Mothers of the Believers
The Holy Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم had eleven wives.
The Holy Quran has declared their sanctity and referred to them as the mothers of the believers. When the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم passed away, nine of his wives were alive.
They are Aisha, Hafsa, Saudah, Umm Habibah, Umm Salamah, Maymunah, Zainab bint Jahsh, Juwayriyah, and Safiyyah, may Allah be pleased with them. Two had passed away: Sayyida Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, had already passed away, and it is also said that Zainab bint Khuzaymah, may Allah be pleased with her, passed away in Medina during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. She remained married to the Prophet, peace be upon him, for a short time; Allah knows best! Respect and honor for the pure wives is not only necessary but also part of faith.
Allah Almighty says:
وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ
“The Prophet’s wives are the mothers of the believers.”
In the exegesis of this verse, Allama Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him (671 AH), states:
شرف الله تعالى أزواج نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم بأن جعلهن أمهات المؤمنين، أى فى وجوب التعظيم والمبرة والإجلال وحرمة النكاح على الرجال، وحجبهن رضي الله تعالى عنهن بخلاف الأمهات .
“Allah Almighty has honored the wives of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by declaring them as the mothers of the believers, meaning that it is obligatory to respect them, treat them well, honor and revere them, and that marriage with them is forbidden for other men, and unlike one’s real mothers, observing hijab from these (mothers) is obligatory.”
In the exegesis of this verse, Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (774 AH), states:
أى فى الحرمة والاحترام، والإكرام والتوقير والإعظام، ولكن لا تجوز الخلوة بهن، ولا ينتشر التحريم إلى بناتهن وأخواتهن بالإجماع .
“Meaning in sanctity, respect, honor, reverence, and esteem (these are your mothers), but meeting them in seclusion is not permissible. This sanctity does not apply to the daughters and sisters of the purified wives, and there is consensus on this.”
Hafiz Bayhaqi, may Allah have mercy on him (458 AH), states:
إن أزواج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم صرن أمهات المؤمنين، ولم تصر بناتهن أخواتهم، ولا أخواتهن خالاتهم .
“The wives of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are the mothers of the believers; his daughters did not become the sisters of the believers, nor did the wives of the Messenger (peace be upon him) become the aunts of the believers.”
Allah Almighty says:
یٰنِسَآءَ النَّبِیِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَاَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ .
“O Prophet! You are not like any other woman.”
In the exegesis of this verse, Hafiz Ibn al-Mulaqqin (may Allah have mercy on him, 804 AH) states:
“This verse generally indicates that the wives of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ have superiority over all other women, past and future. It is unanimously agreed that our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is superior to all the prophets, therefore, his wives also have superiority over all the women of the world, just as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has superiority over all the prophets. It is established that the wives of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will be with him in Paradise.”
Also, it is stated:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيْدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ البَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا .
“O Ahl al-Bayt! Indeed, Allah desires to remove impurity from you, O people of the household, and to purify you thoroughly.”
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنه says:
نزلت فى نساء النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم خاصة .
“This verse was revealed specifically about the wives of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.”
Ikramah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
من شاء باهلته أنها نزلت فى أزواج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم .
“I am ready to engage in Mubahala over the fact that this verse was revealed about the wives of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (774 AH), says:
هذا نص فى دخول أزواج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى أهل البيت هاهنا؛ لأنهن سبب نزول هذه الآية .
“This verse is a clear text that the wives of the Messenger, peace be upon him, are included among the Ahl al-Bayt, because it was the pure wives who were the reason for the revelation of this verse.”
➊ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, may Allah be pleased with her:
She, may Allah be pleased with her, was the first wife of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. She, may Allah be pleased with her, holds the honor of being the first woman to embrace Islam.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him (852 AH), says:
مما اختصت به سبقها نساء هذه الأمة إلى الإيمان فسنت ذلك لكل من آمنت بعدها فيكون لها مثل أجرهن لما ثبت أن من سن سنة حسنة وقد شاركها فى ذلك أبو بكر الصديق بالنسبة إلى الرجال ولا يعرف قدر ما لكل منهما من الثواب بسبب ذلك إلا الله عز وجل .
