Umar's Contribution At The Battle Of Hunayn 8 A.H - Sunni Sources

Al-Bukhari:

Narrated Al-Laith from Yahya Ibn Sa’eed from Umar Ib Kathir Ibn Aflah from Abi Muhammad Mawla Abi Qotada that Aba Qotada said: 'When it was the day of (the battle of) Hunayn, I saw a Muslim man fighting with one of the pagans and another pagan was hiding himself behind the Muslim in order to kill him. So I hurried towards the pagan who was hiding behind the Muslim to kill him, and He raised his hand to hit me but I hit his hand and cut it off. That man got hold of me and pressed me so hard that I was afraid (that I would die), then He knelt down and his grip became loose and I pushed him and killed him. The Muslims  started fleeing and I too, fled with them. Suddenly I met Umar bin Al-Khattab amongst the people and I asked him, "What is wrong with the people?" He said, "It is the order of Allah." Then the people returned to Allah's Apostle (after defeating the enemy). Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever produces a proof that he has killed an infidel, will have the spoils of the killed man." So I got up to look for an evidence to prove that I had killed an infidel, but I could not find anyone to bear witness for me, so I sat down. Then it came to my mind (that I should speak of it) and I mentioned the case to Allah's Apostle. A man from the persons who were sitting with him (i.e. the Prophet), said, "The arms of the deceased one whom He (i.e. Aboo Qatada) has mentioned, are with me, so please compensate him for it (i.e. the spoils)." Aboo Bakr said, "No, Allah's Apostle will not give it (i.e. the spoils) to a weak humble person from Quraish and leave one of Allah's Lions who fights on behalf of Allah and His Apostle." Allah's Apostle then got up and gave that (spoils) to me, and I bought with it, a garden which was the first property I got after embracing Islam.'

Source: Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Pg. # 1056 - 1057.

Ibn Hajar Asqalani's Explanation Of Umar's Words

Umar’s statement that, "It is the order of Allah" means that it is the decision of Allah (swt) and what He decreed.

Source: Fathul Bari Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Vol. 9, Pg. # 439.

Al-Ayani's Explanation Of Umar's Words

'The Muslims started fleeing and I too, fled with them. Suddenly I met Umar bin Al-Khattab among the people and I asked him, "What is wrong with the people?" The statement of Umar that, "It is the order of Allah" means that it is the decision of Allah (swt) the Almighty and what He decreed."

Source: Umdatul Qari Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari. Vol. 17, Pg. # 399.

Just contemplate over the contradictory views offered by Umar to explain his conduct on the battlefield. When it came to Uhud He put his fleeing the battlefield down to cowardice, making it clear that Shaytan had told him to flee, thus He was in other words under the influence of Shaytan. This frank admission was in conformity with the condemnation of such actions at the time, it was revealed:

 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْاْ مِنكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَـنُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُواْ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ

{Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts Met, it was Satan who caused them to fail, because of some (evil) they had done. But Allah Has blotted out (their fault): For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing} 

Holy Qu'raan [3.155]

Those that fled on the day did so as they were listening to Satan. The verse makes it clear that deserting the Prophet (saw) on the battlefield is adherence to Satan, something that Umar himself acknowledged. Curiously when it came to the battle of Hunayn when Umar again deserted Rasulullah (saw) and left the hear of battle to save his life, Umar blames not Satan, but in fact states "It is by the will of Allah!" This is all despite the fact that the companions of the Prophet (saw) had paid allegiance to him in the sixth Hijri year to not flee in the battles ahead and Hudaibiyya was one year before Khaybar and two years before Hunayn.

Muslim ibn Hajjaj:

Narrated Qotaiba Ibn Sa’eed from Laith Ibn Sa’d and Muhammad ibn Romh from Al-Laith from Abi Al-Zubair from Jabir who said: We were one thousand and four hundred on the Day of Hudaibiya. We paid allegiance to him (the Holy Prophet) and 'Umar was holding the latter's hand (when he was sitting) under the tree (called) Samura (to administer the oath to the Companions). He said: We took oath to the effect that we would not flee, but we did not take oath to death.

Source: Saheeh Muslim. Vol. 2, Pg. # 900.

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