Umar ibn al-Khattab

Umar set out one day with his sword, intending to kill the Prophet. On the way, he was told that his own sister Fatimah and her husband Sa'id ibn Zayd had accepted Islam. Furious, he went to their house and struck his sister, drawing blood. When he saw her bleeding, he was struck with remorse. She was reciting Surah Ta-Ha (20). He asked to see the pages, and after washing himself, he read the opening verses. His heart softened and he declared: 'Take me to Muhammad.' He went to the house of al-Arqam where the Prophet was. When he entered, the Prophet grabbed his cloak and said: 'Will you not desist, O son of al-Khattab, until Allah sends upon you what He sent upon al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah?' Umar said: 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah.' The Muslims cried 'Allahu Akbar' so loudly it was heard in the valleys of Makkah. The Prophet said: 'O Allah, strengthen Islam with the dearer of these two men to You — Umar ibn al-Khattab or Abu Jahl ibn Hisham.' And Allah chose Umar. His acceptance of Islam was itself a victory — he insisted on praying openly at the Ka'bah and on making the Hijrah publicly, daring anyone to stop him. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said: 'We could not pray at the Ka'bah until Umar accepted Islam.'