Refuting the Defenses Submitted by Umar’s Advocates

Refuting the Defenses Submitted by Umar’s Advocates

A defence is essentially a reply to the claims of the other party, which asserts reasons why the claims should be disallowed. Ibn al Hashimi has set by seeking to create an absolute denial of the our factual allegations. We shall address each of the defences submitted along with those of his brothers from Ansar.Org.

Defence One – Umar was right to prevent the instruction from being implemented because the Prophet (s) allegedly fainted whilst issuing it

Ibn al Hashimi who comments:

The Prophet asked for a pen and paper in order to write down some religious advice for the Muslims. However, immediately after asking for the pen and paper, the Prophet fainted and became unconscious. While the Prophet lay unconscious, a man got up to get the pen and paper, but Umar ibn al-Khattab called him away from doing that. Umar felt that they should not bother the Prophet by asking him to write down religious advice, but rather they should allow the Prophet to regain consciousness, get some rest, and recuperate. Therefore, Umar said to the other Muslims: “The Prophet is seriously ill and you have the Quran; so the Book of Allah is enough for us.”

Umar ibn al-Khattab thought–and rightfully so–that the request for a pen and paper no longer applied now that the Prophet had fainted. Instead of getting the pen and paper, Umar felt that they should allow the Prophet to rest. However, some of the Sahabah felt that they should get the pen and paper anyways, and that they should implore the Prophet to write for them; these people said: “Bring him (the writing material) so that Allah’s Messenger may write a document for you and you would never go astray after him.”

Reply One – There is a fundamental inaccuracy here – NO Sunni tradition in say that the Prophet (s) fainted or lost consciousness!

Ibn al Hashimi admits that Umar sought to prevent the Prophet (s) from writing the document. It is interesting that Ibn al Hashimi is suggesting that Sunni sources would suggest that the Prophet (s) slipped into unconsciousness whilst issuing the instructions, though none of the Sunni traditions (with the original Arabic text) would concur with this. Let us look at the versions of the event recorded by the Sunni Sahihayn, the two most revered Sunni collections of Bukhari and Muslim. We read in Sahih Bukhari under the chapter ‘Holding Fast to the Quran and Sunnah’ Volume 9, Book 92, Number 468:

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:

When the time of the death of the Prophet approached while there were some men in the house, and among them was ‘Umar bin Al-Khatttab, the Prophet said, “Come near let me write for you a writing after which you will never go astray.” ‘Umar said, “The Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Quran, so Allah’s Book is sufficient for us.” The people in the house differed and disputed. Some of them said, “Come near so that Allah’s Apostle may write for you a writing after which you will not go astray,” while some of them said what ‘Umar said. When they made much noise and differed greatly before the Prophet, he said to them, “Go away and leave me.” Ibn ‘Abbas used to say, “It was a great disaster that their difference and noise prevented Allah’s Apostle from writing that writing for them.

Muslim presents various narratives of the event in the Book of Wills:

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4016:

Ibn Abbas reported: When Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) was about to leave this world, there were persons (around him) in his house, ‘Umar b. al-Kbattab being one of them. Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Come, I may write for you a document; you would not go astray after that. Thereupon Umar said: Verily Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) is deeply afflicted with pain. You have the Quran with you. The Book of Allah is sufficient for us. Those who were present in the house differed. Some of them said: Bring him (the writing material) so that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) may write a document for you and you would never go astray after him And some among them said what ‘Umar had (already) said. When they indulged in nonsense and began to dispute in the presence of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), he said: Get up (and go away) ‘Ubaidullah said: Ibn Abbas used to say: There was a heavy loss, indeed a heavy loss, that, due to their dispute and noise. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) could not write (or dictate) the document for them.

