The Highest Form of Respect

The Highest Form of Respect

1986 10 October 6 The Highest Form of Respect (425) Once, during the Caliphate of Umar Faruq, Amr ibn AI-As, the governor of Egypt, arranged a horse race in which his own son’s horse was to participate. It was expected that this horse would win, but much to the son’s chagrin, his horse was left far behind and, what made matters worse, the race was won by a horse owned by an Egyptian – the Egyptian at that time being regarded as a vanquished people. This Egyptian, ecstatic at his victory, uttered some words of jubilation and was promptly set upon by the enraged son, Mohammad ibn Amr, who lashed him violently with a whip. “Take that!” he exclaimed, “This will teach you to beat the son of a nobleman!”

According to a companion of the prophet, Anas ibn Malik, the Egyptian left for Medina to complain to the Caliph Umar of the treatment he had received at the hand of the governor’s son. Umar asked the Egyptian to stay, then immediately sent one of his messengers to Egypt to have the governor and his son brought to him forthwith.

When they arrived, Umar asked for the Egyptian to be brought before him whereupon he handed him a whip and told him to flog the governor’s son, just as he himself had been flogged.

The Egyptian did as he was bade, and throughout the flogging, Caliph Umar kept on urging him not to spare this nobleman’s son. The Egyptian stopped only when he was satisfied that the punishment had been severe enough. This score settled, the Caliph asked the Egyptian – non-Muslim as he was – to give the father a whipping as well, as it had been because of his high office that the son had dared to conduct himself so obnoxiously.

The Egyptian’s response was: “O, Leader of the believers. I have beaten the one who beat me. I wish nothing more.” Umar replied, “By God, if you had started beating his father, I would have done nothing to prevent you. The beating would have stopped only when you yourself stopped it.” Then he addressed himself to the governor: “O, Amr, since when have you enslaved people who were born free?”

This event, which had demonstrated the highest regard for human equality and the highest degree of human respect, ended, in effect, all kinds of differences between one man and another, and between Muslims and non-Muslims, between the conquerors and the conquered. It was the ultimate in justice and fair play and as an example, stood out like a shining light in the affairs of men.