outward appearance. This weighed heavily on many Muslims, but Allah and His Messenger had greater knowledge and wisdom concerning the benefit it entailed. ‘Umar was among those who disliked it, to the point that he said to the Prophet, may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace, ‘O Messenger of Allah, are we not upon the truth and our enemy upon falsehood?’

He replied, ‘Yes.’

‘Umar asked, ‘Are not our slain in Paradise and their slain in the Fire?’

He replied, ‘Yes.’

‘Umar said, ‘Why, then, should we accept humiliation in our religion?’

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told him, ‘I am the Messenger of Allah. He will grant me victory, and I will not disobey Him.’

‘Umar then asked, ‘Did you not tell us that we would come to the House and circumambulate it?’

He replied, ‘Yes. But did I tell you that you would come to it this year?’

‘Umar answered, ‘No.’

He said, ‘You will indeed come to it and circumambulate it.’

‘Umar then went to Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them both, and said to him what he had said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Abū Bakr gave him the same answer as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

Yet Abū Bakr had not heard the Prophet’s answer, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was more completely in accord with Allah and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, than ‘Umar was. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, retracted his position and said, “I performed deeds on that account.”

Likewise, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died, ‘Umar initially denied his death. But when Abū Bakr said that he had died, ‘Umar retracted his position. Likewise, regarding “fighting those who withheld zakat,” ‘Umar said to Abū Bakr, “How can we fight the people when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘I have been commanded to