MB10- Maria Al-Qibtiyya (ra)

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Maria Al-Qibtiyya (ra)

The Prophet (saw) said: “Allah (swt) has commanded me to marry with the women of Paradise only”.

Maria (ra), Al-Qibtiyyah was born in upper Egypt of a Coptic father and Greek mother.

After the consolidation of power by the first Muslims over Mecca and Medina, The Prophet (saw), dispatched emissaries bearing the glad tidings of the revealed Word to the great kings of the Middle East.Hateb bin Balta’a was sent to one of the greatest king, Al Muqawqas of Egypt, who was a Coptic Christian.Hateb approached the king, and announced to him the message of the truth.

Al-Muqawqas showers gifts upon the Prophet (saw)

Al Muqawqas finally concluded the discussion respectfully by saying
I have found that this Muhammad has the quality of being a genuine Prophet, which will allow him to produce the hidden and to proclaim in confidence.
Al Muqawqas told Hateb (ra), to return to his land and he granted many gifts to convey his respect to Muhammad (saw).

Among those gifts were young Coptic women slaves, Maria and her sister Serene
Maria Al-Qibtiyyah (ra), and her sister embrace Islam .
Maria (ra), was born in upper Egypt of a Coptic father and Greek mother and moved to the court of the Muqawqis when she was still very young .

The two sisters embraced Islam, as Hateb (ra), had convinced them of the truth of the message revealed to the last of the Prophets .Hence, they were believers and free women before they entered Al-Madinah .
Note: In Islam a slave is considered free if she/he accepts Islam, so a believer is free and cannot be enslaved. Contrary to the opinion that the Prophet (saw) had Maria (ra), as a slave and not as a spouse

Maria’s (ra), Al-Qibtiyyah marriage to the Prophet (saw)

After a long journey the caravan with Maria (ra) and her sister arrived in Al-Madina
Maria was fair and beautiful, and her faith in God shone from her (ra), face.
The Prophet (saw), recognized these traits and asked her to marry him, this was at the time when the Prophet (saw), returned from the treaty with Quraish which was contracted at Al-Hudaibiyyah.

Her sister was married to the poet Hassan bin Thaber.
Maria (ra), welcomed her new life with enthusiasm. She had become the Prophet’s (saw), spouse and the Mother of the Believers, which she understood was a great gift bestowed on her and her people from Allah (swt)
Maria (ra), dedicated herself totally to the well-being of her husband and for her Muhammad (saw), was friend, master ,family and country.

Maria (ra), identifies with Hajar (ra)

The new wife Maria (ra), was taught many things by the Prophet (saw), among which was the story of Hajar (ra), the spouse of Ibrahim (as)
Hajar (ra), had come to the Hijaz many centuries before Maria (ra), but the destinies of the two women had become intermingled.
Maria (ra), appreciated the similarities between her story and that of her predecessor, except the fact that Hajar (ra), had been granted a son and Maria (ra), had not
Maria (ra), is granted her wish for a son by Allah (swt)
Maria (ra), desired greatly to bear the Prophet (saw), a son, and her wish was granted.
She (ra), give birth to a healthy son in 9 AH, the same year that his (saw), daughter Zainab (ra), passed away, and the Prophet (saw), named his new son Ibrahim, after Prophet Ibrahim (as)
The ancestor of both the Jews and the Christians

Maria (ra), looses Ibrahim and remains patient

Little Ibrahim’s fate was short, when she was only eighteen months old, Ibrahim became seriously ill and died.
Anas (ra), said: “I saw Ibrahim dying in the Prophet’s (saw), arms. The Prophet’s (saw), eyes filled with tears and he said, our eyes shed tears, our hearts grieve, we will only say what pleases Allah (swt).”

“By Allah, Ibrahim, we are sad for your departure.”

The mourning mother Maria (ra), followed the example of her husband and only repeated his (saw), words, “We belong to God and to Him we shall return.”
Maria (ra), remained patient and content with the fate that Allah (swt), had willed for her.

