Umar Ii

Umar II or Abu Hafs Umar ibn Abd al- Aziz (in Arabic : ) was born circa 682 and died in 720 at Aleppo , is the eighth Caliph Umayyad. He succeeded his cousin Sulaymn in 717. Umar II is sometimes regarded as the fifth rightly guided caliph of Islam for his wisdom, correctness and great piety.

Summary 1 Birth and lineage 2 Youth 3 Caliph 4 Death 5 Achievements 5.1 Religion 5.2 Tax Reforms 6 Personality 7 References 8 See also

Birth and lineage

According to some sources, Umar ibn Abd al- Aziz was born in Medina in 682, other sources report that it is in Egypt. He is the great-grand-son of Umar ibn Al-Khattab , the second rightly guided caliph. Sunni sources report that during the reign of Umar ibn Al-Khattab, during one of his outings in disguise to investigate the condition of his people, he sees a milkmaid who refuses to sell adulterated milk as he directs his mother. The next day, he sent an officer to purchase milk from the girl and learns that she always keeps her determination, the milk stays pure. Soon after, he summoned the girl and her mother and lets them know what he means. As a reward, he offers to marry the girl his son Asim. She agrees, and this union was born Layla's mother, Umar ibn Abd al- Aziz. His father, Abd al- Aziz, it is respectively the son and brother of the Umayyad caliphs Marwan ^I. and Abd al-Malik. It is supposed to succeed his brother, but died before him.

Youth

Umar grew up in Medina. At the death of his father, he is reminded Damascus by the caliph Abd al-Malik, who married his daughter Fatima. Under Al-Walid ^I. , Umar was appointed governor of Medina. Unlike most governors, he formed a council with which he administers the province. Its mandate is so remarkable that there is virtually no complaints sent to Damascus. His reputation spread throughout the Caliphate, so that many refugees fleeing from Iraq to tributary exactions and brutality of al-Haggag ibn Yusuf Has aqafiyy. The latter, enraged at this news, incites Al-Walid ^I. Umar to revoke his position. Caliph relented at the request of Al-Haggag, much damn population of Medina. The successor of Al-Walid ^I, Sulayman, has great admiration for his cousin Umar, who continues to live in Medina. He finally appoint him as successor. Umar, reluctant to face this demand, reluctantly agrees to become caliph, after having vainly tried to dissuade Sulaymn.

Caliph

Upon his arrival to power in 717, Umar II directs Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik to lift the siege of Constantinople , who is about to turn the disadvantage of the Umayyads, and to return his men in Syria. It sends supplies to troops, starved during the siege. Upon his arrival in Damascus, Maslama went to the court of the caliph, but the latter refused to receive him. He returned the next day with 2,000 men, but it is still not received. This is the third day, when he is accompanied by only a single slave, Umar II agrees to receive him, making him the lesson on the proper use of wealth, and submits Maslama .

In 719 , Muhammad ibn Al, father of the man who later became the first Caliph Abbasid , Have Saffah , begins to lay the foundations of the network that will bring down the Umayyads .

Death

Little appreciated by the nobility because of his reforms for the people, Umar II died poisoned, his opponents having bribed a servant to put that poison in food. On his deathbed, he learned the news, pardons the guilty and puts the money it receives payment of punitive damages in the treasury. He died in Aleppo, probably on 10 February 720. His cousin Yazid II , another son of Abd al-Malik succeeded him.

Achievements

Religion

Umar II puts an end to custom curse Al ibn Abi Talib during Friday prayers and ordered to replace the curse by verses from the Koran.

He enforces shari'a rigorously, closing liquor stores and public baths, where women mingle freely with men. It also strengthens enforcement of the compulsory alms , so that by the end of his reign, there is virtually no poor to give to charity.

It identify hadiths to prevent them from getting lost, and continues the policy of humanitarian and charity led by his predecessors, adding special programs for orphans and destitute.

Tax Reforms

Umar II is also honored for having fought against the problems tax on the conversion to Islam. Indeed, at that time, the Umayyad Caliphate is populated mostly Christians , Jews , Zoroastrians , etc.. Their conversion is not forced, but they are subject to higher taxes than Muslims, especially since a Once converted, it takes them on capitation ( Gizi ) as if they were not Muslims. From a financial standpoint, the mass conversion would reduce state revenues, and some governors discouraged conversion to Islam, but Umar II attempts to solve the problem, insisting on equal treatment between Muslim Arabs and non-Arab, and removing barriers to the conversion of non-Arabs to Islam.

Personality

Umar II is known for his piety and his disdain for luxury and pleasures of this world. He prefers the austerity and simplicity to extravagance, which became ubiquitous during the Umayyad. So he puts into the treasury of the ornaments which are intended, and left the palace of the caliph's family Sulaymn, preferring to live in modest houses. Also, he dressed simply, spending sometimes goes unnoticed.

Although it enjoys immense popular support, he does not hesitate to publicly encourage the people to elect someone else if not satisfied with it. He confiscated the property seized by many officials and redistributed to the people. Fearful of being tempted by corruption, it does rarely gifts, and when it does, he promptly deposited in the treasury. He also encourages his wife, who is a daughter, sister and wife of caliphs, to donate her jewelry.

Many other anecdotes are enlightening on his honesty and generosity. Unpopular with the Umayyad court because of his actions, support the people that nobody openly manifested his opposition.

References

See also

• Umayyad Caliphate
• List of caliphs

Preceded by	Umar II	Followed by
Sulaymn	Umayyad caliph 717 - 720	Yazid II