Hazrat Umme Salmah (ra)
Ummul-Momineen Hazrat Umme Salmah (ra) was first married to Abu Salmah (ra). The husband and wife were very much attached to each other. Once Umme Salmah said to her husband:
'I have heard that if a husband does not marry another woman during the life or after the death of his wife, and also if the wife does not remarry after the death of her husband, the couple when admitted to Paradise is allowed to live there as husband and wife. Give me your word that you will not marry after my death, and I too pledge that I will not marry again if you happen to die before me'.
Hazrat Abu Salmah said: 'Will you do as I say?'
She replied: 'Of course'.
He said: 'I want you to take a husband after my death'.
He then prayed, saying, 'O, Allah! Let Umme Salmah be married after my death to a husband better than I. May he give her no trouble whatsoever'.
In the beginning, the couple emigrated to Abyssinia. After their return, they again emigrated to Medina. Hazrat Umme Salmah (ra) says:
"When my husband made up his mind to emigrate to Medina, he loaded the camel with the luggage. He then made me and our son Salmah ride the camel. He led the camel out of the town, holding the string in his hand. The people of my father's clan (Banu Mughirah) happened to see us leaving. They came and snatched the string from Abu Salmah (ra)'s hand saying, 'You can go wherever you like but we cannot allow our girl to go and perish with you.' They forcibly took me and my son back to their clan. When the people of my husband's clan (Banu Abdul Asad) learnt this, they came to Banu Mughirah and began to argue with them saying, 'You can keep your girl if you like, but you have no claim over the child who belongs to our clan. Why should we allow him to stay in your clan, when you have not allowed your girl to go with her husband?' They forcibly took the boy away. Hazrat Abu Salmah (ra) had already gone to Medina. All the members of the family were thus seperated from each other. Daily, I would go out in the desert and weep there from morning till night. I lived in this condition for one full year, seperated from my husband and my son. One day, one of my cousins taking pity on me said to the people of the clan, 'You have seperated this poor woman from her husband and son. Why don't you have mercy on her and let her go?' Due to the humanitarian efforts of this cousin of mine, the people of Banu Mughirah agreed to let me go and join my husband. Banu Abdul Asad also made over my son to me. I got a camel ready and, with my son in my lap, I sat on its back and set off for Medina all alone. I had hardly gone four miles, when Hazrat Usman bin Talhah (ra) met me at Tan'eem. He inquired, 'Where are you going?' I said, 'To Medina!' He remarked, 'With none accompanying you!', I said 'No, I have nobody except Allah to accompany me.' He took the rope of my camel and began to lead. By Allah, I have never come across a person more noble than Hazrat Usman (ra). When I had to get down, he would make the camel sit and himself go behind a bush and when I had to climb up he would bring the camel and make it sit close to me. He would then hold the rope and lead the animal. Thus we reached Quba (a suburb of Medina). He informed me that Hazrat Abu Salmah (ra) was staying there. He then made us over to my husband and then returned all the way back to Mecca. By Allah, no one else could bear the hardships that I bore during that single year'."
After reaching Medina she had another son, 'Umar', and two daughters, Durrah and Zainab (radhiyalloanhum).
Hazrat Abu Salmah (ra) was the eleventh man to embrace Islam. He participated in the battle of Badr as well as Uhud. He got a severe wound in Uhud, which did not heal for a long time. He was sent by the Prophet(saw) in an expedition in Safar, 4 AH. When he returned from the expedition, the old wound had again started giving trouble and at last he died of the same on 8th Jamadil-Akhir, 4 AH. Hazrat Umme Salmah (ra) was pregnant at the time. Zainab was born to her after the death of her husband. After she had completed her Iddat (waiting period), Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) proposed to marry her, but she declined.
Later, the Prophet(saw) offered to marry her. She said:
"O, Prophet of Allah! I have quite a few children with me and I am very sensitive by nature. Moreover, all my people are in Mecca, and their permission for getting remarried is necessary."
The Prophet(saw) said:
"Allah will look after your children and your sensitiveness will vanish in due course. None of your people will dislike the proposed marriage."
She then asked her (eldest) son, Hazrat Salmah (ra) to serve as her guardian and give her in marriage to the Prophet (saw).
She says: "I had heard from the Prophet(saw) that a person struck with a calamity should recite this prayer: 'O Allah! Recompense me for this affliction by giving me something better than what I have lost': then Allah would accept his prayer. I had been reciting this prayer since the death of Hazrat Abu Salmah (ra), but I could not imagine a husband better than he, till Allah arranged my marriage with the Prophet(saw)."
