Waleed bin Hishaam bin Mugheerah then proposed, “O Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen! When I went to the land of Shaam, I observed that their rulers had compiled registers and grouped their soldiers into units. Hence, you should also compile a register and group the mujaahideen into units.”
Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) accepted this proposal and sent for Hazrat ‘Aqeel bin Abi Taalib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Makhramah bin Nawfal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and Hazrat Jubair bin Mut‘im (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), as these three Sahaabah were among the Quraish who were the most knowledgeable regarding the people’s lineage. Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then instructed them saying, “Write the names of the people according to their deeni rank and position.”
Accordingly, they first wrote the names of the Banu Haashim, as they were the blessed family of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Thereafter, they recorded the family members of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), as he was the first Khalifah. They then wrote the names of Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and his family members, as he was the Khalifah after Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).
When Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) saw the sequence in which they had written the names, he said, “By Allah! I wish that I was worthy of being where you have written me in the register! However, instead of following the sequence of the Khilaafah, compile the register according to the relatives of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and follow the sequence of those who are most closely related to him. In this manner, write my name where Allah has placed it, according to my relationship with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).”
When the Banu ‘Adiyy, who were the family of Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), learnt of this, they came to him and said, “In our opinion, your exalted position is such that you could be regarded as the Khalifah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), or at least as the Khalifah of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), and he was the Khalifah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Since this is your esteemed status, you should keep your position and the position of your relatives third on the register, as these three Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) had initially done when compiling the register (in other words, there is no need for you to make the register follow the sequence of the relatives of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)).”
Hearing this, Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) exclaimed in disapproval, “What an excellent suggestion you have given me! O Banu ‘Adiyy! You wish to use my back to stand on and eat from the Bayt-ul-Maal so that I can lose my good deeds on your behalf! No, by Allah, you must wait for your turn to come in the register, even if your names are entered last into the register!”
From this incident, it is abundantly clear that Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) always gave preference to the mubaarak family of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) over himself and his family.
(Ibnu Sa’d 3/224)