OBJECTIVES:
Explain the story of Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s
conversion to Islam and its significance.
Appreciate the transformation of Umar’s
character and his role in strengthening the
Muslim community.
Present a short scenario about Umar’s conversion
story.
"Have you ever heard a story of
someone changing their mind
completely about something or
situation?"
"
“What might lead them to
change their perspective?
The Conversion
of Umar bin al-
Khattab to
Islam
CHARACTERS:
Hamzah ibn ʿAbd al-Muttalib ( The lion of
Allah)
- was a foster brother, paternal uncle, maternal
second-cousin, and companion of the Prophet
Muhammad.
Abd Manaf al-Mughirah ibn Qusai
(Banu Abd-Manaf )
- was a Qurayshi and great-great-grandfather of the
Prophet Muhammad.
Umar bin Al –Khattab (The second caliph)
- was a senior companion and father – in – law of
Prophet Muhammad ( father of Hafsah bint Umar – a
4th wife of Prophet Muhammad)
- At first, Umar opposed Prophet Muhammad and was
enemy of Islam.
- Became the first muslim to openly pray at the Kaaba
Abu Jahl
- was Umar’s uncle on his mother’s side.
Naim bin Abdullah
- a best friend of Umar bin Al – Khattab
- who had secretly converted to Islam but had not told
Umar.
Khabbab bin Al - Arrat
- was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad
- as one of the ten earliest converts to Islam
Said bin Zayd
- was a companion of prophet Muhammad and a
brother-in-law of Umar.
- Husband of Fatima bin Al – Khattab ( a sister of
Umar bin Al - Khattab
Fatima bin Al - Khattab
- She was the youngest daughter of Khattab ibn Nufayl.
- Fatima along with her husband both converted to Islam
together at the same time.
Umar bin al-Khattab
• Man of courage and determination
• Feared and respected in Makkah
• Bitter opponent of Islam
• Secretly he admired the stamina of
Muslims and their persistent dedication to
their faith
• Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made Du’a
for him
The story of Umar bin al-Khattab
Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib, the lion of Allah,
• embraced the new religion and Allah
strengthened Islam with him.
• Another man believed in the new faith, one
whose belief gave strength to Islam and the
Muslims, and made truth clear from falsehood.
Then there is a one person
named Umar ibn Al-Khattab,
who distinguishes truth from
falsehood.
The story of how Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) entered
Islam is unusual.
After Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ( the Messenger of Allah’s
uncle) humiliated Abu Jahl in Mecca, Umar ibn Al- Khattab wanted
to take revenge for Abu Jahl ( Abu Jahl was Umar’s uncle on his
mother’s side).
This is because the Arabs usually resorted to fighting with swords
in such a situation.
Therefore, Umar sharpened his sword and left his house with the
intention of going to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
On the way, he met Na’im ibn Abdullah Al-Adawai Al-Qurayshi, who hid the
fact that he had embraced Islam.
Na’im asks Umar, “Where are you going?...
And he knew from Umar that he was going to kill the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him).
Therefore, Na’im said to him,
“By Allah, you have been overcome with anger to the extent that you
cannot think properly.
Oh Umar! Do you think Banu Abd-Manaf will let you remain on this earth
if you kill Muhammad?!
Why do you not return to your family and arrange their affairs instead?”
Umar asked,
“What is the matter with my family?”
Na’im said,
“Your sister’s husband which is your brother-in-
law the son of your uncle Said bin Zayd, and your
sister Fatima. By Allah, they have embraced Islam
and they follow Muhammad and his religion.
Therefore, you should correct them instead.”
Therefore, Umar turned back to go to his sister.
Khabbab ibn Al-Aratt was at her house, and he
had a parchment on which Surah TaHa was written.
He was reciting it to her.
When they heard Umar coming, Khabab hid in her
house, and Fatima bint Al-Khattab took the
parchment and hid them under her thighs, sitting on
them.
When Umar came near the door, he heard Khabbab
reading Qur’an to Fatima.
Consequently, when he entered he said,
“What is that which I heard you reciting?”
They told him,
“You did not hear anything.”
He said, “No, by Allah, I heard something. I have been
told that you both follow Muhammad and his religion!”
He then hit his sister’s husband named Said bin Zayd
strongly, so his sister named Fatima bint Al- Khattab
confronted Umar to protect her husband.
As a result, Umar hit her and wounded her.
When he did that, his sister and his brother-in-law said,
“Yes, we have entered Islam and we believe in Allah and
His Messenger. So do whatever you want with us.”
When Umar saw the blood falling from his sister, he
regretted what he had done. Consequently, he
calmed down and said to his sister,
“Give me the parchment which you were reciting to
see what Muhammad came with.”
Umar knew how to read. When he said that, his sister
replied,
“We are scared you will ruin them.”
Umar said,
“Do not be scared,”
and he swore by his Gods that he would give them back to
them after reading them.
When he said that, she hoped he would embrace Islam.
Therefore, she said,
“Brother, you are impure because of your idolatry, and
only the pure can touch it (the parchment upon which
the Quran was written).”
Consequently, Umar stood up and had a bath.
Then his sister gave him the parchment on
which Surah TaHa was written.
When he read the beginning of the Surah, he
said,
“How beautiful and honorable these words
are!”
When Khabbab ibn Al-Aratt heard that, he came out of
hiding and went towards him, saying,
“By Allah, Umar, I hope Allah has chosen you in
answering the Messenger of Allah’s supplication;
Yesterday, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) say, ‘Oh Allah,
support Islam with Abu Al-Hakim or Umar ibn Al-
Khattab.’
Umar then asked him to show him where the Messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him) was for him to go to the Messenger of Allah to embrace
Islam.
Khabbab told him where the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
was; he was on Mount Safa with a group of his Companions at the time.
When Umar reached the house where the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) was, and knocked on the door, the Companions realized that it
was Umar, and so became alarmed.
Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) said,
“Let him enter. If he intends good, we will welcome him
but if he intends evil, we will kill him with his sword.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
“Let him in.”
So one of the men let him in the house, and the
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) rose and brought
him into the room.
The Messenger of Allah (peace is upon him) took the edges of his
robe and pulled them strongly around himself. Then the
Messenger of Allah said,
“Why have you come, Oh Ibn Al-Khattab?
By Allah, I see that Allah will send a punishment on you before
you leave.”
Umar said,
“Oh Messenger of Allah, I came to you to declare my belief in
Allah and His Messenger, and in what he brought from Allah.”
The narrator said,
“Therefore the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
exclaimed, “Allah is the greatest!”
And consequently the others in the house realized that
Umar had embraced Islam.
The Messenger of Allah’s Companions left their hiding place;
they felt stronger as Umar entered Islam just after Hamzah,
knowing that they would protect the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) and would help them against their
enemies.
Ibn Is-haq said,
“The people of Medinah reported this hadith about how Umar
entered Islam” [The Prophet’s Biography by Ibn Katheer].
Ibn Masoud said about Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
embracing Islam,
“We remained strong after Umar embraced Islam” [related by Al-
Bukhari].
He also said, “We were not able to pray at the Kaaba until Umar
entered Islam. When Umar entered Islam, he fought Quraysh until
he could pray at the Kaaba, and we prayed with him” [related by
Al-Bukhari].
Essay
1 – 10. What can we learn from how Umar bin Al -
Khattab changed? Why was it important for the
Muslims that Umar became a Muslim?
Criteria
Thought - 5
Organization - 3
Clarity - 2
