Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, The Kind Caliph

A Muslim woman who lived in Medina was very poor. She had no money to buy food or warm clothes for her children. Her husband was killed in war and she could not get a job. She had nobody to help her.

One night her children were hungry and she had no food to give them. She did not know what to do. Then she put some stones in a pot of water on the fire. The children sat and watched her. They thought that their mother was cooking a meal for them. Before long, the children began to cry. “We are very hungry, mother. Isn’t the food ready yet?”

“Go to sleep now,” said their mother. “The food will soon be cooked. Then I shall wake you all and you will eat.’’

But the children were too hungry to sleep and they continued to cry. Umar, the kind Caliph, heard their cries while he was walking near them. He asked the mother kindly, “Why are your children crying?” The woman replied sadly, “They are hungry, and I have no food to give them. But if they sleep now, perhaps Allah will send something in the morning.”

The poor woman did not know that she was speaking to Umar, the great Caliph. Umar went away. He returned to the woman’s house with a large bag of flour and a large piece of butter. He himself prepared a quick meal for the children. When the meal was ready, he sat with the children feeding them and playing with them until their cries turned into laughter.

Questions:

1. Where did the Muslim woman live?

2. How was her husband killed?

3. Could she get a job?

4. Did she have any food for her children?

5. What did she put on the fire?

6. What did her children think?

7. Who was passing by her house at that time?

8. What did he hear?

9. Did the woman know that she was speaking to the great Caliph?

10. What did he prepare for the children?

Choose the correct answers:

1. The woman could not buy food for her children because ______________.

1. she lived in Medina.

2. the children were hungry.

3. she had no money.

2. The children began to cry because they were__________.

a) thirsty.

b) hungry.

c) tired.

3. The children were too hungry _______ sleep.

a) for

b) so

c) to

4. Umar, the kind Caliph, heard the children’s cries while ________

a) he was in the house.

b) he was walking near them.

c) he was praying.

5. Who prepared a meal for the children?

a) The woman.

b) Umar’s friend.

c) Umar, the great Caliph.

Osman, the Generous

Osman (may Allah be pleased with him) was a very rich man. He had a great fortune of camels and sheep. When he became Muslim, he was willing to give everything to poor Muslims. If a poor Muslim asked Osman for food or money, he would give him what he needed at once. So he was known as Osman the Generous.

Once the Prophet (peace be upon him) needed camels for the Muslim soldiers⁶ who were being sent to fight in Syria. Osman gave a hundred of his own camels to the Prophet (peace be upon him) even without being asked for them.

Arabia is a hot country. There is no rivers, no canals or lakes. It depends on rain, but rain is rare. So all drinking water comes from wells. That is why cities, towns and villages are built round wells. Sometimes the water of these wells is not clean. So fresh water is very dear in Arabia.

In Medina there lived a non-Muslim who had a well of clear and fresh water in his garden. However, before people could drink a drop, they first had to pay the non-Muslim for water.

Many of the Muslims at this time were very poor, and had no money to buy this fresh water. So they had to drink from other wells where the water was muddy and had a bad taste.

Osman, the Generous bought the well of good water from the non-Muslim, and gave it freely to the Muslims.

Questions:

1. What did Osman have?

2. Why was he known as Osman the Generous?

3. Why did the Prophet (peace be upon him) need the camels?

4. What did Osman give the Prophet (peace be upon him)?

5. Is Arabia a hot country or a cold one?

6. Why is fresh water very dear in Arabia?

7. What did the non-Muslim have?

8. Could poor Muslims drink clear and fresh water freely?

9. Who bought the well of good water from the non-Muslim?

10. Why did he buy the well of good water?

Choose the correct answers:

1. Osman was known as “Osman the Generous” because ________

a) he was a rich man.

b) he gave his money freely for Muslims.

c) he had many camels and sheep.

2. Osman gave a hundred of his own camels to the Prophet (peace be upon

him) _______

a) because Muslim soldiers needed them to fight in Egypt.

b) because Muslim soldiers needed them to fight in Iraq.

c) because Muslim soldiers needed them to fight in Syria.

3. Cities, towns and villages are built round ________

a) trees.

b) mountains.

c)wells.

4. The water of the wells ________

a) are not clear.

b) was not clear.

c) were not clear.

5. People had to drink muddy water because _______

a) they had no money to buy clear water.

b) they were thirsty.

c) the water had a bad taste.