Umar’s Repeated Humiliation Of A Wife Of The Prophet (saw) - Sahih Bukhari

Narrated A'isha: The wives of the Prophet used to go to Al-Manasi, a vast open place (near Baqia at Madinah) to answer the call of nature at night. Umar used to say to the Prophet (saw) "Let your wives be veiled," but Allah's Apostle did not do so. One night Sauda bint Zam'a the wife of the Prophet went out at 'Isha time and she was a tall lady. Umar addressed her and said, "I have recognised you, O Sauda (r.a)." He said so, as he desired eagerly that the verses of Al-Hijab (the observing of veils by the Muslim women) may be revealed. So Allah revealed the verses of "Al-Hijab" (A complete body cover excluding the eyes).

Source: Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Pg. # 50, H # 146.

Whilst the advocates of Umar rejoice at the said tradition which portrays Umar as having acquired merits and a “divine seal of approval” after his conversion, one must also note how atrocious his behaviour was towards women which continued unabated after his conversion. In this case, the woman was not someone ordinary, but rather a wife of the Prophet (saw). In the first tradition we learn that Umar’s desire for a verse to be revealed in connection to hijab was so intense that he felt compelled to publicly humiliate the wife of the Prophet (saw) Sauda (r.a), when she went out at night in order to answer the call of nature by saying, “I have recognised you, O Sauda." Let us ask ourselves, is this the kind of approach and conduct one would adopt towards any woman, let alone the wife of the Prophet (saw)? Was she not entitled to answer the call of nature in privacy? Her going out at night was very clandestine in nature, yet despite this, Umar sought to humiliate her by asserting that he recognised who she was. Even if he did recognise her, what attracted his ire? Was she not entitled to quietly answer the call of nature without fear of someone humiliating her in this manner? Is this type of conduct acceptable? It seems that Umar felt this was the most apt way to get what he wanted without having any moral or ethical compunction about humiliating the wife of the Prophet (saw) who was merely seeking to relieve herself. Additionally, is it not questionable that Umar actually had the nerve to order the Prophet (saw) to veil his wives, or was it that he knew better than the best amongst mankind who did nothing out of his own desire? Nevertheless, we learn that even when Umar got what he wanted, he continued to humiliate poor Sauda (r.a).

“A'isha reported that Sauda went out (in the fields) in order to answer the call of nature even after the time when veil had been prescribed for women. She had been a bulky lady, significant in height amongst the women, and she could not conceal herself from him who had recognized her. Umar b. Khattab saw her and said: "Sauda, by Allah, you cannot conceal yourself from us. Therefore, be careful when you go out.” She (A'isha) said, turned back upon hearing this callous address. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was at that time in my house having his evening meal and there was a bone in his hand. She (Sauda) returned and said: Allah's Messenger, I went out and Umar said to me so and so. She (A'isha) reported: At that point the revelation came to him and then it was over; the bone was in his hand and he had not thrown it and he said: "Permission has been granted to you that you may go out for your needs."

Source:  Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Book 65, Page # 1205. Hadeeth # 4795.

Al-Albani:
Al Humadi told us narrated from Sufyan narrated from Misaar narrated Moosa Ibn abi-Kahitr narrated from Mujahid narrated narrating Aisha " I was eating Haysa with Prophet. Umar  passed by, so Prophet [saw] who invited him, he (Umar) came over and joined (us) in food. His hand got touched with my finger, so he (Umar) said: 'Oh! If I were to be agreed (obeyed) about you (regarding Hijab), then no eye would have (ever) seen you!'. Then after the Hijab was revealed".
Footnote: Narration is Saheeh 'Authentic'
Source: Saheeh Al-Adab Al Mufrad, Vol.2, Pg. H # 1053. 

Ibn Hajar:

I  say but what is meant by the first veil is different from the second veil and what happened is that Umar felt some aversion against the fact that strangers were acquainted with the Prophet’s wives ,until he revealed that telling Him (saw) ; 'Withhold your women!' and he affirmed that till the verse of veil have descended, then he (Umar) intended later that they do not show themselves even if they were veiled, and he exaggerated and he disallowed it, and they were authorised to go out for their need to ward off hardship and waiver of embarrassment. Some commentators objected that mentioning the stated hadeeth in the assigned section was not corresponding , but mentioning it in the section of veil denial is more accurate. And it was answered that it was referred to the origin of the hadeeth, as usual as if he was pointing out that combining the two narrations is possible, and God knows best. Another reason for the descent of the veil’s verse appeared in the mujahid’s narration narrating Aisha, that Al- Nasa'i mentioned with the following incident; 'I was having a stew in a huge thick bowl, and Umar passed by therefore He (saw) invited him [to eat with us] and he ate, and his finger touched mine therefore he (saw) said; 'If I was obeyed in you [prophet’s wives] then no eye would ever see you'. Afterwards the order of hijab descended. And it can be agreed that this event and veil order happened before the story of Zaynab, and it is because it was close in time to what happened with Zaynab that the reason of veil ordering was adhered to this story in general but there is nothing to mind the multiplicity of reasons [behind the order of veil]. And ibn Mardawayh mentioned according to Ibn Abbas narration, he said 'A man entered to prophet’s [house] (saw) and he sat for a long period, then the prophet (saw) went out three times so that (the man) goes out but he did not , then Umar came in and he saw the repugnance in the prophet’s face (saw) therefore he told the man; you may have hurt the Prophet (saw)'. Then the Prophet (saw) said; 'I went out thrice so that he follows me but he did not', therefore Umar told Him; 'O Messenger of Allah , wouldn’t it be better if you order [put] a cover [for your women], certainly that your women are not like other women and that is more chaste for their hearts, then the verse of veil descended'.

Source: Fatah al-Bari Sharh Saheeh Al Bukhari, Vol. 10, Pg. # 513 - 514.

So we see that despite the revelation of the verse of Hijab on numerous occasions, Umar still remained a toilet loiterer. He was of the view that the wives of the Prophet (saw) should remain confined within their homes and should not be permitted to leave. Such was his determination on this view that he again singled out Bibi Sauda (r.a) for humiliation stating, “Sauda, by Allah, you cannot conceal from us.” From the narration, we may note that due to the intimidation that was such a chagrin to her, she abandoned her trip and returned to the Prophet (saw) complaining about Umar’s conduct. It is known that during that era there were no toilets in houses and people would relieve themselves by going into the fields, but according to the world of Umar this was completely unacceptable. He was prepared to humiliate the wives of the Prophet (saw) and let them suffer through constipation rather than venture from their homes, despite the fact they were completely veiled! Does such conduct concur with good manners and etiquette? Would today's followers of the so called 'Ahl ul Sunnah' deem it apt to humiliate their Sheikhs' wives were they to observe them venturing out to tend to their personal needs? Would humiliating a wife of one of their Sheikhs in a manner that caused her upset not be a form of reprehensible conduct? Would the Sheikh not feel angered and humiliated by the fact that one of his students was embarrassing his wife in such a manner? On the other hand, how would their wives themselves feel about it? No rational minded person would behave like this, yet Umar ibn Al-Khattab adopted such an aggressive approach that with it, he humiliated a wife of the Prophet (saw) and caused her embarrassment. How can anyone fail to ponder how disgracefully he had conducted himself?!

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