Umar bin Abdul Aziz
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Umar bin Abdul Aziz (680-720) was one of the caliphs of Bani Umayya, ruling between 717 and 720. His cousins killed him with poison. He were once dubbed as the 5th Khalifah Al Rasyidin (rightly guided) because of his character. He became Caliph at the death of Salman bin Malik. At the onset of his reign, he started to introduce the "real" democracy to people, by announcing his intentions of leaving the throne and then to select someone of people choice. But people insisted that he be remain their ruler. In 718 AD he initiated the land reforms, therefore starting with his own family, he gave up all the lands he held and asked bani Umayya to do the same thing. They reluctantly complied but started to conspire against him. In 719 only after 3 years in power at the age of 40, he was poisned by his extended family. It is said that he was the only light of hope in 90 years of bani Umayya's history. During the time of Walid, he also served as governor of Medina. He disliked Hijaj bin Youssaf and other Umyya's governors for their crulety and unislamic character.
