Virtues of Hazrat Umar (ra)

سَعْد بْن أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ قَالَ اسْتَأْذَنَ عُمَرُ عَلَى رَسُولِ الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم، وَعِنْدَهُ نِسَاءٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ يُكَلِّمْنَهُ وَيَسْتَكْثِرْنَهُ، عَالِيَةً أَصْوَاتُهُنَّ، فَلَمَّا اسْتَأْذَنَ عُمَرُ، قُمْنَ يَبْتَدِرْنَ الْحِجَابَ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُ رَسُولُ الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم، وَرَسُولُ الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم يَضْحَكُ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَضْحَكَ الله سِنَّكَ يَا رَسُولَ الله.‏ قَالَ: عَجِبْتُ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ اللاَّتِي كُنَّ عِنْدِي، فَلَمَّا سَمِعْنَ صَوْتَكَ ابْتَدَرْنَ الْحِجَابَ‏‏.‏ قَالَ عُمَرُ: فَأَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ الله كُنْتَ أَحَقَّ أَنْ يَهَبْنَ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَىْ عَدُوَّاتِ أَنْفُسِهِنَّ، أَتَهَبْنَنِي وَلاَ تَهَبْنَ رَسُولَ الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم قُلْنَ: نَعَمْ، أَنْتَ أَفَظُّ وَأَغْلَظُ مِنْ رَسُولِ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله صلّى الله عليه وسلّم: وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا لَقِيَكَ الشَّيْطَانُ قَطُّ سَالِكًا فَجًّا إِلاَّ سَلَكَ فَجًّا غَيْرَ فَجِّكَ.‏

It is narrated by Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas^ra that, “Once Umar^ra asked for leave to see the Allah’s Messenger^sa in whose company there were some Quraishi women who were talking to him and asking him for more financial support, raising their voices. When Umar^ra asked permission to enter, the women got up quickly, hurrying to screen themselves [out of their awe of his personality]. Upon granting Umar^ra entry, Allah’s Messenger^sa was seen smiling. Umar^ra asked, ‘O Allah’s Messenger^sa! May Allah always keep you in happiness.’ Allah’s Messenger^sa responded, ‘I am astonished at these women who were with me. As soon as they heard your voice, they hastened to screen themselves.’ Umar^ra said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger^sa! You have more right to be feared by them.’ Then he addressed [those women], saying, ‘O enemies of your own souls! Do you fear me and not Allah’s Messenger^sa?’ They replied. ‘Yes, for you are a stern and fierce man as compared to Allah’s Messenger^sa.’ On that Allah’s Messenger^sa said [to Umar^ra], ‘By Him in Whose hand my soul rests, Satan never encounters you on a path without taking another route.’”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab bada’i l-khalq, Bab sifati iblisa wa junudihi, Hadith 3294)