Umar beats mourners

Question:

Did Umar used to hit those who cried for others?

Answer:

Sa’id Al-Ansari reported that Abdullah Ibn Umar said: “Sa’d Ibn Ubadah suffered from ailments, whereupon the Prophet Muhammad (s.) came to him and visited him with Abd-ur-Rahman Ibn Awf, Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqas and Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud. When he came to him, he found him in the company of his relatives and said: “Is it over with him?” They said: “No, O Messenger of God!” Then the Prophet (s.) wept, and when the people saw him weeping, they too wept, and he said: “Do you not hear that God does not punish for shedding tears nor for grieving of the heart, but he punishes because of this one.” Whereupon he pointed to his tongue: “Or He has mercy on Himself, and the dying man is punished because of the weeping of his loved ones for him.” Umar used to beat them with a stick, throw stones at them, and throw earth at them.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1304]

حدثنا أصبغ عن ابن وهب قال أخبرني عمرو عن سعيد بن الحارث الأنصاري عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال اشتكى سعد بن عبادة شكوى له فأتاه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يعوده مع عبد الرحمن بن عوف وسعد بن أبي وقاص وعبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنهم فلما دخل عليه فوجده في غاشية أهله فقال قد قضى قالوا لا يا رسول الله فبكى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فلما رأى القوم بكاء النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بكوا فقال ألا تسمعون إن الله لا يعذب بدمع العين ولا بحزن القلب ولكن يعذب بهذا وأشار إلى لسانه أو يرحم وإن الميت يعذب ببكاء أهله عليه وكان عمر رضي الله عنه يضرب فيه بالعصا ويرمي بالحجارة ويحثي بالتراب

Yusuf Ibn Mihran reported that Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: “When Uthman Ibn Maz’un died, his wife said: “I congratulate you for paradise, O Uthman Ibn Maz’un!” Whereupon the Prophet Muhammad (s.) looked at her and said: “How do you come to this?” She said: “O Messenger of God, he is your horseman and your companion!” The Prophet (s.) said: “I am the Messenger of God and do not even know what is going to happen to myself. After that the people took pity on Uthman. When Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet (s.), died, the Messenger (s.) said: “Join her with our virtuous predecessor, Uthman Ibn Maz’un!” Therefore, the women cried, and Umar beat them with his whip, but the Prophet (s.) held his hand and said: “Stop, O Umar!” [Al-Mustadrak Ala As-Sahihain of Al-Hakim, Hadith 4869]

أخبرنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن عبد الله الصفار ثنا أبو إسماعيل محمد بن إسماعيل ثنا حسان بن هلال ثنا حماد بن سلمة عن علي بن زيد عن يوسف بن مهران عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: لما مات عثمان بن مظعون قالت امرأته هنيئا لك الجنة يا عثمان بن مظعون فنظر إليها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم و قال: و ما يدريك؟ قالت: يا رسول الله فارسك و صاحبك فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم: إني رسول الله و ما أدري ما يفعل بي فأشفق الناس على عثمان فلما ماتت زينب بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم: الحقوها بسلفنا الخير عثمان بن مظعون فبكت النساء فجعل عمر يضربهن بسوطه فأخذ رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يده و قال : مهلا يا عمر