حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ حَدَّثَنَا الْمَسْعُودِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي نَهْشَلٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَضَلَ النَّاسَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ بِأَرْبَعٍ بِذِكْرِ الْأَسْرَى يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ أَمَرَ بِقَتْلِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَوْلَا كِتَابٌ مِنْ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ وَبِذِكْرِهِ الْحِجَابَ أَمَرَ نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَحْتَجِبْنَ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ زَيْنَبُ وَإِنَّكَ عَلَيْنَا يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ وَالْوَحْيُ يَنْزِلُ فِي بُيُوتِنَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ وَبِدَعْوَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَهُ اللَّهُمَّ أَيِّدْ الْإِسْلَامَ بِعُمَرَ وَبِرَأْيِهِ فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ كَانَ أَوَّلَ النَّاسِ بَايَعَهُ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 4362
It was narrated that Abu Wa'il said: 'Abdullah said: 'Umar bin al-Khattab (RA) surpassed the people in four matters: with regard to the issue of the captives on the day of Badr, when he said that they should be executed, and Allah revealed the words, "Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took" [al-Anfal 8:68]; with regard to hijab, when he told the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) to observe hijab and Zainab said to him. Do you want to tell us what to do, O son of al- Khattab, when Revelation comes down in our houses? Then Allah revealed the words, "And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen" [al-Ahzab 33:53]; when the Prophet (PBUH) prayed for him by saying, "O Allah, support Islam with 'Umar"; and when he nominated Abu Bakr (as caliph) and was the first one to swear allegiance to him.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020