The policy of tribal preference during Umar’s reign was similar to the one prevalent among the Arabs in the pre-Islamic era. The Arab society, in the era of paganism, was founded on the basis of tribal system and preferential treatment for the Arab race.
In this system, the basis of discernment and course of action was the tribe, its allies,94 its chief, its poet, its water and its land. In this society, if an individual from one tribe killed a person from another tribe, all the people from the victim’s tribe would seek revenge from all the people belonging to the killer’s tribe. In this connection, vengeance was considered to be achieved only when someone from the killer’s tribe was killed.
In pursuit of this policy, an Arab desert-dweller would never give his daughter’s hand in marriage to the noblest non-Arab. Such was the state of the Arab society during the age of paganism.
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.), through Islam, demolished this system by deeds and words. In this connection, the following verse was revealed to the Prophet (s.a.w.a.):
“O people! Surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other. Surely the most honorable of you in front of Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty).” (Hujarat: 13)
In the last year of his blessed life, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjatul Widaa) said,
‘O People! Your Lord is One and your father is one! Know that no Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab (by birth); and no red-skinned person enjoys superiority over the black and no black enjoys superiority over the red except through piety. Is my message clear to you?’
All of them confessed, ‘Yes, O Prophet of Allah.95
In practice too, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) laid the Islamic society on the basis of a single human race. He appointed Bilal, a (black) Ethiopian, as the “Muazzin” (the one who calls to prayer) of the Islamic society (a post that was quite coveted). Likewise, he took tens and hundreds of other steps in this direction.
This was the state of the Islamic society during the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) era. During Umar’s time, the government policy deemed advisable to restore the Islamic society on the ways and discrimination of the Arabs during paganism.
And now for the details of these events:
After the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) demise, the conflict at Saqifa Bani Saa’eda for the appointment of a Caliph took place with tribal slogans. The reason for bringing Sa’d Bin Ubaadah to Saqifa was not because he possessed greater virtues than the other companions but because as the Ansars asserted, “The Caliph should be from our tribe.”
The Muhaajir (Emigrants) retorted, “The Prophet was from our tribe, the Quraish. So, the Caliph should also be from the Quraish. The Arabs will not accept the caliphate if it is vested in a tribe other than the Quraish.” For this very reason, allegiance was given to Abu Bakr in Saqifa. Thereafter, Abu Bakr became busy in suppressing his opponents and strengthening the base of caliphate. However, after Abu Bakr’s rule, the Quraish nepotism in the caliphate became more so apparent during Umar’s era.
The manner in which the Quraish ruled the Muslim
During Umar-ibn-Khattab’s rule, the government belonged to the Quraish clan and its allies and the leadership of the Muslim army and the governance of the big Islamic cities were in the hands of the Quraish clan and its allies but not those who were from the clan of Bani Hashim. In this connection we set hereunder, a gist of what Masoudi has narrated:
“The governor of Hamas died. Hamas was a big city in Syria and was one of the Islamic military centres. During that period, Umar summoned Ibne Abbas and said, “The governor of Hamas has died and he was a virtuous man. Virtuous men are few and you are one of them. However, there is in my heart something against you although I have failed to find any evidence for it and have become weary in search for it. Now, what is your idea about becoming the governor of Hamas?”
Ibne Abbas said, “I shall not accept unless you inform me of what you have in your heart against me.”
Umar asked, “Why do you wish to know?”
Ibne Abbas said, “I wish to know because if in case the matter is something fearful then I too should fear from it and if I turn out to be innocent, I should know that I am innocent and then I can accept the post.
Umar said, “O Ibne Abbas, I fear that when I die and you become the governor, you will invite the people towards yourselves. Nay! The people should not turn your side and forsake the others.”96
Umar feared lest he dies and Ibne Abbas remains the governor of Hamas (which was then one of the centres of the Islamic army), he would later invite the people to the caliphate of Bani Hashim i.e. the caliphate of Ali (a.s.). Thus, he said, “Nay! It should not happen that the people refer to the Bani Hashim and forsake the other Quraish!”
As explained, Ibne Abbas’s appointment to the post of governor of Hamas confused Umar and inspite of his confidence in Ibne Abbas’s capability, he had his own fears. In this conversation, he wanted to be sure that his fear was only an illusion. But Ibne Abbas did not give him any assurance and (so) he did not become the governor of Hamas!
In this conversation, two things become clear for us:
Firstly, the reason why Umar kept away the Bani Hashim from sensitive posts Secondly, Umar thought of appointing a Caliph from the Quraish, exclusive of the Bani Hashim Another policy was to keep the Ansars away from caliphate and sensitive posts except in cases where no Quraish or their allies were found, or when the post itself was insignificant. This policy lasted till the last day of Umar’s rule just as in the council of six members for the selection of a Caliph, Umar had not appointed even one person from the Ansars.
* * *
Such was the basis of the Quraishite rule over the Muslims during Umar’s era, which left its indelible impression on the Islamic societies for centuries to follow; and its effect on the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) hadith and sunnah too has remained till today.
