What is Faith?

Not letting praise go to one’s head Dhiba ibn Mohsin recounts how he once told Umar that he was a better man than Abu Bakr. On hearing such praise Umar broke down, and said, “Just one day and one night in the life of Abu Bakr are worth more than the whole of my life!’ Then he asked, “Shall I tell you which day and which night I am referring to?” “Please do, Commander of the Faithful,’ replied Dhiba. “The night I am referring to was when the Prophet fled from his adversaries in Makkah. Abu Bakr was the only man to go with him. The day I am referring to was the day of the Prophet’s death. That day, many Arabs went back on their pledge to Islam, saying that they would pray but would not pay the poor-due went to Abu Bakr and advised him to be lenient with these people. He said to me, “Umar, in the old days of ignorance, (that is, prior to Islam) you were a brave man. Now, in Islamic times, you have become a coward. As for myself, I will wage war on them, by God, so long as I am strong enough to hold a sword in my hand, even if they withhold so much as a piece of string!” (KANZ AL-UMMAL)