Sufi Quotes of Umar bin Khattab in English and Arabic
Hello! Are you looking for explanations of the Sufi quotes of Umar bin Khattab in English and Arabic? If your answer is "Yes," congratulations! You are now reading the right article. Why? Because that is exactly what I will explain in this article. So, you must read it to the end!
Specifically, there are several important aspects about the Sufi quotes of Umar bin Khattab in English and Arabic that I will explain in this article. The important aspects I am referring to are as follows:
A Brief Biography of Umar bin Khattab
The first important thing about the Sufi quotes of Umar bin Khattab in English and Arabic that I will explain now is a brief biography of Umar bin Khattab. I want you to understand this first before reading further into the discussion in this article because it is the most basic thing you need to know about the topic discussed in this article.
Umar bin Khattab was one of the great companions. He was the second caliph in the history of Islamic governance, succeeding Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. During his reign, Islam rapidly expanded to various parts of the world. I will not elaborate on that in this article because it is not directly related to the main topic of discussion here.
Before Umar bin Khattab embraced Islam, he was one of the prominent Quraysh leaders who vehemently opposed the preaching of Prophet Muhammad. He openly displayed his opposition. Until finally, Prophet Muhammad recited the following prayer:
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ بِأَحَبِّ الرَّجُلَيْنِ إِلَيْكَ : بِعُمَرَ , أَوْ بِأَبِي جَهْلِ ابْنِ هِشَامٍ
O God, honor Islam with one of the two people who are most beloved to You: Umar or Abu Jahl bin Hisham.
Umar bin Khattab embraced Islam after thirty-nine people had preceded him. Thus, he was the fortieth person. As such, he was among those who embraced Islam early.
Read Also: Sufi Quotes of Uthman bin Affan in English and Arabic
After Umar bin Khattab embraced Islam, he became a strong fortress to protect Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his mission. He did everything he could to ensure that no one disturbed the Prophet or his mission. Moreover, he was among the companions who deeply understood the teachings of Islam and practiced them with great dedication. Therefore, it is no surprise that the Prophet praised and respected him greatly. This is reflected in the Prophet's statement below:
لَوْ لَمْ أُبْعَثْ فِيْكُمْ لَبُعِثَ فِيْكُمْ عُمَرُ
If I had not been sent to you, then Umar would have been sent to you.
The praise and respect that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) showed towards Umar bin Khattab, as reflected at least in the above hadith, highlights the ideal qualities and capabilities of the second Caliph as a highly competent Muslim. In this context, Umar was able to harmonize his knowledge and understanding of Islam with his daily life. Therefore, it is not surprising that Muhammad Abdurrauf al-Munawi, in his book "Al-Kawâkib ad-Durriyyah fî Tarâjumi as-Sâdah ash-Shufiyyah", categorized him as one of the great early Sufis after Abu Bakr.
Sufi Quotes of Umar bin Khattab in English and Arabic
The second important point about the Sufi quotes of Umar bin Khattab in English and Arabic that I will now explain is the main topic of this article. So, you must continue reading this article until the end!
There are many Sufi quotes of Umar bin Khattab. Of course, I won’t be explaining all of them now. In this article, I will only explain some of his Sufi quotes.
Some Sufi quotes of Umar bin Khattab in English and Arabic that I mean are as follows:
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on the Importance of Associating with Righteous People
Associating with righteous people is one of the things highly recommended in Islam. One of its benefits is that you can learn good things from them. In Sufism, there are many recommendations regarding this. One of them is the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
[1]اقْتَرِبُوُا مِنْ أَفْوَاهِ الْمُطِيْعِيْنَ , وَاسْمَعُوْا مِنْهُمْ مَا يَقُوْلُوْنَ , فَإِنَّهُ يَتَجَلَّى لَهُمْ أُمُوْرٌ صَادِقَةٌ
Associate with the righteous people. Listen to their words. Indeed, the truth is evident to them.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab encourages us to associate with righteous people and listen to their words carefully. They can guide us towards good things. They can advise us on what we should and should not do.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on the Love of Worldly Luxuries
Worldly luxuries can cause a person to lose the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Generally, those who love the world are people with limited understanding of religion. However, the love of the world becomes a much more serious issue when it involves someone who understands religious teachings. Such a person might treat religion merely as knowledge, rather than as a guide for life.
