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The Coarse Food That Umar Ate

Home ➜
History ➜
Khalifa Umar ibn al-Khattab ➜
Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith

1. Pre-Islamic Period

>> Family

>> Hadart Umar In The Days Of Ignorance

>> Hadart Umar And Islam

>> Ta Ha

2. Conversion to Isalm

>> Al-Faruq

3. Early Life in Madina

>> Migration From Mecca

>> Early Days In Madina

4. Battle of Badr

>> Battle Of Badr

>> Captives of Badr

>> Umayr Bin Wahb

5. Life in Madina and Early Battles

>> The Call To Prayer

>> When Umar Slew The Men Who Appealed To Him

>> Battle Of Uhud

>> The Man Whom Umar Envied

>> Hafsa

>> The Jews

>> Battle Of The Trench

6. Treaty of Hudaibiya and Mustaliq

>> Treaty Of Hudaibiya

>> Post Hudaibia-Pact Developments

>> Raid On Al-Mustaliq

7. Umar and Women

>> Ayesha and Umar

>> Purdah For Women

8. Battles Before Conquest of Mecca

>> Expedition To Turbah

>> Battle Of Khyber

9. Mecca and Tabuk

>> The Conquest Of Mecca

>> Battle Of Hunain And Taif

>> Expedition To Tabuk

10. Life After the Conquest of Mecca

>> Rumour Of Divorce By The Holy Prophet

>> The Funeral Of Abdullah Bin Ubayy

>> When Gabriel Appeared In The Shape Of A Man

>> Tidings Of Paradise

>> The Farewell Pilgrimage

11. Death of the Holy Prophet

>> Passing Away Of The Holy Prophet

>> Election Of Abu Bakr As The First Caliph

>> Installation Of Abu Bakr As The Caliph

12. Abu Bakr the First Caliph

>> Usamah's Expedition To Syria

>> Defence Of Madina

>> Umar And Khalid Bin Walid

>> Umar As Adviser

>> Abu Bakr And Umar

13. Umar as Caliph

>> Nomination Of Umar As The Caliph

>> Umar's Inaugural Address

>> Umar's Address About His Conduct

>> Amirul Muminin

>> Umar's Allowance

>> Expulsion Of Jews And Christians From Arabia

14. Islamic Actions and Social Mandates

>> Tarawih

>> Umar And The Holy Quran

>> Umar And Mosques

>> The Hijri Calendar

>> Umar And Drinking

>> Slavery

>> Umar's Control Of Sexuality Laxity

>> Satires And Lampoons

>> The Dhimmis

>> Allowances And Stipends For The Muslims

>> Famines

15. Political and Governmental Actions

>> Umar's Criteria For Appointment As Governors

>> Political Administration

>> Land Administration

>> Army

>> Judicial Administration

>> Public Treasury and Coins

>> Public Words

16. Hadith and Fiqh

>> Umar and Hadith

>> Traditions On Religious Matters

>> Traditions Of Ethical Importance

