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ʾILÂM-EN-NÂS.
ANECDOTE OF ʾOMAR'S JUSTICE.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFATORY NOTE.
ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb was the second Khalîfah of the Rashid[1] dynasty, and traced connection with the Prophet through Kaʾab the son of Lúwa, from whom the Prophet was descended in the eighth generation. ʾOmar was born thirteen years after the Prophet, and was the fortieth person who professed el-Islám, which profession greatly increased the spread of the true faith. Muslims affirm that his conversion was a miracle wrought in answer to the Prophet's prayer. ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb and Amr-abi-Jahl were two of the Prophet's bitterest enemies, and were of high estate and greatly esteemed amongst the Arabs. The Prophet, therefore, knowing that the conversion of either of them would much aid the progress of el-Islám, prayed that God would cause one of them to profess. And in answer to this prayer ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb became a true believer, but Amr-abi-Jahl died an infidel. Hafash ʾOmar's daughter, was one of the Prophet's wives. ʾOmar succeeded Abu-Bekr in the Khalîfate A.H. 13. He was murdered by a Persian of the Magian religion named Abi-
- ↑ Rashîd means taking a right course, holding a right belief, orthodox. It is an appellative specially applied to the four first Khalîfahs, Abu-Bekr, ʾOmar, ʾOthmân, and ʾAly; but also applicable to other Imâms who followed the same course as those four.
