What is the Authenticity of the story of the man who came to Umar complaining about his son?
The story of the man who came to Umar ibn al-Khattab complaining about his son is documented in the hadith literature. In one narration, Ibn Abbas recounts an incident where he waited a year to ask Umar about a certain verse but was too afraid to do so. Eventually, during a pilgrimage, he asked Umar about the two women who were contending with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Umar responded, saying, Do not think I know more than I do. If I know, I will tell you.
This shows Umar's humility and his approach to knowledge Sahih al-Bukhari 65:433.
While this specific narration does not directly focus on the complaint about a son, it illustrates the environment in which Umar operated, highlighting his willingness to listen to the concerns of the people. This context emphasizes the importance of addressing communal issues, including familial disputes, under his leadership.
For more detailed exploration of Umar's judgments and interactions with the community, hadith literature may contain various accounts reflecting on his leadership and decisions, which provide insights into his character and judicial practices. However, this specific story about a complaint regarding a son does not appear prominently in the retrieved sources.
Sources
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Sahih al-Bukhari 65:433
Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 65, Hadith 433 · Narrated by Ibn Abbas
Ibn Abbas said he waited a year wanting to ask Umar about a verse but could not out of fear. When Umar went on pilgrimage, Ibn Abbas accompanied him. On the way back, Umar needed to go aside to relieve himself at some narrow grove called Al-Arak. Ibn Abbas waited until he finished, then asked, 'Commander of the Faithful, who were the two women contending with the Prophet (peace be upon him) from among his wives?' Umar replied, 'Those were Hafsa and Aisha.' Ibn Abbas said he had wanted to ask this for a year but could not due to fear. Umar said, 'Do not think I know more than I do. If I know, I will tell you.' Then Umar said, 'By Allah, before Islam, we never cared for women’s matters until Allah revealed concerning them and divvied their rights.' Ibn Abbas said one day his wife asked him, 'Why do you concern yourself thus? Isn't it strange? Your daughter is contesting the Prophet (peace be upon him), and you want reconciliation.' Umar went to Hafsa and said, 'O daughter, you are contending with the Messenger of Allah until late in the day angry.' Hafsa said, 'Indeed, we contend.' Umar warned her of Allah's punishment and the Prophet's anger, saying, 'Do not be deceived by your affection for him; she (Aisha) is what he loves.' Umar then went to Umm Salama, his relative, who lamented, 'O son of Khatab, you meddle in matters wanting to come between the Prophet and his wives.' This softened Umar's heart concerning some matters. He left her, and his Ansari companion came with news whenever the Prophet was absent and vice versa. They feared a Ghassanid king was coming towards them, filling their hearts with fear. When the Ansari friend knocked urgently, Ibn Abbas opened the door thinking it was the Ghassanid, but it was a servant of the Prophet hurrying. Ibn Abbas told him, 'Say this is Umar ibn al-Khattab.' The servant gave permission, and Ibn Abbas narrated the entire story to the Prophet. When the story reached Umm Salama, the Prophet smiled while lying on a mat, with a leather-stuffed pillow under his head and sandalwood at his feet and hanging at his head. Ibn Abbas saw the mark of the mat and started to weep. The Prophet asked why he was crying. Ibn Abbas said, 'O Messenger of Allah, Khosrow and Caesar have their worldly status, and you are the Messenger of Allah.' The Prophet said, 'Are you not pleased that their worldly realm is theirs and the Hereafter is ours?'
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