“The distinction of Sayyida Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, also includes that she was the first among all the women of this Ummah to embrace faith. Her action became a Sunnah for the women who accepted faith later. Thus, she receives the reward equal to all those women, because it is established in the Hadith that whoever initiates a good deed will share in its reward. Sayyida Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, shares this reward with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, as he was the first among men to believe. How much reward they receive, only Allah knows.”
The first revelation was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and he ﷺ became anxious and returned home. Hazrat Khadijah (RA) comforted him and reassured him.
Hazrat Aisha (RA) narrates:
لم يتزوج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم على خديجة حتى ماتت .
“The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not marry again until the death of Hazrat Khadijah (RA).”
This narration is clear evidence of the virtue of Hazrat Khadijah (RA). Her loyalty was such that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not feel the need for another wife while she was alive.
Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه states that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
خير نسائها مريم ابنة عمران، وخير نسائها خديجة .
“The best among women are Maryam bint Imran رضي الله عنها and Khadijah رضي الله عنها.”
The narrator of the hadith Abu Kuraib رحمه الله says:
أشار وكيع إلى السماء والأرض .
“Waki’ رحمه الله pointed towards the sky and the earth.”
Waki’ رحمه الله meant that Maryam رضي الله عنها and Khadijah رضي الله عنها are the best women in the entire world.
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها states:
ما غرت على أحد من نساء النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، ما غرت على خديجة، وما رأيتها، ولكن كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يكثر ذكرها، وربما ذبح الشاة ثم يقطعها أعضاء، ثم يبعثها فى صدائق خديجة ، فربما قلت له : كأنه لم يكن فى الدنيا امرأة إلا خديجة، فيقول : إنها كانت، وكانت، وكان لي منها ولد .
“I have never felt as much jealousy for any wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as I did for Lady Khadijah رضي الله عنها, even though I never saw her. The reason is that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to speak very highly of Lady Khadijah رضي الله عنها. Whenever a goat was slaughtered, some parts of it were sent to Lady Khadijah رضي الله عنها‘s friends as well. Many times, I would tell the Prophet ﷺ that it seemed to me that you have only one wife in this world, and that is Khadijah. The Prophet ﷺ would say: Khadijah was indeed Khadijah; Allah blessed me with offspring through her.”
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that Jibreel عليه السلام said to the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم:
اقرأ عليها السلام من ربها ومني وبشرها ببيت فى الجنة من قصب لا صخب فيه، ولا نصب .
“Convey greetings from the Lord Almighty to Khadijah رضي الله عنها and also from me. Also give her the glad tidings of a palace made of pearls in Paradise, in which there will be neither noise nor fatigue.”
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه narrates:
خط رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى الأرض أربع خطوط ثم قال : هل تدرون ما هذا؟ قالوا : الله ورسوله أعلم فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أفضل نساء أهل الجنة خديجة بنت خويلد وفاطمة بنت محمد ومريم بنت عمران وآسية بنت مزاحم امرأة فرعون .
“The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, drew four lines on the ground and said, ‘Do you know what these are?’ The companions, may Allah be pleased with them, said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: ‘The women who have the greatest virtue in Paradise are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, may Allah be pleased with her, Fatimah bint Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with her, Maryam bint Imran, may Allah be pleased with her, and the wife of Pharaoh, Asiyah bint Muzahim, may Allah be pleased with her.'”
This hadith was declared “Sahih” by Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, agreed with this ruling.
➋ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Sawda bint Zam’ah, may Allah be pleased with her:
She was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, after Sayyida Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her.