In Sufism, there are many warnings for Muslims not to love the world, especially those who understand Islamic teachings. One of these warnings is reflected in the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
[2]إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ الْعَالِمَ يُحِبُّ الدُّنْيَا فَاتَّهِمُوْاهُ عَلَى دِيْنِكُمْ , فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحِبٍّ يَخُوْضُ فِيْمَا أَحَبَّ
If you see a religious scholar who loves the world, then be wary of his influence on your faith. Indeed, everyone who loves something becomes immersed in what they love.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab advises us to be cautious about the influence of someone who understands Islam on our own faith. This means that we should not be swayed by the words and actions of such a person, so that they do not corrupt our words, actions, and understanding as Muslims.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Calamities
Illness, lack of money, bankruptcy, and so on are some types of calamities that people generally face, including Muslims. In Sufism, there are many pieces of advice on how to deal with calamities. One of them is the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
مَا أَصَابَنِى اللهُ بِمُصِيْبَةٍ إِلَّا رَأَيْتُ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَىَّ فِيْهَا ثَلَاثَ نِعَمٍ
الْوَاحِدَةُ : حَيْثُ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِى دِيْنِى
الثَّانِيَةُ : حَيْثُ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَكْبَرَ مِنْهَا
[3]الثَّالِثَةُ : مَا وَعَدَ اللهُ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ عَلَيْهَا
Allah has not afflicted me with a calamity except that I see three blessings in it:
First: The calamity is not in my faith.
Second: The calamity is not greater than it is.
Third: The reward that Allah has promised in this calamity.
If we understand the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab above, we will see that he always recognized blessings in every calamity he experienced. This is because the calamity did not affect his faith, was not greater than it could have been, and he recognized the reward that Allah had promised. Indirectly, he is advising us on how to deal with the calamities we face.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on the Danger of Overeating
Some people choose to overeat when they have a lot of money, including some Muslims. In Sufism, overeating is strongly discouraged. You can find an explanation of this in the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
إِيَّاكَ وَ الْبِطْنَةَ , فَإِنَّهَا ثِقْلٌ فِى الْحَيَاةِ وَنَتْنٌ فِى الْمَمَاتِ[4]
Be careful not to overfill your stomach, for it is a heavy burden in life and a foul odor in death.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab warns us against overeating. The most common reason is that it does not provide any benefit to us. In fact, it can even be a cause of illness.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on a Bad Wife
Marriage is not just about making lawful what was forbidden before marriage. It is the beginning of a life together as husband and wife. That is why Islam strongly encourages Muslims to choose the right partner, one who does not harm the other.
Specifically, Umar bin Khattab stated that having a bad wife is a great calamity after disbelief. You can find the explanation in the Sufi quote below:
لَمْ يُعْطَ الْعَبْدُ بَعْدَ الْكُفْرِ شَرًّا مِنَ امْرَأَةٍ حَدِيْدَةِ اللِّسَانِ سَيِّئَةِ الْخُلُقِ[5]
A servant is not tested with a trial worse than having a wife whose tongue is sharp and whose character is bad, after disbelief.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab specifically explains that having a wife with a sharp tongue and bad character is a great calamity after disbelief. A wife with a sharp tongue is one whose words deeply hurt her husband's feelings. As for a wife with bad character, it refers to a wife whose behavior causes emotional pain to her husband. I won’t elaborate much on this; I think you already understand it.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Perfect Worship
Performing worship perfectly is an obligation for Muslims. In Islam, there are many explanations regarding this. One of them is the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
[6]إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَشِيْبُ عَارِضَاهُ فِى الْإِسْلَامِ وَمَا أَكْمَلَ لِلَّهِ صَلَاةً , قِيْلَ : وَكَيْفَ ذَاكَ ؟ قَالَ : لَا يُتِمُّ خُشُوْعَهَا , وَلَا تَوَاضُعَهَا , وَ لَا إِقْبَالَهُ عَلَى اللهِ فِيْهَا
Indeed, there is a person whose beard has turned white in Islam, yet he has never perfected a single prayer for Allah. When asked, "How could this happen?" He replied, "This person did not perfect his humility, reverence, or his focus towards Allah in prayer."
