The story of ‘Umar ibn Abd Al-‘Azeez preferring to feed people than to make a new cover for the Ka‘bah

27-1-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

asalamu alakium dear sheikh some online sources say that this statement "The stomachs of Muslims are a priority.". was a reply in a letter given by caliph umar ibn Abd al-Aziz to one of his governors when the governor asked him to provide a new cover for the Ka'bah. can you please provide a source in which it talks about this letter and can you provide more details about this letter jazakallahu khyran
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

This event was reported by Abu Nu‘aym Al-Asbahaani in his book Hilyat-ul-Awliyaa’ on the authority of Abu bakr ibn Maalik from 'Abdullaah ibn Ahmad from Abu 'Abdullaah As-Sulami from Mubashshir from Nawfal ibn Abil-Furaat: "The people in charge of the Sacred Mosque wrote to ‘Umar ibn Abd Al-‘Azeez to order a new cover for the House (Ka‘bah] as the Caliphs did before him; so, he wrote to them: 'I decided to put that in hungry stomachs, as they deserve it more than the House.'" [End of quote]

Abu Nu'aym may Allaah have mercy upon him did not mention other details related to this message of ‘Umar ibn Abd Al-‘Azeez may Allaah have mercy upon him to those in charge of Hijabah (serving the Ka'abah).

Allaah Knows best.

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