The excellence and virtues of the second caliph of Islam, Sayyiduna Umar al-Farooq, (may Allah be pleased with him), are more than can be counted. Here, I am mentioning the most famous ones. I only wish to bless myself by serving him by this remnant to benefit he who does not know much of his virtues by the ignorance before him. This small collection of Traditions will in sha Allah increase and elevate his rank in our hearts and minds and tell us of his exalted status in the court of Almighty Allah and His beloved Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam.
1. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both the father and the son) reports the Holy Prophet, may Allah send greetings and salutations on him, as saying:
اللهم أعز الإسلام بأبى جهل بن هشام أو بعمر. قال فأصبح فغدا عمر على رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فأسلم
"O Allah, strengthen Islam with Abu Jahl bin Hisham or Umar bin Khattab." In the morning Umar went to the Holy Prophet, may Allah send greetings and salutations on him, and embraced Islam. [Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith 3683]
2. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both the father and the son) narrates when Sayyiduna Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu accepted Islam, Jibraeel Alaihis Salam descent and said:
يا محمد لقد استبشر أهل السماء بإسلام عمر
"O Muhammad -- may Allah send greetings and salutations on him -- indeed, the residents of the heavens are rejoicing in Umar`s embracing Islam." [Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 103]
3. Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Holy Prophet, may Allah send greetings and salutations on him, said:
لو كان بعدى نبى لكان عمر بن الخطاب
If there were to be a prophet after me, indeed he would be Umar, son of Khattab. [Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith 3686]
4. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with both the father and the son) narrates that one day the Holy Prophet, may Allah send greetings and salutations on him, went out and entered the mosque with Abu Bakr and Umar, one on his right hand and the other on his left, holding their hands. Then he said:
هكذا نبعث يوم القيامة
"We will be raised thus on the Day of Resurrection." [Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith 3669]
6. It is added that Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
لقد كان فيمن كان قبلكم من بنى إسرائيل رجال يكلمون من غير أن يكونوا أنبياء ، فإن يكن من أمتى منهم أحد فعمر
"Among the tribe of Israel before you were men who were spoken to without being Prophets. If there are any of them among my community, then it is 'Umar." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Virtues of the Companions, Hadith 3486]
7. The son of Sayyiduna Ali Radi Allahu Allahu Ta'ala Anhu, Imam Muhammad bin Hanafiyya Radi Allahu Allahu Ta'ala Anhu narrates:
قلت لأبى أى الناس خير بعد رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال أبو بكر . قلت ثم من قال ثم عمر
'I asked my father who was the best of people after the Holy Prophet and he answered "Abu Bakr". I asked him who is the best of people after Abu Bakr and he replied, "Umar"' [Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Virtues of the Companions, Hadith 3468]
8. Sayyiduna Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,
عمر مني وأنا من عمر، والحق بعدي مع عمر حيث كان
"I am from Umar and Umar is from me. The truth, after me, is with Umar wherever he is." [Al-Tabrani in Awsat, Vol. 3, Page 104, Hadith 2629]
8. A freed bondswoman of Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,
إن الشيطان لم يلق عمر منذ أسلم إلا خر لوجهه
"Satan has not meet Umar since he became Muslim except murmur in his face." [Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir, Vol. 18, Page 42, Hadith 20230]
