Question

I came across the following Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

I heard Sa’id ibn Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufail saying in the mosque of Al-Kufa:

“By Allah, I have seen myself tied and forced by ‘Umar to leave Islam before ‘Umar himself embraced Islam…[…]”

My question is:

How does this fit with the well known story of Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu)’s accepting Islam? In which, Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) isn’t aware about his sister and Sa’id (radiyallahu ‘anhu) being Muslims until he is told so by Na’im ibn Abdullah (radiyallahu ‘anhu), and the same day he accepts Islam so when would he have had time to tie up Sa’id (radiyallahu ‘anhu)?

Answer

The “well known” version that you refer to also mentions how Sayyiduna ‘Umar had attacked Sayyiduna Sa’id ibn Zayd (radiyallahu ‘anhu), albeit without any mention of tying him up though.

(Tabaqat ibn Sa’d; see: Hayatus Sahabah, vol. 1, pg. 388)

Just as Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) “had the time” to hit him and his sister at that moment, so too could he have tied his brother in law; Sayyiduna Sa’id ibn Zayd (radiyallahu ‘anhu) as well.

This explanation sufficiently and harmoniously reconciles both narrations.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar