One who, during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (s) and in
his presence, had been so blatant to scold and harass the wives of the Prophet
and had been so adamant that they should remain in veil, till the angel of
revelation descended and brought divine revelation opposed to the view of Umar;
now, after the passing away of Prophet, what attitude he would have against one
who opposed his rule or the rule of Abu Bakr?
Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari has mentioned three times in his
book, on the authority of Ayesha, the story of the coming out of Sauda and that
also in the darkness of the night and the angry attitude of Umar towards her
and the revelation of the verse:
Sauda (the wife of the Prophet) went out to answer the call of
nature after it was made obligatory (for all Muslims ladies) to observe the veil.
She was a fat huge lady, and everybody who knew her before could recognize her.
So Umar bin Khattab saw her and said, “O Sauda! By Allah, you cannot hide
yourself from us, so think of a way by which you should not be recognized on
going out.” Sauda returned while Allah’s Apostle was in my house taking his
supper and a bone covered with meat was in his hand. She entered and said, “O
Allah’s Apostle! I went out to answer the call of nature and Umar said to me
so-and-so.” Then Allah inspired him (the Prophet) and when the state of
inspiration was over and the bone was still in his hand as he had not put in
down, he said (to Sauda), “You (women) have been allowed to go out for your
needs.”[1]
Who permitted Umar to raise objections against the ‘mothers of
believers’ and behave in such an insulting manner? Except that they were also
helpless like other human beings and compelled to leave the house to fulfill
some needs and according to the text of tradition it was done on the permission
of the Prophet of Islam (s).
It is remarkable that some Ahle Sunnat scholars have narrated
this harassment of mother of believers, Sauda at the hands of Umar as one of
his excellence.
Alusi, the famous Wahabi commentator of Quran, has written about
this:
Shia condemn Umar with regard to that which occurred between him
and mother of believers, Sauda; and they consider it to be a defect of Umar and
they regard this to be disrespect to the family of the Prophet, insult of his wives
and harassment to them: whereas Ahle Sunnat have replied: Supposing the report
is true, Umar considered that act good and a cause of blessing.[2]
Umar bin Khattab, during the period of his Caliphate also,
displayed so much enmity to ladies that if he summoned a Muslim lady, she used
to be so terrified that she even suffered miscarriage.
Abdur Razzaq Sanani, teacher of Bukhari, has written in his book
of Musannaf:
Umar summoned a lady, who was reported to be visited (by men).
When that lady heard this, she denied it and wailed: Woe be on me, what do I
have to do with Umar? On the way, she experienced labor pains and entered a
house and delivered the fetus there. Two cries were heard from the child and
then it died.[3]
So clear was this matter in the view of Ahle Sunnat scholars that
they have confirmed this in their reliable jurisprudence books. Mohiuddin
Nawawi has, in his book of jurisprudence, Al-Majmua, written:
Part: If a woman speaks ill in the presence of the ruler and she
makes allegations against him, the ruler may send someone to her to summon her
and if that woman suffers a miscarriage due the fear of the ruler; it is
obligatory on the ruler to pay the blood money of the aborted child; because it
is reported that Umar was informed: there is a woman whom men visit. Umar sent
someone to summon that woman. When she heard this, she said: What do I have to
do with Umar? On the way, she experienced labor pains due to fear and delivered
her fetus. Two cries were heard from the child and then it died…[4]
Also, Ibne Qudama Muqaddasi, the famous jurisprudent of Hanbali sect
has written:
If a ruler summons a woman and she has a miscarriage, the ruler
is responsible for it. This command is there, because Umar ordered his men to
summon a woman about whom it was reported that men visited her. When she came
to know about this, she said: O woe, what do I have to do with Umar? On way to
Umar she experienced labor pains due to apprehension and delivered her fetus.
Two cries were heard from the child and then it died…[5]
The same matter is also mentioned in Kitabul Kafi under
the jurisprudence of Ibne Hanbal.[6]
Abdur Razzaq Sanani, teacher of Bukhari, has written in his book
of Musannaf:
Umar passed through ranks of ladies and detected fragrance from
one of them and said: If I come to know, which of the women has used perfume, I
would do this and that to her. You women should perfume yourself for your
husbands and when you come out, you should put on old clothes. The narrator
says: I heard that the woman who had used perfume made water in her clothes due
to fear.[7]
Teacher of Bukhari, Abdur Razzaq Sanani, has written in another
place in his book of Musannaf:
When Khalid bin Walid died (during the period of Umar), women
gathered in the house of Maimoona, wife of the Prophet and started mourning for
him. Umar came out with his usual whip with Ibne Abbas and said to him: O Abu
Abdullah, go to Ummul Momineen Maimuna and order her to put on the veil and
bring to me the ladies who have gathered in her house. Ibne Abbas says: Women
came out of the house and Umar whipped them. As Umar whipped, the covering of
one of them opened. They said to Umar: Her covering has opened up, leave her
alone. Umar remarked: What have you got to do with her? They are absolutely
shameless.[8]
Abdur Razzaq Sanani has written in another place in his book:
One night Umar bin Khattab heard wails and screams. He went after
the sound and entered the house from which the scream had emerged. He dispersed
the women and himself went to the lady who was wailing and began to whip her. During
this, the veil of lady was exposed. They said to Umar: Her veil is exposed. He
replied: Such a woman is having no respect.[9]
Does the Muslim ruler have right to enter the house of people
without permission; whereas the Almighty Allah says:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّى تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَى
أَهْلِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ {27} فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُوا
فِيهَا أَحَدًا فَلَا تَدْخُلُوهَا حَتَّى يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ وَإِن قِيلَ لَكُمُ
ارْجِعُوا فَارْجِعُوا هُوَ أَزْكَى لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ {28}
“O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your
own houses until you have asked permission and saluted their inmates; this is
better for you, that you may be mindful. But if you do not find any one
therein, then do not enter them until permission is given to you; and if it is
said to you: Go back, then go back; this is purer for you; and Allah is
Cognizant of what you do.” (Surah Nur 24:27-28)
Numairi has mentioned in Tarikhul Medina and Tabari has
written in his Tarikh that:
Saeed bin Musayyab narrated that Abu Bakr died and Ayesha began
to weep and wail for him. Umar came to the door of Ayesha and prohibited the ladies
from weeping and wailing, but they paid no attention to him. Umar ordered
Hisham bin Walid to enter the house and bring out the sister of Abu Bakr. When
Ayesha heard this from Umar, she said to Hisham: I, in my house am more eligible
to do what I like. Umar said to Hisham: I permit you to enter the house. Hisham
entered the house and brought out Umme Farwa, sister of Abu Bakr and took her
to Umar. Umar started waving the whip and lashed her a few times. When the
women heard about this they dispersed from there.[10]
Ibne Saad has written in Tabaqatul Kubra and Ibne Athir
has stated in his Tarikh that:
It is narrated from Saeed bin Musayyab: When Abu Bakr died, Ayesha
held a condolence meeting. Umar heard about it and prohibited the ladies from
weeping and wailing, but they paid no attention to him. Umar said to Hisham bin
Walid: Bring the daughter of Abu Qahafa (sister of Abu Bakr) to me. When Umme
Farwa arrived, he gave her lashes. The ladies, who had gathered to mourn the
deceased, on coming to know about this, dispersed from there.[11]
As a result, through a brief survey of the life, personality and
manners of Umar, it can be concluded that with reference to his past, his
behavior and his whole set up, attack on the house of Lady Fatima Zahra (s) is only
one of the tens of instances recorded in pages of history about his beating up
of women, which are proved authentic through solid evidences and supported and
certified in books of Ahle Sunnat.
