Do Not Test Me Through This!

An old man with a thick beard and with clothes having over 15 patches was sitting with his head between his hands thinking deeply about a serious matter.

He was the man who was known as Ameer-ul-Mu’minin. Then suddenly, he got up and said, “I found it, I found it, I found it!” The people said, “What’s wrong O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin?” He was no other than ‘Umar (RA) who was concerned about the city of Hims.

The city which was quite often the reason of Fitnah for the Ummah. He had recently released his former governor, Mu’awiyah (RA) and ‘Umar (RA) wanted a man with Zuhd-a man who had divorced the pleasures of the dunya.

Ameer-ul-Mu’minin ‘Umar (RA) came and asked for a man and when he was brought he said to him, “I assign you to become the Governor of the city of Hims.” The man replied, “La Hawla Wala Quwata ILlah Billah! O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin, do not test me through this.” ‘Umar (RA) said, “You are putting it on my neck and you want to walk away from it? Wallahi that will not happen!” This man was no other than Sa‘id ibn ‘Aamir (RA) who accepted Islam after the Battle of Khaybar. He had no choice but to obey the Ameer-ul-Mu’minin (RA).

‘Umar (RA) gave Sa‘id (RA), a newlywed man, some money and said, “Listen this is what you need for your travel and this will suffice and you will not look in the wealth of the Ummah.” With sadness and grief, he took what he was given and went back to his house.

When he reached home, his wife, who was waiting for him, asked, “What is the matter of Sa‘id?” He (RA) told his wife what Ameer-ul-Mu’minin (RA) had given him. She got excited. Sa‘id (RA) said, “What if I give you a better deal than this?” She said, “What can be better than this?” Sa‘id (RA) said, “We will invest this money” She said, “Invest it? What if we lose it?” Sa‘id (RA) said, “No, the One who is going to invest for us, He will guarantee it!” She said, “He is going to guarantee it?!” Sa‘id (RA) said, “Yes, He is going to guarantee it.” She agreed. They went, the people of Hims were eager to receive their governor. They knew that he was coming on a certain day so they were waiting for him outside the city.

Every time they saw a traveller, they would ask him, “Where are you from?” And if he replied that he was from the city of Madinah, the people would ask him, “Have you seen the governor? He should be here any minute!” In that process, they stopped one of the people who had this old skinny donkey with a very humble outfit, with a wife who was covered from head to toe. And then they asked him, “Where are you from?” The man said, “I am from Madinah!” They said, “Have you seen the Amir who was sent by ‘Umar ibn al Khattab?” He looked away and then turned to them and said, I am your governor!” They said, “You?!” Sa‘id (RA) said, “The situation is what you see.” They said, “No!” They were shocked. And in his daily life, they saw that this man was serving them, and working for them left and right nothing of his desire. They would say to him, “Make sure you are kind to your family and your wife!” Sa‘id (RA) would reply, “No, my aim is clear.”

People loved him so much so, much so that ‘Umar (RA) sent a letter to Sa‘id (RA) asking him why the people loved him so much. He (RA) replied, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin, I am one of them and I am a simple man. I clean the Masjid with them and I serve them on their streets.” ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) was never satisfied with the reports.

He wanted to see for himself what exactly was happening. He then gathered the people and said, “O’ people of Hims, do you have any problem with your governor here?” The people looked around at each other in amazement.

They then said, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin, we have 4 problems with this young man.” ‘Umar (RA) was making this du‘a within himself, “O’ Allah do not disappoint me in this man. I only know that he is the best of your servants.” He (RA) then said, “What are they?” They said, “Firstly, he would not come out of his house until sun rises. Secondly, he would not respond after the sunset. Thirdly, he takes two days off every month.

Fourthly, he periodically faints and we know that he has no control over this but we would like to know the reason of this.”

‘Umar bin al-Khattab (RA) said to Sa‘id (RA), “Respond to the accusations.” Sa‘id (RA) said, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin, you don’t need to know this since it is between me and Allah.” ‘Umar (RA) said, “No, how could I?” Sa‘id (RA) said, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin, as for the first one, I have no servant and my wife is sick. I have to make the dough and I wait until I feed everyone in my household and then I come out to them.” ‘Umar (RA) said, “Allahu Akbar! What about the second one?” Then Sa‘id (RA) continued, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin, the day is theirs and the night is for my Lord.

In the day, I serve them but at night I pray to my Lord!” ‘Umar (RA) again said, “Allahu Akbar! What about the third one?” Sa‘id (RA) then said, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin , I only have one thawb, so I wash it twice a month.” ‘Umar (RA) then said, “Allahu Akbar! What about the fourth one?” Sa‘id (RA) then said, “O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin, I witnessed when Quraysh killed Khubaib bin ‘Adi (RA). And when they were killing him, they said, ‘O’ Khubaib, would you rather be with your family, safe and Muhammad (Salalahu Alayhi wa Salaam) in your place?’
Khubaib (RA) replied, ‘No, I’d rather be here than Muhammad (SAW) be pricked by a thorn!’ And this was after he had performed Salah, and he looked at us and made a powerful du‘a against Quraysh. Whenever I think of this, I think that Allah (SWT) would never forgive my sins and He will hold me on the day of Judgement and I can’t imagine this so that’s why I faint O’ Ameer-ul-Mu’minin”

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) ‘s beard was wet with tears and he said, “All praise be to Allah who did not disappoint me in this man!”