Farouk Omar (Omar Ibn Al-Khattab)
29th Episode
This is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher!
Won't you come in?
Enough for today.
It is time for our prayer.
You can pray here if you wish. It is a place of worship.
If I do, I fear that Muslims will come to view this
as a tradition and a right due to them.
They may take over your church, violating my pledges to you.
Therefore we better find another place.
You can pray on this rug which has been laid for your prayer,
at the approach to the church.
It is alright, Caliph, and you will be praying outside it.
There is nothing to worry about here.
I am not sure.
I fear that some Muslims may be eager to annex the place as a prayer place.
They will be competing with you to take your church.
Show Me the Rock, where our Messenger was during his Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj).
The place of the Prophet's Night Journey should never be in such a state.
Now perform the call to prayer (Azan and Ikamet) and then anounce its start.
God is Supreme! God is Supreme!
I bear witness that there is no deity other than God!
and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger!
Hurry to the prayer (Rise up for prayer)!
Hurry up to success (Rise up for salvation)!
God is Supreme!
There is no god except the One God!
Build the mosque here.
Here is the Al-Aqsa mosque, our first Qiblah,
where God's Messenger and all prophets prayed.
Here is our third Holy place.
All praise be to God for His blessing,
enabling us to pray where they prayed.
May God reward our Prophet as best He rewards a prophet for his community.
It is through Him (Peace Be Upon Him),
that we have attained this great conquest.
May God protect you, fair Caliph.
You may judge in your disputes according to your own laws.
If some of you voluntarily request us to be the arbiters,
we will judge as we judge for ourselves.
This is fair.
If any of my officials or any Muslim deals unjustly with any of you,
do not tolerate that. Put the case to me.
Your trust is that of God, His Messenger, myself,
the Caliphs who follow me andthe entire Muslim community.
Do you know that God's Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him)...
(Peace Be Upon Him)
said: "Whoever harms a person with a covenant harms me."
One of the last things he said was:
"I urge you to be kind to those under my dhimmah."
Do you know what dhimmah means to the Arabs?
If a person is under the dhimmah of another man or a tribe,
he is immune against any attack or injustice.
If anyone assaults that person,
it is as if he has assaulted the one who extended his dhimmah to him.
He must support him as he would protect himself and his family and honour.
If he does not, a major stigma of disgrace will attach to him forever.
This is the dhimmah of one person or a clan.
Compare that to the dhimmah of God and His Messenger which we gave you!
Anyone who is unjust to you
is is breach of the pledge of God and His Messenger,
and he is an opponent of God and His Messenger.
Whoever is at war with God and His Messenger,
is at war with us all, even if we were all to perish.
This is why you defeated the Byzantines, who had previously conquered the world.
We entrust you with God.
Peace be to you with God's mercy!
And to you be peace with God's mercy!
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
What comes after Syria, now that it is completely under us, by the grace of God?
What comes after Syria?
Egypt, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
What are you saying, man?
If we leave Gazza and move southward,
we will be in the land of Egypt.
It is the land of numerous population, the Nile river and plentiful resources.
It is a large country.
I fear that if you go too deep into it, you will be cut away from me.
If you come into trouble, I may be unable to send you any reinforcements.
I know it best. I used to take my trade there before Islam.
Its population are now far more hostile to the Byzantines.
Heraclius has forced them to accept a religious doctrine
that is contrary to their beliefs.
Priests and lay people who dissented were subjected to much persecution.
They were even burnt and stoned, while some were sent into exile.
Indeed, many of their priests have sought refuge in the desert or mountains.
Its only soldiers are the Byzantine forces.
They are the only armed people, while the Egyptians are not armed.
The Byzantines in Egypt are small in number.
We have driven them away from Syria, so our backs are secure.
Only the sea remains between the Byzantines in Egypt and Constantinople.
Don't take any action until I have thought about it
and consulted my people.
