Abdullah ibn Umar (RA)
Early Life and Participation in Battles:
Before the Battle of Badr, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ observed his army and noticed eight young boys present who were hoping to take part in the battle.
Among them were Zayd ibn Haaritha’s son Usamah and Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s son Abdullah, both only thirteen years old. Because of their young age, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered them all to return home immediately.
From an early age, Abdullah ibn Umar always wanted to be with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in everything that he did. He accepted Islam before he was ten years old and he made the Hijrah with his father and his sister, Hafsa, who later became a wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Before the Battle of Uhud, he was not allowed to participate in the Battle of Badr and it was not until the Battle of the Trench, that Abdullah ibn Umar, Usamah ibn Zayd and the rest of the youngsters were allowed to join the army.
From the time of his Hijrah to his death more than seventy years later, Abdullah ibn Umar distinguished himself in the service of Islam and was regarded among Muslims as ‘the Good One, son of the Good One’ according to Abu Musa al-Ashari.
He was known for his knowledge, his humility, his generosity, his truthfulness and for constantly doing Ibadah.
Devotion and Imitation of the Prophet:
From his father, Umar bin al-Khattab, he gained a lot of knowledge and both father and son had the privilege of learning from the greatest teacher of all, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Abdullah would observe closely every saying and action of the Prophet and he would practice whatever he learnt.
Examples of His Devotion:
For example, if Abdullah ibn Umar saw the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ performing Salah in a particular place, he would later pray in the same place.
If Abdullah ibn Umar saw the Prophet making a supplication while standing, he would also make a Dua while standing. If he saw him making a Dua while sitting, he would do the same.
Aisha bint Abi Bakr noticed the devotion of Abdullah ibn Umar to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and said: There was no one who followed the footsteps of the Prophet in the places where he settled as Abdullah ibn Umar did.
Piety and Caution:
Abdullah ibn Umar was extremely cautious and afraid of reporting the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Because of this, he would only relate a Hadith if he was completely sure that he remembered every word of it.
One of the companions once said: Among the companions of the Prophet, no one was more cautious about adding to or subtracting from the hadith of the Prophet than Abdullah ibn Umar.
Abdullah was also cautious and reluctant to make legal judgments (fatwas).
Once someone came to him asking for a judgement about a matter and Abdullah ibn Umar replied: I have no knowledge of what you ask. Because of this attitude he was reluctant to be a Qadi (a Muslim Judge) even though he was well qualified to be one.
The position of a Qadi was one of the most important roles in the Muslim society. However, Abdullah ibn Umar declined this position when it was offered to him by the Khalifah at the time, Uthman ibn Affan..
Abdullah ibn Umar rejected this position was because of his fear of making mistakes in matters relating to Islam.
Emotional Connection To The Quran:
Abdullah ibn Umar was once described as the ‘Brother of the Night.’
He would stay up at night performing the prayer, crying and seeking Allah’s forgiveness and reading the Quran.
Ubayd ibn Umayr said that one day he read the following verses to Abdullah ibn Umar: ‘How then (will the sinners fare on Judgment Day) when We shall bring forward witnesses from within every community and bring you (O Prophet) as witness against them? Those who were bent on denying the truth and paid no heed to the Apostle will on that Day wish that the earth would swallow them but they shall not (be able to) conceal from Allah anything that has happened.’ (Quran, 4:41-42).
Abdullah ibn Umar cried on listening to these verses until his beard was moist with tears.
One day, he was sitting among some close friends and he read: ‘Woe unto those who give short measure, those who, when they are to receive their due from people, demand that it be given in full but when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give less than what is due. Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead (and called to account) on an awesome Day, the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds?’ (Quran, 83: 1-6).
At this point he kept on repeating : ‘the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds’ over and over again and weeping until he was faint.
Because of his piety and generosity, he was well-regarded by the companions and those who came after them.
Generosity, Ascetism and Simple Living:
Abdullah ibn Umar encouraged feeding and helping the poor. When he would eat, there would be orphans and poor people eating with him.
He criticised his children for treating the rich and ignoring the poor and once addressed them by saying: You invite the rich and forsake the poor!
Abdullah ibn Umar only used his wealth for the basic needs of this Dunya and had no interest in luxury.
One of his friends who came from Khurasan once brought him an elegant piece of clothing and told him: I have brought this thawb for you from Khurasan, he said. It would certainly bring coolness to your eyes. I suggest that you take off these coarse clothes you have and put on this beautiful thawb.
Abdullah ibn Umar replied: Show it to me then.
When Abdullah touched it, he asked if it was made of silk and his friend replied that it was made of cotton.
Abdullah was pleased at first but then he said: No! I am afraid for myself. I fear that it shall make me arrogant and boastful. And Allah does not love the arrogant boaster.
Maymun ibn Mahran once said: I entered the house of Abdullah Ibn Umar. I estimated everything in his house including his bed, his blanket, his carpet and everything else in it. What I found was not a hundred dirhams’ worth.
Hadiths on Abdullah ibn Umar:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once said to his wife Hafsa (sister of Abdullah ibn Umar): What a blessed man is Abdullah. Should he perform Salat at night he would be blessed even more. (Bukhari, Muslim)
From that day, Abdullah ibn Umar did not abandon Qiyam Al-Layl whether he was at home or away on journeys.
Abdullah ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ took his hand and said: You will live long after me. (Bukhari)