Stories of the Caliphs " The Caliph's clothes"

Understanding Islam. This is a beautiful story with a great lesson MashAllah Stories of the Caliphs " The Caliph's clothes" By Khurram Murad and M. Salim Kayani Umar, who was the second Caliph, received the same salary as Abu Bakr. He used to dress simply and eat frugally. He used to wear old clothes, which had patches and were threadbare. His shoes often had holes in them. He often had nothing to eat but barley bread and olive oil. And yet, under him, the slamic government extended as far and as wide as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and even North Africa. The Roman and Iranian empires crumbled and their riches and treasures flowed into Madina. Umar was a wise, just and popular Caliph. He had many friends who loved him because he was such a good man. But even so, his friends could not understand why he dressed so badly and ate so poorly. 'It is not right,' they used to say. 'Don't you see how he dresses and how he lives. We Muslims have entered Iran and Iraq. We now rule over fertile lands. We have wealth and riches. There is no need for our Caliph to go around in old clothes and have almost nothing to eat. Kings and princes and ambassadors deputations come here from many lands and mighty empires and they wear tunics of the finest silk. Why cannot our Caliph be like them? Umar has just got to say the word and our tailors will make him the finest clothes in the world. And our cooks will cook the finest foods which will be brought to him in the morning and in the evening?' One day an ambassador of the Roman Empire came to Madina. He wanted to obtain an audience with Umar. He was used to palaces and kings. So he asked people in the streets 'Where does your king live?' 'We have no king' said the Muslims to whom he had put the question. But you have someone who is the head of your government?' asked the bewildered ambassador. 'Yes, we have appointed one from amongst us who looks after the affairs of state. If you go straight up this road you might find him somewhere.' The Roman ambassador went up the road to which he was directed. Finally he found Umar resting under the shade of a tree wearing two garments, one of which had twelve patches. Finally, people could not take it any longer. Knowing that Umar was facing extreme hardship, they assembled and began discussing the matter. 'I think we should propose to Umar that his salary be increased so that he may dress more appropriately, thereby making a better impression on visiting ambassadors and deputations. Also he would be able to buy and prepare good food for himself as well as for others who come to visit him,' said Zubair, one of the close followers of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him. 'I fully agree with you. I was also thinking along the same lines,' said Ali. Believing that Ali would be the most suitable man to talk to Umar about this matter they asked Ali to place the matter before him. But Ali said, 'I certainly do not dare go to Umar and talk to him about this.' So 'Uthman came forward with a suggestion. 'We all know how Umar is. He will hardly like the idea of taking more from the treasury. Let us first somehow find out how he will take the proposal. Let us go to Hafsa his daughter and seek her help.' All those present agreed with Uthman's suggestion, and so they went to find Hafsa. Now, Hafsa had also been one of the wives of the Blessed Prophet. For this reason, they felt that Hafsa could persuade her father to give up wearing old clothes, or at least she could find out how he would react to their proposal. Hafsa listened to them and said, 'I agree with you. But even l do not find the courage to go to him and talk about this matter. I want to help you but let us seek the help of 'Aisha.' 'Aisha was the daughter of Abu Bakr and had also been one of the wives of the Blessed Prophet. Umar greatly respected her. They found her in agreement with their proposal as she also realised the hardships which Umar was facing. 'I shall go to Umar and have a word with him and find out how he feels about this proposal' said 'Aisha. 'I don't think he will ever agree,' added Hafsa, but at least we shall know.' 'Don't tell him who we are,' they requested as they left. The next day 'Aisha and Hafsa went to Umar. Hafsa, seeing her father sitting there in clothes which were old and patched, shook her head and sighed. Aisha said to Umar, 'O chief of Muslims, do I have permission to talk to you about a certain matter?' 'Yes, with great pleasure, O mother of Muslims.' said Umar. Aisha chose her words carefully. 'Allah has blessed you with the conquest of the treasures and cities of Heraclius, the emperor of Byzantium, and Chosroes the emperor of Persia. Ambassadors from important foreign powers and deputations from within Arabia come to visit you, and stay with you. And you are wearing a cloak which has twelve patches. If only you would wear fine, handsome clothing and serve more succulent meals, you would make a better impression on those who visit you.' 'Father,' said Hafsa. 'Please forgive me for interrupting but I have a serious question to ask you.' 'Please ask your question, my child,' replied Umar. 'Dear father, what I want to know is this,' she said. 'Why ever do you wear such old clothes? Why do you go about with clothes which are patched and thread- bare? When people come to the Caliph they expect to see someone dressed like a Caliph. And what is more, you don't seem to notice that you are wearing old clothes!' For a while Umar kept silent. 'Aisha and Hafsa thought that the Caliph must surely be angry. Then tears began to well up in Umar's eyes. He wiped away the tears with his sleeve and then smiled sadly. He knew how much courage it took for 'Aisha and his daughter to speak out to him like this. For a long while he said nothing. Then he looked at them carefully and said to them, 'You were the wives of the Prophet. lf anyone knows how he lived, you do.' Then he turned to 'Aisha, 'Tell us O mother of Muslims, did the Prophet ever eat wheat bread for three days running? Was his stomach ever full? Or did he ever have complete meals both in the morning and in the evening? 'No' said Aisha, 'not till the day he died.' 'And you know, 'Aisha, that the Prophet had a cloak without a lining which he used to put on in the daytime and on which he used to sleep at night?' said Umar. 'Yes,' said Aisha. Umar continued. 'And there was a mat in his house on which the Prophet used to sit in the daytime and when night came he used to sleep on the same mat?' 'Aisha could not contradict him. 'Yes, you are right, Umar.' And then Umar turned to Hafsa. 'Tell me, when the Prophet went to sleep, what did he use for a bed? Didn't you tell me, Hafsa, something like this: "I had a mat in my room. When the Prophet wanted to go to sleep used to spread the mat out on the floor So he would lie down on that mat But the mat was rough and the floor hard. Very often he woke up with the marks from the mat on his back. In fact I felt he did not sleep at all well on the mat" And didn't you, Hafsa, also tell me "One night l folded the mat over double to make it more comfortable for him to sleep on. And that night the Prophet slept so well, in fact, that he did not get up for the pre-dawn Prayer only when Bilal called the Azan did he wake up. As soon as he woke up he asked me, 'O Hafsa, what did you do with the mat last night? When told him, he asked me not to fold the mat over double again. He wanted to sleep on the mat as it was before." 'And don't you know, Hafsa, that all the Prophet's saws errors were forgiven. Still he used to be hungry when evening came and used to stand and bow and prostrate himself before Allah for long hours during the night? You have both been the wife of the Prophet saws You both are the mothers of Muslims,' said Umar to 'Aisha and Hafsa. Have you come to me in order to lead me to the comforts of this world, to give up the rewards of the Hereafter? The only example I would like to follow is the example of my two friends, Muhammad saws and Abu Bakr. I know I wear old clothes and I know my friends all talk about me for doing so. My clothes are uncomfortable and look awful. So is my food which many do not want to share with me. But I also know that the Prophet saws and Abu Bakr lived a very simple life and cared little for their own comfort. So answer me this question. When the Prophet saws lived like this caring so little for his own comfort, how can We his followers want to live in luxury? And can't you see l do this for the love of Prophet saws and Allah? And finally, will you tell me who sent you to me with this proposal?' asked Umar. 'This I cannot tell you,' said Hafsa. But neither Aisha nor Hafsa could say a single word. Nor could any of the Caliph's friends who were told of what Umar has said.....~S~