"Damascus"
You seem to have remembered your trading here prior to Islam.
"Say: Lord, Sovereign of all dominion,"
"You grant dominion to whom You will"
"and take dominion away from whom You will."
"You exalt whom You will, and abase whom You will."
"In Your hands is all that is good."
"You are able to do all things." (Surat Al Imran, verse 26)
Peace be to you, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
This is a day of us to rejoice, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
We know you would disapprove;
or else, would have adorned the city in honour of your arrival.
Well, well. Bedouins in such fine clothes,
and with brightened faces and civilized manners!
We can hardly distinguish you from the people of Syria.
How far removed your condition now is from rough wool garments,
broken shoes and Bedouin roughness.
The change has been fast!
And to you be peace with God's mercy.
Worldly comfort changed all people except for Abu Ubaidah,
the trustee of this nation.
"Medina, 17 years after Hijra"
Peace be to you with God's mercy.
And to you be peace with God's mercy.
Everything in the market is as you like it to be, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
I received no complaints about any flaw, disinformation or price.
To whom do these fat camels belong?
To Ameer Al-Mu'mineen's son, Abdullah Ibn Umar.
Where is he?
What are these?
These are my camels. I brought them here to sell them.
I know that.
I bought them, then placed them in the reserved meadow and looked after them.
When they became fat and healthy,
I brought them to the market, seeking what other people do.
We have made the reserved meadow a common area for all Muslims
where their camels graze.
Well, I am one of the Muslims.
Yes, but how come they are fatter than other camels?
I think the workers in the reserved meadow
have favoured you because you're my son.
They must have said: "Take care of the camels of Ameer Al-Mu'mineen's son,
give them plenty."
God knows that I haven't asked them to do that.
Even then. I am going to ask them about this.
As for you, take your capital and pay the remainder to the state treasury.
These camels only got that extra
by taking an extra share of their rights to the meadows.
As you say.
This letter is from Abu Ubaidah
asking about the case of a Muslim who killed a non-Muslim in Syria.
I am surprised that he asks.
No one can give a view concerning something on which God has given a ruling.
At killer is killed in retaliation,
unless the immediate relatives of the deceased pardon him.
Write to Abu Ubaidah in these terms.
Peace be to you with God's mercy.
And to you be peace with God's mercy.
You sent for me, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen. I hope it is for something good.
Do you still relate many of God's Messenger's hadiths?
Not after you reproached me, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
I will not while Umar is with us.
You seem to hasten my death so that you let your tongue loose.
May God grant you long life, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
But if I survive you,
then it is up to your successor to let my tongue loose or to keep it tied.
What would you say to the governorship of Bahrain?
I, governor of Bahrain?
Are you surprised, or disapproving?
Surprised, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
Abu Hurayrah was a plain labourer,
who could hardly find more than a few dates to eat.
He has no home of his own,
except the roofed area of the mosque, where he squatted with his likes.
And now I become the governor of Bahrain?
We disapproved of your reporting too many of the Prophet's hadiths
so that people will continue to concentrate on the Qur'an.
Also, we are guarding against having too many disagreements
with one person saying I heard the Prophet saying this and another denying it.
We never questioned your piety and strength of faith.
As you wish, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Make a record of his money and property.
What is that, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen?
This is my policy with my governors.
We record their property when we appoint them,
and again at the end of their term.
Do you suspect us, when you decide to appoint us?
Had I suspected any of you, I would not appoint him.
This is, however, to remove any doubts.
I noticed that the wealth of some of my governors
has increased greatly during their term of office.
This was through no wrongdoing on their part.
They went into business.
Isn't that permissible?
Yes, it is permissible business.
But we do not send our governors as business people.
We send them to judge between people in fairness.
When they go into business,
we fear that people will give them allowances because of their position,
giving priority to their business over that of others.
Thus, their earnings accumulate because of their position,
which is the state's work.