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab explains that perfect worship is worship performed with humility, reverence, and a sincere focus on Allah with both heart and soul.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on the Danger of Accusation
Accusation is claiming that someone has done something, often seen in trials and everyday conversations. In Islam, making accusations is a serious matter with consequences. You can find an explanation in the Sufi quote below:
[7]مَنْ سَلَكَ مَسَالِكَ التُّهَمِ فَلَا يَلُوْمَنَّ مَنْ أَسَاءَ بِهِ الظَّنَّ
Whoever makes an accusation should not blame others for having negative suspicions about him.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab advises that if we accuse someone of something (for example, something bad), we should not be offended if others harbor negative suspicions about us. The most logical reason is that our accusation may not necessarily be true.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Fear and Piety Towards Allah
Fear and piety towards Allah are two highly commendable qualities in Islam. In Islam, there are many explanations regarding these two qualities. One of them is the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
مَنْ خَافَ اللهَ لَمْ يَشْفِ غَيْظَهُ , وَمَنِ اتَّقَاهُ لَمْ يَصْنَعْ مَا يُرِيْدُ[8]
Whoever fears Allah will not unleash their anger. Whoever is pious towards Him (Allah) will not act according to their desires (nafs).
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab explains that a person who fears Allah will not let their anger flare up. The most logical reason is that their fear of Allah can temper their anger. Additionally, a person who is pious towards Allah will not commit bad actions driven by their desires. In their life, they will always act according to the teachings of Islam.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Sincerity of Intent
In Islam, there are many explanations regarding intention (niyyah). One of them is the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
[9]مَنْ خَلَصَتْ نِيَّتَهُ كَفَاهُ اللهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ , وَمَنْ تَزَيَّنَ لَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ مَا يَعْلَمُهُ اللهُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ شَانَهُ اللهُ
Whoever's intention is sincere, Allah will grant him sufficiency between himself and others. Whoever adorns himself with something that Allah knows does not come from his heart, Allah will humiliate him.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab explains that if a person's intention is sincere, Allah will provide him with sufficiency in his relationships with others. This means that there will be no issues between him and others. He will not feel wronged if others betray him, because his intention is pure. Conversely, if a person's intention is not sincere, Allah will humiliate that person.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Marriage
If you want to understand Umar bin Khattab's purpose for marrying his wives after he embraced Islam, consider the Sufi quote below:
[10]إِنِّى أَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ وَمَالِى إِلَيْهِنَّ حَاجَةٌ , وَأَطَأُهُنَّ وَمَالِى إِلَيْهِنَّ شَهْوَةٌ , رَجَاءَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنْ ظَهْرِيْ مَنْ يُكَثِّرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ
Indeed, I married women without any need for them, and I gathered them without desire for them, only hoping that there would be someone from my lineage who could increase the number of this Ummah.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab specifically explains that he married his wives after embracing Islam not out of need for them but to increase the number of the Muslim community. If the number of Muslims increases, it would mean a larger Ummah of Prophet Muhammad and more people worshiping Allah.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Greed
Greed is one of the reprehensible traits in Islam. There are many explanations about it in Sufism. One of these explanations is found in the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
الطَّمْعُ فَقْرٌ , وَالْيَأْسُ غِنًى , وَالرَّجُلُ إِذَا يَئِسَ مِنْ شَيْئٍ اسْتَغْنَى عَنْهُ[11]
Greed is poverty. Despair is sufficiency. Someone who is despairing of something will find contentment without it.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab explains that greed is poverty. The reason is that when someone is greedy, they are in need of what they desire. Needing something is a sign of poverty. Therefore, the more greedy someone is, the poorer they become.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Life
If you want to understand how Umar bin Khattab felt and his attitude as morning arrived, consider the Sufi quote below:
[12]مَا أُبَالِى أَصْبَحْتُ عَلَى يُسْرٍ أَوْ عُسْرٍ , لِأَنِّى لَا أَدْرِى أَيُّهُمَا خَيْرٌ لِى
I do not care whether I enter the morning in ease or difficulty, because I do not know which is better for me.
