and that after you others will wear yours, and so it will go on for those who remain until everything is returned to the Best of inheritors. Then, each and every day, you escort someone—setting out at dawn or at dusk—on his final journey to Allah, never to come back; his appointed term has run its course. You lower him into a crevice of the earth, in the hollow of a fissure, unpillowed and uncarpeted. He has parted from loved ones, touched the soil itself, and come face-to-face with the Reckoning. He is held in pledge by his deeds: rich in what he left behind, destitute of what he put forward. So be mindful of Allah before the period allowed for vigilance expires and death (1) descends upon you. Indeed, I utter these words,” then (2) he drew the edge of his cloak over his face and wept, causing those around him to weep as well (3).
In another report he said, “By Allah, I speak these words while knowing that none of you holds more sins than I know of in myself. Yet they are just ordinances from Allah, perfectly just: He has commanded obedience and forbidden disobedience. I seek Allah’s forgiveness.” He then covered his face with his sleeve and wept until his beard was soaked, and he never returned to that gathering before he died—may Allah have mercy on him (4).
Abu Bakr ibn Abī al-Dunyā narrated that ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz saw the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—in a dream. The Prophet said to him, “Draw near, ʿUmar! Draw near, ʿUmar! Draw near, ʿUmar!” He related, “I drew close until I feared I might touch him.” The Prophet then said, “When you are given authority, act in a manner resembling the conduct of these two,” and there were two elderly men holding him. I asked, “Who are these two?” He replied, “This is Abū Bakr and this is ʿUmar.” (5)
It is also related that he said to Sālim ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, “Write for me the life of ʿUmar so that I may follow it.” Sālim answered, “You will not be able to.” He asked, “Why not?” Sālim replied, “If you were to live by it you would be better than ʿUmar, for he always found helpers in goodness, whereas you will find no one to assist you in goodness.” (6)
It has been reported that the inscription on his signet ring read: lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu (There is no deity but Allah alone, with no partner). Another report states it read: āmantu billāh (I believe in Allah), and yet another: al-wafāʾ ʿazīz (Loyalty is precious). (7)
On one occasion he gathered the leading men and addressed them, saying, “Fadak (8) was in the hand of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him; he would dispose of it wherever Allah showed him…”