How 'Umar transitioned from his strictness to gentleness during the days of his caliphate.

The questioner : May Allah forgive you. 'Umar's firmness during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not become, nor was it based on, the principles of his caliphate.
Because he was before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ... and after him ... .

The Shaykh : Correct, this is a known and apparent matter. Even now, if your companion, for example, is with you, you find him strict, very strict. But when he takes charge of affairs, he becomes lenient. This is because when he was with someone greater than him, he knew that if he became strict and exceeded the limit, there was someone to soften it for him. But when he is alone, a person reviews himself and does not deal with people except with gentleness. Although in his caliphate he was sometimes strict, he would become severe. He would strike people who moved forward or backward in the rows, striking them (may Allah be pleased with him). But in any case, his strictness was with wisdom.

The Shaykh : We took three.
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh : Yes