The Epic of Umar ibn Al-Khattab

This Umar ibn Al-Khattab poem follows a man born in a desert that spoke with swords, hard as rock in his youth, until words from the Qur'an broke something inside him. After the Prophet's death he carries the nation without sitting on a throne, walks the night alone listening for hungry children, fears for a mule stumbling in Iraq, and becomes a scale of justice.

في زمنٍ كانت فيه الصحراء تتكلم بصوت السيوفIn a time when the desert spoke with the sound of swords

وُلد رجل سيغيّر وجه التاريخ.A man was born who would change the face of history.

لم يكن ملكًا.He was not a king.

ولا ابن ملك.Nor the son of a king.

بل رجلًاBut a man

خرج من قلب الصحراء.Who emerged from the heart of the desert.

اسمهHis name

عمر.Umar.

كان طويل القامةHe was tall

كأن الريح صنعت قامته.As if the wind had shaped his stature.

وقوي الصوتHis voice was powerful

كأن الصحراء تسكن في صدره.As if the desert lived within his chest.

في شبابهIn his youth

كان شديدًا.He was fierce.

شديدًا كالصخر.As hard as rock.

حتى جاء يومUntil one day

غيّر كل شيء.Everything changed.

يوم سمع كلماتThe day he heard words

لم تكن مثل كلام البشر.Unlike the speech of men.

كلماتWords

من القرآن.From the Qur’an.

في تلك اللحظةIn that moment

انكسر شيء في داخله.Something inside him broke.

وُلِد عمر جديد.A new Umar was born.

عمرUmar

لم يعد يقاتل الحقيقة.No longer fought the truth.

بل صارBut became

حارسها.Its guardian.

مرت السنوات.Years passed.

ومات النبي.The Prophet passed away.

وبقيت الأمةAnd the nation remained

تبحث عن رجلSearching for a man

يحمل ثقلها.To carry its weight.

فكان عمر.And it was Umar.

جلس على الحكمHe took the leadership

لكن قلبهYet his heart

لم يجلس على العرش.Never sat upon a throne.

كان يمشي في الليلHe walked in the night

وحده.Alone.

يسمع بكاء الأطفال.Hearing the cries of children.

ويقول جملةAnd he said a sentence

لم يقلها ملك قبله.No king had said before.

لو عثرت بغلة في العراقIf a mule stumbled in Iraq

لسألني الله عنهاGod would ask me about it

يا عمر.O Umar.

لم يكن يخاف الجيوش.He did not fear armies.

بل كان يخافBut he feared

العدل.Justice.

فتح المدنHe opened cities

لكن قلبهBut his heart

بقي بسيطًا.Remained simple.

كان ينامHe slept

تحت شجرة.Under a tree.

لا حراس حوله.With no guards around him.

فقال أحدهمAnd someone said

جملة خالدة:A timeless sentence:

حكمت فعدلت فأمنت فنمت.You ruled with justice, so you were safe and slept.

وفي صباحٍ هادئAnd on a quiet morning

دخل رجلA man entered

يحمل خنجرًا.Carrying a dagger.

وفي لحظةIn a moment

سقط عمر.Umar fell.

لكن التاريخBut history

لم يسقط معه.Did not fall with him.

لأن بعض الرجالFor some men

حين يموتونWhen they die

يصبحونThey become

فكرة.An idea.

وعمرAnd Umar

لم يكن مجرد رجل.Was never just a man.

كان ميزانًا.He was a scale.

ميزانA scale

يقيس العدل في التاريخ.Measuring justice in history.

بقلم المهندس المعماري عماد درويشBy Architect Imad Darouich · New York

For more lives from the dawn of Islam, read Muhammad: The Human Prophet Who Built a Nation and The Epic of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib's Diwan, both in the faith and spirit collection.