Even if we condescendingly accept that `Umar’s care for the...

Even if we condescendingly accept that `Umar’s care for the religion incited him to prohibit recording the Sunnah, we will be faced by the problem of `Umar’s repetitive precipitancy in assuming inaccurate situations throughout his life whether before or after Islam.[^5] Such precipitancy does not comport with his apprehension that ‘they –the Muslims- would pass over the acts of obedience to Almighty Allah and depend upon the outward significances of the narrations,’ in the words of al-Khatib, because `Umar ibn al-Khattab was known of impetuosity and recklessness; therefore, he used to rash in many situations and then feel sorry.

On many occasions, he felt sorry for previous actions, such as the issue of al-Hudaybiyah Truce,[^6] and that when the Holy Prophet offered prayer for (the dead body of) a hypocrite,[^7] and that of the prisoners of the Battle of Badr. For instance, the Holy Prophet, once, was urging al-Hakam ibn Kaysan, who had been presented before him as prisoner, to embrace Islam; but when that took a long time, `Umar intruded saying, ‘O Allah’s Messenger: what for are you talking to this man?

He will never become Muslim! I swear it by Allah! Let me behead him so that he will go straightly to Hell!’ Being indifference to `Umar’s statements, the Holy Prophet kept up urging al-Hakam until he embraced Islam. Commenting on the incident, `Umar said, “As I saw al-Hakam embrace Islam and become a pious Muslim, I felt sorry for what I had said. I then said to myself, ‘How could I drive myself in a matter about which the Holy Prophet is more knowledgeable than I am!

However, I only wanted to provide an advice for sake of Allah and His messenger! Al-Hakam acted as a pious Muslim and fought for the sake of Allah until he was martyred in the battle of Bi’r Ma’unah; hence, he was honored by the satisfaction of the Holy Prophet and, naturally, Paradise will be his abode.”[^8] Even during the reign of Abu-Bakr, `Umar had similar injudicious situations; once, a group of the inclined for Islam ( al-Mu’allafah Qulubuhum )[^9] came to and showed him a document in which Abu-Bakr had ordered for them to receive their shares from the alms, but `Umar refused, tore that paper into pieces, spit on it, and threw it at their faces.

Having become furious, they returned to Abu-Bakr and asked, ‘Which one of you is the caliph (ruler)?