The Justice of Hazrat Umar (RA)
A Caliph Who Walked the Streets at Night
By Ikhtisham Hayat
In the vast desert city of Madinah, where the sun scorched the earth by day and the silence deepened by night, there walked a man whose shadow alone commanded respect. He wore no crown. His garments were plain, his sandals worn. Yet, he was the ruler of a vast Islamic empire that stretched from the Arabian Peninsula to the borders of Byzantium. This was Hazrat Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA), the second Caliph of Islam.
Known for his unmatched sense of justice, deep humility, and fearless leadership, Umar (RA) had once been among the fiercest opponents of Islam. But when he embraced the message of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his strength, intelligence, and determination became a pillar for the Muslim Ummah.
One night, as was his habit, Hazrat Umar walked through the streets of Madinah in disguise. He would often patrol the city after dark, not as a ruler, but as a servant of the people. On this night, he heard the faint cries of children coming from a tent on the outskirts of the city. Their wails pierced the silence like daggers.
Curious and concerned, he approached. Inside the tent sat a woman, huddled near a pot over a fire. The cries of her hungry children filled the night. Umar (RA) asked gently, "O servant of Allah, why are these children crying?"
She sighed heavily, unaware she was speaking to the Caliph himself. "They are hungry. There is no food. I am only boiling water and stones to make them believe food is coming. Maybe they will sleep from exhaustion."
Tears welled in Hazrat Umar’s eyes. "Why haven’t you sought help from the Caliph?" he asked.
With bitterness, she replied, "And what does Umar know of our suffering? He enjoys luxury while we starve."
Her words struck him like an arrow. But he did not reveal who he was. Instead, he turned away quickly and walked back to the Bayt-ul-Mal, the public treasury.
There, he loaded a sack with flour, ghee, dates, and meat. He asked his servant to help carry it, but when the servant reached for the sack, Umar (RA) stopped him.
"Will you carry my burden on the Day of Judgment?" he asked. And with that, he hoisted the heavy sack onto his own back and set off into the night.
When they reached the tent, the woman gasped as Umar (still in disguise) began to cook the food himself. He lit the fire and watched as the food boiled, the aroma slowly overtaking the cries of the children. One by one, they stopped weeping and began to eat, joy lighting up their tired faces.
The woman looked at him with gratitude. "By Allah, you are better than Umar himself," she said.
Hazrat Umar smiled gently but said nothing. He sat with them a while, watching the children laugh and play, until they fell asleep with full stomachs and peaceful hearts.
Only later did she discover that the kind man who had cooked for her was the Amir al-Mu’minin — the Commander of the Faithful himself. She was shocked, ashamed, and deeply moved by his humility.
This story, passed down through generations, became a symbol of Hazrat Umar’s justice and leadership. Under his rule, the Islamic empire expanded rapidly, yet he always reminded his governors: "Even if a dog goes hungry on the banks of the Euphrates, I will be answerable to Allah."
His rule was filled with examples of fairness. He would hold his own officials accountable. If any were found guilty of oppression or misuse of power, they were swiftly punished. His courts made no distinction between rich and poor — justice was the same for all.
Once, his own son committed a mistake and was punished in public, showing that Umar (RA) did not place family above the law of Allah.
Hazrat Umar (RA) also introduced many reforms that shaped Islamic governance. He established the Hijri calendar, created a department of police and public administration, built roads, established welfare for the poor, and ensured salaries for soldiers. He was the pioneer of systems that would influence civilizations for centuries.
But for all his achievements, Hazrat Umar remained deeply humble. He was often seen weeping in prayer, fearing accountability in the Hereafter. "If I were told that everyone would enter Paradise except one person," he once said, "I would fear that I am that person."
In 644 CE, during the Fajr prayer, he was fatally stabbed by a Persian slave while leading the prayer in Masjid al-Nabawi. As he lay wounded, his thoughts were not of pain or politics — but of the responsibility he bore.
He asked his son to seek permission from Aisha (RA) to be buried next to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Abu Bakr (RA). She agreed, saying she had reserved the space for herself but would now give it to Umar.
Hazrat Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) was buried beside the Prophet ﷺ — a resting place for a man whose life was marked by strength, service, and sincere submission to Allah.
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Ikhtisham Hayat
Writer of quiet truths and untold stories.
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