Umar ibn Al-Khattab's Obsession With Jewish Scriptures

  

﴾يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَـرَى أَوْلِيَآءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ﴿

O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he among you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.

(5:51)

Holy Qur'aan

Ahmad ibn Hanbal:

Narration of Abdullah ibn Thabit narrated from the Messenger of Allah (swt): "Umar came to the Messenger of Allah (swt) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I passed by a brother of mine from Qurayza (Jewish tribe) who wrote me some epitomes from the Torah. Shall I not show them you? Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (saw) face had changed. Abdullah ibn Thabit said, "Do you not see what is on the face of the messenger of Allah (swt)?!" Umar said, "We are well-pleased with Allah (swt) as our Lord and Islam as our religion and Muhammad (saw) is His Messenger." The Prophet (saw) anger abated and then he said, "By the one in Whose hand is my soul! If Musa (a.s) came to you this morning, you would have followed him and left me and surely you would have gone astray. You are among the nations and I am your lot among the the Prophets."

Footnote: Ahmed Shakir says; Hadeeth is Saheeh (Authentic).
 

Source : Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal. Vol. 14, H # 18251, Pg. # 142.

Abdullah said: "Umar brought the Prophet (saw) a book he had taken from one of the people of the book. He read it to the Prophet (saw) who became angry and said, 'Are you all going to fall into chaos, O son of Al-Khattab? By Him Whose hand is my soul! I have brought you the true pure religion. Do not ask them about anything, for they might tell you something false and you believe it, by Him Whose hand is my soul! Had Musa (a.s) been alive, he would have no alternative but to follow me!"

Footnote: Ahmed Shakir says; Hadeeth is Hasan (Reliable).

Source: Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal. Vol. 12, H # 15094, Pg. # 85 - 86.