Salwa Almoayyed

One Friday, in the year 23 After Hejirah, Caliph Omar ibn Al-Khattab woke up disturbed by a dream he had that night. He dreamt of a rooster pecked him once or twice. An interpreter of dreams told him he would die at the hand of a non-Arab. Omar attended the Friday prayer then told the people about that dream. People felt worried for the life of this strong and just Caliph who managed to make the Muslim State one of the strongest in history, having defeated the Byzantine and Persian Empires.

The next day, while Omar was leading people in Fajr prayer, Abu-Lu'lu'ah the Magus stabbed Omar while prostrating with a dagger he made especially for that purpose. Abu-Lu'lu'ah did that out of hatred because Omar defeated the Persians and destroyed their empire. Safavid Iranians still hate him for that to this day. The people in the mosque tried to arrest Abu-Lu'lu'ah, but he fought them with his two-sided dagger and killed 13 of them before he committed suicide.

The news of the murder of the just and upright Caliph Omar ibn Al-Khattab shocked the Muslims. During his 11-year Caliphate, Omar built a strong and firmly-established Muslim State that extended from the Caspian Sea in the east to the borders of Tunisia in the west, and from Slavic and Roman regions in the north to the Sudan in the south. During Omar's reign, the Muslim State became one of the largest states at that time.

The Imam of piety, Ali, was very shocked and wept the loss of his friend and spiritual father, Omar. Ali said very eloquently: "May Allah rest you in peace, Abu Hafs. By Allah, after the Prophet of Allah, I would not love to meet Allah on Judgment Day with deeds similar to those of anyone except you." The Prophet did not pass away until we knew that the most preferred one to him was Abi Bakr, and Abi Bakr did not pass away until we realized that Omar came after him. Abi Bakr was indeed so pious and so lenient, and Omar was sincere for the sake of Allah, so Allah guided him. I would not meet Allah with the same deeds and knowledge of any person except you, Omar. By Allah, if what I think of you is true, Allah would certainly gather you with your two friends (the Prophet and Abi Bakr). I always heard the Prophet say, "I went with Abi Bakr and Omar", "I entered with Abi Bakr and Omar", and "I wne tout with Abi Bakr and Omar." So, I believe Allah will gather you with the two of them.

The people of Najran went to Ali after he assumed caliphate arguing about something that Omar confiscated from them for the sake of the state. Ali replied saying that what Omar took from them was not for himself, but for the benefit of a large group of Muslims and that he would not alter the judgment of Omar.