing her to bleed. When Hazrat Umar (R.A) saw what he had done, he stopped immediately and told them to leave Islam, upon which they replied in the negative and said to him, “You may kill us but we will never leave.”
Hearing this Hazrat Umar (R.A) calmed down and asked his sister to recite a few verses from the Quran. The verses recited before Hazrat Umar (R.A) were from Surah Taha or Surah Al-Hadid.
Hearing these verses Hazrat Umar (R.A) began to weep and said that surely those were the words of Allah, the One God. After this, Hazrat Umar (R.A) rushed directly to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) with the same sword he had intended to kill him with. However, instead, he accepted Islam.
In Ahadith, we find that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) prayed to Allah saying,
“O ALLAH, STRENGTHEN ISLAM WITH ONE OF TWO MEN WHOM YOU LOVE MORE: AMR IBN HISHAM [ABU JAHL] OR UMAR IBN AL-KHATTAB.” (SUNAN AL-TIRMIDHI)
Thus, it was due to the prayer of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that God’s decree came into effect.
Hazrat Umar (R.A) embracing Islam gave confidence and granted power to the Muslims in Mecca.