Umar-bin-Al-Khattab his personal name was Umar, Faruq was his title, and Ibn Al-Khattab, his family name. He was born in 581 AD in Mecca, and belonged to a noble family of the Quraish. He was a renowned businessman and used to lead trade delegations to Syria and Iraq. When the Holy Prophet(saw) announced his claim to Prophethood, Hazrat Umar Bin Khattab(ra) became a fierce opponent of Islam. So much so that one day he took up his sword and left his house with intention to kill the Holy Prophet(saw). On his way, someone told him to first deal with his own sister and brother-in-law, who had already accepted Islam. He went straight to them and knocked at their door, he could hear the Holy Quran being recited inside the house. This made him furious and he started beating his brother-in-law, and wounded his sister who tried to protect her husband. His wounded sister said in a resolute voice, Umar! You may beat us as much as you like, but we are not going to give up our faith. This made him calm down and he ask them to recite a portion of the Holy Quran for him. He was so moved by the Quranic verses that his eyes filled with tears. He went straight to the Holy Prophet(saw) and accepted Islam. As he was a strong, fearless and influential man of Mecca, he proved to be a source of strength for Muslims. This miraculous change in Hazrat Umar(ra) was in fact the result of the Holy Prophets prayers.Hazrat Umar Bin Khattab(ra) was the second successor of the Holy Prophet(saw). During his Khilafat, the Muslim had to fight a number of battles against Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. As a result of this, vast areas of these countries came under the Muslim rule. When the city of Jerusalem in Palestine was conquered by Muslim in 17 Hijri, Hazrat Umar(ra) himself visited the city on the request of the Romans, and signed a treaty between the Muslims and the People of Jerusalem.
Establishments
Hazrat Umar(ra) Established a splendid system of administration for the Islamic state. Some of his main achievements in this field are:
1.Establishment of Majlis Shura, a consultative body of advisor to Khalifah.
2.Division of the whole Islamic state into provinces to facilitate administration.
3.Establishment of a finance department and building of schools and mosques in different parts of the state.
4.Introduction of Islamic calendar of Hijrah.
How did he die ?
In 644 AD, Hazrat Umar(ra) was stabbed by a Persian slave, while he was offering his Prayers in Mosque. This proved fatal and he passed away at the age of sixty three on 26th of Dhul Hijjah, 23 AH. He was a truly great Khalifah whose period of Khilafat was undoubtedly a golden period in the history of Islam. He was one of ten blessed ones to whom the Holy Prophet had given the glad tidings that they had been rewarded the Paradise.
