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Umayr Ibn Saad Al-Ansari
AbdulWahid Hamid
eBook: Companions of The Prophet
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... continued from Page 2
"Has he applied the hudud laws?"
"Yes. He carried out the sentence of punishment on his own son for committing the crime of adultery. His son died as a result of the punishment."
Al-Harith continued: "O Allah, help Umar. I only know that he has a great love for you."
Al-Harith stayed as Umayr's guest for three nights. On each night he was given only a small flat piece of barley bread. On the third day a local man said to Harith: "Umayr and his family are suffering great hardship. They only have these loaves which they have given you in preference to themselves. They are hungry and in great distress." Harith went to Umayr and gave him the bag of money.
"What is this?" asked Umayr.
"The Amir al-Muminin sent it to you."
"Return it to him. Give him my greetings of peace and tell him that Umayr has no need of it."
"Take it, O Umayr," shouted his wife who was listening to the conversation between her husband and his guest. "If you need it, you can spend it. If not, you can spend it in other appropriate ways, for those in need here are many."
When al-Harith heard what she had said, he placed the dinars in front of Umayr and left. Umayr took the money and placed it in a small bag. He only went to sleep that night after he had distributed the money to those in need and especially to the children of those who had been martyred.
Al-Harith returned to Madinah and was questioned by Umar al-Faruq.
"What have you seen, Harith?"
"A very distressing situation, O Amir al-Muminin."
"Did you give him the dinars?"
"Yes, O Amir al-Muminin."
"What did he do with them?"
"I don't know. But I think that he did not keep a single dirham of it for himself."
Al-Faruq wrote to Umayr: "When you receive this letter, do not put it down until you come to me."
Umayr proceeded straightaway to Madinah. Umar greeted and welcomed him and proceeded to question him.
"What did you do with the dinars, Umayr?"
"You have no responsibility for the money after you have donated it to me."
"I adjure you to tell me what you did with it."
"I stored it away for myself so that I could benefit from it a day when neither wealth nor children will be of any avail."
Tears came to Umar's eyes as he said: "I swear that you are one of those who are hard against themselves even when they are in dire need." And he ordered a camel load of food and two garments to be given to Umayr who protested: "About the food, we do not need it, O Amir al-Mumineen. I left two sacs of barley with my family and when we have finished that, Allah -- Great and Exalted is He -- will provide. As for the two garments, I will take them for (my wife). Her dress is now in tatters and she is almost naked."
Not long after that meeting with Umar al-Faruq, Umayr ibn Sad passed away to his Lord. He was not weighted down with the cares and burdens of the world and he was concerned to provide plenty of provisions for the hereafter. Umar received the news of his death with a heavy heart and said in deep sorrow: "I have wished to have men like Umayr ibn Sad whose help I could seek in dealing with the affairs of Muslims."