History bends to the will of man when it is exercised with faith and steadfastness; Omar – may Allah be pleased with him – was one of these men; History bent its will, leaving a legacy that later generations looked upon as a role model.
Who Is Omar Ibn Al-Khattab?
He was one of the greatest conquerors, a wise administrator, a just ruler, a great builder, and a pious man who loved Allah – the Almighty – with the same strength as the other conquerors of gold and wealth.
Omar – may Allah be pleased with him – formed the historical edifice of Islam, and whatever Islam became or did not become in subsequent centuries is primarily due to the work of this historical figure. In fact, Omar – may Allah be pleased with him – was the architect of Islamic civilization.
The positions of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab
1- The battles of Yarmouk and Qadisiyah:
In the year 15 AH (636 AD), the Byzantine Empire responded to the Muslims. Although Khalid ibn al-Walid, may God be pleased with him, was no longer officially in command, he was highly respected by soldiers because of his experience in war. On his advice, the Muslim forces retreated to the Yarmouk River.
Here took place the battle that will determine the fate of the region for centuries to come. The elite Byzantine forces outnumbered their enemies, but Khalid ibn al-Walid – may God be pleased with him – was no stranger to fighting against the odds. The Byzantines suffered a crushing defeat, as the army was defeated by slaughter and many died by drowning in the river. Not only did the Islamic position in Syria become unchallenged, but they also took control of the Levant soon after. Later that same year, they were at the gates of Jerusalem – the third holiest Muslim city.
In the same year, on the other side of the Syrian desert, the Islamic forces led by Saad bin Abi Waqqas – may God be pleased with him – met the mighty Sassanid Empire under the leadership of their leader Rustam Farrokhzad. The Battle of Qadisiyah proved hopeless for the Arabs at first. But the fateful death of Rustam weakened the morale of his forces, who were then completely defeated. The Rashidun forces had emerged victorious over dizzying odds once again. This victory immediately put all of Iraq and the Sassanid capital Ctesiphon under their control. Omar – may God be pleased with him – ordered the troops not to advance into an unfamiliar area of Iran, for fear of their defeat and reversal of their gains. The importance of these two victories cannot be overstated. The opposing forces’ defenses were crushed and they could no longer launch effective counterattacks at similar levels. After success at Yarmouk, Umar arrived in Syria and the Levant primarily to receive the surrender of Jerusalem (which was under siege) and also to administer the region’s internal affairs.
2- Conquest of Jerusalem:
Jerusalem is a holy city for Muslims and is the first of the two qiblah. It is also the place from which the Messenger of God – may God’s prayers and peace be upon him – was taken prisoner on the night of the Isra and Mi’raj. Jerusalem acquired an unprecedented importance in Islam after that. In the year 16 AH (637 AD), when the Islamic forces led by Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah – may God be pleased with him – were at the gates of the Holy City, the Patriarch of Jerusalem: Sophronius saw that there was no Byzantine force that would come to their aid, so he filed a lawsuit for a peaceful surrender Personally, Omar – may God be pleased with him. The Patriarch of Jerusalem also stipulated that the Rashidi Caliph come in order to receive the keys to the city. This prompted Omar – may God be pleased with him – to leave his capital without any entourage and in a completely informal manner. He arrived in Syria where he offered lenient terms to the newly conquered cities (as Khalid also did). Then he went to Jerusalem, where Sophronius made a guided tour of the city, and then handed it over to him. More than five centuries ago, in 70 AD, the Romans expelled the Jews from the Holy City.
3- Fatah al-Sham and Egypt:
After the consolidation of Omar’s control – may God be pleased with him – over Syria and the Levant, in 19-20 AH (640 AD), Amr ibn al-Aas, one of the military leaders who had been sent to Syria during the reign of Abu Bakr, was convinced to conquer Egypt under the pretext of repelling the Byzantine naval attacks on the country. Sham. Omar, a man of cautious nature, was at first reluctant to risk such a grand undertaking, but in the end bent on Amr’s will. Reinforced by the Caliph’s forces under al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Amr faced the Byzantine army, which was decisively defeated at the Battle of Heliopolis in AH 19 (640 AD), and by AH 20 (641 AD), Egypt was conquered.
4- The Administration:
The positions of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, the military successes in the rule of Omar – may God be pleased with him – go to remain the focal point of most of the histories written about him. However, his administrative skills easily overshadow the achievements made in this field. Among the most important features of Omar’s policy are the following:
He forbade the purchase of land in newly acquired lands.
He separated the troops and housed them away from the local population in the garrison towns.
Pensions, police force, courts and allowances were created in order to make it easier for the people.
A permanent state treasury called the House of Money was created.
Also, a relentless judicial system was established on the basis of the highest standards of justice.
5- Justice:
Omar Ibn Al-Khattab stands as he distributed food to the local population during a famine in the Arabian Peninsula, which in turn saved the lives of countless people. Not only did he provide judges and juries to deal with domestic issues. It also created special courts to hold accountable those responsible for the abuse of power. A police force was introduced to maintain discipline in the cities, rather than hand such a delicate duty to the armies. To finance these institutions and provide for the people, a permanent state treasury was created: the Bait Al Mal.
Because of his just nature, he was given the nickname Farooq, which distinguishes between right and wrong.
