Economic Justice in Caliph Umar's Pledge: The Wealth of the Rich Must Return to the Poor

Caliph Umar bin Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, left behind an exemplary legacy of how a leader views wealth and poverty.

At the end of his rule, Umar pledged to take surplus wealth from the rich and return it to the poor. This pledge became a powerful illustration of his determination to uphold social justice within society.

However, fate decreed otherwise. Caliph Umar bin Khattab died as a martyr from a treacherous stabbing before he could fulfil his promise.

The tragic news shook the entire Muslim community. Among those who wept in sorrow was Ali bin Abu Thalib, may Allah be pleased with him. Standing before the caliph’s body, Ali said softly, “After the Messenger of Allah, there is no one I loved more than you, O Abu Hafs.”

Indeed, those who disliked the firmness, strictness, and asceticism of Caliph Umar bin Khattab were not the common people, but only a group of individuals who harboured ambitions of acquiring wealth through illegitimate means. When Caliph Umar passed away, most Muslims wept. Under Umar’s governance, they felt assured of their security and safety. They regarded him as a leader and caliph who truly upheld justice.

As cited from the book Imamul Muhtadin written by HMH Al-Hamid Al-Husaini, before falling as a victim of assassination, Caliph Umar bin Khattab had sworn that if he were to live for another year, he would take the surplus wealth of the rich and distribute it to the poor.