She was the last of the Prophet(saw)'s wives to die. It was in 59 or 62 AH. She was 84 at the time of her death.
"In the Khaibar campaign, I along with five other women reached the battlefield. The Prophet(saw), having learnt this, sent for us. he said with anger, 'Who permitted you to come over here? Who brought you to this place?' We said, 'O, Prophet of Allah! We know knitting and we have some medicines with us. We shall help the Mujahidin by supplying them with arrows, by attending them when they are sick, and by preparing food for them.' The Prophet(saw) permitted us to stay."
-Hazrat Umme Ziyad (ra)
Hazrat Umme Salim (ra) joined the Huneyn campaign in the state of pregnancy. She kept a dagger on her person. The Prophet(saw) inquired:
'What is this dagger for, O, Umme Salim?'
She replied: 'I shall run it through the belly of any Kafir approaching me.'
She had also taken part in the battle of Uhud, wherein she tended the wounds of the fighting men.
Anas (ra) says:
'I saw Hazrat Aishah and Hazrat Umme Salim (radhiyalloanhuma) running to and fro in the battlefield, carrying water for the wounded.'
Umme Salaim (ra) was the mother of Hazrat Anas (ra). After the death of her husband, she remained a widow for some time with a view of devoting herself to the proper upbringing of her son. She was then married to Hazrat Abu Talhah (ra) and got a son named Abu Umair from him. The Prophet(saw) used to go to her house and play with the child.
One day, Abu Umair was ill and Hazrat Abu Talhah (ra) was fasting. While Abu Talhah (ra) was out on his job, the child died. She washed and enshrouded the dead body and laid it on the cot. She then herself used the bathroom, took a bath, and changed her clothes. When the husband returned home and had his Ifter he asked her:
'How is the child?'
She replied: 'He is now in peace.'
He was satisfied. The couple shared the bed for the night.
When they got up in the morning, they had the following conversation.
Umme Salaim: I have a question to ask you.
Abu Talhah: What is that?
Umme Salaim: Suppose a person is entrusted with something. Should he deliver up on demand that which is entrusted to him or not?
Abu Talhah: He must deliver up. He has no right to hold it back.
Umme Salaim: Abu Umair was entrusted to us by Allah. He has taken him back.
Hazrat Abu Talhah (ra) was filled with grief. He simply said: 'But why did you not inform me before?'
He went to the Prophet(saw) and narrated the story to him. He prayed for him and said: 'Allah is likely to bless your sharing the bed with your wife last night.'
One of the Sahaba says:
'I lived to see the effect of the Prophet(saw)'s blessing. As a result of his union with his wife on that night, Hazrat Abu Talhah (ra) got a son named Abdullah. This Abdullah had nine sons, all of whom where Qaris.'
Hazrat Zainab (ra) was the one who married to the Prophet(saw)'s adopted son, Zaid (ra). After they divorced, her marriage to the Prophet(saw) was ordered by Allah to break the custom of the non-Muslims in treating adopted children like their own blood in terms of marriage. It is always said about her, that while the rest of the Prophet(saw)'s wives were given to him by their relations in marriage, she was given to him by Allah.
She was the first of his wives to die and join him, and he had prophesied that the one who did this was the one with 'long arms' (i.e, most giving in charity).
After the Prophet(saw)'s death, the Amir ul Momineen, Hazrat Umar (ra) would pay her annual allowances numbering in the thousands of dirhams a year and she promptly gave it all away. Upon hearing this, he'd send even more, and she gave even that away. The Muslims at this time were conquering territory after territory so money was pouring into Medina like never before but she left nothing behind except her house.
Hazrat Saffiyah (ra) was the aunt of the Prophet(saw) and a sister of Hazrat Hamzah (ra). She took part in the battle of Uhud. When the Muslims were defeated and some of them began to flee from the battle, she would smite their faces with her spear and exhort them to go back and fight.
In the war of the Khandaq (Trench), the Prophet(saw) had collected all the Muslim women in a fortress and had deputed Hazrat Hasaan bin Thabit (ra) to look after them. The Jews of Medina who had sided with the polytheists despite a treaty with the Muslims, surrounded the place and sent one of them to find out if there were any men with the ladies. Hazrat Saffiyah (ra) happened to see the Jew approaching the fort. She said to Hazrat Hasaan (ra):
'There is a Jew coming to spy on us. You must go out and kill him.'
Hazrat Hasaan (ra) was a weak person. He did not make bold to do the job. Saffiyah (ra) got a hold of a tent peg and went outside the fortress and gave a blow on the head of the Jew that killed him on the spot. She came back and said to Hasaan:
'The man is dead. I have not removed the clothes and arms from his body for reasons of modesty. Now you go and remove everything from his body. Also bring his head after severing it from his body.'