An eclipse occurs on the day of Ibrahim’s burial.

As Ibrahim body was being buried, the sun was eclipsed and it grew dark and gloomy. Some people thought this was connected with Ibrahim’s death, but the Prophet (saw), soon clarified this.

He (saw), said “The sun and the moon are two of Allah’s signs, they are not eclipsed because of anyone’s birth or death. When you see these signs , make haste to remember Allah (swt), in prayer.”

Although the kafirun used to mock the Prophet Muhammad (saw), because he had no sons, and say that he was ‘cut off’, (they meant his progeny was cut off) Allah (swt), made it clear in the following surahs that the station of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), was far above that of any other man;
Qur’anic Evidence
Al-Kauthar 108:1-3

In the name of Allah, The Merciful, the Compassionate: Surely We Have given you Al-Kauthar, so pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice. Surely he who mocks you is the one cut off. (Qur’an 108: 1-3)

Al-Ahzab 33:40

Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets, and Allah has knowledge of all things. (Qur’an 33:40)

In Honor of Maria (ra), The Mother of the Believers

In another hadith, Al Hassan bin Ali (ra), spoke to Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (ra), in favor of the people of Hifn, the village of Maria (ra). Which was then exempted from tax on its crops?
It is also written that when Ebada bin Ali Samit (ra), had visited Egypt after its conquest by the Muslims, he looked for Maria’s (ra), village and house where he (ra), built a mosque to honor the memory of Maria (ra), the Mother of the Believers, a symbol of love and tolerance between peoples.

Maria (ra), passes away five years after the Prophet (saw).

Maria was honored and respected by the Prophet (saw), and his family and Companions. She (ra), spent three years of her life with the Prophet (saw),until his death, and died five years later in 16 AH, (may Allah be pleased with her, (ra)

For the last five years of her life , Maria (ra), remained a recluse and almost never went out except to visit the grave of the Prophet (saw), or her son’s grave. After her death, Umaribn Al-Khattab (ra), led the prayer over Maria (ra), and she was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
Allah gives good news to them in
Al-Fajr 89:28-30

“O the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord-well pleased and well pleasing. Enter you then among My (honored) servants, and enter you my Paradise.’

MB09- Maimoonah Bint Harith Al Hilaliah (ra)

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Maimoonah bint Harith Al Hilaliah (ra)

The Prophet (saw), said;

“Allah (swt) has commanded me to marry only with the women of Paradise.”

“Aishah (ra), said:

“By Allah, Maimoonah was the most Allah Fearing and nurtured the ties of kinship

Maimoonah (ra), bint Harith Al-Hilaliah came from a very illustrious family of martyrs, warriors and intellectuals.

Abu Hurairah and Abdullah bin Abbas (ra), narrated that the original name of Maimoonah (ra), was Barah, and was changed by the Prophet (saw).
Maimoonah’s (ra), father was Harith bin Hazan, from the tribe of Banu Halal
Her (ra), mother’s name was Hind bint Auf .Maimoonah (ra), had four sisters, they were ,Umm Al-Fadhal Lababah Sughra, and Asma and Uzzah.The prestigious grooms of the four sisters from Maimoonah (ra), Paternal side Umm Al-Fadhal Lababah Kubra, was married to Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, and she had the honor of being the second lady to accept Islam after Khadijah (ra).

Lababah Sughra, married Waleed bin Mughairah; their son was Khalid bin Waleed, on of the greatest Generals of Islam.

Asma bint Harith, married bin Khalaf a great Companion
Uzzah bint Harith, married Ziyad bin Abdullah bin Malik

Maimoonah’s (ra), three sisters from her Maternal side

Asma bint Omais; was first married to Ja’far bin Abi Talib (ra), she had three sons from him, Abdullah, Awn, and Muhammad. When Ja’far was martyred she married Abu Bakr Siddique (ra), she had one son from him named Muhammad bin Abi Bakr.
When Abu Bakr Siddique (ra), died, she married for the third time to Ali bin Abi Talib (ra), and they had a son named Yahya.

