2023-05-10 13:08:05
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Umar bin Khattab was stunned when he found a mother cooking stones when Medina was experiencing a famine. Illustrative photo
When Medina experienced a famine in 17 Hijriyah, Caliph Umar accompanied by a friend, Aslam traveled around visiting remote villages in Medina. He traveled secretly, in and out of the village to see firsthand the condition of his people.
The following is the story told by Gus Musa Muhammad in one of his studies. One day the steps of Caliph Umar bin Khattab stopped when he heard the sound of a child crying from an old tent.
Umar approached the tent to see if the occupants needed help. When approached, seen a woman was putting a pot on the stove fire. The smoke was billowing from the pot, while the old lady kept stirring the contents of the pot with a wooden spoon.
After greeting, Caliph Umar asked permission to approach. Hearing Umar’s greeting, the mother raised her head and answered Umar’s greeting. But after that, he returned to his work stirring the contents of the pot.
“Who’s crying in there?” asked Umar.
With a little indifference, the mother answered her question, “My children…” “Is he sick?” ask umar again.
“No,” answered the mother. “He’s starving,” she continued.
Umar and Aslam were stunned for a moment. They were still sitting in front of the old lady’s tent for more than an hour. But the little children were still crying. Meanwhile, his mother was also still stirring the contents of the vessel.
Umar, who couldn’t stop thinking, wanted to know what the old woman was cooking? Because he had been cooking for a long time but the food was not cooked. Unable to wait, Umar finally asked the old woman, “What are you cooking, O Mother? Why isn’t your cooking cooking well?
Then the mother remained silent, a moment later with a look full of hope, she opened the lid of the vessel. Caliph Umar and Aslam saw the contents of the vessel. And suddenly they were surprised when they saw the contents of the vessel.
“Are you cooking rocks?” asked Caliph Umar a little stunned.
The mother poured out her frustration on Umar: “I cooked these stones to entertain my child. I am a widow. Since this morning, my child and I have not eaten anything. So I told my child to fast, with the hope that when we break our fast fortune. But apparently not. After sunset, there was no food yet. My child had to sleep on an empty stomach. I collected small stones, put them in a pot and filled it with water.”
“Then I cooked the stones to lie to my son, in the hope that he would fall asleep until morning. Apparently not. Maybe because he was hungry, he would wake up and cry for food every now and then. This was the crime of Caliph Umar bin Khattab. He was reluctant to look down , and ask whether the needs of the people have been met or not,” said the woman.
After hearing the woman’s words earlier, Sayyidina Umar shed tears and immediately got up from his seat. Then he and Aslam returned to Medina. When the Caliph arrived, he immediately went to the Baitul Mal and took a sack of wheat. He lifted the wheat sack on his back, saw his leader rushing in carrying the wheat sack. Aslam offered to help.
“O Amirul Mukminin, let me be the one carrying this sack,” said Aslam.
“Do you want to take my place in accepting God’s wrath as a result of letting my people starve? Let me carry it myself, because this is lighter for me than God’s torment in the afterlife,” answered Umar.
Caliph Umar returned to the hut in Medina with his cooking earlier, so that the poor family could eat his cooking. Seeing them eat, Caliph Umar’s heart immediately felt calm. After the food was finished, Caliph Umar said goodbye. Previously he also asked the woman to meet the Caliph the next day.
The next day, the woman went to meet the Commander of the Faithful. How surprised the woman was when she saw the figure of Amirul Mu’minin, who was none other than the person who had cooked food for her and her son yesterday. The woman then apologized for the cruel words she said to her yesterday and the mother also said that she was ready to be punished.
Then caliph umar replied: “Mother is innocent, I am the one who is guilty. I have sinned by letting a mother and her children starve in my territory, forgive me mother.”
In one narration, the Prophet SAW said:Each of you is a leader and each of you will be asked about what he leads. The imam (waliyul amri) who rules the people is the leader and he will be asked about his people.”
Dhaulat Khulafaur Rasyidin
(rhs)
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