The correct answer is 1st Muharram, 24 A.H. The martyrdom of Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), the second Rightly Guided Caliph of Islam, marks one of the most profound turning points in early Islamic history. His passing on the 1st... Read More
The correct answer is 1st Muharram, 24 A.H. The martyrdom of Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), the second Rightly Guided Caliph of Islam, marks one of the most profound turning points in early Islamic history. His passing on the 1st of Muharram in the 24th year after Hijrah brought an end to a transformative decade of governance that had expanded the borders of the Islamic commonwealth across the Middle East, North Africa, and into parts of Central Asia.
In late Dhu al-Hijjah 23 A.H., while leading the congregational Fajr prayer at the Masjid-e-Nabwi in Madina, Hazrat Umar (RA) was brutally attacked. The assailant was Abu Lu'lu'ah Fayruz, a Persian captive and disgruntled artisan who harbored a personal grievance regarding labor taxes. Armed with a double-edged dagger, the attacker struck the Caliph multiple times during the prayer, severely wounding him before several members of the congregation subdued the attacker, who subsequently took his own life.
Hazrat Umar (RA) sustained deep stab wounds, particularly in the stomach region. Despite his critical condition, his primary concern remained the continuity of the prayer and the state affairs of the Ummah. He was carried to his quarters, where he lingered for three days, passing away just as the new Islamic year began on the 1st of Muharram, 24 A.H.
Before his passing, realizing the gravity of his injuries, the companions asked him to nominate a successor. Demonstrating his lifelong commitment to consultative governance (Shura), Hazrat Umar (RA) refused to exercise unilateral authority. Instead, he appointed a committee of six senior companions—including Hazrat Uthman, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Hazrat Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas, Hazrat Zubair bin al-Awwam, and Hazrat Talha (RA)—instructing them to choose the next Caliph from among themselves within three days.
This crucial administrative safeguard ensured a peaceful and structured transition of power, preventing internal civil strife (Fitna) at a time of immense vulnerability for the state.
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