The life of Hz. Umar (ra) is an open book. There were mistakes in his life. He is Human. This incidence is one of few. But just like everyone else, he should be evaluated on the basis of his totality, not individual incidents. To deny such incidents of error or mistake is not Islamic.
To use few incidents to malign him is more “unIslamic”.
The Muslim Army was ambushed by the Hawazin and Thaqif tribes in the valleys of Taif area. The shock of initial attack took those who were in the front to run away.
But you must agree army did re-group after the initial shock and then subdued the formidable Hawazin and Thaqif tribes and overcame them and took all them as prisoners.
Refer to the Ayah dealing with the Battle of Hunayn.
Assuredly Allah did help you in many battle-fields and on the day of Hunain: Behold! your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught: the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you, and ye turned back in retreat. 9:25
**But Allah did pour His calm on the Messenger and on the Believers, and sent down forces which ye saw not: He punished the Unbelievers; thus doth He reward those without Faith.9:26
Again will Allah, after this, turn (in mercy) to whom He will: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 9:27
The unbelievers were punished and Believers were forgiven.
Peace Ibn Sadique, good to c u being nice. Thanx for the love.
Did i hear u say "To deny such incidents of error or mistake is not Islamic". I admire your honesty.
Btw the term 'believers' that is used here is for those who stood behind with the Prophet (saww). According to some traditions Ali ibn abi Talib, Abbas ibn Abd al Muttalib, Abu Sufyan ibn Harith and Abdullah ibn Masud were the only four persons who stayed with the Holy Prophet. Some say there were ten persons who did not run away. Imam Ali stood in front of the Holy Prophet and stopped every attack made by the enemy to slay him. The Holy Prophet called those who were deserting to come back. Some of them returned and joined Ali to launch a counter attack on the enemy. When Ali killed Abu Jarul, the standard bearer and chief of the enemy army, a general retreat began to take place among the invaders, which soon turned into chaos and then flight. In this way a most crushing defeat was inflicted on the enemy.
~~"La fatà illa Ali, la saif illa Zulfiqar" ( لا فتى إلا علي لا سيف إلا ذو الفقار ), meaning "There is no hero but Ali, and no sword except Zulfiqar~~
It is also important to note that after the battle, on the instructions of the Holy Prophet, the spoils of war taken by the Muslims, were returned to those who embraced Islam. Some refused to comply with his orders. In such cases the Holy Prophet compensated them.
When one companion protested that the Holy Prophet had not done justice in the matter of distributing the spoils of war, some people wanted to kill him, but the Holy Prophet stopped them and said: "Wait. Such people, on their own, one day will go out of the true faith, then the best of men among you will kill him." And that man was killed by Ali in the battle of Nahrawan that was fought between Imam Ali and the damned Muawiya.