—fleeing from it; and if you hear of it in some land, do not go there.” (1)

On another occasion he and Ibn ʿAbbās discussed the case of a person who becomes uncertain during his prayer. The Prophet’s sunnah on the matter had not yet reached ʿUmar, until ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf reported that the Prophet ﷺ had said, “He should dismiss the doubt and proceed on the basis of what he is certain about.” (2)

There was also a time while they were travelling when a strong wind arose. ʿUmar began asking, “Who can inform us about the wind?” Abū Hurayrah relates: “Word of his question reached me while I was at the rear of the group, so I urged my mount forward until I caught up with him and then told him what the Prophet ﷺ had instructed when the wind blows.” (3)

These are instances in which ʿUmar d. 23 AH did not know the ruling until someone less knowledgeable than he conveyed it to him; and there were other cases where the sunnah had not reached him at all, so he issued a judgment or a legal opinion that differed from it.