Umar bin Al-Khattab, his care would not only reach the men and women and children of the ummah, but he would also care for the animals that were living within his territory.
Umar bin Al-Khattab, he was seen beating up a camel Sheppard and he told him "Why are you carrying on your camels a load that is too heavy to carry for them?" Why are you breaking the back of the camels?, and he was disciplining the owner because of that.
When Al-Ah'naf bin Qais and his people reached to Madina, Umar bin Al-Khattab went with them to their campground, and he was inspecting them, and he took a glance at the camels and told Al-Ah'naf "Aren't you gonna have taqwa of Allah when it comes to your animals", aren't you gonna reduce the loads of them - on them, aren't you gonna let them eat? This was a delegation that is coming to Umar bin Al-Khattab maybe to discuss important matters regarding the political status of the ummah and the military state, and Umar bin Al-Khattab is talkin about their camels.
One day Umar bin Al-Khattab wanted to eat fresh fish. They would get dry fish in Madina, but he wanted fresh fish. He felt like having some fresh fish. He mentions that to his servant. His servant travels to get him some, it was a two day journey going, two day journey coming back. And he brought some fish for Umar bin Al-Khattab.
Umar bin Al-Khattab saw him when he came in after 2 days travel. The servant came off the camel, and then started wiping the sweat off his camel. Umar bin Al-Khattab said "I have tortured an animal to satisfy my desire, wallahi I'm not gonna have anything of this to eat." He said I have tortured this camel, it's sweating, it's tired, exhausted, why?- to satisfy my desire. And he refused to have that fish, subhan'Allah.
He was once seen inspecting a camel, it was ill, so Umar bin Al-Khattab had his hand on the back of the camel and he was looking and it, and he said "I am afraid I will be asked about you on the Day of Judgment." So the care of the khalifa extended not only to the citizens of the khilafa, but also the animals living therein. And look at how we're living today, maybe it's better to be a camel in the time of Umar than to be a human today.
Transcribed from: UMAR: HIS LIFE AND TIMES - Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki
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