River Neil was declared as Sayed-ul-Anhar by Hazrat ?

The correct answer is Hazrat Umer (RA).

The title "Sayed-ul-Anhar" (the Leader of Rivers) was bestowed upon the River Nile by the second Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umer Farooq (RA). This declaration is tied to one of the most famous historical events following the Muslim conquest of Egypt, which occurred under the military leadership of Hazrat Amr ibn al-Aas (RA) during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umer (RA).

The Ancient Egyptian Custom

When the Muslim forces successfully integrated Egypt into the Islamic state, they encountered an ancient and deeply rooted pagan tradition. The locals believed that the River Nile would only overflow and provide water for their crops if a young girl was sacrificed to the river once a year. This girl, known as the "Bride of the Nile," would be dressed in bridal attire and thrown into the river to appease it. When the time for this ritual arrived, the Egyptian people approached the governor, Hazrat Amr ibn al-Aas (RA), seeking permission to continue the practice, as the river had stopped rising and a drought was feared.

The Intervention of Hazrat Umer (RA)

Hazrat Amr ibn al-Aas (RA) immediately rejected the practice, stating that Islam abolished all such inhuman and pagan customs. However, when the Nile remained dry and the people became desperate, he wrote a letter to Caliph Umer (RA) in Madinah, explaining the situation. In response, Hazrat Umer (RA) praised the governor for stopping the sacrifice and sent a small piece of parchment (a letter) with instructions to throw it into the river.

"If you flow of your own accord, then do not flow. But if it is Allah, the One, the Almighty, who causes you to flow, then we pray to Allah to make you flow."

The Miracle and the Title

According to historical accounts, the night after the letter was cast into the water, the River Nile rose sixteen cubits in a single night. This event ended the drought and permanently abolished the tradition of human sacrifice in the region. It was in recognition of the Nile's vital importance to the prosperity of the Islamic territories and its role as a sign of Allah's power that Hazrat Umer (RA) referred to it as Sayed-ul-Anhar.

Historical and Administrative Impact

This event was a turning point for Islamic governance in Africa. It demonstrated to the local population that the new administration relied on monotheism and rational law rather than superstition. Under Hazrat Umer’s (RA) direction, significant engineering projects were also undertaken regarding the Nile. He ordered the clearing of ancient canals, such as the "Canal of the Commander of the Faithful" (Khalij Amir al-Mu'minin), which connected the Nile to the Red Sea. This allowed for the efficient transport of grain from the fertile Nile valley to the Hijaz region during times of famine, further solidifying the river's status as the "leader" of the waterways in the growing empire.