Sunni view of Umar

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Sunni Islam:

Umar

The Rashidun Caliph

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This is a sub-article to Umar

Umar (died 644) was the second Sunni caliph, regarded by Sunnis as the second of the four Rashidun and one of the greatest personalities of the history of Islam. Sunni and Shi'a hold diametrically opposite views of `Umar, the Shi'a viewing that he and Abu Bakr usurped authority that properly belonged to Ali.

Contents

Biography

The following is Umarرضي الله عنه biography from a Sunni perspective.

Family

632 – 634: Abu Bakr's era

634 – 644: Umarرضي الله عنه era

Suyuti, a 15th century Sunni Islamic scholar stats that An-Nawawi said in his Tahdhib:

“ (Umarرضي الله عنه) was the first to adopt the whip. Ibn Sa'd mentions it in the Tabaqat, and he said: It used to be said, after him, 'The whip of 'Umarرضي الله عنه is more terrible than your sword.'

He (an-Nawawi) continued: He was the first to appoint Qadis in the provinces, the first who established the provinces of (the cities of) Kufah, Basrah, and of Mesopotamia, Syria, Cairo (Egypt), and Mosul.[1]

 ”

Legacy

Merits

Sunnis honor him as the following:

Views on the Sunni view

Non-Muslim view

Edward Gibbon, a 18th century non-Muslim Islamic scholar wrote:

“ The Sonnites, who are supported by the general consent and orthodox tradition of the Mussulmans, entertain a more impartial, or at least a more decent, opinion. They respect the memory of Abubekerرضي الله عنه, Omarرضي الله عنه, Othmanرضي الله عنه, and Aliرضي الله عنه, the holy and legitimate successors of the prophet. But they assign the last and most humble place to the husband of Fatima, in the persuasion that the order of succession was determined by the decrees of sanctity.[3] ”

References

  1. ^ History of the Caliphs by Suyuti [1]
  2. ^ a b c d e History of the Caliphs by Suyuti, quoting An-Nawawi[2]
  3. ^ The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire , section Discord of the Turks and Persians.