Circa 586-644
Second Khalifah

Charisma. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab or 'Umar I was the second khalifah (reigned 634-644) of the nascent Islamic state and the real founder of the khilafah. During his reign the Muslims achieved major victories against the Byzantines and the Sasanids and consolidated their control of Western Asia. 'Umar had a towering figure and a powerful charismatic personality that had had a considerable influence on Islam and the emerging Islamic polity. Traditional accounts state that while Muhammad preached secretly in his early career, he had prayed to Allah to strengthen his cause by the conversion of 'Umar. Indeed, no sooner than 'Umar became Muslim (perhaps the fiftieth person to do so), he demanded that the Prophet should no longer be deterred by security considerations and that he should begin preaching in public. A hadith (prophetic tradition) is said to have stated that no...