Therefore, if someone's wealth increases much during his term of office,
we estimate what belongs to him in fairness,
and take what is in excess placing it in the state treasury.
This is what I do with all my governors and officials.
Whoever is happy with this goes on and assumes his office.
If anyone is unhappy with it, let him stay put.
You have the choice.
It is a reliable view, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
We accept what pleases God.
What have I done wrong, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen?
On account of what you did to this camel, with this very heavy load.
Aren't you aware that animals have rights?
By God, I fear that I will be questioned about them.
I beg your pardon, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Be charitable to this blind old man.
Do you belong to a divine religion?
Yes, I am a Jew who has been reduced to begging in old age.
- God rewards charity. - Sure.
Give me your hand, so that we can help you with what we have.
Take this for now.
Had we had anything better at home, we would have given you.
May God reward you, man.
Mu'aiqeeb, take note of this man and give him an allowance from the treasury.
Do not take any jizyah from him in future.
It is unfair of us to take tribute from him when he is young and able
only to let him down in old age.
Is this for him in particular, or a rule to those in similar conditions?
It is a rule.
Let us write to our governors in all regions with similar instructions.
As you instruct, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
Aslam, take him by the hand to his home.
"Al-Ramada Year (Famine Year), 17 years after Hijra"
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen!
God's grace is near, God willing.
I pray you will be alright.
All power operates only by God's will.
They continue to flock to Madinah from all areas.
The flour stores are about to be exhausted.
How can I look after them and feed them
if this drought lasts several months longer without rain?
Had it been only the drought,
it would have been easier to cope with,
but this continuous sandstorm
has killed cattle and it is taking its toll on humans.
We do not know which is harder for people: hunger or this sandstorm.
When the land dried up,
its dust became like sand, easily lifted by the wind.
Whatever I have left of my camels and cattle
I assign to God. Take them, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen
and feed the people.
If we do not use them to feed the people, they will die anyway.
And so also is all that is left of my camels and cattle.
If you, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen, find anything we can buy with money,
all I have is at your disposal.
I wish money could be of help to us now.
But there is nothing to buy
when the land produce and cattle have perished.
We will look after people as best as we can and appeal to God.
He only can remove this difficulty.
Eat, love. This only. Won't you eat to please mommy?
Why is he not eating?
I don't know, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
He has been like this for two days.
I try to feed him, but he refuses, and he is in this condition.
- What is his name? - Amir.
Is your husband with the men?
He died during this famine.
Hand me this plate.
Will you do as Ameer Al-Mu'mineen says, Amir,
and eat of this food?
If you eat it, then you will be stronger.
Then you grow up a strong man and a brave soldier.
You may also be a scholar and a good Muslim.
Who knows, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen may then appoint you to some office.
Peace be to you with God's mercy.
My Lord, do not Let the Muslim community come to its fate at my hands.
Do not test us with restricting our provisions.
I appeal to You to remove this difficulty from us.
Do not test us with restricting our provisions.
I appeal to You to remove this difficulty from us.
You are over-exhausted. You are killing yourself.
You are eating nothing other than bread and olive oil.
Your face colour has markedly changed.
It would help you to have some meat and fat.
By no means, I shall fulfill my vows:
I shall not eat any meat or fat until people are reinvigorated.
How can I appreciate people's difficulty unless I share their experience?
Where are you going at this time?
I will go around the entrances of Madinah
to see what is happening to those poor people
who have come to Madinah hoping for relief with the help of Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Haven't you spent part of your day with them?
And part of my night as well.
From God's servant,
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen,
to Amr Ibn Al-Aas.
Peace be to you.
Would you be happy to see and the people around me perish
while you and the people around you live in comfort and plenty?
Come fast to our rescue.
Write similar letters to everyone of our governors of Syria, Iraq and Persia.
When you have finished the letters bring them to me
to stamp them with my seal.
