When he reached the peak of his long life, he said, “I pledged allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH), and I have never broken that pledge nor turned to anything else to this day. I never gave allegiance to those involved in civil strife, nor did I ever disturb a sleeping Muslim.”
These words summarize the life of that virtuous man who lived beyond the age of eighty. His relationship with Islam and with the Prophet (PBUH) began when he was only thirteen years old, when he accompanied his father to the Battle of Badr, hoping to be counted among the mujahidun. However, the Prophet (PBUH) sent him back because of his young age. From that day on—and even earlier, when he accompanied his father on the Hijrah to Al-Madinah—this young boy, who already possessed remarkable maturity, began his close relationship with the Prophet of Islam (PBUH).
From that time until he passed away at the age of eighty-five, he remained steadfast and repentant, never deviating from his path even by a hair’s breadth, never breaking his oath of allegiance, and never violating a pledge he had made. The virtues of Abd Allah ibn Umar, which dazzle people’s eyes, are many: his knowledge, modesty, integrity, generosity, piety, persistence in worship, and his sincere adherence to the Prophet’s example. Through these qualities, Ibn `Umar shaped his unique character and lived a life of sincerity and truthfulness.
He learned many noble manners from his father, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, and together with him, he learned from the Prophet (PBUH) all good conduct and every quality that can be described as a noble virtue. Like his father, his faith in Allah and His Messenger was complete, and his careful following of the Prophet’s footsteps was truly admirable. He would observe what the Prophet did in each matter and then humbly imitate him in the finest detail. For example, wherever the Prophet prayed, Ibn Umar would also pray in that very place. If the Prophet invoked Allah while standing, Ibn Umar would invoke Allah while standing; and if the Prophet invoked Allah while sitting, Ibn Umar would invoke Allah while sitting. On the same route where the Prophet once dismounted from his camel and prayed two rak‘ahs, Ibn `Umar would do the same when he traveled there.
He even remembered that the Prophet’s camel turned twice at a certain spot in Makkah before the Prophet dismounted and prayed two rak‘ahs. The camel may have done that naturally to find a suitable place to kneel, but when Ibn Umar reached that spot, he would make his camel turn in a circle, then let it kneel, and then he would pray two rak‘ahs in the same way he had seen the Prophet (PBUH) do. This level of meticulous imitation once moved the Mother of the Believers, A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), to say, “No one followed the Prophet’s footsteps in his coming and going as Ibn `Umar did.”
He spent his long, blessed life in unwavering loyalty to the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH), to such an extent that there came a time when righteous Muslims used to supplicate, “O Allah, keep Ibn Umar alive as long as I live so that I may follow him. I do not know anyone still adhering to the early traditions except him.” His strong adherence to the Prophet’s practice was matched by his deep respect for the Prophetic traditions (hadith). He would not relate a hadith unless he remembered it precisely. His contemporaries said, “None of the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) was more cautious than Abd Allah ibn `Umar in avoiding any addition or omission in a hadith.”
He showed the same caution in giving fatwas (legal opinions). On one occasion, a man came to him with a question seeking a fatwa. After hearing the question, Ibn Umar replied, “I have no knowledge about what you are asking.” The man left, and as soon as he had gone, Ibn Umar rubbed his hands with joy and said to himself, “Ibn `Umar was asked about something he did not know, and he said, ‘I do not know!’” He was very afraid of relying on his own independent judgment (ijtihad) in issuing fatwas, even though he knew that in this great religion, the one who errs in ijtihad still receives a reward, while the one who is correct receives two. Yet his piety restrained him from readily issuing fatwas.
For the same reason, he refrained from accepting the position of judge. The office of judge was among the highest in the state and in society, promising its holder wealth, status, and prestige. But why would the pious Ibn Umar desire wealth, status, or prestige? On one occasion, the Caliph Uthman sent for him and asked him to take up the position of judge, but he declined. Uthman asked, “Do you disobey me?” Ibn Umar replied, “No, but I have learned that judges are of three types: one who judges ignorantly—he is in Hell; one who judges according to his desires—he is in Hell; and one who exercises ijtihad and is correct—he will leave with empty hands: no sin and no reward. I ask you by Allah to excuse me.” Uthman excused him and asked him not to share this conversation with anyone, because he knew the high place Ibn Umar held in people’s hearts. He feared that if the pious and righteous heard of Ibn `Umar’s reluctance to accept the position of judge, they would follow his example, and then the Caliph would not find enough pious people willing to serve as judges.
At first glance, Ibn `Umar’s stance might seem passive, but it was not. He did not refuse positions of responsibility when no one more suitable could be found. In fact, many of the Prophet’s righteous and virtuous Companions were engaged in issuing fatwas and serving in judicial roles, each according to his capacity and sense of responsibility.
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