—in every land. I knew that my Lord—Exalted is He—will question me about them on the Day of Resurrection, and that the one who will contend with me on their behalf is Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. I feared that I would have no proof to set against his argument, so I took pity on myself and wept.” (1)

Maymūn ibn Mihrān said, “ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz once put me in charge of an area, then said to me, ‘If ever a letter reaches you from me that is not in accordance with the truth, throw it to the ground.’” (2)

He also wrote to one of his governors: “When your power over the people tempts you to wrong them, remember Allah’s power over you, the fleeting nature of what you inflict on them, and the lasting nature of what they will bring against you.” (3)

ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī related from Jarīr ibn Ḥāzim, from ʿĪsā ibn ʿĀṣim, that ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz wrote to ʿAdī ibn ʿAdī: “Islam possesses norms, statutes, and obligatory duties; whoever fulfills them has perfected faith, and whoever falls short of them has not perfected faith. If I live, I will explain them to you so that you may act upon them; but if I die, I have no wish to remain in your company.” (3)

Al-Bukhārī cited this in his Ṣaḥīḥ as a confirmed muʿallaq report. (4)

Al-Ṣūlī likewise reports that ʿUmar wrote to one of his governors: “Adhere to taqwā (God-consciousness), for nothing else is accepted, no one else receives mercy, and no reward is granted except for it. Those who preach taqwā are many, but those who practice it are few.” (3)

He also said, “Whoever realizes that his speech counts among his deeds will speak little except about what concerns and benefits him; and whoever remembers death often will content himself with little of this world.” (5)

He added, “Whoever does not count his speech among his deeds will multiply his sins; and whoever worships Allah without knowledge will spoil more than he sets right.” (5)

A man once spoke to him so persistently that he angered him. ʿUmar was about to act but restrained himself, then said to the man, “You wish Satan to provoke me through the pride of authority so that I wrong you today and you wrong me tomorrow? Leave—may Allah grant you well-being; we have no need for your disputation.” (6)

He used to say, “The deeds Allah loves most are moderation in serious endeavor, forgiveness when one is able to punish, and gentleness in governance. No servant shows gentleness to another servant in this world without Allah showing gentleness to him on the Day of Resurrection.” (7)