Umar ibn Abdul Aziz and A Dog on Street

In the Kitab of Tafsir, Imam Ibn Katsir tells the story of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz once walking on the street in Mecca.

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Umar ibn Abdul Aziz

Muhammad Ishaq said that some of his friends told him, “Once we were walking with Umar ibn Abdul Aziz in Mecca, then suddenly a dog came over us. Umar took the forearm of goat then gave it to the dog to eat.” said “People around him said, ‘Indeed, that dog is mahrum'” (Resource: NU Online ) . Mahrum means one who doesn’t have enough source for their daily need, it can be someone who has very low income and need help. There are many explanations for the word mahrum, explained by Islamic scholars, but I explain it in a simple way.

What a great story. What can we learn from this story?

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In Islam, a dog is najis, which means dirty. If Muslims touch a dog, they must wash their hands seven-time, once mix with dust. This animal is considered as a very dirty animal. But, This Caliph, Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz, gave us an example of feeding that dog with the forearm of a goat. It was not the remaining food on a plate that people usually throw it into the bin, but it was the good goat meat, the good part. The dog loved it so much.

It was a good gift. Imagine, if I were him, it was hard for me to give him that good goat meat because I need it and like it. But, the reward in the hereafter is better than everything in this world. If Umar ibn Abdul Aziz gave such goat meat to a very dirty animal, then what should we give to the best creature: humans: the poor, the beggars, the orphans, etc.? This story is a great reminder for me and maybe for the readers of this site.