Hazrat Hasaan (ra) was too sensitive to do that even. She herself went again and brought his head, and threw it over the wall amidst the Jews. When they saw this, they said:
'We were wondering how Muhammad (saw) could keep the womenfolk alone in this fort. Surely, there are men inside to guard the ladies.'
Saffiyah (ra) died in 20 AH at the age of seventy three. The war of the Trench was fought in 5 AH. She was, therefore, 58 then.
Hazrat Asma (ra) interviews the Prophet (saW) regarding Rewards for Women
Hazrat Asma bint Yazid Ansari (ra) came to the Prophet(saw) and said:
"O, Prophet of Allah! You are dearer to me than my parents. My Muslim women have deputed me as their representative to talk to you on their behalf. Verily you are the Prophet of Allah for both men and women. We stay for the most part of our time within the four walls of our houses. We remain pinned to our duties of fulfilling the sexual desires of our men, bearing children for them and looking after their homes. Not withstanding all this, men excel us in getting rewards for things which we are unable to do. They go and say their daily Salaat and weekly Jummah in the Masjid, visit the sick, attend the funerals, perform Hajj after Hajj and, above all, fight in the way of Allah. When they go for Hajj or Jihad, we look after their property, bring up their children and weave cloth for them. Do we not share their rewards with them?"
The Prophet (saw) addressing the Sahaba sitting around him, said:
'Did you ever hear a woman asking a better question?'
The Sahaba replied: 'O, Prophet of Allah! We never thought that a woman could ever put such a question.'
The Prophet (saw) adressing Asma (ra) said:
"Listen attentively, and then go and tell the ladies who have sent you that when a woman seeks the pleasure of her husband and carries out her domestic functions to his satisfaction, she gets the same reward as the men get for all their services to Allah."
Hazrat Asma (ra) returned very happily after getting this reply to her question.
Obedience to and good behaviour towards husbands is a very great asset for the women, provided they know its value.
"I once saw a very deep cut on the shoulder of Hazrat Umme Ammarah (ra). I inquired how she had got that. She said, 'I got it in Uhud. When people were running about in confusion, I saw Ibn Qumiah coming towards us and shouting, 'where is Muhammad(saw). Let somebody tell me his whereabouts. If he is saved today, I am no more.' I, Hazrat Mus'ab bin Umair (ra), and some others intercepted him. He gave me this deep cut on my shoulder. I also attacked him, but he escaped on account of the double coat of mail that he was wearing.'"
-Hazrat Umme Sa'eed (ra)
"In fact, we were very much handicapped in Uhud. The enemy had strong cavalry, while we fought on foot. There would have been a fair fight if they too had been on foot. When somebody came riding on his horse to attack me, I stopped his sword on my shield and when he turned about, I attacked his horse from the rear and cut its leg. This caused the horse as well as the rider to fall on the ground. As soon as this happened, the Prophet(saw) would shout to my son, who would run to my help and then we both finished the man in no time."
-Hazrat Umme Ammarah(ra)
"I had a wound on my left arm, which would not stop bleeding. The Prophet(saw) said to my mother, 'Put a bandage over it.' My mother took out a bandage from her belt and after bandaging my wound, said, 'Now, son! Go and fight again with the idolaters.' The Prophet (saw) was watching us. He said, 'O, Umme Ammarah, who can have courage like yours?'"
-Hazrat Abdullah bin Zaid (ra)
"I was standing with the Prophet(saw) when one of the enemy passed in front of me. The Prophet(saw) said to me, 'Umme Ammarah! He is the man who wounded your son.' I jumped at him and hit his leg. It made him fall down. We then went forward and finished him. The Prophet(saw) smiled and said, 'Umme Ammarah has avenged her son.' When the Prophet(saw) was praying for us, I said to him, 'O Prophet of Allah! Pray for my company with you in Paradise.' He favoured me with this prayer too, and after that I cared little for what happened to me in this life."
-Hazrat Umme Ammarah(ra)
After the death of the Prophet(saw), Umme Ammarah(ra) took part in the fierce battle of Yamamah which was fought with the renegades. She lost one of her arms and received eleven other wounds in this battle. She was 43 in Uhud and 52 in Yamamah.
Hazrat Umme Hakim (ra) was the wife of Ikramah bin Abi Jahl. She participated in Uhud on the enemy side. She embraced Islam on the fall of Mecca.
