Supplication · Before Umar's conversion (c. 615 CE)
O Allah, bring glory to Islam through one of these two men who is the more beloved to You: either Abu Jahal or Umar ibn al-Khattab.
~Dhu al-Hijjah, 6th year of the dawah (c. 616 CE) · 6 BH
In brief
The conversion of Umar ibn al-Khattab in the sixth year of the dawah, three days after that of Hamzah, gave the persecuted Muslims of Makkah one of the two men the Quraysh had thought beyond reach. Umar was among the strongest men of his generation and one of the fiercest enemies of the new faith, and the Prophet ﷺ had prayed that Allah strengthen Islam through him or Abu Jahl, whichever was dearer to Him. Several strands are told of how it happened. One night Umar heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting Surah al-Haqqah alone at the Ka'bah and found that the verses answered each doubt as it formed in his mind. Later, tempted by Abu Jahl's bounty, he set out with his sword to kill the Prophet ﷺ, only to be told on the way that his own sister Fatima and her husband had accepted Islam. He went to their house and struck his sister, but their steadiness shamed him; he asked to read what they had been reciting, washed, read from Surah Taha, and was led to the house of al-Arqam, where he declared his faith. That same day the Muslims, some forty of them, prayed openly at the Ka'bah for the first time, with Umar and Hamzah at their head. The Prophet ﷺ named him al-Faruq, and Umar announced his Islam to Abu Jahl's face and to all of Makkah.
Outcome: The Muslims prayed openly at the Ka'bah for the first time, in two ranks led by Umar and Hamzah, and the Prophet ﷺ named Umar al-Faruq. Umar told Abu Jahl to his face and had Makkah's worst gossip spread the news, fought the crowd at the Ka'bah, and came under the protection of al-As ibn Wa'il.
Umar's conversion was a watershed moment: the Muslims were able to pray openly at the Ka'bah for the first time. The Prophet ﷺ gave him the title al-Faruq. Umar later became the second caliph, under whom Islam expanded greatly.
Other events recorded in 6 BH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
The Prophet ﷺ asks for Islam to be strengthened by Umar or Abu Jahl, whichever is dearer to Allah.
O Allah, bring glory to Islam through one of these two men who is the more beloved to You: either Abu Jahal or Umar ibn al-Khattab.
Umar creeps up on the Prophet ﷺ praying alone at night, and listens.
I crept up on the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the dead of night at the Ka'bah, meaning to catch him alone, and found him reciting from Surah al-Haqqah. I had never listened to the Qur'an wholeheartedly before. As I wondered to myself whether this was the word of a poet, or a soothsayer, or something else, the recitation itself answered my very thoughts. That was the first time Islam entered my heart, though I had not yet accepted it.
A hundred camels for the man who kills Muhammad ﷺ, and Nu'aym al-Nahham on the road.
This man has done more to insult our fathers and gods than anybody else! He has cursed our religion and said that anyone who worships idols will be punished in Hell! Who will finally rid us of this man? By Allah, whoever succeeds, I promise him 100 camels (red and black, the choicest colors) and 100 uqiyyah of silver!
Where are you going? What happened?
Enough is enough! We have been cursed too long, and our ancestors ridiculed. I am now going to kill this man Muhammad ﷺ!
Have you lost your mind, O Umar?! Do you really think the Banu Abd Manaf will let you walk the earth after you kill one of their own? If you really want to do something, go back and fix your own family first!
Don't you know? Your own sister and brother-in-law have accepted Islam!
Umar, taken aback, first asked what Nu'aym meant.
Fatima and Sa'id ibn Zayd, a blow, a page hidden under a skirt, and Surah Taha.
Come in! Come in! What are you doing here at this time of the day?
What was this noise I heard? This humming and drumming. What was this?
No, you didn't hear anything.
By Allah, I know what I heard! I know now that both of you have accepted Islam!
Already enraged, Umar took a step to strike Sa'id, but the blow landed on Fatima instead.
Yes! We have accepted Islam and we believe in the Prophet ﷺ! So what?! Do as you please!
Sa'id joined Fatima in the same open declaration.
Let me see what you were reciting.
Umar's heart softened on seeing their sincerity.
Since you are a mushrik, you are not allowed to touch the Qur'an until you purify yourself.
Did ghusl, then read from Surah Taha. Islam then entered my heart.
Did this after Fatima insisted he purify himself before touching the Qur'an she and Sa'id had been reciting.
Hamzah says to let him in, and the takbir is heard through the house.
Let him in. For if Allah wants good, he will accept Islam; but if Allah wants other than this, the very sword he is holding will be the end of him.
Said inside the House of al-Arqam after a companion warned that Umar had arrived at the door with his sword drawn.
O Ibn al-Khattab, what are you doing here? By Allah, if you continue in this path, Allah will destroy you with a punishment.
I have come to accept Islam, believe in Allah, believe in you, and testify in the Truth.
Allahu Akbar!
Said so loudly that everyone in the House of al-Arqam knew Umar had accepted Islam.
Abu Jahl's door, the city's worst gossip, and the first public prayer at the Ka'bah.
I have come to personally inform you that I now believe in Allah and His Messenger, and I am now upon the religion of Muhammad ﷺ.
May Allah curse you and what you have come with!
Slammed the door in Umar's face.
Do you know I have a secret? I have just accepted Islam and I am now following the religion of Muhammad ﷺ!
Umar sought out Jamil, known across Makkah as unable to keep a secret, so news of his conversion would spread through the city as quickly as possible.
O people of Makkah! O Quraysh! Umar ibn al-Khattab qad Saba'a!
Jamil rushed into the streets, eager to be the first to spread the news.
No. Aslamtu, I have accepted Islam.
Correcting Jamil's use of the pagans' word for leaving idolatry.
Al-Faruq, the man spoken to from the heavens, and Ibn Mas'ud at his deathbed.
There were people before you who were communicated with [by the angels] but they were not prophets. If there is anybody in my ummah like this, then it is Umar.
O Umar ibn al-Khattab, how did you get the title al-Faruq?
The Prophet ﷺ gave me this title. When I converted, we marched to the Ka'bah headed by two rows, I was in the first row and Hamzah was in the second, and for the first time we prayed in public. That was when the Prophet ﷺ said, 'You are Umar al-Faruq.'
We have ever remained in honor since Umar accepted Islam, up until now. Before his conversion, we were not even able to pray in the Haram; but when he converted, that was the day we were all able to pray there.
Umar was the one who was more beloved [to Allah] than Abu Jahal.
Ibn Umar's own comment closing his narration of the Prophet's ﷺ du'a asking Allah to honor Islam through Abu Jahal or Umar: it was Umar who was chosen.
“And it is not the word of a poet; little do you believe.”
Recited by the Prophet ﷺ the night Umar overheard him at the Ka'bah.
“a soothsayer”
Recited by the Prophet ﷺ the night Umar overheard him at the Ka'bah.
“[It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.”
Recited by the Prophet ﷺ the night Umar overheard him at the Ka'bah.
“And if Muhammad had made up about Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized him by the right hand; then We would have cut from him the aorta. (Verses 44-46, quoted together in the source.)”
Recited by the Prophet ﷺ the night Umar overheard him at the Ka'bah.