Did Umar (rta) Punish And Kill His Son?
There are many fabricated narrations in this regard being propagated by Shia community, but the most reliable narration in this regard can be found in Musanaf of Abdulrazaq (9/232, Narration no: 17047 ) which doesn’t suggest any such thing as claimed by critics of Caliph Umar, May Allah be Pleased with Him. أخبرنا عبد الرزاق قال : أخبرنا معمر عن الزهري عن سالم عن ابن عمر قال : شرب أخي – عبد الرحمن بن عمر – وشرب معه أبو سروعة عقبة بن الحارث ، وهما بمصر في خلافة عمر ، فسكرا ، فلما أصبحا انطلقا إلى عمرو بن العاص ، وهو أمير مصر ، فقالا : طهرنا ، فإنا قد سكرنا من شراب شربناه ، فقال عبد الله : فذكر لي أخي أنه سكر ، فقلت : ادخل الدار أطهرك ، ولم أشعر أنهما أتيا عمروا ، فأخبرني أخي أنه قد أخبر الامير بذلك ، فقال عبد الله : لا يحلق القوم على رؤوس الناس ، ادخل الدار أحلقك – وكانوا إذ ذاك يحلقون مع الحدود – فدخل الدار ، فقال عبد الله : فحلقت أخي بيدي ثم جلدهم عمرو ، فسمع بذلك عمر ، فكتب إلى عمرو أن ابعث إلي بعبد الرحمن على قتب ، ففعل ذلك ، فلما قدم على عمر جلده وعاقبه لمكانه منه ، ثم أرسله ، فلبث شهرا صحيحا ثم أصابه قدره فمات ، فيحسب عامة الناس أنما مات من جلد عمر ، ولم يمت من جلد عمر Abd al-Razzaq told us, he said: Muammar informed us on the authority of al-Zuhri on the authority of Salem on the authority of Ibn Umar, he said: “My brother, Abdur Rahman bin Umar (Allah be pleased with them) drank (alcohol) along with Abu Sirwaa Uqba bin al-Harith while we were in Egypt during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab and they became intoxicated. When they came out of the intoxication, they went to Amr bin al-Aas, the leader of Egypt. They said, “Purify us! For indeed, we got drunk from a drink that we drank.” ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said, “I didn’t know they went to ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas.” He (Abdur Rahman) continued, saying, “My brother mentioned to me that he got drunk.” So I said to him, “Enter the house; I will purify you.” He told me that he informed the leader (‘Amr bin al-Aas).” So I said, “I swear by Allah, you will not have your head shaved before all the people. Enter the house; I will shave your head…” This was at a time that they would shave the head of the one upon whom the Hadd punishment is established. So he entered the house with me. So I shaved my brother’s head with my hand then Amr bin al-Aas flogged them both. Umar bin al-Khattab heard about this and wrote to Amr bin al-Aas commanding him to send Abdur Rahman bin Umar to him by camel. Amr then sent him. When Abdur Rahman arrived to (his father) Umar, the latter flogged him and punished him due to his relationship to him. He (Umar) then released him. He (Abdur Rahman bin Umar) remained healthy for the next few months; then, his determined lifespan came to him. Many people assumed that he (abdur rahman) died from the flogging of (his father) Umar, and this is not so .” __ Ibn Hajar Asqalani said about this narration in Al-Isabah (5/35, Para 6242): وأما أهل العراق فيقولون إنه مات تحت السياط وهو غلط انتهى. وقد أخرج عبد الرزاق القصة مطولة عن معمر بالسند المذكور وهو صحيح. As for the people of Iraq, they say that he died under the whip, which is a mistake. Abd al-Razzaq narrated a lengthy story on the authority of Muammar with the aforementioned chain of narrators, and it is authentic .