Before Islam
Born approximately 584 CE into the Banu ‘Adi clan of the Quraysh. His father al-Khattab was a harsh man; ‘Umar himself grew up with a strong, forceful character — skilled in wrestling, horsemanship, and debate. He worked as a merchant traveling to Sham (Syria).
Before Islam, he was known for his opposition to the new religion — so fierce that he was among those who mistreated early Muslims. When the Muslims emigrated to Abyssinia (615 CE), the Quraysh sent representatives to bring them back, and ‘Umar supported this effort.
The Conversion (c. 616 CE)
The story of ‘Umar’s conversion is one of the most dramatic in seerah. He set out one night with his sword to kill the Prophet (SAW). En route, he was redirected to his sister Fatima bint al-Khattab and her husband Sa’id ibn Zayd — who were secretly Muslim.
He arrived to find them reading pages of the Quran (Surah Ta-Ha). He hit Sa’id, then his sister — when he saw blood on Fatima’s face, he was struck with remorse. She handed him the pages and said: “You cannot touch it without being pure.” He washed, read the opening of Surah Ta-Ha, and was moved to the core.
He went directly to Dar al-Arqam where the Prophet (SAW) was. The Muslims inside feared him approaching with his sword. The Prophet (SAW) opened the door himself, took ‘Umar by his garment, and said: “What has brought you, O ‘Umar?” — ‘Umar said the shahada.
The Muslims in Dar al-Arqam shouted “Allahu Akbar!” — ‘Umar’s conversion was that significant.
“O Messenger of Allah, are we not upon the truth?” ‘Umar asked. “Yes.” “Then why do we hide?” — ‘Umar led the Muslims in a public procession to the Ka’ba, the first open declaration, earning him the title al-Faruq.
The Caliphate (634-644 CE)
The Appointment
Abu Bakr, before his death, consulted the Companions and appointed ‘Umar as his successor. This was the first instance of designated succession in the caliphate. ‘Umar accepted reluctantly — he had insisted on being strict with himself even before accepting.
The Conquests
Persia: The Battle of Qadisiyya (637 CE), commanded by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (one of the ten promised Paradise), ended Sassanid Persian dominance and opened Persia to Islam. The Battle of Nihawand (642 CE, the “Victory of Victories”) completed the Persian conquest.
Egypt: ‘Amr ibn al-‘As conquered Egypt (639-642 CE) — one of the wealthiest provinces, the breadbasket of the ancient world.
Syria and Palestine: Khalid ibn al-Walid won the Battle of Yarmouk (636 CE) against the Byzantine Empire; Syria fell. The Patriarch of Jerusalem surrendered the city — notably insisting that he would surrender only to the caliph himself.
Jerusalem’s Surrender: ‘Umar traveled to Jerusalem personally (one of the most famous episodes of his caliphate). He arrived riding on a camel, alternating with his servant (taking turns walking and riding) — a demonstration of humility that astonished the Byzantine ecclesiastics. He signed the Covenant of ‘Umar guaranteeing protection of Christians and their churches, and ensuring the safety of Jerusalem’s inhabitants.
Institutions Established
- The Islamic Calendar (17 AH): ‘Umar consulted the Companions on a dating system; they agreed to begin from the Hijra. This established the Islamic lunar calendar still in use today.
- The Diwan: A register of all Muslims with a stipend system — ‘Umar created the first Islamic public treasury and welfare system, with stipends distributed based on seniority of Islam.
- Provincial Administration: Governors (walis) appointed to each province, with clear accountability to the caliph. ‘Umar was famous for auditing his governors — he would take half the wealth of a governor who had enriched himself in office.
- Congregational Tarawih: Organized the tarawih prayer in Ramadan into a congregational prayer with a designated imam — calling it “What a good bid’ah this is.”
His Personal Character
Justice without exception: He investigated every complaint personally. He would patrol Medina at night to check on the welfare of ordinary people — once he spent the night helping a woman in labor whose husband was at war, when he could not find a midwife.
Accountability: He whipped his own son ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Umar publicly for drinking — he did not exempt his family from Islamic justice. “I would not wish for a single dirhum to reach me except through the right.”
Austerity: Despite ruling the largest empire of his time, ‘Umar’s personal life was extremely austere. He wore patched clothing and lived simply. Jariya (maids) were once assigned to him by the state; he refused to take them.
His Martyrdom (644 CE)
‘Umar was stabbed by Abu Lu’lu’a al-Majusi (a Persian slave of al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba) while leading the Fajr prayer in Medina. He was struck six times. He died three days later, having first gathered the leading Companions to form the Shura council of six that would elect the next caliph.
His last words, reportedly: “O ‘Umar, this is what you have earned for yourself. The best is for you, O Muslim.”
The Prophet (SAW) had seen him in a vision: “I saw people gathered and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab came and took the handle of the bucket [to draw water from the well of the Islamic community], and the bucket in his hand had never drawn more water.” (Bukhari) — A prophetic metaphor for ‘Umar’s extraordinary service to the Islamic community.
See also: Seerah Companions, Ashara Mubashara, Prophet Muhammad, Seerah Medina, Islamic Calendar, Bohra History