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates:
“After the death of Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, during the Meccan period, the wife of Uthman bin Maz’oon, Khawlah bint Hakim, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: O Messenger of Allah! Would you like to marry? He asked: To whom? She said: If you wish, to a virgin; if you wish, to a widow. He asked: Who is the virgin? She said: She is the daughter whom you love the most. I mean: Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, the daughter of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him! He asked: And the widow? She said: Sawdah bint Zam’ah, may Allah be pleased with her, a good and pious woman. He said: Go and mention me to both of them. Khawlah, may Allah be pleased with her, went and first entered Abu Bakr’s house. She met my mother, Umm Ruman, may Allah be pleased with her, and said: Allah has answered your prayers; the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, has sent me with a proposal of marriage for Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. My mother said: I think you should wait a little; Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, must be coming soon. Just then Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, arrived. Khawlah said: May Allah have mercy on you; the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, has sent me to seek Aisha’s hand in marriage for himself. Abu Bakr said: She is the niece of the Prophet, peace be upon him; how can the marriage take place? Khawlah says: Saying this, Abu Bakr sent me back. I told the whole matter to the Prophet, peace be upon him. He said: Go and tell them that we are Islamic brothers, so the marriage with Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, can take place. Khawlah told Abu Bakr the whole matter, and he said: Tell the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to come. The Prophet, peace be upon him, came and Abu Bakr contracted my marriage. At that time, I was about six years old.”
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him,
has declared it “Sahih” on the condition of Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him. Hafiz Zahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, agreed with this. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him,
called its chain “Hasan.”
Sayyida Suda, may Allah be pleased with her, gifted her turn to Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, at the end of her life.
➌ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her:
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, is the daughter of the first Caliph, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. She has countless virtues and merits.
Sayyiduna Amr ibn al-As, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
قلت : أى الناس أحب إليك؟ قال : عائشة قلت : من الرجال؟ قال : أبوها .
“I asked (the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him): Who is the most beloved to you? He said: Aisha. I asked: Among men? He said: Their father.”
Hafiz Zahabi, may Allah have mercy on him (748 AH), says:
“The love for the Prophet ﷺ can only be pure. The Prophet ﷺ said that if I were to make anyone my close friend, I would have made Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) my close friend, but the brotherhood of Islam is superior. You ﷺ loved the best men and women of the Ummah. Whoever harbors enmity towards them, certainly harbors enmity towards the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as well. The Prophet ﷺ loving Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was a natural matter. Do you not see that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would send gifts to the Prophet ﷺ even on the days when he was with Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)? What was desired was the pleasure of the Prophet ﷺ.”
Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari رضي الله عنه narrates from the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم:
فضل عائشة على النساء كفضل الثريد على سائر الطعام .
“The virtue of Aisha رضي الله عنها over other women is like the virtue of Thareed over other dishes.”
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها states that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
والله ما نزل على الوحي وأنا فى لحاف امرأة منكن غيرها.
“By Allah! Revelation was not sent down upon the bed of any of you wives except that of Aisha رضي الله عنها.”
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said to her:
أريتك فى المنام مرتين، أرى أنك فى سرقة من حرير، ويقول: هذه امرأتك، فاكشف عنها، فإذا هي أنت، فأقول: إن يك هذا من عند الله يمضه.
“I saw you twice in a dream, saw that you were wrapped in a piece of silk cloth, and a man told me: This is your wife, remove the cloth from her. (I removed the cloth) and saw that it was you, so I said that if this dream is from Allah, He will fulfill it.”
During the journey, Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) lost her necklace, and they had to stop to search for it. There was no water, so the verse of Tayammum was revealed. Then Sayyidina Asid bin Hudair (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
جزاك الله خيرا، فوالله ما نزل بك أمر قط، إلا جعل الله لك منه مخرجا، وجعل للمسلمين فيه بركة.
“May Allah reward you with goodness. By Allah! Whenever any difficulty arose because of you, Allah surely delivered from it and there was blessing in it for the Muslims.”
When Surah Al-Ahzab
was revealed, in which Allah Almighty gave the purified wives the choice to either stay with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or separate with worldly wealth and possessions, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ first asked this question from Aisha رضي الله عنها:
يا عائشة، إني أريد أن أعرض عليك أمرا أحب أن لا تعجلي فيه حتى تستشيري أبويك، قالت: وما هو يا رسول الله؟ فتلا عليها الآية، قالت: أفيك يا رسول الله، أستشير أبوي؟ بل أختار الله ورسوله، والدار الآخرة.
