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How Fighting Injustice Can Make You Unjust | Khutbah by Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy
He was the strongest man among the Prophet ﷺ’s Companions. What made Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) so great wasn’t only his strength, but what he did with it: he turned it against himself first.
In this khutbah, Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy walks through stories from the life of Umar (ra) that show strength used for justice and compassion:
The takeaway: find your strength, and use it for Allah’s pleasure and to improve the world in the short time we have.
This transcript was auto-generated using AI and may contain misspellings.
00:00Brothers and sisters, we know Umar ibn al-Khattab radiallahu anhu, the great companion of the Prophet ﷺ, as the paragon, the very pinnacle of strength.
00:15But what is it that actually made him so special? A major part of it is actually the depth of his understanding of the reality of Islam.
00:28Just as the Prophet ﷺ said in another hadith, خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ خِيَارُهُمْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ إِذَا فَقِهُوا
00:38The best of them in pre-Islam, those who had good qualities before Islam, will wind up being the best of them within Islam if they come to understand.
00:49And so Umar understood. He understood many things about Islam that we need to rediscover.
00:56Of what he understood is that his physical strength and strength of will cannot become a force for good in the world until he applies that strength and turns it against himself first, to discipline himself and hold himself to the balancing act of competing virtues.
01:18That is how they emerged out of Umar, the by-product now. Such strength towards justice.
01:27You know, many people have a sense of justice, but it's like an emotionally volatile sense of justice. I feel like, oh man, there's an injustice happening here, so you just act.
01:38And when you act, you overstep and you wind up falling into injustice yourself. You didn't verify information, or you went overboard on the consequence, or whatever it's going to be. Umar, no.
01:51You know, there is one particular incident. He's in Medina, and a man comes traveling many countries over from Egypt to tell him that he raced once in a game.
02:02Got into a race with Ibn Amr, ibn al-As, radiallahu anhuma. And he beats him, and when he beats him, Ibn Amr sort of, I don't know, misunderstanding, got into his feelings, misunderstood the offense.
02:15It turned into a conflict, and Abdullah ibn Amr, with his power dynamics, had him whipped. And while he was being whipped, Abdullah ibn Amr said, Ana ibnu al-akrameen, I am the son of nobility. How can you treat me like this? That's why I'm whipping you.
02:28I am the son of many generations of nobility. So he comes to Umar wanting to be avenged, and Umar sends for Abdullah ibn Amr, the one being charged with the violation,
02:39and his father, the senior companion Amr ibn al-As, to both come to Medina. And they come to Medina, and then Umar hands this man, the victim, the plaintiff, a whip and says to him, hit him like he hit you.
02:53Anas, who's the eyewitness, this Anas ibn Malik radiallahu anhu, says, and he started hitting Abdullah ibn Amr at a time when we were happy about it.
03:04Like we were happy to see that Islam is blind to injustice. You know, they say justice is blind. It doesn't see class. It doesn't see rank. Justice is paramount. So he started hitting him, and we were happy to see this happen.
03:18But he kept hitting him until we wished it would stop. Like it got really bad. And then Umar turned to the man with the whip and said to him, now put the whip on the head of his father. So he's like, no, no, no. Hold on.
03:32Like, I'm satisfied. I'm good. Yeah. Amir al-Mumineen, or commander of the believers, I got mine. He said, put it on the head of his father. And then he turned to the father and explained why.
03:43He said, since when did you start treating people like slaves? After their mothers had given birth to them as free men. So Amr ibn al-As, the father, said,
03:59I didn't know. And he never came to me complaining. If he had come to me complaining, I would have gotten him his rights. He wouldn't have had to even come to you. I didn't know. And Umar stopped there. He didn't punish Amr the father for the sin of his son.
04:12Though had he been an enabler, he would have been deserving of punishment. Look at the balancing act of Umar. You know, similar to this, Umar ibn al-Khattab's own son once. Abdullah ibn Umar.
04:27One time he bought some camels and he sent them to graze in the state pasture. The state had land where people could go to graze their animals for a while.
04:40And then he took those camels and he sent them to the market to be sold for a profit. Umar ibn al-Khattab, on that day, was patrolling through the market. Sees these camels that are really fat. Like they're just there.
04:53Your eyes just get drawn to them, like above average. Some good stock right here. What is this? He said, whose camels are those? He said, they actually belong to your son. He said, my son? And then he starts saying, He's being sarcastic.
05:07He's basically saying, bravo, bravo. Son of the commander of the believers, the Muslim leader. So his son hears this. He comes running. He says, what happened? What's the matter? He said to him, whose camels are these? He said, they're mine.
05:19I bought them with my money and I sent them to the pasture to, you know, beef up. Just like any other Muslim would do to make some profit. What's the issue? He said, what's the issue? Umar is saying, this is what I'm sure will happen.
05:33Everyone is going to be saying, clear the way for the camel of the leader's son. Give extra water to the camels of the leader's son. Right?
05:45He's trying to tell him, you think it's a coincidence that your camel is the fattest camel in the market today? Then he says to him, you sell those camels and you take back your capital, your principal amount.
