The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

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;
A.I). 717-20] HIS riKTV 371
relatives.i When a schoolboy at Medina, the practice A.H.99-
had been denounced to him by a holy man, whose teaching ^^
he adopted, and never departed from. 'Omar had urged
his father to discontinue it when Governor of Egypt
but he replied that the cessation, however otherwise right
and proper, would damage the Umeiyad reign, and favour
transfer of the Caliphate to the house of 'All. The imprecation
was resumed after 'Omar's death. ]^ut its temporaryabolition,
whilst conciliating the feelings of the adherents
of the house of 'Ah towards 'Omar himself, did no doubt
stimulate the movement now taking shape against the
ruling
dynasty.
It says much for 'Omar's government that the Khawarij The Khawarij
under his Caliphate did not unsheathe the sword. Sending
for their leaders to argue their grievances and traitorous
tenets with them, he heard their scruples patientl}' and
answered them as far as he could. What troubled him
most was their plea that, though he himself was orthodox
and saintly, yet the godless Yezid would succeed him.
'Omar could only answer that with succession to the throne
he could not interfere, as it had been so provided by the
same authority from which his own title was derived.
The faction was stimulated by 'Omar's concessions to their
prejudices ; and equally so were the Umei}'ad family troubled
at his attitude, as dangerous to their dynasty.
There is not much to record of adventure, military or Efforts at
administrative, in the reign of 'Omar. His first concern
was to bring safely back what remained of the armament Spain.
so bootlessly launched by his predecessors against Constantinople.
Large supplies of food and carriage were sent
to Maslama, and the withdrawal was thus successfully
carried out. Elsewhere the efforts of 'Omar were mainly
marked by endeavours to convert the nations to islam.
.\mong the Berbers these were most successful. lUit in
Spain the task was not so easy ;
and therefore, to reduce
the influence of the Christians, their lands were divided
amongst the conquerors. A royal Mosque was also
onver^lon in
Africa and
'
.Sura xvi. 92.
- It is even asserted that they set one to poison his drink, and that
nflliis he died. But this is not consistent witli other traditions, and
looks like a fahrii ation of the 'Abbasicl enemies of the Umeiyad line.