Umar ibn al-Khattab accepts Islam
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Allah then supported the Muslims by the acceptance of Islam by Umar ibn al-Khattab al-'Adawi al-Qurashi. He was an imposing man, broad-shouldered, tall and brave. The Messenger of Allah wanted him to become a Muslim and prayed for him to be guided that way.
His sister, Fatimah bint al-Khattab had become a Muslim together with her husband, Sa'id ibn Zayd. They were concealing their Islam from Umar because of his violent nature. They knew he was against Islam and the Muslims. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt used to come to Fatimah to read the Qur'an to her.
One day Umar went out angrily swinging his sword to find the Messenger of Allah who was with his Companions. He had heard that they were in a house at Safa. On his way he met Nu'aym ibn Abdullah, who belonged to Umar's people the Banu Adi, and who was already a Muslim.
'Where are you going, Umar?' he asked.
'I am going to find Muhammad,' he replied, 'He has divided the Quraysh, mocked their traditions,
criticized their religion and abused their gods. I am going to kill him.'
'You deceive yourself, Umar,' Nu'aym retorted. 'Shouldn't you go back to your own family and put their affairs in order first!'
'What do you mean, my family!'
'By Allah, your brother-in-law and cousin Sa'id ibn Zayd and your sister Fatimah bint al-Khattab have become Muslims and are following Muhammad in his religion. You had better deal with them first.'
Umar returned to his sister and brother-in-law. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was with them, holding a page from Surah Ta Ha which he was reading to them. When they heard Umar's footsteps, Khabbab hid in a small room in the house while Fatimah took the page and concealed it beneath her clothing. While he was approaching the house, Umar had heard Khabbab reciting, so he demanded, 'What is this gibberish!'
'Nothing,' they answered. 'What did you hear!'
'By Allah! He shouted angrily, 'I have heard that you are following Muhammad in his religion!'
Umar then started to attack his brother-in-law Sa'id ibn Zayd. His sister Fatimah rose to hold him back from her husband but he hit her and wounded her.
When he did that, his sister and brother-in-law told him, 'Yes, we have become Muslims and we believe in Allah and His Messenger, so do what you think best.'
When Umar saw blood on his sister, he regretted what he had done. He even admired her courage. 'Show me that page I heard Khabbab reading,' he said. 'Let me see what Muhammad has brought.'
Umar was one among a few Quraysh who could read and write, but when she heard what he wanted, his sister answered, 'We are afraid to give it to you.'
'Do not be afraid, he said and he promised not to destroy it.
When she heard that, she longed for Umar to become a Muslim. She said to him, 'Brother, you are unclean from your idol worship and only the purified may touch it.'
Umar got up and washed and then she gave him the page bearing the passage from Surah Ta Ha. After reading only a few lines, he exclaimed, 'How noble and sublime are these words!'
When Khabbab heard that, he came out from hiding to say, Umar! By Allah, I hope that Allah has singled you out by the prayer of His Prophet. I heard him say last night, "O Allah, strengthen Islam with Abul-Hakam ibn Hisham (Abu Jahl) or Umar ibn al-Khattab!" Come to God! Come to God, O Umar!'
At that Umar said, 'Khabbab, guide me to Muhammad so that I can go to him and become a Muslim.'
'He is in a house at Safa,' Khabbab said, 'with some of his Companions.'
Umar put on his sword and went to find the Messenger of Allah. He knocked on the door. When they heard his voice, one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah got up and looked through a crack in the door. He saw Umar wearing his sword. In alarm, he returned to report, 'Messenger of Allah, it is Umar ibn al-Khattab with his sword on!'
Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib said, 'Let him in. If his intentions are peaceful, we will treat him well. If not, we will kill him with his own sword.'
The Messenger of Allah said, 'Let him in,' and rose to meet Umar as he reached the middle of the room. He seized his cloak and dragged him along violently, saying, 'What has brought you here, Ibn al-Khattab! By Allah, I do not think that you will stop until Allah sends down a calamity upon you.'
'Messenger of Allah,' Umar replied, 'I have come to you to tell you that I believe in Allah and His Messenger and what has come from Allah.'
The Messenger of Allah said, 'Allahu Akbar ' so loudly that the Companions in the house knew that Umar had become a Muslim.
The Muslims' confidence increased when Umar became a Muslim as it had when Hamzah before him had become a Muslim.
News that Umar was a Muslim quickly spread among the Quraysh. They were very annoyed. They took up their swords against him but Umar fought back. The Quraysh valued their lives too much to pick quarrels with him so they decided to leave him alone.