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Appointment of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz as caliph

تولية عمر بن عبد العزيز الخلافة

99 AH

In 99 Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz was appointed at Dabiq, after Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik had written his testament to him 1 2. Al-Tabari gives his death in 101, among that year's reports 3. In al-Suyuti: Sulayman consulted Raja' ibn Haywa, who advised Umar and after him Yazid; he wrote the testament, sealed it, and ordered the people to pay allegiance to whoever was named in it, and whoever refused should have his neck struck. The faces of the Banu Abd al-Malik changed until they heard 'and after him Yazid', and then they drew back. Umar was stunned when the letter was read out in his name; he was brought close to the pulpit and raised up, and said: 'I am not a judge, but an executor; I am not an innovator, but a follower.' He declined the caliph's mount and rode his own beast 4

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In 99 AH Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz was made caliph at Dabiq, after Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik had written his testament naming him. 1 2

al-Suyuti's account

Sulayman consulted Raja' ibn Haywa, who advised him to name Umar and after him Yazid. He wrote the testament, sealed it, and ordered the people to give the oath to whomever it named. The faces of the sons of Abd al-Malik changed until they heard that Yazid would follow him, and then they went back. 5

When the letter was read in Umar's name, he was brought forward to the pulpit and taken up to it. al-Suyuti quotes him as saying that he was not a judge but an executor, and not an innovator but a follower. He refused to ride the caliph's mount and rode his own animal. 5

al-Tabari gives his death in 101 AH. 3

Sources

  1. Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.6 p.550
  2. Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.6 p.551
  3. Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.6 p.565
  4. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p. 371-377
  5. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p.371-377
  • The Umayyad State — Bakr Muhammad Ibrahim Bakr (1st ed., Markaz al-Raya lil-Nashr wal-I'lam, Cairo 2002)
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islam.museum contributors. “Appointment of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz as caliph”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/caliphate-of-umar-ibn-abd-al-aziz/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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