20 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMADI comment that it is well established in the ~ahih collection of al-Bukhnri, that
Ibn Mas'nd said, "We have been powerful ever since Wmar b. al-Khatrnb
accepted Islam."
Ziynd al-Bakka'i stated, "Mis'ar b. Kidan related to me, from Sa'd b.
Ibrahim, who said, 'Ibn Mas'nd stated, "The acceptance of Islam by Wmar was
a victory, his migration was a help, and his reign was a mercy. We could not pray
at the ka'ba until he accepted Islam; when he did so Wmar battled Quraysh until
he was able to pray at the ka'ba, and we prayed with him.""'Ibn Ishnq stated, "The acceptance of Islam by Wmar occurred after the departure
of some of the supporters of the Messenger of God (SAAS) to Abyssinia.
"'Ahd al-Rahmm b. al-Harith b. 'Ahd Allah b. 'Ayyash b. Abn Rabi'a related
to me, from 'Abd alLCAziz b. 'Amir b. Rabi'a, from his mother Umm 'Abd All&,
daughter of Abn Hathma, who said, 'We were preparing to depart for Abyssinia- 'Amir having gone off to get something we needed - when 'Umar came along
and stopped, he being a polytheist at the time. We had suffered violence and
harm from him.
"'He said, "So you're leaving then, Umm 'Ahd Allnh?"
"'"Yes," I replied. "We're leaving for one of God's countries, since yon have
so maltreated and harmed us, so that God may provide us some way out."
"'He commented, ''Well, God he with you!"
"'I saw in him a gentleness I never had before. He then left, our departure, so
it seemed to me, having saddened him.
'"'Amir then arrived with our things and I commented, "0 father of 'Abd
Allah, I wish you could have seen 'Umar just now, his gentleness and concern
for us."
"'He asked, "Do you look to his accepting Islam?"
"'"Yes, I do," I replied.
"'He commented, "That man you saw won't accept Islam before al-Khaccab's
donkey does!"
"'He said this in despair at him, for all his harsh opposition to Islam that had
been seen."'
I comment that this refutes the claim of those who maintain that he brought the
number of Muslims to 40. For the Emigrants to Abyssinia were more than 80
persons. Unless, that is, it be said that he was the 40th to convert after the
departure of the Emigrants.
This is supported by Ihn Ishaq's report here concerning the acceptance of
Islam by Wmar, God bless him, individually, and the account of that.
Ibn Ishnq stated, "The acceptance of Islam by 'Umar, so I have been told,
came about as a result of the conversion of his sister Fatima, daughter of
al-Khattab, who was married to Sa'id b. Zayd b. 'Amr b. Nufayl. Her husband
had also converted, and they were concealing their conversion from Wmar.