She loved her husband very much, who would not become a Muslim on account of his father, who was the worst enemy of Islam. After the fall of Mecca, her husband fled to Yemen. She secured pardon for him from the Prophet(saw) and went to Yemen and induced her husband to return to his home. She told him:
'You can be safe from the sword of Muhammad (saw) only when you put yourself in his lap.'
She returned with him to Medina, where Ikramah embraced islam and the couple began to live together happily. They both participated in the Syrian war during the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). Ikramah was killed in a battle. She was then married to another Mujahid, Hazrat Khalid bin Sa'eed (ra). It was at a place called Marja-us-Safr that her husband wanted to meet her. She said:
'We have enemy concentrating on all fronts. We shall meet after they are done away with.'
He said: 'I am sure I shall not survive this battle.'
They then shared the bed for the first time in a tent at that place. Next day, Hazrat Khalid bin Sa'eed (ra) was arranging for the Walimah when the enemy attacked with full force and he was killed in the battle. Hazrat Umme Hakim (ra) packed up her tent and other luggage, and, with a tent-peg in her hand, fought the enemy until she killed seven of them.
The first Shahid
Hazrat Sumayyah (ra) was one of the first Muslims and was persecuted severely in Mecca. She bore the trials patiently and did not weaken in her love and devotion to Islam. She was standing one day when Abu Jahl passed that way. He first hurled all manner of profanity at her, then speared her through her private parts. She was the first to meet martyrdom for Islam.
The Prophet's daughter, Hazrat Zainab (ra)
Hazrat Zainab (ra) was born after five years of the Prophet(saw)'s marriage to Hazrat Khadijah (ra), when the Prophet(saw) was thirty years of age. She came of age and then accepted Islam. She was married to her cousin, Abul Aas bin Rabi. Her husband fought in Badr for the Quraish and was captured by the Muslims.
When the Quraish were paying ransom to secure release of their prisoners, Hazrat Zainab (ra) gave over as ransom for her husband the necklace she had received in dowry from her mother, Hazrat Khadijah (ra). When the Prophet(saw) saw the necklace, the memories of Hazrat Khadijah (ra) came to his mind and tears were in his eyes. After consultation with the Sahaba, he returned the necklace to Hazrat Zainab (ra) and released her husband without ransom on the condition that he would send Hazrat Zainab (ra) to Medina on his return to Mecca. Two men were sent to stay outside Mecca and bring Hazrat Zainab (ra) safely to Medina. Her husband asked his brother Kinanah to take Hazrat Zainab (ra) outside Mecca and make her over to the Muslim escort. As Hazrat Zainab (ra) and Kinanah were moving out of the town on camel's back, the Quraish sent a party to intercept them. Her own cousin, Habar bin Aswad flung a spear at her, which wounded her and made her fall from the camel. As she was pregnant, she had an abortion. Kinanah started sending arrows towards the interceptors when Abu Sufyan said to him:
'We cannot tolerate the daughter of Muhammad leaving Mecca so openly. Let her go back and you can send her secretly after a few days.'
Kinanah agreed. Hazrat Zainab (ra) was dispatched after a few days. She suffered from this wound for a long time, till at last, she died of it, in 8 AH. The Prophet(saw) said at the time of her death:
'She was my best daughter, for she has suffered much on my account.'
The Prophet (saw) buried her with his own hands. As he went into the grave to lay her down, he looked very sorrowful but when he came out of the grave, he was very composed. On the query by the Sahaba, he said:
'In view of the feebleness of Zainab, I prayed to Allah to remove from her the tortures of the grave, and the prayer has been answered by Allah.'
Just imagine, even the daughter of the Prophet who sacrificed her life for Islam needed a prayer from the Prophet (saw) for protection from difficulties in the grave. What about us people who are much steeped in sins? It is necessary that we should always seek protection from the difficulties in the grave. The Prophet (saw) would often seek refuge in Allah from the horrors of the grave. This was all for the instruction of his followers.
Hazrat Hafsah (ra) was the daughter of Hazrat 'Umar (ra) and the fourth wife of the Prophet(saw). She was very pious and would fast during the days and pray during the nights. Once something happened between them and the Prophet(saw) became very displeased with her and even pronounced the first divorce. Hazrat 'Umar (ra) was naturally very shocked over this.
Angel Jibrail (as) came to the Prophet and said: 'Allah wants you to take Hafsah back, as she is fasting often and spending her nights in Salaat, and also Allah wants it for Hazrat 'Umar's (ra) sake.'
The Prophet(saw) therefore took her back. She died in 45 AH at the age of 63. This incident shows the high position of the Sahaba, of Hazrat Umar (ra) especially, as well as the Prophet(saw)'s wives. Allah even ordered the Prophet(saw) around on their interests and for their sake.