Salamah bint Omais; married
Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib. The lion of the desert and uncle of the Prophet (saw)

And her third sister;
Salama bint Omais married
Abdullah bin Kab

Maimoonah’s (ra), mother Hind bint Auf had a unique distinction

Thus Hind bint Auf had the unique distinction of being the only woman who was
Mother-in-law of the Prophet (saw),
Mother-in-law of the first Caliph, Abu Bakr
Mother-in-law of Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib
Mother-in-law of Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib
Mother-in-law of Ja’far bin Abi Talib and
Mother-in-law of Ali bin Abi Talib (ra)

Maimoonah’s (ra), mother Hind bint Auf had a unique distinction of having two noble grandsons of high bearing

One of Hind bint Auf’s grandsons was Abdullah bin Abbas (ra), who was the greatest standard bearer of the Muslim army. He was a learned commentator on the Qur’an and well versed in Ahadith and Fiqh.

Another grandson was the greatest General mentioned above, Lababah Sughra’s son, Khalid bin Waleed (ra)

Maimoonah’s (ra), marriages

Maimoonah (ra), was first married to Mas’ood bin Amr bin Omair Thaqafi, but they soon separated on grounds of incompatibility.

Her (ra), second husband was Abu Raham bin Abdul Uzzah Amri Quraishi. He died shortly after their marriage and Maimoonah (ra), was widowed at a very early age .

In the year 7th after Hijrah the Prophet (saw), went with his companion to Makkah to perform Umrah and on arriving there he sent Ja’far bin Abi Talib (ra), with his proposal of marriage to Maimoonah (ra), She asked her brother-in-law Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib (ra), to handle matters and after the Prophet’s (saw ) Umrah, Abbas (ra), arranged the ceremony i.e. Nikah

Allah (swt) says to the Prophet (saw) in Al-Ahzab 33:50
Translation Al-Ahzab 33:50

“O Prophet! Verily We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr, and those (slaves) whom your right hand possesses-whom Allah has given to you, and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who migrated with you, and a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet, and the Prophet wishes to marry her, a privilege for you only, not for the (rest of) the believers. Indeed we know what we have enjoined upon them about their wives and those whom their right hands possess, in order that there should be no difficulty on you. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Maimoonah (ra), was the last lady that Muhammad (saw), married

After Umrah and the marriage ceremony, Prophet (saw), was asked to leave Makkah, hence he camped at Saraf which was about nine miles from Makkah, and here he celebrated the marriage.His slave, Abu Rafi brought Maimoonah (ra), on a camel to Saraf
It was here that her name was changed from Barah to Maimoonah (ra)
Both had completed the rites of Umrah; they changed their garments of Ihram and the marriage could take place according to Shariah

Maimoonah (ra), joins the Prophet’s (saw), household in Al-Madinah

Maimoonah was the last lady that Muhammad (saw), married. She was twenty-six years old at that time.When they reached Al-Madinah an apartment which was built next to the Prophet’s (saw) mosque was given to her (ra),
The other wives of the Prophet (saw), warmly welcomed her

Maimoonah’s (ra), piety and excellent memory made her highly valuable to all.

Maimoonah (ra), had an excellent memory, and knew by heart many Ahadith of the Prophet (saw) .

She (ra), has narrated 76 Ahadith, and is rated the third person to have done so amongst the wives.

She used to pray in the Prophet’s mosque because she heard him saying that one prayer init was the equivalent to a thousand prayers

A few Ahadith attributed to Maimoonah (ra),

An hadith from her (ra), “Someone asked the Prophet (saw ) regarding a mouse that had fallen into some clarified butter. He (ra) said the mouse and what surrounds it should be thrown out and the rest could be eaten, “ Sahih Al-Bukhari

Another Hadith from Maimoonah ( ) from Muslim.
“The Prophet (saw) was worried due to Jibril (as), not visiting him for some time, reason being a puppy was present in the house, Jibril (as), said when he came ‘that angels do not enter places where there are dogs or pictures.”

