Imam Ali ibn Abi-Talib's unswerving loyalty for Omar ibn Al-Khattab throughout the latter's Caliphate was evident in Ali's dedication as Caliph Omar's chief advisor. Omar found Ali's opinions so valuable and convincing that he always put them in effect without questioning them. This came as a result of Ali's sincerity and dedication. When Omar set out for jihad (striving in God's cause), he appointed Ali as his deputy, a responsibility that Ali accepted with utmost love and loyalty for Omar.

When Amr ibn Al-Aas reached Ajnadayn on top of the Muslim army, the old and pious Patriarch of Jerusalem wrote to him to negotiate and insisted that he would surrender the city only to Caliph Omar himself. Abu Obaidah Al-Jarrah wrote to Caliph Omar informing him of that. Omar summoned the people and asked Ali to take his place as his deputy in Medina.

On another occasion, Omar appointed Ali as his deputy once again when he went to perform Hajj (Pilgrimage) along with the wives of Prophet Muhammad and their servants. This was Omar's final Pilgrimage.

Omar did not seek the opinions of his first advisor, Ali, regarding religious and legal matters alone, but also regarding the regulation of financial and administrative matters that concerned the Muslim State all through Omar's Caliphate. Some examples include:

*Introducing the Islamic calendar: Omar ibn Al-Khattab consulted Ali ibn Abi-Talib regarding the establishment of an official Islamic calendar to use in managing state affairs, and Ali suggested to mark the first year of Hijrah, Prophet Muhammad's emigration from Mecca to Medina, as the first year in the Islamic Calendar. Omar agreed and implemented Ali's opinion.

*Conquered lands: Omar's diligence and Ali's support: The Muslim State expanded due to massive conquests to spread Islam. The soldiers who fought in these conquests thought they had the right to four fifths of the arable lands they conquered as they deduced from the Quran verse that reads:

"And know that whatever you take as spoils of war, a fifth of it is for Allah, and for the Messenger, near relatives, orphans, the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and that which We revealed unto Our servant on the day of distinction, the day when the two armies met. And Allah has power over all things." Chapter Al-Anfal, 41

Caliph Omar wondered what to do to prevent those warriors from transforming into a rich class very distinct from the majority of Muslim peoples. He feared they would get overwhelmed by luxury and abandon the striving to spread Islam. Then their children would inherit their wealth and the majority of the peoples of these regions would be deprived of that wealth. Caliph Omar was farsighted when it came to running the Muslim State after it had grown very strong, comprising many other nations and regions. Omar decided that the Muslim warriors did not have the right to take the whole four fifths of war spoils. He decided to distribute part of it among them in return for their efforts and the rest goes to the State Treasury to spend on State needs and on establishing a strong army capable of protecting the state. Omar also dealt very wisely with the property of non-Muslims living under Muslim rule. They managed their own property and paid Jizya

(a tax in return for protection and military exemption) to the state. Warrior Companions disagreed with Omar because the Prophet distributed that same amount among them after the battle of Khaybar, after deducting the one fifth mentioned in the Quran in Chapter Al-Anfal, verse 41. They thought they had the same right in every battle they fought. Omar, Ali and other Companions were eager to find a solution for this problem after the massive increase in the Muslim State which had then subdued Egypt, Iraq, Persia and others regions. This also earned the Muslims amble treasures in war spoils. All the state's regions, including Mecca and Medina needed a source of revenue to provide for the needs of their peoples in an equitable manner, as well as take protective measures against enemy attacks. So, how did Omar ibn Al-Khattab and Ali ibn Abi-Talib, in cooperation with some other Companions, manage to solve that problem. This we will know in the next episode