05:57And all of that profit goes to the Muslim treasury. It's not yours. Look at the balancing act. May Allah be pleased with Umar. Similar to this, with his wife Atika.
06:10The biographers recount that one time, all of this during his tenure as head of state, some misk and some amber, you know, like oils, expensive oils,
06:22perfume oils, are brought over from Bahrain. So Bahrain had its trade. So this was their share of the charity. They gave it in trade goods, in their inventory, their zakah essentially. It shows up in Medina.
06:35And so Umar says, oh, I wish I could find the perfect woman. Women were known for being good at this. The perfect woman to divide this up fairly between the Muslims.
06:45So his wife Atika says, I'm proficient in this. I have this training too. I can do it for you if you like. He said to her, absolutely not.
06:59Because you're going to be splitting up this oil. And then your hands are going to get drenched in this scent. And then you're going to do like this. And Umar swipes across his neck. And that positions me at the place of privilege. Why did I get more?
07:13And why did I get before the rest of the Muslims? Anybody but you. But you know, it wasn't just strength towards justice. Even strength in compassion came from his deep understanding of Islam.
07:27And this is incredibly rare. You know, when someone is strong, strong-willed, it's very rare that they are able to find in themselves a soft spot, you know. It's usually either or.
07:40But Umar understood that that wasn't an option. So he turned towards himself and found that within him. Or at least accentuated it, grew it. Because I'm a Muslim now. This is what Islam is about. This is what following the Prophet ﷺ looks like.
07:53His strength in compassion was absolutely legendary. In one account, Zayd ibn Aslam narrates from his father.
08:04Aslam was the lifelong assistant of Umar ibn al-Khattab. He says, we were out and about, me and Umar, one night, patrolling or on an errand. And we saw a fire off in the distance. So Umar said to me,
08:18these are people who have been stranded by the darkness, or the cold. And we need to go help them. So we ride over. We find a woman with her children around her.
08:31And so Umar says, As-salamu alaykum. As-salamu alaykum, O people of the light. He didn't want to say, oh people of the fire. Because that sounds like the Quranic hellfire.
08:42So from his thoughtfulness and tact, he said, oh people of the light. Can we come close? Are we allowed to approach? So she said, this is a vulnerable woman. She said, only if you have good intentions.
08:56So Umar ibn Khattab got off. His assistant got off and they walked up to her. Why are the kids crying? She said, they're hungry. He said, what's in the pot? She said, nothing, water.
09:08I'm just sort of pretending in front of them until they fall asleep. Trying to quiet them. Pacify these starving kids. And between me and Amirul Mu'mineen, the head of state, which is him,
09:21she just doesn't know it, is Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala to settle the oppression between us. I'm going to get mine on the day of judgment from Umar. So Umar says to her, does Amirul Mu'mineen even know you're here? Like, how is he supposed to know?
09:35Did you send a complaint? Did you file for assistance? Like, what's the, how can he even know what you're going through? So she says back to him,
09:46How can he accept to assume a position of leadership over us and then be oblivious to us? That's his problem, not mine. She's saying. So Umar turns to Aslam and says, let's go.
09:59They get on the horses and they bolt over to the storehouses where they can pick up some flour and some shahm, they said, some fat. Something to cook some broth with, some stew.
10:10And Aslam is saying, I'm telling Umar, I'll carry it for you. And over and over again, he's telling me, no, carry it onto my back. And after trying to take it off of him three times, he said to me,
10:23will you carry my load on the day of judgment? Get off, put it on my back for me. And he puts it on his back and they're on the animals and they get, they reach her and get off.
10:34And Umar says to her, quick, you sprinkle in and I'll stir. And then Aslam is watching and he sees something he would have never expected. He can't forget the scene.
10:45He says, Umar kneels down under the kettle and begins to blow into the flames. Stoke the fire. He said, Umar had a magnificent beard and I'll never forget the image of the smoke
10:59coming through his beard as he's doing this. This is the head of state, head of the Muslim empire. And so they cook it. And then when the stew is ready, Umar says, come. You serve, I'll fan, I'll cool it off.
11:13And the kids eat and she eats. And then she says, she's so grateful. She says,
11:23You are so much more deserving of being our leader than that guy in the palace somewhere who was right in front of her. She just doesn't know. You deserve to be our leader.
11:34And so Umar said to her, only say positive things. And if you come tomorrow to Amirul Mu'mineen, you'll find me there. I'll introduce you. He doesn't tell her.
11:47And then he takes a few steps away from her and he turns around facing them and he gets on all fours. And Aslam is telling him, we have very pressing state issues to deal with.
12:00We can't be playing horsey here. And he ignores him. And he calls the kids over till they ride his back and they play with him and they wrestle with him. And ultimately they sleep peacefully.
12:12And only then does Umar rise and he says, Alhamdulillah. And then he turned to me and he said to me, Oh Aslam,
12:20the hunger we put them through caused them to lose sleep and to cry. So I did not want to leave them without seeing this. I didn't just fill their stomach.
