Someone asked Hazrat Ummar bin Abdul Aziz (R.A) how did you become so pious? Did your family teach you? Is it the result of your teacher’s kindness or something else? He (ra) said a small thing has made me a good man. It was asked, what is that? He said once I was very angry with my servant; my anger was so strong that I got up to beat him. My servant saw my anger and said, “Boss do remember the day of judgment”. “My anger was on peak but he said this sentence in such a way that it stopped my feet and my hands and my tongue. My heart beat was near to stop, I felt the fear of Allah strongly and it changed me. Since then, Day of Judgment remains in my mind and that sentence echoes in my ears”.
He was polite to servants, instead he started serving them. During hot days there was suffocation, his maid was waving hand fan for him, he was busy in office work, after some time he felt hot and saw that the maid had dozed; he started his work again but it was so hot that he could not work; he took the fan and started waving it. Then he thought that the maid must be feeling hot and he started waving fan for her. After some time when she woke up, she saw that Ameer-ul-momeneen was waving for her, she senselessly got up and sat. She started to apologize but he (R.A.) said that “it does not matter; you are also a human like me you must also be feeling hot.
Humbleness in kingship: Hazrat Ummar Bin Abdul Aziz (R.A) was the grandson of Hazrat Ummar Frooq (R.A). He was also like his grandfather, he mostly remained in the mosque or sat amongst common people. Strangers were not able to recognize him that he is Ameer-ul-Momneen, he remained in ragged shoes, old dress having patches. He met everybody equally; never differed between boss and servant. He refused to be greeted respectfully, by bowing head down and shaking hand. He did not sat on hoist place, he never bore the distinction. History tells that He is ranked in some respected rulers like Hazrat Ummar (R.A). So, we learn that high rank and splendor is not in costly dresses but it’s in the character and values of man.
Love with knowledge and educated people: Hazrat Ummar bin Abdul Aziz (R.A) gave a lot of value to scholars, he made them free from earning. He wrote to Qazi Abu Bakr Bin Hazm, people should spread knowledge to everyone. He wrote to a governor that bound scolars to sit in mosque and give lectures, hadiths are being ignored. He wrote to the incharge of Hamas to find out the people who have devoted their lives to education, and fix for them Hundred dinaars to their peace and regularity in spreading education. Give money to students as well to make them learn devotedly. Asim Bin Ummro Bin Qatada r.a was great scholar of history and PBUH’s character. He made him start his lectures in the Jamia Mosque, Damascus. Hazrat Nafeh r.a was a great scholar of Fiq of Madina Shareef, he got education from Hazrat Abdullah Bin Ummar r.a. He was sent to Egypt with respect. Yazeed Bin Abi Malik and Haris Ashari was appointed for the education of badwis. Qari Bin Aman was sent to teach Holy Quran. Muftis and scholars were appointed in each and every corner of state. Even Saleet Bin Abdullah Hanfi r.a was sent to China. Rules and regulations was in consideration and the knowledge of the world of education was very vast.
Taqwa’h and Daughter’s situation: In a short time of two and a half years, Hazrat Ummar bin Abdul Aziz (r.a) did a lot of work. The duration between his time and Khulfiye Rashdeen‘s time was about 58 years. Within this time whole way of Government had changed, personal benefit and family love ignored the common benefit. Bait-ul-mall was became personal bank. Many things of splendor had entered in the lives of the rulers of Banu Umayyah. Three hundred guards use to stand in the mehal (kings’ house), and royal stable was watchable. Ummar Bin Abdul Aziz r.a was brought up in the same atmosphere but when he was appointed caliph his whol changed. Before being caliph he use to wear costly dresses of 400 dirhams, and he use to change many dresses in a day. But now the situation was that Ameer ul Momneen had only one dress and he used it after washing again and again. His family was also in the same situation now. He loved his daughter very much, she asked for a dress, because she had not even a single perfect dress, all were old and torn, and her father was the ruler of such a state where sun did not set. The adored daughter requested her father to get her a dress. He said, “Tear the sheet from the floor and stitch one shirt”.
Unbelievable caliph of history: Rulers fill their own houses, they give all things to their relatives and family members. Every discount is given to friends and to those who obey them. Becoming of Hazrat Ummar bin Abdul Aziz (r.a) as caliph turn this system upside down for banu Umayyah. Seven persons of this family have ruled to the reign of Sulman Bin Abdul Malik. No one changed the way to rule. Royal families were busy in happiness but now it was all changed. There was no hope of property and splendor but if something left that was considered enough. Hazrat Ummar bin Abdul Aziz (r.a) was questioning about each and every thing from his family. How they got this property? Who is the owner of that Mehal? How did you have a lot of money? He got all black money back in the Bait-ul-Mall and he returned the whole property to their real owners.
On eid day when he came back home after the Eid prayers, his daughters came to wish him Eid. Strangely, they had covered their faces with their scarves. Ameer-ul-Mominin asked what happened, they said, there was nothing except onion left to eat. We ate it and now its smell is coming from our mouth, we don’t want to tease you by that smell. Tears came in the eyes of Hazrat Ummar Bin Abdul Aziz (R.a) he said dear, I cannot destroy the everlasting life for this life of few days and I don’t want to feed you with haram.
