His father had no superiority that my father does not have...

His father had no superiority that my father does not have and he does not posses anything that I do not have…” Umar told him, “Usamah’s father was more preferred to the Messenger of Allah (s) than your father and Usamah was dearer to the Prophet than you…” [2] Umar gave preference to Arabs over non-Arabs and the free men over bondsmen. [3] [1] Sharh Nahjul Balagha 8/111 [2] Al-Kharaaj, Pg.

148-149 [3] Sharh Nahjul Balagha 8/111 This policy created class differences in the Muslim society and people became divided into various classes, tribes and groups. Experts of genealogy became active in their field**[1]** and this finally caused a rift among the Arabs and their clients and the latter became jealous and inimical to their patrons (Arabs). They began to seek evil means and it gave rise to communal feelings.

While Islam had put an end to this very tendency and it considered the relation of faith stronger than family relations. It had commanded the rulers to practice non-partisanship among the people inspite of their family and class difference and emphasized that no bias must be exercised, as no sort of rift must be allowed in the social fabric of Muslim community. Umar’s Critics This policy led many scholars and writers to be infuriated by Umar and they expressed their objections in their writings.

Some of them are as follow: 1 – Dr. Abdullah Salam: Dr Abdullah Salam says, “I don’t know how Umar initiated those steps and why he chose them? Because, they caused social and economical contradiction. It was a step that created rivalry and arrogance among the Muslims.” [2] 2 – Dr.

Muhammad Mustafa: Among those who have criticized this policy is Dr Muhammad Mustafa and he says, “Fixing of grants in this way had a dangerous effect in the economic life of Muslims because it gradually brought into existence some upper classes of people who received a good income without doing any work in return.

He fixed allowances based on two criteria: Relationship to the Messenger of Allah (s) and precedence in Islam and for the relationship and precedence there were classes and some divisions.