In this system, the basis of discernment and course of action was the tribe, its allies,94 its chief, its poet, its water and its land. In this society, if an individual from one tribe killed a person from another tribe, all the people from the victim’s tribe would seek revenge from all the people belonging to the killer’s tribe. In this connection, vengeance was considered to be achieved only when someone from the killer’s tribe was killed.
In pursuit of this policy, an Arab desert-dweller would never give his daughter’s hand in marriage to the noblest non-Arab. Such was the state of the Arab society during the age of paganism.
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.), through Islam, demolished this system by deeds and words. In this connection, the following verse was revealed to the Prophet (s.a.w.a.):
“O people! Surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other. Surely the most honorable of you in front of Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty).” (Hujarat: 13)
In the last year of his blessed life, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjatul Widaa) said,
‘O People! Your Lord is One and your father is one! Know that no Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab (by birth); and no red-skinned person enjoys superiority over the black and no black enjoys superiority over the red except through piety. Is my message clear to you?’
All of them confessed, ‘Yes, O Prophet of Allah.95
In practice too, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) laid the Islamic society on the basis of a single human race. He appointed Bilal, a (black) Ethiopian, as the “Muazzin” (the one who calls to prayer) of the Islamic society (a post that was quite coveted). Likewise, he took tens and hundreds of other steps in this direction.
This was the state of the Islamic society during the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) era. During Umar’s time, the government policy deemed advisable to restore the Islamic society on the ways and discrimination of the Arabs during paganism.
And now for the details of these events:
After the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) demise, the conflict at Saqifa Bani Saa’eda for the appointment of a Caliph took place with tribal slogans. The reason for bringing Sa’d Bin Ubaadah to Saqifa was not because he possessed greater virtues than the other companions but because as the Ansars asserted, “The Caliph should be from our tribe.”
The Muhaajir (Emigrants) retorted, “The Prophet was from our tribe, the Quraish. So, the Caliph should also be from the Quraish. The Arabs will not accept the caliphate if it is vested in a tribe other than the Quraish.” For this very reason, allegiance was given to Abu Bakr in Saqifa. Thereafter, Abu Bakr became busy in suppressing his opponents and strengthening the base of caliphate. However, after Abu Bakr’s rule, the Quraish nepotism in the caliphate became more so apparent during Umar’s era.
The manner in which the Quraish ruled the Muslim
During Umar-ibn-Khattab’s rule, the government belonged to the Quraish clan and its allies and the leadership of the Muslim army and the governance of the big Islamic cities were in the hands of the Quraish clan and its allies but not those who were from the clan of Bani Hashim. In this connection we set hereunder, a gist of what Masoudi has narrated:
“The governor of Hamas died. Hamas was a big city in Syria and was one of the Islamic military centres. During that period, Umar summoned Ibne Abbas and said, “The governor of Hamas has died and he was a virtuous man. Virtuous men are few and you are one of them. However, there is in my heart something against you although I have failed to find any evidence for it and have become weary in search for it. Now, what is your idea about becoming the governor of Hamas?”
Ibne Abbas said, “I shall not accept unless you inform me of what you have in your heart against me.”
Umar asked, “Why do you wish to know?”
Ibne Abbas said, “I wish to know because if in case the matter is something fearful then I too should fear from it and if I turn out to be innocent, I should know that I am innocent and then I can accept the post.
Umar said, “O Ibne Abbas, I fear that when I die and you become the governor, you will invite the people towards yourselves. Nay! The people should not turn your side and forsake the others.”96
Umar feared lest he dies and Ibne Abbas remains the governor of Hamas (which was then one of the centres of the Islamic army), he would later invite the people to the caliphate of Bani Hashim i.e. the caliphate of Ali (a.s.). Thus, he said, “Nay! It should not happen that the people refer to the Bani Hashim and forsake the other Quraish!”
As explained, Ibne Abbas’s appointment to the post of governor of Hamas confused Umar and inspite of his confidence in Ibne Abbas’s capability, he had his own fears. In this conversation, he wanted to be sure that his fear was only an illusion. But Ibne Abbas did not give him any assurance and (so) he did not become the governor of Hamas!
In this conversation, two things become clear for us:
Firstly, the reason why Umar kept away the Bani Hashim from sensitive posts Secondly, Umar thought of appointing a Caliph from the Quraish, exclusive of the Bani Hashim Another policy was to keep the Ansars away from caliphate and sensitive posts except in cases where no Quraish or their allies were found, or when the post itself was insignificant. This policy lasted till the last day of Umar’s rule just as in the council of six members for the selection of a Caliph, Umar had not appointed even one person from the Ansars.
* * *
Such was the basis of the Quraishite rule over the Muslims during Umar’s era, which left its indelible impression on the Islamic societies for centuries to follow; and its effect on the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) hadith and sunnah too has remained till today.
94 The freed slaves of the tribe too were considered as the tribe’s allies.
95 Musnad-e-Ahmad 5/411.
96 Muruj al-Zahab: Masoudi 2/321
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