Al-Farooq (Arabic: الفاروق, "distinguisher") is the title given to one who distinguishes right from wrong.[1] It was a well-known historical title of the second Caliph Umar.
Etymology
According to the Lisān al-'Arab (Arabic dictionary by Ibn Manẓūr) al-Farouq refers to making a distinction between two subjects, and is a person who distinguishes between right and wrong.[2]
Al-Farooq is translated as "discriminator" by Gerald T. Elmore,[3] Richard F. Burton.[4] As, however, the morphophonology of the lexeme farūq is not Arabic, the word seems to be of Syro-Aramaic origin, e.g. pārōqā "Saviour" as for example pointed out by Robert M. Kerr.[5]
History
According to historical Sunni sources, Muhammad entitled Umar ibn al-Khattab as al-Farooq.[1] The son of Kahn Jahan, the minister of Muhammad bin Tughluq claimed Umar ibn al-Khattab got this title from the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[6] Also Umayyad caliph Sulayman called him discriminator (al-farooq)[7] It is mentioned in the History of Tabari, Taqabat ibn Sad, and Tahdhib "the people of the Book (Jews) were the first to call Umar 'al-Faaruq, we have never heard the Prophet make such reference."[8]