“Aisha! I want to present a matter to you. I wish that you do not rush to answer it, but rather consult your parents.” Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها said: “O Messenger of Allah! What is the matter?” Then the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم recited a verse. Sayyida said: “O Messenger of Allah! Should I consult my parents about you? I prefer Allah, His Messenger, and Paradise.”
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates:
توفي النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى بيتي، وفي نوبتي، وبين سحري ونحري، وجمع الله بين ريقي وريقه.
“The death of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم occurred in my house and during my turn; his blessed head was between my neck and chest, and Allah Almighty united the saliva of me and the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم (in the last moments).”
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنه also addressed those same Kharijites:
أما قولكم قاتل ولم يسب، ولم يغنم، أفتسبون أمكم عائشة، تستحلون منها ما تستحلون من غيرها وهى أمكم؟ فإن قلتم: إنا نستحل منها ما نستحل من غيرها فقد كفرتم، وإن قلتم: ليست بأمنا فقد كفرتم : النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ فأنتم بين ضلالتين، فأتوا منها بمخرج.
“Your objection that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) fought but did not take prisoners from the opposing side, nor plundered their wealth, in this regard I ask you: Would you prefer to imprison your mother, Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)? Would you consider permissible those matters for her which you consider permissible for others (concubines)? Whereas she is your mother. If you say: Everything that is permissible for concubines is also permissible for her, then you have committed disbelief; and if you say that she is not our mother, then you are also a disbeliever. Allah says: النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ “The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than themselves, and his wives are their mothers.” You are caught between two misguidances; you yourself tell the way out of this.”
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, declared it “Sahih” on the condition of Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him. Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, agreed with this.
When the hypocrites accused Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, Allah Almighty revealed her innocence.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said to Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her:
أنزل الله براءتك من فوق سبع سماوات.
“Allah has revealed your innocence from above the seven heavens.”
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared this narration as “Sahih” and Hafiz Zahbi, may Allah have mercy on him, has agreed with him.
The words of one narration are:
نزل عذرك من السماء.
“Your innocence has descended from the heavens.”
It is about Imam Masrooq, may Allah have mercy on him:
كان إذا حدث عن عائشة، قال: حدثتني الصديقة ابنة الصديق، البريئة المبرأة كذا وكذا.
“When he, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated from Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, he would say: Siddiqa bint Siddiqa, the pure one who was acquitted of blame, narrated the hadith to me in this manner.”
Imam Ata ibn Abi Rabah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كانت عائشة، أفقه الناس وأعلم الناس وأحسن الناس رأيا فى العامة.
“Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was the greatest jurist, the greatest scholar, and held a good opinion regarding common people.”
At the time of marriage to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Lady Aisha رضي الله عنها was six years old, and the consummation took place when she was nine years old. She رضي الله عنها was a scholar and jurist. Many companions and followers benefited from her knowledge. Among the female companions, she رضي الله عنها held the distinction of narrating the most hadiths. She رضي الله عنها passed away in the 57th year of Hijra and was buried in Baqi.
➍ Umm al-Mu’minin Lady Hafsa bint Umar رضي الله عنها :
Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“I met Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and mentioned Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) and said that if you intend, I can arrange the marriage of Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) with you. Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I will think about it. Then several nights passed, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: I think it is not appropriate to marry now. Then I met Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: If you want to marry my daughter Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her), I will arrange it. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) remained silent and did not reply. I was more angry with him than with Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), but only a few nights passed when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a marriage proposal to Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her), so I married her to him (peace and blessings be upon him). Then I met Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and he said: Perhaps you are upset with me because you mentioned Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) and I remained silent and did not reply. I said: Yes, I was hurt. He said: Actually, there was no obstacle for me to accept your proposal, but I could not disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). However, if he (peace and blessings be upon him) had abandoned his intention, I would have certainly accepted her.”
