Allah,
the
Most
Merciful,
inspires
guidance
to
the
hearts
of
some
believers.
The
Messenger
of
Allah
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
said:
“Amongst
the
nation
of
Bani
Israel
who
lived
before
you,
there
were
men
who
used
to
be
inspired
with
guidance
though
they
were
not
Prophets,
and
if
there
is
any
such
person
amongst
my
followers,
it
is
Umar.”[1]
Commenting
on
this
Hadeeth,
Shaikh
al-Islam
Ibn
Taymiyyah
(rahimahullah)
says,
‘Thus,
it
is
established
that
the
allies
of
Allah
may
receive
inspirations
or
intuitions.
The
best
of
these
in
the
entire
Muslim
nation
after
Abu
Bakr
(radhi
allahu
anhu),
is
Umar
Ibn
Khattab
(radhi
allahu
anhu).
The
best
of
this
nation
after
its
Prophet
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
is
Abu
Bakr
and
then
Umar.[2]
It
has
been
established
in
the
Saheeh
that
Umar
is a
muhaddath
of
this
nation.
For
any
muhaddath,
or
receiver
of
inspirations
and
which
we
assume
to
exist
in
this
nation,
Umar
is
better
than
him.
And
yet,
Umar
always
did
that
which
was
obligatory
upon
him;
to
measure
anything
that
occurred
to
him
against
that
with
which
the
Prophet
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
was
sent.
Sometimes,
they
would
be
in
agreement,
and
this
would
be
evidence
of
the
high
rank
of
Umar
and
his
piety.
In
this
way,
the
Qur’aan
was
revealed
ratifying
the
opinion
of
Umar,
which
he
had
expressed
before
its
revelation
on
several
occasions.[3]
Other
times,
what
occurred
to
Umar
would
be
at
variance
with
the
message
of
Muhammad
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam),
and
Umar
would
retract
his
original
position
as
soon
as
he
realized
this,
as
in
his
retraction
his
opinion
at
the
treaty
of
Hudaibiyah
when
at
first
he
was
determined
that
the
Muslims
should
engage
the
associationists
in
battle.
This
was
after
a
consultation
between
Umar
and
the
Prophet
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
This
Hadeeth
is
well
known
and
is
found
in
the
collection
of
Bukharee
and
others.”
“Another
example
is
when
after
the
death
of
Allah’s
Messenger
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam),
some
people
refused
to
pay
Zakaat
to
Abu
Bakr
(radhi
allahu
anhu).
Abu
Bakr
declared
war
against
them,
to
which
Umar
reproached
but
after
discussing
the
issue
with
Abu
Bakr,
he
backed
from
his
view.
Umar
then
said:
“By
Allah,
it
was
nothing
other
than
that
I
saw
that
Allah
had
inspired
in
his
heart
fighting
them
and
I
knew
that
it
was
the
truth.”
“This
and
other
examples
like
them
show
the
higher
rank
of
Abu
Bakr
over
Umar,
even
though,
as
we
have
seen,
Umar
was
muhaddath,
one
who
is
inspired
with
the
truth.
This
is
because
Abu
Bakr
was
As-Siddeeq
(i.e.
ever-truthful,
ever
believing)
and
who
is
Siddeeq
takes
from
the
Prophet,
the
protected
from
falling
into
error
everything
which
he
says
and
does.
On
the
other
hand,
one
who
is
muhaddath
takes
things
from
his
own
heart
and
intuitions,
and
these
are
not
protected
from
falling
into
error,
and
so
he
needed
always
to
measure
them
against
that
which
has
been
brought
by
the
Prophet,
the
protected
from
falling
into
error.”
“Thus,
Umar
used
to
consult
with
the
companions
(radhi
allahu
anhu)
and
to
discuss
with
them,
seeking
their
counsel
in
various
affairs.
Furthermore,
they
used
to
disagree
with
him
on
something
and
so
they
would
present
their
arguments
from
the
Qur’aan
and
the
Sunnah.
Umar
then
accepted
from
them
this
disagreement
and
discussion,
and
never
said
to
them:
‘I
am
muhaddath,
I
receive
inspirations
and
visions,
and
so
you
should
accept
that
which
I
say
and
not
oppose
me
therein.’
So,
anyone
who
claims
that
he
is
an
ally
of
Allah,
or
his
companions
claim
for
him
that
he
is
‘enlightened’,
or
receives
inspirations
such
that
the
early
scholars
of
Islam
have
unanimously
agreed
that
the
opinions
of
any
man
can
be
accepted
and
can
be
rejected
(i.e.
open
to
question)
except
for
the
statements
of
the
Prophet
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).”[4]
This
discussion
by
Shaikh
al-Islam,
Ibn
Taymiyyah
greatly
clarifies
the
issue
of
inspirations
granted
to
those
who
are
not
Prophets.
From
the
examples
of
Umar
(radhi
allahu
anhu),
who
was
the
best
of
those
inspired,
we
learn
that…
(a)
Inspirations
are
not
an
independent
source
of
information
from
Allah,
and
thus
must
be
compared
with
the
Sunnah.
If
inspirations
contradict
the
Sunnah
they
must
be
rejected
altogether.
(b)
Not
every
opinion
of
an
inspired
person
is
sound
and
correct
as
we
have
seen
from
the
example
of
Umar
Ibn
Khattab
(radhi
allahu
anhu).
Shaikh
al-Islam
Ibn
Taymiyyah
said:
“The
previous
nations
used
to
be
in
need
of
muhaddatheen
(those
who
are
addressed),
unlike
the
nation
of
Muhammad
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
Allah
has
made
them
free
of
this
need.
They
are
in
no
need
after
Muhammad
(sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
of
any
other
Prophet
nor
any
muhaddath,
since
Allah
has
collected
in
to
one
Prophethood
all
of
the
good
qualities,
knowledge
and
righteous
actions
which
He
had
spread
out
and
divided
among
the
previous
Prophets.”[5]
[3] Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Umar, “Umar said: ‘My lord concorded with (my judgments) on three occasions. In case of the Station of Ibrahim, in case of the observance of veil and in case of the prisoners of Badr.” [Saheeh Muslim, no. 5903.]
[4] See, ‘Criterion between the Allies of the Merciful and the Allies of the Devil’, by Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, p.61-64.
[5] See ‘Criterion between the Allies of the Merciful and the Allies of the devil’, by Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, p.83.