12:32I also made them smile in place of their crying. May Allah be pleased with Umar. One final account I will share with you just in the interest of time.
12:45Umar ibn al-Khattab, as his son narrates also, one time came to Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf. These are two of the men promised Jannah. These are the earliest Muslims. These are the leaders of the Muslim state and territories.
12:57He says to Ibn Awf, Oh Ibn Awf, would you care to guard with me the goods of these merchants that have arrived in Medina and set up camp in the Musalla, in the prayer hall.
13:08They have nowhere else to go until the morning so that they're not sacked by thieves. So Ibn Awf says, yeah, I'll do it. Let's go. So they took turns, shifts, alternating. Some watches, some prays.
13:22You know, one is scouting, the other one is praying. Umar repeatedly throughout the night, he kept going over to a woman who had a baby that was crying. And he, look at the strength of his compassion. Umar says, fear Allah and be good to your kids.
13:35Stop making the kid cry for so long. Tend to your child. And time and time again, he does this until it was the pre-dawn hour. He went to her and said to her, what is the matter with you?
13:47What kind of mother are you to keep your kids unsettled for an entire night? Like give him some milk. So she gives him a piece of her mind. She says to him, you've been harassing me all night.
14:01Stop badgering me. I am trying to wean this child to get them off of milk. Because Amirul Mu'mineen, the commander of the believers, she doesn't know it's him. Amirul Mu'mineen only writes out a stipend, like an allowance every once in a while, right?
14:15Money from the state. A stipend for children that are weaned. Like if you're drinking from your mom, then I'm feeding your mom. And then your mom is feeding you. But until they're weaned, they don't get their own income.
14:29And she said, we can't survive on that. And he said to her, absolutely not. Don't ever do that. How old is he? She said, a few months. He told her, this is haram basically. You know, in the Quran, your child is entitled up to two years, so long as they want.
14:42This is their right. And so he told her, don't do this. And then Fajr time came in. Abdullah, his son, said, and nobody could discern what my father was reciting
14:53as he led us in prayer from how overwhelmed with weeping he was. Could hardly figure out what he was reading. And then after the salah, he turned to us and he said to us, how ruined is Umar?
15:07How many of the children of the Muslims he has killed? That's sort of from his concern, his anxiety. Of course, don't take that literally.
15:20I've been the cause of so much pain on the children of the Muslims. And then look how strongly his compassion travels. And then that day, he sent an announcement in all of Medina
15:31and messages to the distant provinces. Oh people, do not wean your kids early. From this day forward, we decree a stipend and allowance for every newborn in Islam.
15:40Not just every weaned infant or toddler. May Allah be pleased with Umar. So what do we do with all of this?
16:11Brothers and sisters, find your strength. And Allah has distributed them as per his wisdom and you don't want it any other way.
16:20Worry about not living up to your potential. That's what you worry about. Not how it's going to impact and how the dots are going to connect. Find your strength.
16:34And harness it for Allah's pleasure. And harness it for improving this world during your short time in it. And know that you don't have to do this by yourself.
16:45You know, we've been speaking so much about the X factor being Umar's depth of understanding of Islam. Of his great understanding of Islam is that he would not even be able to turn his strength against him
16:54and optimize on it without Allah's help. and optimize on it without Allah's help.
17:05And that is why he would plead to Allah incessantly for that help. In one of the most, if not the most, beautiful dua you will read about Omar.
17:16Jami' ibn Shaddad says when Omar became the Khalifa, the leader of the Muslims, the first time he ever ascended the pulpit and addressed the people, the very first thing he said was,
17:28Allahumma inni da'ifun faqawwini. Oh Allah, I am weak. So strengthen me. Wa inni shadeedun farafiquni. Oh Allah, and I am stern. I have a rough side.
17:42So soften me. Wa inni bakheelun fasakhini. And I am stingy. I hold back sometimes. So help me be generous.
17:53Even Omar's strength wasn't enough for Omar to get rectified. But Allah can do it for every single one of us. Find your strengths, brothers and sisters, and depend on your Lord and let that drive your legacy in this life
18:06and let it work for you until the day of judgment.
18:31Allahumma salli ala ashraf al-anbiya'i wal-mursaleen wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'een.

























































































































































































































































































