If you understand the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab on life above, you can conclude that he did not care whether he experienced happiness or sadness in the morning. He did not care whether he would engage in activities with ease or difficulty. He did not know whether pleasure or sorrow, ease or hardship, was better for him. He was indifferent to all of it.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Hatred
Hatred is a very strong feeling of dislike. In Sufism, there are many discussions about hatred. One of these is found in the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
[13]اتَّقُوْا مَنْ تُبْغِضُهُ قُلُوْبُكُمْ
Be cautious of those whom your heart despises.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab advises us to be careful with those we harbor hatred towards. Often, hatred can cloud our judgment and make it difficult to distinguish between right and wrong. We should be careful not to hate someone who has done nothing wrong. If this happens, it means our hearts are suffering from the hatred we harbor.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Hypocrisy
If you want to understand what severe hypocrisy is, consider the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
[14]مَنْ أَظْهَرَ لِلنَّاسِ خُشُوْعًا فَوْقَ مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ , فَإِنَّمَا أَظْهَرَ نِفَاقًا عَلَى نِفَاقٍ
Whoever displays a piety that is not in their heart to others is indeed displaying hypocrisy upon hypocrisy.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab describes a severe form of hypocrisy. Specifically, if someone shows outward piety in their worship to others while lacking true devotion in their heart, it is a clear example of profound hypocrisy.
Sufi Quote of Umar bin Khattab on Useless Speech
If you want to understand what constitutes useless speech, consider the Sufi quote of Umar bin Khattab below:
[15]لَا يَنْفَعُ تَكَلُّمٌ بِحَقٍّ لَا نَفَاذَ لَهُ
Good speech that is not followed by action will be of no benefit.
In the Sufi quote above, Umar bin Khattab says that useless speech is speech that is not followed by actions. For example, if you say, "I will read the Quran in an hour," but you do not actually read the Quran an hour later, then your statement was not beneficial.
That concludes the discussion of some Sufi quotes of Umar bin Khattab in both English and Arabic. If you have any questions or want to learn more about this, feel free to write in the comments section.
I think that's all for this article. I hope it was useful. Amen.
See you again in the next article!
Source Citations
[1] Muhammad Abdurrauf al-Munawi, Al-Kawâkib ad-Durriyyah fî Tarâjumi as-Sâdah ash-Shufiyyah (الكَوَاكِبُ الدُّرِّيَّةُ فِى تَرَاجُمِ السَّادَةِ الصُّوْفِيَّةِ), vol. 1 (Cairo: Maktabah ad-Dar al-Arabiyah li al-Kitab, 2009), 135.
[2] Muhammad Abdurrauf al-Munawi, Al-Kawâkib ad-Durriyyah fî Tarâjumi as-Sâdah ash-Shufiyyah (الكَوَاكِبُ الدُّرِّيَّةُ فِى تَرَاجُمِ السَّادَةِ الصُّوْفِيَّةِ), vol. 1, 137.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Muhammad Abdurrauf al-Munawi, Al-Kawâkib ad-Durriyyah fî Tarâjumi as-Sâdah ash-Shufiyyah (الكَوَاكِبُ الدُّرِّيَّةُ فِى تَرَاجُمِ السَّادَةِ الصُّوْفِيَّةِ), vol. 1, 139.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Muhammad Abdurrauf al-Munawi, Al-Kawâkib ad-Durriyyah fî Tarâjumi as-Sâdah ash-Shufiyyah (الكَوَاكِبُ الدُّرِّيَّةُ فِى تَرَاجُمِ السَّادَةِ الصُّوْفِيَّةِ), vol. 1, 141.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Muhammad Abdurrauf al-Munawi, Al-Kawâkib ad-Durriyyah fî Tarâjumi as-Sâdah ash-Shufiyyah (الكَوَاكِبُ الدُّرِّيَّةُ فِى تَرَاجُمِ السَّادَةِ الصُّوْفِيَّةِ), vol. 1, 142.
[7] Muhammad Abdurrauf al-Munawi, Al-Kawâkib ad-Durriyyah fî Tarâjumi as-Sâdah ash-Shufiyyah (الكَوَاكِبُ الدُّرِّيَّةُ فِى تَرَاجُمِ السَّادَةِ الصُّوْفِيَّةِ), vol. 1, 144.
[15] Ibid.
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