Son of al-Khattāb would have perished were it not there `Alī ibn Abī-Tālib.

One morning, `Umar met Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān and greeted him.

Hudhayfah said, “How do you expect me to be! Indeed, I dislike the right, love the temptation, testify the existence of a thing that I have not seen, learn by heart what has not been created, offer the prayer without ablution, and possess on this earth that which is not possessed by Almighty Allah in the Heavens.”

On hearing this reply, `Umar became so enraged that he left hastily as he decided to harm Hudhayfah for such saying. On his way, he passed by `Alī ibn Abī-Tālib who noticed his rage and thus asked, “What for are you so enraged, `Umar?”

“As I greeted Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān, he said to me that he dislikes the right,” said `Umar.

“This is true,” said `Alī, “the man dislikes death, which is right!”

“He also said that he liked temptation!” added `Umar.

“This is true,” said `Alī, “the man liked his fortune and sons; and Almighty Allah says,

‘Your wealth and your children are only a temptation.’ [Holy Qur’ān: 64/15]”

“`Alī: he also claimed that he testified the existence of things that he had not seen!” added `Umar.

“This is also true,” said `Alī, “He testifies of Allah’s Oneness, the death, the Resurrection, the Judgment Day, Paradise, Hell, and the Path (al-Sirāt) while he had not seen any of these.”

“`Alī: he also said that he learnt by heart that which was not created!” added `Umar.

“This is also true,” said `Alī, “He has learnt by heart the Holy Book of Almighty Allah—the Qur'ān that is not created.” [1]

“He also claimed that he offered prayer without performing the ritual ablution!” said `Umar.

“This is also true,” said `Alī, “He prays to Almighty Allah to send blessings upon my cousin, the Messenger of Allah, without need for performing the ritual ablution. This is of course permissible.”

“Abu’l-Hasan: he said a more serious thing,” said `Umar.

“What was that?” asked `Alī.

“He said that he possesses on this earth what is not possessed by Almighty Allah in the heavens!” explained `Umar.

“This is also true,” said `Alī, “the man has a wife and sons on this earth while Almighty Allah is too Exalted to have a wife and sons.”

Pondering over the answers of `Alī, `Umar confessed, “Son of al-Khattāb would have perished were it not there `Alī ibn Abī-Tālib.”[2]

[1] Al-Bayhaqiy: al-Sunan al-Kubrā 8:32; Al-Muttaqiy al-Hindiy: Kanz al-'Ummāl 15:94 H. 40234.The question whether the Qur'ān was created or was existent since eternity is one of the issues of disagreement between the Muslim theologians. For details, refer to books of Islamic theology.

[2] Ibn al-Sabbāgh al-Mālikiy: al-Fusūl al-Muhimmah 35; al-Kinjiy: Kifāyat al-Tālib 218-9.