Islamic Character

Making the Qur’an one’s greatest preoccupation Whenever officials were to be despatched on missions, Umar would make them promise not to ride on Turkish horses, eat fine flour or wear silken clothes, and not to close their doors to the needy. He warned them that if they fell into any of these errors, they would be punished. Then, having extracted this promise from them, he would send them off. If Umar had to relieve some official of his duties, he would say to him: “I did not appoint you to lord over the Muslims so that you could indulge in carnage and despoil them of their honour and their property. I appointed you to establish prayer, to distribute the spoils of war and to make just decisions concerning them.” (AL-BAYHAQI, AL-SUNAN AL-KUBRA) Abu Hasin relates how Umar used to tell newly appointed officials to make the Qur’an their greatest pre-occupation and to place less emphasis on relating the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad: “And I am with you,” he would add. (AL-TABARANI)