“…he must not pray until he finds water.”

At that, ʿAmmār b. Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Commander of the Believers, do you not remember when you and I were among the camels and both of us became junub? I rolled on the ground the way an animal does, whereas you did not pray. Later I mentioned this to the Prophet ﷺ and he said, ‘All that would have sufficed you is this,’ then struck the earth with his hands and wiped his face and his palms.”

ʿUmar replied, “Fear Allah, ʿAmmār!” He said, “If you wish, I will never relate it again.” ʿUmar answered, “No; we entrust you with whatever you have undertaken to relate.” (1)

Thus, this is a Sunnah that ʿUmar himself witnessed and later forgot, to the point that he issued a ruling contrary to it. When ʿAmmār reminded him, he still could not recall it, yet he did not accuse ʿAmmār of falsehood; rather, he instructed him to narrate the report.

Even more striking is that ʿUmar once addressed the people, declaring, “No man may set a mahr (bridal gift) higher than that of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ or his daughters; should he do so, I will return the excess.” A woman objected: “Commander of the Believers, why do you forbid us something Allah has granted us?” She then recited, “And you have given one of them a qintar…” (al-Nisāʾ 4:20). (2)