The Prophet's (s.a.w.) Intercession during the Caliphate of Sayyidina Abu Hafsw 'Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq (r.a.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Sayyidina Malik ibn ‘Iyadh ad-Dar (r.a.), the treasurer of Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab (r.a.), related, “The people were gripped by famine during the tenure of ‘Umar.  Then a man walked up to the grave of Prophet (s.a.w.) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah!  Ask for rain from Allah (s.w.t.), for your ummah is in dire straits.’ 

Then he saw the Prophet (s.a.w.) in dream.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) said to him, ‘Go over to ‘Umar, give him my regards and tell him that the rain will come to you.  And tell ‘Umar that he should be on his toes, he should be on his toes.’ 

He went over to see ‘Umar and passed on to him the tidings.  On hearing this, ‘Umar broke down crying.  He said, ‘O Allah, I exert myself to the full until I am completely exhausted.’” 

This hadits is found in al-Muswannaf ibn Abu Shaybah.  It is authenticated as swahih by Hafizh Abu al-Fida’ ‘Imad ad-Din Isma‘il ibn ‘Umar ibn Katsir (r.a.), in al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah; Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Qasthalani (r.a.) in al-Mawahib-al-Laduniyyah; and Shaykh Taqi’ ad-Din Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Halim ibn Taymiyyah (r.a.), in Fi Iqtidha’ asw-Swirath al-Mustaqim.  Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani (r.a.) wrote, in Fath al-Bari, that Imam Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Shaybah (r.a.) transmitted it, with a swahih chain, the narration from Imam Abu Swalih Dhakwan as-Samman (r.a.) from Sayyidina Malik ad-Dar (r.a.). 

The Wahhabi heretic, Muhammad Naswir ad-Din al-Albani, tried to disparage the chain by claiming that Sayyidina Malik ad-Dar (r.a.) and Imam Abu Swalih as-Saman (r.a.) being present in the chain of this hadits are unknown narrators who did not exist.  The reality is otherwise.  Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Sa’d (r.a.) said, in Thabaqat al-Kubra’, “Malik ad-Dar was a slave freed by ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab.  He reported traditions from Abu Bakr asw-Swiddiq and ‘Umar, and Abu Swalih Samman reported traditions from him.  He was ma’ruf.”  In ahadits terminology, this means he was a widely recognised transmitter. 

Imam Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Fayswal at-Tamimi ibn Hibban (r.a.) attested to the trustworthiness and credibility of Sayyidina Malik ad-Dar (r.a.) in Kitab ats-Tsiqat.  He said, “Malik ibn ‘Iyadh ad-Dar has taken traditions from ‘Umar Faruq and Abu Swalih as-Samman, and he was a slave freed by ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab.” 

Imam Shams ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad adz-Dzahabi (r.a.) said, about Sayyidina Malik ad-Dar (r.a.), in Tajrid Asma’ asw-Swahabah, “He was a slave freed by ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab.  He has taken traditions from Abu Bakr asw-Swiddiq.” 

Imam ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani (r.a.) said, “Malik ibn ‘Iyadh, a slave freed by ‘Umar, was known as Malik ad-Dar.  He had seen the Prophet (s.a.w.), and heard traditions from Abu Bakr.  He has taken traditions from Abu Bakr asw-Swiddiq ‘Umar Faruq, Mu‘adz, Abu ‘Ubaydah, and Abu Swalih as-Samman and his two sons, ‘Awn and ‘Abdullah, have taken traditions from him.  And Imam al-Bukhari, in at-Tarikh al-Kabir, through reference to Abu Swalih, has acknowledged a tradition from him that ‘Umar is reported to have said during the period of famine, ‘I do not shirk responsibility, but may I be made humbler.’”