Abdullah (rtam) was the son of the venerable companion and one of the rightly-guided Caliphs Umar bin Al-Khattab (rtam). His mother was Zainab bint Mazun (rtaf) and his maternal uncle was the great companion Uthman bin Mazun (rtam). Abdullah (rtam) was born in the third year after the start of the Prophet’s (sa) mission and accepted Islam at a very young age, following the conversion of his father.
Ibn Umar (rtam) was one of the best of the companions in following the example of the Messenger (sa) – his love for the Prophet (sa) was converted into absolute obedience and was a rare example of true devotion. Aisha (rtaf), the wife of the Prophet (sa), has said:
“No one followed in the footsteps of the Prophet (sa) more closely than Ibn Umar (rtam) did.” (“At-Tabaqat” by Ibn Sad)
Abduallah (rtam) used to go wherever the Prophet (sa) went, sit wherever he sat and preach wherever he preached. According to Nafi, Ibn Umar (rtam) used to pray in every place where the Prophet (sa) prayed, to the extent that the Prophet (sa) sat beneath a tree and Ibn Umar (rtam) used to care for that tree and pour water over its roots so that it would not become dry.
Abdullah Ibn Umar (rtam) was very much loved because of his numerous excellent qualities. He lived an extremely modest life and used to say: “What have I to do with the life of this world? My relationship to it is no more than that of a man who seeks shade under a tree; then, he leaves it and moves on.” Abdullah (rtam) was also known for his great fear of Allah (swt), his frequent supplications, his restraining of tongue from speaking evil, his piety, his kindness and his generosity. Ibn Umar (rtam) would not eat, unless there were poor and needy persons sitting with him at his table, who would eat with him. He was so eager to buy the freedom of slaves that by the end of his life, he had freed a thousand or more slaves. (“Hilyatul-Awliya”)
Adapted for “HibaKidz” from “Child Companions around the Prophet (sa)” published by “Darussalam”.
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