>> Umar and Fiqh

>> Matters About Fiqh

17. Inter-Personal Relations and Interactions

>> The Land Of Fidak

>> Fay

>> Ushr

>> Khums

>> Imra-ul-Qais

>> Nabigha Al-Dhubyani

>> Zuhair Bin Abi-Salma

>> Aghlab and Labid, the Poets

>> When Umar Was Put To Explanation

>> Umar and Self Remorse

>> Friends Who Could Straighten Him

>> The Man Who Came To Murder Became A Convent

>> Criticism Against Umar

>> The Eid Moon

>> Umar's Attitude To Sinners

>> Abu Sufiyan And Umar

>> Umar's Wife Acts As A Midwife

>> Atika Bint Zaid

>> Umm Hakim

>> Umar Marries A Milkmaid To his Son

>> Umar Flogs His Son To Death

>> The Woman Who Pined For Her Husband

>> Umar And His Whip

>> Umar's Care For The Poor

>> Stipends For Children

>> Umar Finds Clue To Murder

>> Jabala Bin Aiham

>> Harat Umar And Nasr B. Hajjaj Alsalmi

>> Punishment For Illicit Love

>> Dismissal Of A Governor For Writing Poetry

>> Saeed Bin Aamir

>> Umair Bin Saad

>> Mugheera Bin Shu'Ba

>> Abdullah Bin Qart

>> Abu Musa Ashari

>> Trial Of Saad Bin Abi Waqas

>> Amr Bin Al Aas

>> Harith Bin Wahb Yashi

>> Qadama Bin Mazaun

>> Dismissal Of Khalid

>> Ayad Bin Ghanam

>> Abu Ubaid As Commander-In-Chief In Iraq

18. Expansion of Islam and Military Campaigns

>> Battle Of Namaraq

>> Battle Of Kasker

>> Battle Of The Bridge

>> Battle Of Buwaib

>> Campaings In South Iraq

>> S'aad Bin Abi Waqas

>> Campus At Zarud And Sharaf

>> To Qadisiyya

>> Adventures Of Taleaha

>> The Muslims Carried The Earth Of Persia

>> Rustam And Muslim Emissaries

>> The Battle of Qadisiyya

>> Battle Of Qadisiyya The Second Day

>> Exploits Of Abu Mihjan

>> Battle Of Qadisiyya The Third Day

>> Battle Of Qadisiyya The Last Day

>> News Of The Muslim Victory Carried To Umar

>> Al-Khansa

>> Battle Of Burs

>> Battle Of Babylon

>> Battle Of Sura And Deirkab

>> Battle Of Kusa

>> Battle Of Bahrseer

>> Capture Of Al-Madain

>> Heirlooms Of Persia

>> Battle Of Takreet And Mosul

>> Battle Of Jalaula

>> Campaigns Of Khaniqeen And Hulwan

>> Conquest Of Masabzan

>> Campaings Of Heet And Qirqassia

>> Kufa, Basra And Mosul

>> Campaign Of Ahwaz

>> Conquest Of Ahwaz And Dauraq

>> Battle Of Tustar

>> Battle Of Sus

>> Battle Of Junde Sabur

>> Hormuzan

>> Persia On The War Path

>> Umar's Call To Arms

>> No'man Bin Muqarrin

>> March To Nihawand

>> Battle Of Nihawand (First Phase)

>> Battle Of Nihawand (Second Phase)

