Abu Hurayrah said: “ʿUmar established the dīwān (state register) and fixed a stipend of 5,000 for each of the first Emigrants, 5,000 apiece; 4,000 for each of the Anṣār, 4,000 apiece; and 12,000 for each of the Mothers of the Believers, 12,000 apiece.

Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī said: “ʿUmar continued to trade even while he was the caliph.”

Al-Aʿmash, from Abū Ṣāliḥ, from Mālik al-Dār, related: “A drought struck the people in the time of ʿUmar. A man came to the grave of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, ask Allah to give rain to your community, for they have perished.’ The Messenger of Allah then appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Go to ʿUmar, convey to him my greetings, and tell him that they will be given rain. Say to him also: al-kays, al-kays—be wise and decisive.’ The man went and informed ʿUmar, who wept and said, ‘My Lord, I only fall short in what lies beyond my power.’”

Anas said: “During the Year of Ashes ʿUmar’s stomach rumbled from eating only oil, for he had forbidden himself clarified butter. He tapped his belly with his finger and said, ‘We have nothing else until the people come back to life.’”

Al-Wāqidī reported: Hishām ibn Saʿd narrated to us, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from his father, who said: “In the Year of Ashes the Bedouin Arabs poured into Medina from every direction. ʿUmar had appointed men to look after their needs. One night I heard him say, ‘Count how many are taking supper with us.’ They counted them the following evening and found 7,000 men. They then counted the sick and the dependants, and they were 40,000. After a few days the number of men along with their families reached 60,000. They remained until Allah sent down the rain. When it rained I saw ʿUmar place overseers in charge of them, sending them back to the desert with provisions and mounts for their journey. Death had already struck among them, and I saw…"