men_around_the_prophet

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Once a friend coming from khurasan presented him with a fine, delicate, handsome, embellished
and decorated gown, saying to him, "I've brought you this gown from khurasan. I would be pleased to
see you take off this rough gown and wear this nice one." lbn `Umar said, "Show it to me then. " He
touched it asking, "Is it silk?" His friend said, "No, it's cotton." `Abd Allah looked at it for a while then
pushed it away with his right hand saying, "No, I'm afraid to tempt myself. I'm afraid it would turn me
into an arrogant, proud man. Allah dislikes the arrogant, proud ones."
On another day, a friend presented him with a container filled with something. Ibn `Umar asked
him, "What's that?" He said, "Excellent medicine, which I brought you from Iraq!" lbn `Umar said,
`What does it cure?" He said, "It digests food." Ibn `Umar smiled and said to his friend, "Digests food? I
haven't satisfied my appetite for 40 years."
He who has not satisfied his appetite for 40 years has not curbed his appetite due to need or poverty,
but rather due to self- denial and piety, and a trial to imitate the Prophet and his father.
He was afraid to hear on the Day of Judgment:"You have wasted all your good deeds for the
enjoyment in the life of this world" (46:20). He realized that he was in this life just as a visitor or a
passer-by. He described himself saying, "I haven't put a stone upon another (i.e. I haven't built anything)
nor planted a palm tree since the Prophet's death."
Maimuun Ibn Muhraan once said, "I entered Ibn `Umar's house and tried to evaluate all that was
inside such as the bed, the blanket, the mat and so on. Indeed, everything. I didn't find it worth even 100
dirhams."
That was not due to selfishness; he was very generous. But it was due to his asceticism, his disdain
of luxury, and his adherence to his attitude of sincerity and piety.
Ibn `Umar lived long enough to witness the Umayyid period, when money became abundant, and
land and estates spread, and a luxurious life was to be found in most dwellings, let alone most castles.
Despite all that, he stayed like a firm-rooted mountain, persistent and great, not slipping away from
his paths and not abandoning his piety and asceticism. If life with its pleasure and prosperity - which he
always escaped from - was mentioned, he said, "I've agreed with my companions upon a matter. I'm
afraid if I change my stance I won't meet them again." Then he let the others know that he did not turn
his back to the worldly life owing to inability, so he lifted his hands to the sky saying, "O Allah, You
know that if it weren't for fear of You, we would have emulated our clan in the Quraish in this life."
Indeed, if it were not for his God-fearing self, he would have rivaled people in this life, and he
would have been triumphant. He did not have to rival people. Life was striving towards him and chasing
him with its tempting pleasure.
Is there any position more tempting than the caliph's? It was offered to Ibn `Umar several times, but
he refused. He was threatened with death if he refused, but he continued his refusal and his shunning.
Al Hassan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: When `Uthmaan Ibn `Affaan was killed it
was said to `Abd Allah Ibn `Umar, "You are the people's master and the son of the people's master. Go
out so that people swear to you the oath of allegiance." He said, "By Allah, if I could, I would never
allow a drop of blood to be shed because of me." They said, You will either go out or we will kill you in
your bed." He repeated his first statement. They tried to tempt him by frightening him, but all in vain!
After that, when time passed and civil strife became rampant, Ibn `Umar was always the hope of the
people who urged him to accept the caliph's position. They were ready to swear to him the oath of
allegiance, but he always and constantly refused.