Hadhrat Umar's (Radhiyallaho anho) wife acts as a midwife:

Amir-ul-Mominin Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho), during the time of his Khilafat, used to patrol the streets and suburbs of Madinah himself during the night to keep a watch. During one of his night-patrols, he noticed a camel-hair tent pitched in an open space. He had never seen this particular tent before. Approaching the tent, he found an individual sitting outside, and heard a sort of groan coming out of the tent. Hadhrat 'Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) greeted the stranger with "Assalaam-o-alaikum" and sat down beside him.

Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho):

"Whence brother?"

The person:

"I am from the desert, and a stranger to this place. I have come to request Amir-ul-Momnin for some help in my need."

Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho):

"Who is there groaning like this inside the tent?"

The person:

"Please mind your own business."

Hadhrat 'Umar (Radhiyallaho anho):

"Do tell me please. May be that I can help you."

The person:

"If you must know, inside there is my wife groaning with labour pains."

Hadhrat 'Umar (Radhiyallaho anho):

"Is there anybody else to attend her?"

The person:

"No one."

Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho), thereupon, got up and hurried homewards. He broached the subject to his wife Hadhrat Umme-Kulsum (Radhiyallaho anha) thus:

"Allah has brought you an opportunity to receive great blessings."

Wife:

"What is it, O, Amir-ul-Mominin?"

Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho):

"Yonder, a poor woman of the desert is in child birth, with none to attend her."

Wife:

"I am ready to attend her, if it may please you so."

Hadhrat Umme-Kulsum (Radhiyallaho anho) was after all the daughter of Hadhrat Fatimah (Radhiyallaho anho), and grand-daughter of the Prophet; how could she hesitate at the time of such need of a forlorn sister, such a service and a devotion which Allah loves best?

Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho):

"Then you should make all due haste. Also take a pan, some butter, provisions and other things needed during the child birth."

Hadhrat Umme-Kulsum (Radhiyallaho anho) did as she was bidden and left for the place where the tent was pitched. Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) followed her close. She entered the tent, while Hadhrat `Umar (Rad-hiyallaho anho) made a fire and occupied himself with cooking something which those people could eat. After some time, Hadhrat Umme-Kulsum (Radhiyallaho anha) called out from inside the tent,

"Amir-ul-Mominin, congratulate your friend on the birth of a son."

The person was much embarrassed when he heard the address of `Amir-ul-Mominin' and realized the position of the person who had been serving him. But Hadhrat `Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) put all his fears to rest, saying:

"That is all right, there is nothing to worry about."

He then placed the pan near the tent, asking his wife to take it and feed the woman. She fed her and returned the pan. Then Hadhrat U'mar (Radhiyallaho anho) asked the Bedouin to partake of the food, as he had kept awake the whole night.

Having rendered this service, Hadhrat U'mar (Radhiyallaho anho) returned home with his wife, telling the person "Come to me tomorrow, and I shall see what I can do for you."

Is there any king, nay a petty chief, or even an ordinary middle class person of our time, who will thus take his wife out at the dead of night, and out in the wilderness, to attend a poor strange woman, while he himself gladly engages in making a fire and cooking food. Leave the worldly rich aside, how many of the religious people would do that? We should realize that unless we really follow in the footsteps of those God-fearing people whom we profess to look up to as our models, we cannot deserve and wish for the special blessings that Allah bestowed on them.