Abu Darda: O Umar! What have we done… and they both wept and cried until morning

Abu Darda RA sought permission from Umar ibn Khattab RA to go to Syria. [Umar would not allow the illustrious Sahaba to leave Madinah for fear of fitna.] Umar said, ‘I will not allow you unless you accept governorship.’ Abu Darda replied, ‘I do not want governorship.’ Umar said, ‘In that case, I shall not allow you to leave for Syria.’ At this, Abu Darda said, ‘Alright I will go but on condition that I will only teach the Sunnah and lead the Salat for the people there.’ Umar agreed.

After some time, Umar went to visit Syria and stayed at the outskirts of the town until it had become dark. Then he said to his companion, ‘O Yarfa’a! Take me to Yazid b. Abu Sufyan RA and you will see that he is sitting on costly carpets in the light of a lamp surrounded by his gossiping courtiers. All these things belong to the booty of the Muslims. When you salute him, he will respond but will not allow you entry unless he knows your identity,’

Yarfa’a narrates, ‘We left and arrived at the door and said the greetings.’ After obtaining a reply from Yazid, I requested entry upon which Yazid asked, ‘Who are you?’ I said, ‘I am Yarfa’a, a man on whose arrival you will not feel happy for the Amir al-Mumineen has arrived.’  Umar asked me to stand at the doorway and he, himself, hit Yazid with his lash between his ears. Thereafter, he rolled up all the articles, put the bundle in the middle of the room and asked the people around not to move until his return.’

Coming out, he said, ‘O Yarfa’a! Take me to Amru b. Aas’ and then repeated the words uttered in connection with Yazid.

Accordingly we left for the place and reached the door of Amru. Umar, himself extended the greetings and after the reply requested entry. After Amru asked, ‘Who are you?’, Yarfa’a replied, ‘It is one whose arrival you are not supposed to enjoy. The Amir al-Mumineen is here.’ Thus he opened the door and therein they found the court gossipers, sitting in the light of a lamp upon costly carpets. Umar said, ‘O Yarfa’a, stand at the door and do not allow anyone to run away.’ Then he hit Amru with his lash between his ears, folded the articles and put the bundle in the middle of the house. He left the place asking people not to move until his return.

After that Umar said, ‘take me to Abu Musa’ and the same story replayed itself as it had int he previous incidents. Whilst hitting him with his lash, Umar said, ‘You too, O Musa?’ Abu Musa RA said, ‘This is nothing in comparison to what others are doing. By Allah! I have taken from the booty as much as others have taken.’ When Umar asked about the cushions, he replied. ‘Local people say that governorship does not look nice without all these articles.’ Umar then made a bundle of these articles and put it in the middle instructing that no one should leave until he returns.

After that, Umar said, ‘Now take me to a brother of mine and you will find there neither courtiers, nor lamp, nor the door bolted from within. He will be sitting on small pebbles with his head reclining on a pillow stuffed with dry leaves. He will be covering his body with a thin blanket unable to protect him from the severe cold.

In short, we started and arrived at his door.

Umar extended the greetings and upon reply requested entry. He was immediately permitted. We pushed the unlocked door open. As the room was dark, Umar had to search for him with his hands. He found him in the same state he had described earlier.
Abu Darda asked, ‘Who are you? Are you the Amir ul-Mumineen?’ Umar replied in the affirmative and Abu Darda continued, ‘ We are meeting after nearly one year.’ Umar said, ‘May Allah protect you, Did I not give you enough scope to earn the necessary comforts for yourself? Have I not done so?’

Abu Darda said, ‘O Umar, do you remember the hadith of what the Holy Prophet SAWS has advised us?’ Umar replied, ‘What hadith are you referring to?’  He replied, ‘Each of you should possess as much belongings of this world as a riding traveler has.’ Umar said, ‘Yes I remember very well.’ At this, Abu Darda said, ‘O Umar! What have we done after the departure of the Holy Prophet?’

After that they both wept and cried until morning.

Hayatus Sahaba, Al-Kanzul Um’mal (Vol III, p.77)

~ by Hammad on October 20, 2009.