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4014:

Sa’id b. Jubair reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: Thursday, (and then said): What is this Thursday? He then wept so much that his tears moistened the pebbles. I said: Ibn ‘Abbas, what is (significant) about Thursday? He (Ibn ‘Abbas) said: The illness of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) took a serious turn (on this day), and he said: Come to me, so that I should write for you a document that you may not go astray after me. They (the Companions around him) disputed, and it is not meet to dispute in the presence of the Apostle. They said: How is he (Allah’s Apostle)? Is he talking nonsense? Try to learn from him (this point). He (the Holy Prophet) said: Leave me. I am better in the state (than the one in which you are engaged). I make a will about three things: Turn out the polytheists from the territory of Arabia; show hospitality to the (foreign) delegations as I used to show them hospitality. He (the narrator) said: He (Ibn Abbas) kept silent on the third point, or he (the narrator) said: But I forgot that.

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4015:

Sa’id b. Jubair reported from Ibn Abbas that he said: Thursday, and what about Thursday? Then tears began to flow until I saw them on his cheeks as it they were the strings of pearls. He (the narrator) said that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Bring me a shoulder blade and ink-pot (or tablet and inkpot), so that I write for you a document (by following which) you would never go astray. They said: Allah’s Messenger (may peace upon him) is talking nonsense.

Note: In the underlined sentences of the last two traditions above, instead of relying on the Saudi paid English translator, we have presented the ‘actual’ translation when translating the Arabic term ‘Yahjur’ as ‘nonsense’ while the Saudi translator has translated them as “Has he lost his consciousness?” and “Allah’s Messenger (may peace upon him) is in the state of unconsciousness” respectively.

Comment

There is nothing from the traditions that say the Prophet (s) fell into unconsciousness. Ibn Hashimi has concocted his own version of the event from his imagination, one in which he makes it up that the Prophet (s) fainted and then innovates further versions of the event in which Umar reacts saying ’they should allow the Prophet to regain consciousness, get some rest, and recuperate’. This is what the Sunni mind wishes happened between Muhammad (s) and Umar, it is of course not what the traditions say actually happened between these two men – the traditions show that since this was the last time Umar saw Mohammad (s) before his death a couple of days later, Muhammad (s) left the world on very bad terms with Umar, indeed expelling him from his presence owing to him mutinying against him.

The traditions that we have cited are from the two principal canonical works of Ahl’ul Sunnah – they are are one narrative without break, none of them evidence that the Prophet (s) fainted whilst issuing instructions for a pen and paper. It is rather possible to deduce that the critical incident from instruction to refusal was over in a matter of minutes and the Prophet (s) was conscious throughout. Our dear Prophet (s) was so conscious and aware that he even refuted the suggestion that he was delirious and attacked the intention of those people trying to say he was delirious by denying that he was then promptly throwing the rebellious faction amongst his companions out of his house – how many delirious men have the ability to do all that! The text does not refer to the Prophet (s) awaking mid way and then addressing the attendees, he remained in an awake and coherent state throughout.

Reply Two – Even if the Prophet (s) fainting is proven, that would not exonerate the conduct of Umar

Even if we accept Ibn al Hashimi’s take on the event, namely Umar’s intervention was in light of the Prophet (s) fainting that in no way exonerates the conduct of Umar. It would be unreasonable to behave like this in the presence of a normal dying man, since relatives and hospital staff will deem it right to comfort him and see to it that his dying wishes are fulfilled, his slipping in and out of consciousness would be irrelevant, if he wanted something the normal reaction of his loved ones would be to seek to ensure his wishes were complied with. With this in mind how can Umar’s blatant, unashamed, obstructive behaviour that involved him:

• questioning the mental state of the Prophet (s),
• arguing with his women folk that wanted the wishes of the Prophet (s) to be implemented
• incurring the anger of the Prophet (s) who sought to protect the position taken by the women folk
• successfully frustrating the efforts for the will to be written the Prophet (s) by ushering away one individual that brought writing materials
• causing a row in the presence of the Prophet (s)

be deemed correct, on the premise that the Prophet (s) had temporarily fainted? No normal dying person should be treated in such an undignified manner no matter how poor his health is, let alone the Seal of all Prophets.