Darul Uloom Zakariyya

Did Hadrat ‛Umar bury his daughter alive during Jāhilīyyah

Question: Is it true that Hadrat ‛Umar radiyallāhu ‛anhu buried his daughter alive during Jāhilīyyah and before embracing Islam?

Answer: Despite an intensive search in this regard, we did not find this incident in any Hadīth or history book. And this is what is expected of Hadrat ‛Umar’s lofty character and virtuous deeds – that it is far-fetched for him to do this even before embracing Islam because he did not commit Jāhilīyyah actions even before embracing Islam. His family was considered to be a noble and honourable family. In fact, people from his family used to be selected as envoys. Thus, this action from him is not established.

However, certain books attribute an incident to Hadrat ‛Umar radiyallāhu ‛anhu without any chain of transmission. It is rejected on this basis.

‛Abd as-Salām ibn Muhsin writes in Dirāsah Naqdīyyah (p. 163) :

It is a fabricated story from the Shī‛ahs who want to criticize the personality of Hadrat ‛Umar radiyallāhu ‛anhu on account of it.


كفى هذه الرواية هزءا، إنك لا تجدها لا في كتب الحديث، صحيحها وضعيفها، ولا كتب التاريخ غثيثها وسمينها.


This story is laughable. You will not find it in any Hadīth collection – neither in the authentic ones nor in the weak ones. You will also not find it in history books – neither in the concise ones nor in the voluminous ones.