In the early days, Hazrat Umar (RA) was intense in his opposition to Islam. Under these circumstances, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed to Allah one Thursday night for Umar to receive guidance. By the blessing of that prayer, a significant event took place the following day.
The next day, Umar (RA) was walking in Makkah in a fierce rage, with a sword hanging over his shoulder. On the way, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) from the Banu Zuhrah tribe met him and inquired, “O Umar! Where are you going?”
Umar (RA) replied, “I am going to assassinate Muhammad (ﷺ).” Hazrat Saad (RA) asked, “If you kill Muhammad (ﷺ), will the clans of Banu Zuhrah and Banu Hashim let you live?”
To this, Umar (RA) remarked, “Oh! It seems you too have abandoned your religion and converted!” Hazrat Saad (RA) responded, “Shall I inform you of something even more surprising than this?”
Hazrat Umar (RA) asked, “What is it?” Saad (RA) replied, “Your own sister and her husband have left your religion and converted.”
Upon hearing this, Hazrat Umar (RA) became furious and rushed toward his sister’s house. At that time, Hazrat Khabbab (RA), one of the Muhajireen (emigrants), was present there.
Sensing the arrival of Hazrat Umar (RA), Khabbab (RA) hid inside the house. As Umar entered the house, he questioned, “What is this new conversation I hear being spoken?” At that moment, they had been reciting ‘Surah Ta-Ha’ inside the house.
His sister and her husband replied, “We were just talking among ourselves.”
Umar said, “It looks as though both of you have converted!” When his sister’s husband, Hazrat Said ibn Zayd (RA), asked, “O Umar! What if the truth lies in a religion other than yours? Should we not choose it?”, Umar pounced on him and assaulted him brutally. Umar’s (RA) sister rushed to pull her husband away to save him from her brother.
Immediately, Umar (RA) struck his sister hard on her face, causing it to bleed.
Deeply angered by this, his sister Fatima bint Khattab (RA) declared, “O Umar! The truth is certainly not in your religion. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is the Messenger of Allah, and I have become a Muslim!”
Seeing his sister’s unwavering resolve, Hazrat Umar (RA) lost hope of changing their minds and asked, “Give me that which you were reading from!” They read it out to him.
When he asked to hold it in his hand, Hazrat Fatima (RA) said, “You are impure; none touch it except the purified. Go wash your face, hands, and feet!”
After that, Umar (RA) performed Wudu (ablution) and returned. Reading Surah Ta-Ha from the beginning, he reached the 14th verse which states: “Indeed, I am Allah! There is no deity except Me. So worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.” After reading this verse, he said, “Show me where the Prophet (ﷺ) is!”
Hearing Hazrat Umar’s (RA) change of heart, Hazrat Khabbab (RA), who had been hiding inside the house, came out and said, “O Umar! Good news for you! Yesterday, on Thursday night, the Prophet (ﷺ) supplicated to Allah, saying, ‘O Allah! Honor and strengthen the religion of Islam through one of these two men: Umar ibn al-Khattab or Amr ibn Hisham (Abu Jahl).’ I believe Allah has accepted that prayer in your favor.”
Umar (RA) then set out to meet the Prophet (ﷺ), who was at the house of Hazrat Arqam (RA) at the foot of Mount Safa. Hazrat Hamza (RA), Talha (RA), and several other companions were sitting near the door of the house.
Noticing the fear among those present upon Hazrat Umar’s (RA) arrival, Hazrat Hamza (RA) said, “Yes! Here comes Umar! If Allah intends good for Umar, he will accept Islam and follow the Prophet (ﷺ). If not, killing him will be very easy for me.”
At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was inside the house, and he was receiving Wahi (divine revelation) from Allah. Immediately, the Prophet (ﷺ) went out, grabbed Hazrat Umar (RA) by the folds of his upper garment and sword-belt, and said, “O Umar! Will you not desist (from causing harm)? Do you want Allah to bring upon you the same disgrace and punishment that befell Walid ibn Mugheerah? O Allah! Here is Umar ibn al-Khattab! Honor the religion of Islam through him!”
Hazrat Umar (RA) declared, “I bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah,” and embraced Islam.
Afterward, he said, “O Messenger of Allah! (Worshipping in hiding is enough) Come outside!” He then took them outside to worship openly.
