As we have been traveling through the history of our nation, we have read the biographies of the great men of the past, present, and the future.

Among them was a man of the Tabi‘een (followers of the companions), whose zuhd (asceticism) was incomparable.  He did not make a name in history as a king, but as an abstinent and just Khaleefah, whose throne was made of jute mat.  He put away the darkness of tyranny with the light of justice.  He never even dreamt that history will recall his life.  He was a great scholar and a politician, who was like a solid mountain whom the generations take the meanings of justice, honor, and sincerity from.  He was one ‘Umar from another ‘Umar: a lion amongst men, the great grandson of ‘Umar, the Lion of the Sahaba.

He is the Ameer of the Believers, the Mujtahid Imaam, the Fifth Just Khaleefah and the Mujaddid (reviver) of the first one hundred Hijri years;  ‘Umar, the son of ‘Abdul ‘Azeez the son of Marwaan the son of Al-Hakam the son of ‘Aas the son of ‘Abdul Shams.

He was born in Madinah, 60 years after the migration of the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, during the rule of Khaleefah Yazeed ibn Mu’awiyah.  His mother was Layla bint ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, and his father was ‘Abdul ‘Azeez, son of a Khaleefah, and a prince.
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