Ziyaad bin Abi Ziyaad (rahimahullah) was the slave of the Sahaabi ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ayyaash (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma). He was a pious ascetic and one of the great ‘Ulama of his time. Ziyaad (rahimahullah) was very close to ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) and they would often engage in lengthy private discussions. (Tabaqaat Ibn Sa’d vol. 5, pg. 305 and Siyaru Aa’laamin Nubalaa vol. 5, pg. 456)

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ayyaash (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) once sent Ziyaad (rahimahullah) to ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) to attend to some matters on his behalf.

When Ziyaad (rahimahullah) entered, he found ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) with a scribe who was writing. Ziyaad (rahimahullah) greeted him with salaam and ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) replied.

After some time, Ziyaad (rahimahullah) greeted him with salaam again. ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) said to him, “O son of Abu Ziyaad, we certainly did not disregard your first (salaam).”

Meanwhile, the scribe was reading to ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) reports of injustices that had occurred in Basrah. ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) then invited Ziyaad (rahimahullah) to sit down.

Ziyaad (rahimahullah) accordingly sat on the doorstep while the scribe continued reading. As he listened, ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) repeatedly heaved deep sighs.

When the scribe had finished, ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) asked everyone in the room to leave, including the young servant who was present. He then walked towards Ziyaad (rahimahullah), sat down in front of him, placed his hands on Ziyaad’s knees and said, “O Ibnu Abi Ziyaad, have you kept warm in this garment of yours?” Ziyaad (rahimahullah) was wearing a woollen garment at the time.

‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) then enquired about the righteous people of Madeenah Munawwarah, both the men and women, not leaving out a single one of them. He also enquired about matters he had instructed to be attended to in Madeenah Munawwarah, and Ziyaad (rahimahullah) informed him about them.

Thereafter, (reflecting on the immense responsibility of leadership and the accountability that came with it,) ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) said, “O Ibnu Abi Ziyaad, do you not see what I have become involved in?”

Ziyaad (rahimahullah) replied, “Rejoice, O Ameerul Mumineen. Indeed, I hope good for you.”

“Far from it! Far from it!” replied ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah). He then began to weep until Ziyaad (rahimahullah) felt pity for him and said, “O Ameerul Mumineen, consider some of the (good) deeds you perform, for indeed I have hope for you.”

“Far from it! Far from it!” he repeated. He then said, “I rebuke (others), yet no one rebukes me. I strike (others), yet no one strikes me. I inflict pain (upon others), yet no one inflicts pain on me.” He then began to weep again, and Ziyaad (rahimahullah) once more felt pity for him.

Ziyaad (rahimahullah) remained there until ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) had attended to the matters he had come for. ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) then took twenty dinaars from beneath his bedding and said to Ziyaad (rahimahullah), “Use these to attend to your needs.” Ziyaad (rahimahullah) initially refused to accept the money.

‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) then said, “This is from my personal expenditure.” He continued urging Ziyaad (rahimahullah) to accept the money until he eventually did so.

‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) also wrote to Ziyaad’s master, asking him to sell Ziyaad to him. However, his master refused and instead freed Ziyaad (rahimahullah) himself.

(Az-Zuhd lil Imaam Ahmad #1725)

Lessons:

1. No matter how important a person may be, his position should never make him feel that he is too important to give time to those below him. Despite being the ruler, ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) did not consider Ziyaad, who was a slave, beneath his attention. Once he had completed the matters that occupied him, he gave Ziyaad his undivided attention, enquired about his well-being and spent time speaking to him. True humility is when a person does not allow his position, wealth or status to cause him to overlook those who may be of a lower worldly standing.

2. ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) was a great and righteous person. Yet, when he reflected on the responsibility of leadership and what he would have to answer for before Allah Ta‘ala, he wept out of fear. This should make us reflect on our own accountability. We may not have authority over thousands or millions of people, but each of us has been entrusted with responsibilities for which we will have to answer. If a person of such piety and greatness was so fearful of accountability, we should never allow our own shortcomings to make us complacent about the Day when we will stand before Allah Ta‘ala.