>> Battle Of Hamadan

>> Umar And The Battle Of Nihaqand

>> Conquest Of Isfahan

>> Conquest Of Rayy

>> Conquest Of Tabaristan

>> Conquest Of Khurasan

>> Campaign In Fars

>> Conquest Of Fars And Sistan

>> Conquest Of Azarbaijan

>> Expedition To Armenia

>> Conquest Of Makran

>> Battle Of Bait Lihya

>> Conquest Of Damascus

>> Battle Of The Meadow Of Brocade

>> Deposition Of Khalid

>> The Raid Of Abul Quds

>> Battle Of Fahl

>> Battle Of Marj-ur-rum

>> Battle Of Emessa

>> Battle Of Yermuk

>> Battle Of Yermuk - The First Two Days

>> Battle Of Yermuk - Third And Fourth Days

>> Battle Of Yermuk - Fifth And Sixth Days

>> Episodes Of Yermuk

>> Conquest Of Syria

>> Fall Of Jerusalem

>> Umar's Address At Jabiah

>> Plague

>> Conquest Of Caesarea

>> The Muslims And The Sea

>> Second Battle Of Emessa

>> Amr Bin Al-aas

>> March To Egypt

>> Battle Of Babylon

>> March To Alexanderia

>> Battle Of Alexandria

>> The Nile

>> Fustat

>> Expedition To Nubia

>> Conquest Of Burqa And Tripoli

19. Death of Umar

>> Shadows Of Death

>> A Persian Stabbed Umar

>> Umar On Death Bed

>> Umar And His Successor

20. Testament and Assessment of Umar

>> Testament Of Umar

>> Elegies And Tributes On The Death Of Umar

>> Distinctions of Umar

>> Holy Prophet's Assessment Of Umar

>> The Holy Prophet's Joint Tributes To Abu Bakr And Umar

>> Assessment Of Umar By The Companions

>> Assessment By Western Writers

>> Assessment Of Umar By Oriental Writers

>> Sayings Of Umar

>> Umar And Sufism

>> Umar's Gift Of Forecasting

>> When Allah Corroborated Umar

>> Wives And Children Of Umar

>> The Coarse Food That Umar Ate

>> Umar's Standards Of Integrity For His Family Members

>> Umar In History

>> Chronology

It is related that once 'Utbah bin Abifarqad came to see Umar at his house. 'Utbah was an eminent Companion. When he was announced Umar was taking his meals. 'Utbah was asked to come in. Umar wanted 'Utbah to share his food with him. 'Utbah started eating, but the bread was so coarse that he could not swallow it.

Umar watched 'Utbah and then said:

"'Utbah, what is the matter?"

'Utbah sighed and said:

"O Commander of the Faithful why are you imposing such austerities on your self? Why dont you use finer flour for your bread? You can certainly afford it."

Umar said:

"Fie on you 'Utbab, you are seducing me to the devil's way."

'Utbah said:

"So many Muslims eat fine bread. Do you think they are the followers of the devil?"

Umar said:

"'Utbah tell me, can every Muslim afford fine bread ?"

'Utbah said:

"Of course every Muslim cannot afford such bread, but many can."

Umar said:

"When I am the Commander of the Faithful and supposed to watch over the interests of all Muslims, how will I be true to my office when I eat fine bread, while most of the Muslims have to remain content with coarse bread? Verily, I will not eat bread of fine flour unless I am sure that all the Muslims are assured of such bread."

To this 'Utbah had no reply and Umar put him another question:

"Utbah are you aware of the food of the Holy Prophet?"

'Utbah said that the Holy Prophet ate coarse bread.

Why was that asked Umar.

'Utbah said that he might better answer the question himself.

Umar said:

"The Holy Prophet held the keys of the treasures of the world. He could have enjoyed untold wealth and availed of any pleasure but he purposely refrained to do so. He did not wish to exhaust all such pleasures in this world. He wanted them to be kept in reserve for the next world."

Then Umar elaborated "Look 'Utbah, we are the followers of the Holy Prophet. It is incumbent on us to follow in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet. As the Holy Prophet did not wish to exhaust all the pleasures in this world, so as his followers it should be our endeavour to live a life of austerity and cut down our pleasures in this world, so that we may be loaded with pleasant things in the world to come."

Having spoken these words and shuddering as to what might happen to him on the Day of Judgment, Umar began to weep. That made 'Utbah weep as well.

When 'Utbah left, he was fully resolved that hence forward he would eat coarse food, and avoid luxurious living. And thanks to the example set by Umar, 'Utbah kept his resolve.

It is related that one day Hafsa (the daughter of Umar) and 'Abdullah his son expostulated with Umar, and tried to prevail upon him to eat good food. They argued that if he were to eat good food that would give him the strength to maintain the truth.

Umar said:

"I understand your counsel. My difficulty is that I have left my two companions, the Holy Prophet and Abu Bakr upon a road, and if I depart from their road, I shall not find them at the journey's end. Under the circumstances I am under an obligation not to eat richer or better food than what my two esteemed companions ate."

It is related that once Umar felt the desire to eat fish. Fish was not available in Madina. Yarfa the slave of Umar went to the ponds outside Madina and there purchased some fish. The fish was cooked and presented to Umar at his meals. Turning to Yarfa, Umar said:

"Why this dish of fish?" Yarfa said that as he had expressed the wish to eat fish, he had procured it. Umar said, "Fie on you Yarfa. Do you think I should succumb to sensual desires? Take away this dish. By Allah I will not eat it."

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