Sunni Sources on Umar ibn Khattab at Uhud, Hunayn, and Khaybar

Umar ibn Khattab: The “Brave Hero” Who Fled from the Battlefield in Sunni Sources

Sunnis present Umar ibn Khattab as a symbol of bravery.

But when we open their own books, the picture is very different.

Before looking at Umar, first read what Allah and the Prophet said about fleeing from the battlefield.

Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا زَحْفًا فَلَا تُوَلُّوهُمُ الْأَدْبَارَ

وَمَنْ يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ إِلَّا مُتَحَرِّفًا لِقِتَالٍ أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزًا إِلَى فِئَةٍ فَقَدْ بَاءَ بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَأْوَاهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

Translation:

“O believers, when you meet the disbelievers advancing in battle, do not turn your backs to them. Whoever turns his back that day, except as a battle strategy or to join another group, has earned wrath from Allah, and his abode is Hell. What an evil destination.”

Reference:

Qur’an 8:15-16

The Prophet also said:

اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ

قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَمَا هُنَّ؟

قَالَ:

الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ

Translation:

“Avoid the seven destructive sins.”

They asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what are they?”

He said:

“Associating partners with Allah, magic, killing a soul which Allah has forbidden except by right, consuming usury, consuming the wealth of an orphan, fleeing on the day of battle, and slandering chaste believing women.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim

So fleeing from the battlefield is not a small mistake. It is one of the seven destructive major sins.

Now let us see what Sunni books say about Umar ibn Khattab.

1. Uhud

Al-Tabari records Umar’s own words:

لما كان يوم أحد هزمناهم، ففررتُ حتى صعدت الجبل، فلقد رأيتني أنزو كأنني أروى، والناس يقولون: قتل محمد

Translation:

“When it was the day of Uhud, we defeated them, then I fled until I climbed the mountain. I saw myself jumping like a mountain-goat while people were saying: Muhammad has been killed.”

Reference:

Al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan, Tafsir of Qur’an 3:155

Look at the wording:

ففررتُ

“I fled.”

This is not a Shia accusation.

This is Umar’s own reported wording in a Sunni tafsir source.

Fakhr al-Din al-Razi also writes:

ومن المنهزمين عمر، إلا أنه لم يكن في أوائل المنهزمين ولم يبعد

Translation:

“Among those who fled was Umar, except that he was not from the earliest of those who fled and he did not go far.”

Reference:

Al-Razi, Tafsir Mafatih al-Ghayb, under Qur’an 3:155

Even while softening the issue, al-Razi still admits:

ومن المنهزمين عمر

“Among those who fled was Umar.”

So where is the legendary battlefield bravery?

2. Hunayn

Sahih al-Bukhari records from Abu Qatadah:

وانهزم المسلمون وانهزمت معهم، فإذا بعمر بن الخطاب في الناس، فقلت له: ما شأن الناس؟ قال: أمر الله، ثم تراجع الناس إلى رسول الله

Translation:

“The Muslims were defeated and I fled with them. Then I saw Umar ibn Khattab among the people. I said to him: What is the matter with the people? He said: It is Allah’s command. Then the people returned to the Messenger of Allah.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Ghazwat Hunayn

The wording is clear:

وانهزم المسلمون وانهزمت معهم، فإذا بعمر بن الخطاب في الناس

“The Muslims fled, and I fled with them, then I saw Umar among the people.”

So in Hunayn, Sahih al-Bukhari places Umar among the people during the retreat.

Again, where is the unmatched bravery?

3. Khaybar

At Khaybar, the Prophet gave the banner before it was finally given to Imam Ali a.s.

One Sunni report says:

حاصرنا خيبر، فأخذ اللواء أبو بكر فانصرف ولم يفتح له، ثم أخذه من الغد عمر، فخرج فرجع ولم يفتح له

Translation:

“We besieged Khaybar. Abu Bakr took the banner and returned, and victory was not granted to him. Then Umar took it the next day; he went out and returned, and victory was not granted to him.”

Reference:

Musnad Ahmad; al-Nasa’i al-Kubra. Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut graded this route sahih in his checking of Musnad Ahmad.

Then the Prophet said:

لَأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ غَدًا رَجُلًا يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ، وَيُحِبُّهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، يَفْتَحُ اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ

Translation:

“Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him. Allah will grant victory through his hands.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim

That man was Imam Ali a.s.

Abu Bakr returned without victory.

Umar returned without victory.

Imam Ali a.s returned with victory.

Another report in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah says:

فإن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بعث أبا بكر فسار بالناس فانهزم حتى رجع إليه، وبعث عمر فانهزم بالناس حتى انتهى إليه، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لأعطين الراية رجلا يحب الله ورسوله ويحبه الله ورسوله، يفتح الله له ليس بفرار

Translation:

“The Messenger of Allah sent Abu Bakr, so he went with the people and was defeated until he returned to him. Then he sent Umar, so he was defeated with the people until he reached him. Then the Messenger of Allah said: I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him; Allah will grant victory through him, and he is not one who flees.”

Reference:

Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Musannaf, Kitab al-Maghazi, Ghazwat Khaybar

Notice the ending:

ليس بفرار

“He is not one who flees.”

Why was this said before giving the banner to Imam Ali a.s?

Because before Imam Ali a.s, the banner had returned without victory.

Another harsh wording in al-Hakim says:

أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم دفع الراية يوم خيبر إلى عمر، فانطلق، فرجع يجبن أصحابه ويجبنونه

Translation:

“The Prophet gave the banner on the day of Khaybar to Umar. He went out, then returned, accusing his companions of cowardice, and they accused him of cowardice.”

Reference:

Al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, Kitab al-Maghazi

To be fair, some Sunni scholars dispute the harsher wording.

But the core point remains established:

Umar returned without victory, while Imam Ali a.s conquered Khaybar.

Final question:

If fleeing from the battlefield is one of the seven destructive sins, then why do Sunni speakers hide these reports?

If Umar fled at Uhud, was among the retreating people at Hunayn, and returned unsuccessful at Khaybar, then on what basis is he presented as the unmatched hero of Islam?

Real courage was shown by Imam Ali a.s.

At Uhud, when many ran, Imam Ali a.s stood firm.

At Khaybar, when others returned without victory, Imam Ali a.s conquered.

At every critical moment, the difference between slogans and reality became clear.

One side has speeches of bravery.

The other side has the battlefield record.

Sunni books themselves show the difference.