Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz

Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz, Umayyad caliph; b. 682, ruled. 717-720. In 706 he became governor of Hejaz and settled at Medina where he formed an advisory council. He became famous for his piety and frugality, feeling no obligation to spread Islam by the sword. He preferred peaceful missionary activity, which method proved successful among the Berbers and in Sind. He adopted a kindly attitude towards the Alids, the Christians, the Jews and the Zoroastrians. His most important measure was the reform of taxation. The ever-increeasing conversation to ####Islam of non-Arabs led to more and more subjects being exempt from taxation. Furthermore, agriculture suffered to a great extent as a result of many converts settling in the cities. Umar adhered to the principle that Muslims should pay no tribute and propounded that conquered land was the common property of the Muslim community and could not be transformed into immune private property by sale to individual Muslims. In 718 he forbade Muslims to buy land which should pay tribute and permitted immigration of new converts into the cities. In course of time a whole cycle of pious legends gathered round his name. Even the historians of the Abbasid period give him the highest praise, and his tomb at Dayr Sam’an near Aleppo was left undisturbed after the Abbasid triumph.

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