Islamic Exemplary Stories

Mad Caliph???

Caliph Umar bin Khaththab has changed his memory. Many people see it with their own eyes. Perhaps because Umar in his youth was laden with sins, such as robbing, drunkenness, even like rampaging without human conscience, until many innocent people became victims. That is what may have tormented his mind so that he was afflicted with mental illness. 

       Umar used to cry alone after finishing praying. And suddenly he laughed out loud, also alone. No one else made him laugh. Is it not a clear signal that Umar bin Kaththab has gone mad? 

       Abdurrahman bin Auf, as one of Umar's most intimate companions, was offended and very moody to hear the accusation. Moreover, almost all the people of Medina have agreed to consider Umar really crazy. And, of course, a madman is no longer worthy of leading a people or a country.

Even more surprising to the people, when performing Friday prayers, while on the pulpit to recite his sermon, Umar suddenly exclaimed, "Hai sariah, my soldiers. That hill, that hill, that hill!" The congregation is also stirring. Because the speech has absolutely nothing to do with the contents of the sermon delivered. "Well, our caliph has really gone mad" murmured the people of Medina who were the masters of Friday prayers that day. 

       But Abdurrahman did not want to act rashly, he had to know very well, why Umar did so. So Umar came to him, and he asked him, "O Amirul Mukminin. Why do you cry out in between your sermons as your gaze gazes into the distance?" Umar calmly explained, "Look, my best friend. A few weeks ago I sent Syria, an army I did not direct, to root out the vandals. As I was preaching, I saw that the army was surrounded by enemies from all directions. I saw that the only fortress to defend itself was a hill behind them. And I cried out: that hill, that hill, that hill!" 

Half in disbelief, Abdurrahman frowned. "Then, why did you cry and laugh all by yourself when you finished praying fardhu?" ask Abdurrahman anyway. Umar replied, "I cry when I think of my savagery before Islam. I buried my daughter alive. And I laugh when I think of my stupidity. I made a sculpture of wheat flour and I worship like God, when I am hungry I eat my 'God". 

       Finally, the evidence came without her asking. That is when the sariah sent Umar has returned to Medina. Their faces sparkled despite the obvious signs of exhaustion and scars they suffered. They came to bring victory. 

The commander of the army, the next day, told the people of Medina about the extent of the war they had experienced. "We are surrounded by enemy soldiers, with no hope of escaping safely. The opponent violently hit us from all directions. We've been blown apart. Our strength was almost drained away. Until the Friday prayer that we should have done. At that very moment, we heard a sharp and resolute unseen cry: "That hill, that hill, that hill!" Three times the call was repeated so that we knew what it meant. We immediately retreated to the hillside. And we made the hill a protector in the back. Thus we can face the attack of the opposing army from one direction, namely from the front. That was the beginning of our success." 

       Abdurrahman nodded his head in amazement. So did the people who had accused Umar of changing his memory. Abdurrahman then said, "Let Umar with his behavior that sometimes violates custom. For he can see something that our senses are not able to see" 

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