and are not their slain in the Fire?” He replied, “Indeed.” ʿUmar said, “Then for what reason should we accept disgrace in our religion and turn back before Allah has judged between us and them?” He answered, “O son of al-Khaṭṭāb, I am the Messenger of Allah, and Allah will never forsake me.”

Unable to contain his anger, ʿUmar left and went to Abū Bakr. He said, “Abū Bakr, are we not upon the truth while they are upon falsehood?” He replied, “Indeed.” ʿUmar said, “Are not our dead in Paradise and their dead in the Fire?” He replied, “Indeed.” He said, “Then why should we accept humiliation in our faith and retreat before Allah decides between us and them?” Abū Bakr answered, “O son of al-Khaṭṭāb, he is the Messenger of Allah, and Allah will never forsake him.”

Thereafter, revelation descended upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with Sūrah al-Fatḥ, so he sent for ʿUmar and recited it to him. ʿUmar said, “Messenger of Allah, is this truly a victory?” He replied, “Yes.” At that, ʿUmar’s heart was put at ease and he withdrew.

Recorded by al-Bukhārī (3182, “Fatḥ”) and Muslim 5/175–176—whose wording is given above—and by Aḥmad 3/486. In another version reported by both of them he said: “People, suspect your own opinions.” It is also related by Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr 3/2/374 and Ibn Abī Shaybah 15/299.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ (13/288) commented: It is as though he were saying, “Distrust your reasoning whenever it conflicts with the sunnah, just as happened to us when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed us to end our state of consecration, yet we preferred to remain in iḥrām and wanted to fight so that we might complete…”