APPOINTMENT OF UMAR AS HIS SUCCESSOR
When Abu Bakr’s sickness grew intense, the people gathered around him and he said: “There has befallen me what you see and I think I am going to die soon. Allah has freed you from your oath of alliance to me, and your oath is no longer binding. Your affairs are in your hands, so appoint over you whomever you like. If you appoint someone whilst I am still alive, I think it is less likely that you will become divided after I am gone.” (Ibn Katheer, 1988, V.7:18).
The Companions consulted one another, each of them trying to refuse the position of Caliph for himself and seeking it for his brother whom he thought was fit and qualified for it. Hence they came back to him and said: “We have decided to leave it to you, O’ Successor of the Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Give me time so that I may choose someone who will be most pleasing to Allah, most protective of His religion and His slaves.
Abu Bakr wanted to tell the people himself whilst he was conscious and aware of what he was saying, so that there would be no confusion. So he looked out over the people and said to them: “Do you accept the one whom I appoint as your leader? For by Allah I have tried to appoint the best; I have not appointed a relative. I have appointed as your leader Umar ibn al-Khattab, so listen to him and obey.” They said: “We will listen and obey.” Then Abu Bakr turned in supplicating to Allah,expressing his concern to his Lord. He said: “I have appointed him not by the command of Your Prophet, seeking nothing but what is in their best interests. I fear sedition for them and I have thought long and hard about the matter. I have appointed over them the best of them and the one who is most keen to lead them in the right way. Now here I am with Your decree about to be fulfilled. Take care of them after I am gone for they are Your Salves.”
Umar inb al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with his) started to act as the caliph of the Muslims as soon as Abu Bakr passed away (Al-Shuja’a, 1999: 272).
It may be noted that Abu Bakr’s nomination of Umar ibn al- Khattab could not have made him caliph unless it was based on the consent of the majority. This was achieved when Abu Bakr asked the people to look themselves for a successor to take the reins of leadership after he died. They put the matter back in his hands and said, we will follow your opinion. But Abu Bakr did not nominate Umar until he consulted the most prominent Companions. He asked each one individually, and when he realized that they all agree, he announced his nomination of Umar. So Abu Bakr’s choice was based on the general opinion of the community as expressed through its most prominent
figures. Nonetheless, this nomination could not make Umar the caliph except with the community’s consent, as the election of the ruler is the entire right of the public, and the role of the caliph is to act as an agent on behalf of the community. His words indicate that the community is responsible to control its own affairs (Al-Keelani, 1997: 172).
Hence, we see that the appointment of Umar was done in accordance with the most sound and fair principles of Consultation ‘Shura’.
Hence, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) succeeded Abu Bakr as a second Caliph on August 23, 634 AD.Corresponding 22 of Jumad 2nd, 13 AH. Umar was an expert
jurist and is best known for his justice, in the same way for Muslims and non-Muslims. This value earned him the title of Al- Farooq (the one who distinguishes between wright and wrong) (Shabaro, 1995).
He was the first Caliph to be nominated as “Prince of the Believers”. He is the one who founded the Lunar Calendar (Hijri), (i.e. according to the date of Prophet Mohammad’s
migration to Medinah). In his era Islam gained a great position, as the Islamic Empire expanded at an unprecedented rate ruling the whole Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tripoli, Persia, Khurassan, Eastern Anatolia, South Armenian and Sajistan. Umar is the first one who conquered Jerusalem to be within the Muslim Empire, as it
is the first Qiblah and the third holiest city in Islam. Thus, the Islamic Empire ruled the whole Sassanid Persian Empire and more than two thirds of the Eastern Roman Empire. His attacks against the Sassanid Persian Empire resulted in the conquest of the Persian Empire in less than two years. His political wisdom and administrative ability were demonstrated in protecting the unity of the state in spite of its growing scope and the increasing population of varied ethnicity.
Source: (The Series of: Men and Women Around Muhammad)
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