[1] Al-Jami
as-Sahih al-Mukhtasar (Sahih Bukhari), Vol. 1, Pg. 67, Tr. no. 146,
Muhammad bin Ismail Abu Abdullah Bukhari Jofi (d. 256 A.H.), Kitabul Wudhu,
Chapter of the coming out of women for answering Nature’s call, and Vol. 4, Pg.
1780, Tr. 4479, Kitabut Tafsir, Chapter of “do not enter the houses of
the Prophet unless permission is given to you” and Vol. 4, Pg. 1800,
Tr. 4517 and Kitabun Nikah, Chapter of coming out of women for answering Nature’s
call, Edited: Dr. Mustafa Dibul Bagha, Daar Ibne Kathir, Yamama – Beirut, 3rd
edition, 1407 – 1987.
[2] Ruhul
Maani fee Tafsirul Quranul Azeem wa Saba-al Mathani, Vol. 22, Pg. 72,
Allamah Abul Fazl Shahabuddin, Sayyid Mahmudul Alusi Baghdadi (d. 1270 A.H.),
Dar Ahya Turathul Arabi – Beirut .
[3] Musannaf,
Vol. 9, Pg. 458, Tr. 18010, Chapter of those who are terrified of the ruler,
Abu Bakr Abdur Razzaq bin Hamam Sanani (d. 211 A.H.), Edited: Habibur Rahman
Azami, Maktabal Islami – Beirut, Second edition, 1403 A.H.
[4] Al-Majmua,
Vol. 19, Pg. 12, Abu Zakariya Muhiuddin Nawawi (d. 676 A.H.), Darul Fikr Lit
Taba wan Nashar wat Tauzih, Supplement no. 2.
[5] Al-Mughni
fee Fiqhatul Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Shaibani, Vol. 1, Pg. 338, Abdullah bin
Ahmad bin Qudama Abu Muhammad Muqaddasi (d. 623 A.H.), Darul Fikr – Beirut,
First edition, 1405 A.H.
[6] Al-Kafi
fee Fiqh al-Imamil Mabjal Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 4, Pg. 60, Abdullah bin
Ahmad bin Qudama Abu Muhammad Muqaddasi (d. 623 A.H.), Maktabul Islami –
Beirut.
[7] Musannaf,
Vol. 4, Pg. 374, Tr. 8117, Chapter of those who are terrified of the ruler, Abu
Bakr Abdur Razzaq bin Hamam Sanani (d. 211 A.H.), Edited: Habibur Rahman Azami,
Maktabal Islami – Beirut, Second edition, 1403 A.H.
[8] Musannaf,
Vol. 3, Pg. 557, Tr. 6681, Abu Bakr Abdur Razzaq bin Hamam Sanani (d. 211
A.H.), Edited: Habibur Rahman Azami, Maktabal Islami – Beirut , Second edition, 1403 A.H.
[9] Musannaf,
Vol. 3, Pg. 557, Tr. 6682, Abu Bakr Abdur Razzaq bin Hamam Sanani (d. 211
A.H.), Edited: Habibur Rahman Azami, Maktabal Islami – Beirut , Second edition, 1403 A.H.
[10] Tarikhul
Medina Munawwara, Vol. 1, Pg. 358, Abu Zaid Umar bin Shabatul Numairi Basri
(d. 262 A.H.), Edited: Ali Muhammad Dandal and Yasin Saduddin Bayan, Darul
Kutubal Ilmiya – Beirut – 1417 A.H. – 1996 A.D.
Tarikh Tabari, Vol.
2, Pg. 350, Tabari, Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Jarir (d. 310), Darul Kutubal
Ilmiya – Beirut .
[11] Tabaqatul
Kubra, Vol. 3, Pg. 208, Muhammad bin Saad bin Mani Abu Abdullah Basri Zuhri
(d. 230 A.H.), Dar Sadir – Beirut ;
Al-Kamil fit Tarikh,
Vol. 2, Pg. 267, Izzuddin bin Athir Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Jazari (d. 630
A.H.), Edited: Abdullah Qadi, Darul Kutubal Ilmiya – Beirut, Second edition,
1415 A.H.