➎ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Zainab bint Khuzaymah رضي الله عنها :
Sayyida Zainab bint Khuzaymah رضي الله عنها was titled Umm al-Masakeen (Mother of the Poor). It is said that she remained married to the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم for a very short period and passed away during his lifetime.
➏ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Umm Salamah, Hind bint Abi Umayyah رضي الله عنها :
You, may Allah be pleased with you, belonged to the Quraysh tribe of Makhzum. You migrated to Abyssinia and Medina. You became famous by your kunya. After the death of your former husband, Sayyiduna Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, sent a message of marriage. You entered into the marriage contract and became the Mother of the Believers. You, may Allah be pleased with you, saw Jibril, peace be upon him, in the form of Dihyah bin Khalifah Kalbi, may Allah be pleased with him.
Sayyiduna Umar bin Abi Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
When the verse: إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا
was revealed, at that time the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was present in the house of Sayyidah Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her. The Prophet, peace be upon him, called Sayyidah Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, and Sayyiduna Hasan and Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them, and covered them with a cloak. Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was standing behind the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, so he was also included under the cloak, and the Prophet prayed:
اللهم هؤلاء أهل بيتي فأذهب عنهم الرجس وطهرهم تطهيرا.
“O Allah! These (also) are my Ahl al-Bayt, so keep them away from impurity and purify them.”
Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, asked: O Prophet of Allah! Am I also among them? He said: “You are certainly among them! Indeed, you are the best of my Ahl al-Bayt.”
➐ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Zainab bint Jahsh رضي الله عنها :
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates:
كانت زينب بنت جحش تقول: إن الله أنكحني فى السماء.
“Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Zainab bint Jahsh رضي الله عنها used to say that Allah Almighty arranged my marriage above the heavens.”
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates:
نزلت آية الحجاب فى زينب بنت جحش، وأطعم عليها يومئذ خبزا ولحما، وكانت تفخر على نساء النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، وكانت تقول: إن الله أنكحني فى السماء.
“The verse of hijab was revealed concerning Sayyida Zainab bint Jahsh رضي الله عنها. On that day (at the walimah), the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم invited to a meal of meat and bread. Sayyida Zainab bint Jahsh رضي الله عنها used to boast over the other wives, saying: Allah Almighty arranged my marriage in the heavens.”
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said to the pure wives:
أسرعكن لحاقا بي أطولكن يدا، قالت: فكن يتطاولن أيتهن أطول يدا، قالت: فكانت أطولنا يدا زينب، لأنها كانت تعمل بيدها وتصدق.
“The first among you to meet me will be the one who has the longest arms among you.” Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها says: The pure wives began measuring their hands to see whose hands were the longest. The longest hands were those of Sayyida Zainab bint Jahsh رضي الله عنها, because she used her hands in work and gave charity abundantly.”
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم gave glad tidings to Sayyida Zainab رضي الله عنها that she will be his wife in Paradise.
Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates regarding Sayyida Zainab رضي الله عنها:
هي التى كانت تساميني منهن فى المنزلة عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولم أر امرأة قط خيرا فى الدين من زينب، وأتقى لله وأصدق حديثا، وأوصل للرحم، وأعظم صدقة، وأشد ابتذالا لنفسها فى العمل الذى تصدق به، وتقرب به إلى الله تعالى.
“The pure wives were those who vied with me in status and rank in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. I have not seen any woman more religious, more God-fearing, more truthful, more observant of kinship ties, more charitable, who kept herself busily engaged in work for the sake of giving charity and thereby seeking nearness to Allah Almighty than Zainab.”
➑ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Juwayriyah bint Harith, may Allah be pleased with her:
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, corresponded with her and married her.
