Hazrat Umar's  Consummate Conformance

In fine, the holy Companions and the accomplished saints used to assess their society and every walk and every moment of their life with the holy pattern of life of the Chief of the Two Worlds  always careful and vigilant lest they should be living contrary to it. 

Thus when Hazrat Umar  was made caliph, a stipend was fixed for him from the public treasury. Gathering the people in Madina, he said: "I used to do business but now you have made me busy in this work. So now what should be the means of living"? People made suggestions for different quantities. Hazrat Ali (May Allah honour his face!) was sitting quietly. Hazrat Umar  asked him, "What's your opinion"? He said, "Whatever may suffice you moderately". Hazrat Umar  liked this opinion, and accepted it and a moderate quantity of stipend was fixed. 

Once in a majlis in which Hazrat Ali , Hazrat Usman , Hazrat Zubair  and Hazrat Talha  were also present it was proposed, that as Hazrat Umar  lived in straitened circumstances his stipend should be increased, but no one dared to mention it to him. So all these holy Companions went to his daughter, Hazrat Hafsa  , who being one of the holy wives was also a Mother of the Faithful, and tried to learn of Hazrat Umar's opinion and get his permission through her; and at the same time requested her to keep them anonymous. 

When Harat Hazfsa  mentioned it to Hazrat Umar , signs of anger appeared on his face and he inquired for knowing the name of those who proposed it. But Hazrat Hafsa  said: "First let me know your opinion". Hazrat Umar  said: "Had I come to know their names, I would have changed their faces, that is, I would have given them such severe punishment that scores of it would have shown on their faces. Well, tell me what was the Holy Prophet's  best dress in your house"? She replied, "Two ochre-coloured pieces which he used to put on, on Friday or when any delegation came". Then he asked, "What's the finest food that was being eaten in your house"? She said: "Our staple food was barley-bread. Once we overturned the ghee-can and emptied and spread the drip of ghee on hot breads which the Holy Prophet  was eating with relish and was also shared with others". Then he asked, "Which was the best bedding in your house"? She said, "There was a thick cloth. In summer we used to spread it in four folds and in winter half of it was spread and half we used as a covering". 

Hazrat Umar  said, "Hafsa! Convey this thing to those people, that the Holy Prophet () has set a measure by his conduct and has considered hope (Hereafter) sufficient. I too will follow his holy self  The example of my two companions' (the Holy Prophet  and Hazrat Abu Bakr ) and myself is like that of those three men who may walk on the same road. "The first man went with a fare and reached his goal. The second too followed the first; he walked like him and reached the first. Then the third man started walking. If he walks like them (in their path) he will meet them and if he walks contrary to their method, he will never be able to meet them".