Source: Google Knol By: Zia H Shah
Umar (Arabic: عمر بن الخطاب; Transliteration: `Umar ibn al-Khattāb, c. 586-590 CE – 7 November 644), also known as Umar the Great or Farooq the Great, may Allah be pleased with him, was the most powerful of the four Rashidun Caliphs and one of the most powerful and influential Muslim rulers. He was a sahabi (companion) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He succeeded Caliph Abu Bakr (632–634) as the second Caliph of Rashidun Caliphate on 23 August 634. He was an expert jurist and is best known for his justice with Muslims and non-Muslim subjects alike, that earned him the title Al-Farooq (The one who distinguishes between good and bad) and his house as Darul Adal (house of justice). Also, Umar was the first Caliph to be called Amir al-Mu’minin(Commander of the Faithful).
Under Umar the Islamic empire expanded at an unprecedented rate ruling the whole Sassanid Persian Empire and more than two thirds of the Eastern Roman Empire. His legislative abilities, his firm political and administrative control over a rapidly expanding empire and his brilliantly coordinated multi-prong attacks against Sassanid Persian Empire that resulted in conquest of Persian empire in less than two years, marked his reputation as a great political and military leader. It was Umar who for the first time in 500 years since expulsion of Jews from the Holy Land, allowed them to practice their religion freely and live in Jerusalem.
The above paragraphs are from Wikipedia.
It is the opinion of the author of this knol that the world owes the concepts of religious tolerance and pluralism to the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, who theorized it in light of his revelations and Umar Farooq who put it into practice!
The following article from Wikipedia suggests that the presumption of innocence, which was introduced to Europe by Louis IX of France soon after he returned from Palestine during the Crusades, was based on the presumption of innocence from its beginning, as declared by the caliph Umar in the 7th century. Read the portion under the heading ‘Law‘.
Categories: ISLAM