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates:
“When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, captured the prisoners of Banu Mustaliq, Sayyida Juwayriyah, may Allah be pleased with her, came under the share of Thabit bin Qais bin Shamas, may Allah be pleased with him, or his cousin. Sayyida Juwayriyah, may Allah be pleased with her, arranged her mukatabat (i.e., set the price for her freedom) with them. She was a very beautiful woman; whoever saw her, she would settle in his heart. She came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to seek help regarding her mukatabat. Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, says: By Allah! When I saw her at the door of the chamber, I disliked it and was certain that the Prophet, peace be upon him, would also see in her the beauty that I saw. She said: O Messenger of Allah! I am Juwayriyah, daughter of Harith, who is the chief of her people. The distress that has come upon me is not hidden from you. I have come under the share of Thabit bin Qais or his cousin, and I have arranged my mukatabat with them. I have come to you to seek help regarding my mukatabat. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Do you desire something better than that? She asked: O Messenger of Allah! What is better than that? He said: I will pay the amount of your mukatabat and marry you. She said: Very well. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: I have done this. The news spread among the people that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had married Juwayriyah bint Harith, may Allah be pleased with her. People began to say: She has become the daughter-in-law of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Consequently, they freed all the prisoners of Banu Mustaliq who were in their possession. The noble Prophet’s marriage to Sayyida Juwayriyah, may Allah be pleased with her, freed one hundred households of Banu Mustaliq. We do not know of any woman who has been more blessed for her people than her.”
This hadith has been declared authentic by Imam Ibn al-Jarood, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him
. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him
, also declared its chain authentic.
Our master Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
كانت جويرية اسمها برة فحول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم اسمها جويرية، وكان يكره أن يقال: خرج من عند برة.
“The name of Sayyida Juwayriyah, may Allah be pleased with her, was Barrah, so the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, changed it and named her Juwayriyah. He, peace be upon him, did not like it to be said that he came out from Barrah’s place.”
➒ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with her:
Her name was Ramla or Hind, and she was famously known by the kunya Umm Habiba. Her mother’s name was Safiya bint Abi Al-As. She was the sister of Amir Sham Sayyidna Muawiya رضي الله عنه. She was the Umayyad wife of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. She was honored to be among the Ahl al-Bayt.
Sayyidna Abu Sufyan رضي الله عنه said to the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم:
عندي أحسن العرب وأجمله، أم حبيبة بنت أبى سفيان، أزوجكها، قال: نعم.
“I have the beautiful and charming Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan, shall I marry her to you?” The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Yes, marry her.”
➓ Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Safiya bint Huyy رضي الله عنها :
You, may Allah be pleased with her, were intelligent, virtuous, of noble lineage and beauty, and religious. You, may Allah be pleased with her, were a slave girl and came into the share of Sayyidna Dihyah, may Allah be pleased with him. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, bought you, freed you, and married you. Your freedom was made the dower. You, may Allah be pleased with her, passed away during the caliphate of Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him.
There are countless hadiths regarding your virtue and excellence.
Sayyidna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
وقعت فى سهم دحية جارية جميلة، فاشتراها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بسبعة أرؤس، ثم دفعها إلى أم سليم تصنعها له وتهيئها … وقال الناس: لا ندري أتزوجها، أم اتخذها أم ولد؟ قالوا: إن حجبها فهي امرأته، وإن لم يحجبها فهي أم ولد، فلما أراد أن يركب حجبها، فقعدت على عجز البعير، فعرفوا أنه قد تزوجها.
“A very beautiful slave girl came into the share of Dihyah, may Allah be pleased with him. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, bought her in exchange for seven slave girls and sent them to Sayyida Umm Salim, may Allah be pleased with her, so that she might adorn them. People began to say: It is not known whether the Prophet, peace be upon him, married her or made her a concubine? People said: If the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, arranged for her veil, then she is a wife; and if he did not arrange for a veil, then she is a concubine. When the Prophet, peace be upon him, was about to mount, he had her veiled and she mounted the camel. People realized that the Prophet, peace be upon him, had made her his wife.”
⓫ Mother of the Believers Sayyida Maymunah bint Harith (RA):
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) married her (RA) in the sacred precincts of Makkah.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) narrates:
تزوج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ميمونة وهو محرم.
“The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) married Sayyida Maymunah (RA) in the sacred precincts of Makkah.”
