Umar’s (Radhiyallahu Anhu) Absolution

اُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ اِلىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ  

Surah Baqarah, Aayat 187

“Intimacy with your wives during the night of fasting has been made lawful.”

Imaam Ahmad and other Muhadditheen have reported from Ka’b Bin Maalik (Radhiyallahu anhu) that in Ramadhaan when a person slept then food, drink and women became haraam upon him till the next day’s Iftaar.

Then one night in Ramadhaan, Umar Bin Al-Khattaab (Radhiyallahu anhu) returned home after having spent some time with Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam). He found his wife sleeping. He woke her up and wanted to be intimate with her. She said that she had fallen asleep. He replied: “You weren’t sleeping.” He then had relations with her.

The same thing happened to Ka’b Bin Maalik.

The next morning, Umar Bin Al-Khattaab (Radhiyallahu anhu) went to Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and informed him what transpired. In consequence, the Aayat was revealed.

In Ibn Jareer’s version, reporting from Ibn Abbaas (Radhiyallahu anhu), Umar (Radhiyallahu anhu) was sleeping when his nafs got the better of him and he went to his wife. He then went to Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and said: “Yaa Rasulallah! I apologise to Allah Ta’ala and to you for a wrong which I committed. I couldn’t resist myself and I had intimacy with my wife. Is there any absolution for me?”

“Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) replied: “O Umar! It was not befitting of you.”

When Umar (Radhiyallahu anhu) returned home, Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) sent for him. When he came, Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) informed him of his absolution by virtue of the revelation of a Verse of the Qur’aan [the above Aayat].

(Roohul Ma’aani)