Hazrat Umar (, may Allah be pleased with him) belonged to the Adi family of Quraish tribe. In the 8th generation, his lineage joins with Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He was born in 583 A.C., about forty years before the great Hijrah. The early life of Hazrat Umar is not known in detail. In his youth he was a famous wrestler and orator, and a spirited person. He was one among the few people in Makkah who knew how to read and write. His main occupation was business.
When the Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, recieved the revelation and invited people to Islam, Hazrat Umar initially became the sworn enemy of Islam and Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,, and did not hesitate to harm the Muslims at every opportunity.
It was the sixth year of Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,‘s mission when the leaders of Quraish called a meeting and asked for volunteers for the assassination of Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Hazrat Umar offered himself for this job and everybody in the meeting exclaimed that he was the right person for it.
While he was on his way, with a sword in his hand, he met Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas who enquired of him about where he was going. Hazrat Umar told him that he was going to murder Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. After some discussion Hazrat Sa’d said, “You had better take care of your own family first. Your sister and brother-in-law both have accepted Islam”.
Hearing this, Hazrat Umar changed his direction and went straight to his sister’s house. When Hazrat Umar knocked at the door, they were being taught the Holy Qur’anby Hazrat Khabbab (, may Allah be pleased with him). His sister Fatima was frightened on hearing Hazrat Umar’s voice and tried to hide the portion of the Holy Qur’an she was reciting. When Hazrat Umar entered the house he enquired about their Islam and on finding that they had accepted Islam, he first fell upon his brother-in-law and beat him severely. When his sister intervened he smote her so violently on her face that it bled profusely. On this his sister burst out: “Do whatever you like, we are determined to die as Muslims”.
When Hazrat Umar saw his sister bleeding, he cooled down and felt ashamed. He loved Fatima very much but could not tolerate her conversion to Islam. However, deeply moved, Hazrat Umar asked her to show the pages on which the Holy Qur’an was written. But she was, after all, Hazrat Umar’s sister and told him straight, “You can not touch it unless you take a bath and make yourself clean”.
He then took a bath and read the scripts. It was the beginning of Surah Ta Ha (Chapter 20 of the Holy Qur’an). Finally he came to the verse:
(Holy Quran – 20:14)
On hearing this Hazrat Khabbab (, may Allah be pleased with him), who had hidden himself in the house, came out from inside and said, “O Umar! Glad tidings for you. It seems that the prayer of the Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, which he said last night has been answered in your favour. He prayed to Allah: “O Allah, strengthen Islam with either Umar b. Khattab or Umar b. Hisham, whomsoever Thou pleaseth”.
Hazrat Umar then went to Rasulallah , peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. On seeing him, Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked him, “Umar! what brings you here”? He said, “I am here to accept Islam”.
Hearing this the Muslims shouted with joy, “Allahu Akbar! (Allah is the Greatest)” and the sound echoed though the air of Makkah.
As a matter of fact, Umar’s conversion to Islam was a terrible blow to the morale of the disbelieves. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud, a great Companion, says, “Hazrat Umar’s conversion to Islam was a great triumph, his emigration to Madinah a tremendous reinforcement and his accession to Caliphate a great blessing for the Muslims”.