Write also to our governors in all parts of Arabia:
Makkah, Taif, Yemen, Bahrain, Oman, Najd, and the rest of Arabia:
they must not collect zakat this year.
When the drought is over and the land is back in fertility,
they collect it from those who are liable to it for this year,
and the next, God willing.
They must not implement the mandatory punishment for theft,
as long as the famine continues.
Hunger is now widespread,
which means that the doubtful nature of theft is also widespread.
Let things settle down first and people will be back in plenty.
We must not take what is due from people
until we have given them what is theirs.
A hump and liver? Where from?
From the camels we slaughtered today to feed the people.
You know that I have vowed that I won't eat anything
other than bread and olive oil until the people have reinvigorated.
But this is from the camels that served as people's food for today.
And you bring the best of it to me?
Well, well. A bad governor I am certainly
if I eat the best of it and give to people its worst part.
Take this plate away and give it to the people to eat.
Bring me bread and oil.
Your face has darkened because of this diet of bread and oil.
- Take it easy, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen. - Do as I told you.
Make whatever noise you want.
You shall have nothing other than bread and oil,
until God has finished our trial and people begun to recover (reinvigorate).
Peace be to you with God's mercy.
And to you be peace with God's mercy.
This hardship has affected you so badly, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
God will help, Abu Ubaidah.
May He reward you well, as you are the first to arrive with relief supplies.
Four thousand camels loaded with food and clothes.
Mu'awiyah is following it with three thousand more camels.
Amr Ibn Al-Aas...
Yes, Amr wrote to me that he has sent a thousand camels already
and that he is loading 20 boats with flour, fat and clothes, to sail from Aylah.
What about Iraq?
Saad has sent a thousands camels,
but I gave instructions to my officials
to distribute them to the Bedouins in their areas.
The hardship is affecting all areas.
Those who have come to Madinah are only some of the people affected.
It is better that we send them relief in their areas,
so that they would not be driven by hunger to come to Madinah.
Their coming here will only add to their and our hardship.
O Muslims! The prayer for rain!
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen is going out to perform the prayer for rain!
Join him at the prayer place.
O Muslims! The prayer for rain!
Ameer Al-Mu'mineen is going out to perform the prayer for rain!
Join him at the prayer place.
- God is Supreme! - God is Supreme!
Praise be to God in all situations.
Praise be to God.
"It may well be that you hate a thing
while it is good for you." (Sura Al-Baqarah/The Cow, verse 216)
We have certainly endured much hardship through this past situation.
Yet a careful look reveals that it also brought much good.
All these people came to Madinah
seeking help from the Caliph and the Muslim state.
In pre-Islamic days, when they were afflicted by drought
and things were hard,
they raided each other for plunder.
Now they know for certain that unity under the Muslim state
brings them far more than it takes from them.
The Arabs were never as they are today:
a single united nation under Islam,
just like one body: when any organ suffers a complaint,
the rest of the body will share it, suffering fever and sleeplessness.
The harm that this hardship brought us has gone, but its goodness remains.
This is true wisdom, Abu Al-Hasan.
May I enter, Abu Al-Hasan?
Come on in, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen.
Sit down.
Hello, hello, come to me!
Won't you welcome Ameer Al-Mu'mineen?
Come on, Abu Bakr! Come on, Umar!
- Their names? - And this one is Uthman.
May God love you, Abu Al-Hasan, as you have loved us for His sake
to the extent of calling your children after us.
Go now. Sit down.
What's the news, Ameer Al-Mu'mineen?
Abu Al-Hasan, I used to have a family relation with God's Messenger (P.B.U.H)
through His marriage to my daughter Hafsah,
and I had with him the bond of companionship.
I am hoping to add to these another bond of marriage,
if you and your daughter, Umm Kulthoom, accept me.
I will then have a triple bond with God's Messenger,
giving me a great honour.
I will consult her. If she agrees, I will bring her to you.
Farouk Omar