Power Used With Restraint

"Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good."

Quran 16:128, Surah An-Nahl (Sahih International)

Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was the ruler. He had influence — he could do whatever he wanted, and no one would stop him. One day, a destitute man came to him. "My ox died. Now I cannot plow my field. My family will starve."

Umar could have ignored him. Umar could have given him silver and forgotten about it. But Umar did something different: he went to his own cottage, selected his best ox, and brought it to the man. "Take this. Plow your farmland. Return the ox when you are done."

The man said: "But you are the ruler. You don't have to work like this." Umar replied: "I am the ruler. That is exactly why I have to work harder than anyone. If I use my influence for myself, I have betrayed it." The man took the ox, plowed his field, and his family was saved.

But the story spread. People saw that their ruler saw them — that their ruler cared, that power was not about taking but about serving. This changed how people thought about leaders: leadership was not something that lifted you above others; it was something that lifted others up.

Years later, when Umar was dying, that same man came to him: "I have come to return the ox." Umar smiled: "I had forgotten. You remembered." The man replied: "I will never forget. You taught me what power really means." This is the discipline of leadership: to have influence and not use it on yourself. A ruler who serves is mightier than one who only commands. Umar was never praised for it publicly and never sought recognition — his taqwa meant he was always conscious: is this action for Allah's pleasure, or for my own benefit?

Moral of the story: If you have power and always choose restraint, restraint becomes your strength. If you have influence and always choose to serve, service becomes your true power.

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 4756.