Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (RA) – Basic 4 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Second Rightly Guided Caliph

Life History

Before Islam

• Born in: Makkah around 584 CE
• Job: Strong warrior and trader
• Character: Very strong, brave, but had a bad temper
• Family: From the Banu Adi tribe
• At first: Enemy of Islam – wanted to hurt Muslims

How He Became Muslim

• Planned to kill Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
• On the way, learned his sister had become Muslim
• Went to her house and heard Quran being read
• The Quran touched his heart
• Immediately went to the Prophet and accepted Islam
• This happened in 615 CE

After Becoming Muslim

• Became one of strongest supporters of Islam
• Prophet called him “Al-Farooq” (The one who separates truth from falsehood)
• Very close advisor to Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

Becoming Caliph

• Abu Bakr chose him as the next Caliph before dying
• Became Caliph in 634 CE
• Ruled for 10 years (634-644 CE)
• Was 52 years old when he became Caliph

Major Achievements as Caliph

1. Expanded Islamic Empire

• Conquered Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt
• Islamic empire became very large
• Many people in new lands became Muslims

2. Great Administrator

• Organized the government very well
• Set up proper courts for justice
• Created postal system for communication
• Started census (counting people)

3. Established Islamic Calendar

• Started the Hijri calendar
• Began counting years from Prophet’s migration to Madinah

4. Fair and Just Leader

• Equal treatment for all people
• Walked around at night to check on people’s needs
• Simple lifestyle – wore patched clothes
• Gave money to poor people from state treasury

5. Built Infrastructure

• Built roads and bridges
• Dug canals for water
• Established guest houses for travelers

His Character

Why he was called “Al-Farooq”:

• Always chose right over wrong
• Very honest and just
• Strong but fair leader
• Feared Allah more than anyone

Famous for:

• Simple living despite being powerful
• Caring for the poor
• Quick justice
• Strong but merciful

Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks:

• Umar was called “_______” (The Separator of truth)
• He ruled for _______ years as Caliph
• He started the _______ calendar
• At first, he was an _______ of Islam

2. True or False:

• Umar accepted Islam after hearing the Quran ( )
• He was always a friend of Muslims ( )
• He conquered many new lands ( )
• He lived a very expensive lifestyle ( )

3. Circle his achievements as Caliph:

• Expanded Islamic Empire
• Built the Kaaba
• Started Hijri calendar
• Organized government
• Became a merchant
• Built roads and bridges

4. Why was Umar called “Al-Farooq”?

• a) He was very rich
• b) He separated truth from falsehood
• c) He was very tall
• d) He was a good speaker

5. Put in order how Umar became Muslim:

• ( ) Heard Quran at his sister’s house
• ( ) Planned to kill the Prophet
• ( ) Immediately accepted Islam
• ( ) Learned his sister was Muslim

6. Match the achievement with its benefit:

• Hijri Calendar → Muslims could count years properly
• Postal System → Better communication
• Night Rounds → Helped people in need
• Courts → Fair justice for all

7. Short Answer:

• How did Umar become Muslim?
• How long did he rule as Caliph?
• Name 2 lands he conquered
• Why did people respect him as a leader?

Answer Key:

1. Al-Farooq, 10, Hijri, enemy
2. True, False, True, False
3. Circle: Expanded Islamic Empire, Started Hijri calendar, Organized government, Built roads and bridges
4. b) He separated truth from falsehood
5. 2, 1, 4, 3
6. Matching as shown above
7. Heard Quran at sister’s house / 10 years / Iraq and Syria (or others) / He was just and cared for people