Maimoonah’s (ra), accommodating spirit

Aishah (ra), relates that the last fatal illness of the Prophet (saw), started while he was in the apartment of Maimoonah (ra).He asked permission of his other wives to spend those last days in the apartment of Aishah (ra), and they all readily agreed .Nine of his wives were alive at that time. They are Aishah, Maimoonah, Safiyyah, Juveriah, Saudah, Zainab, Ramlah, Hind and Hafsah (ra) .

Maimoonah (ra), passes away in the place of her marriage to the Prophet (saw), i.e. SARAF.
Maimoonah (ra), was valued highly for her traits like, God-Fearing and nurturing good relations with all members of the family. And this attribute was paid to her when she passed away by Aishah (ra), in the words .

Aishah said “By Allah! Maimoonah (ra), has passed away, she was the most Allah-Fearing and nurtured the ties of Kinship .

It was during the caliphate of Mu’awiyah (ra), in the year 51st after Hijrah, that Maimoonah (ra), died.

She was in Makkah and she fell ill there. She was very restless and wanted to be taken some place else. Her relatives took her to Saraf, the same place where she had got married to the Prophet (saw).

After reaching the exact point where she spent her wedding night, she passed away.
Abdullah bin Abbas (ra), conducted the funeral prayers, and she was buried with great honor
Allah gives good news to them in
Al-Fajr 89:28-30

“O the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord-well pleased and well pleasing. Enter you then among My (honored) servants, and enter you my Paradise.”

MB08- Safiyyah Bint Huyayee (ra)

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The Prophet (saw), marries Safiyyah Bint Huyayee

The father of Safiyyah (ra), Huyayee bin Akhthab was killed in the battle of Bani Quraidhah. Her husband Kananah bin Rabiah bin Haqeeq was captured and killed for the crime of misgovernment. And Safiyyah (ra), was made a prisoner of war.

Dahyah Kalbi (ra), a mujahid chose as his share of booty a slave girl i.e. Safiyyah.
However one of the Companion suggested that it would be better if the Prophet (saw) kept Safiyyah (ra), the daughter of a leader and chieftain, for himself and gave some other slave girl to Dahyan Kalbi.

The Prophet (saw) then freed Safiyyah and married her
Her dowry was her liberty from slavery. Ibn Al Qayyim.
On the return journey to Al-Madinah, the Prophet (saw), was camped in the outskirts when a sahaabiyat, Umm Salim Ansariah, dressed up Safiyyah (ra), in her bridal finery for the Prophet (saw)

Iman Thahabi Describes the Qualities and Character of Safiyyah (ra)

He said that she (ra), was noble both by birth as well as by nature: she was god-fearing intelligent, patient , tolerant and dignified .

When the Prophet (saw), saw a wound above her eye and asked her about it,she explained, she had dreamt that the moon had fallen into her lap.
When she told her husband about her dream, he slapped her in anger and told her that it meant she would be married with the king of Yathrib, i.e. Madinah .

When she married the Prophet (saw) she was 17 years old
Safiyyah’s Introduction to the Prophet (saw) Household
Safiyyah (ra), traveled in the company of the Prophet (saw), from Khaiber to Al-Madinah
She (ra), said she never came across a person who was more refined and well mannered than him, (saw).

Safiyyah also stated that he, (saw) was always pleasant and behaved like a perfect gentleman
When the people of Al-Madinah heard of his approach, they came out to greet him and his victorious army.

His (saw), wives were also longing to meet him after this great victory
When they heard, he had married the young beautiful daughter of the Jewish leader;

Aishah (ra), was disturbed by her feminine jealousy

He (ra), and his new bride went directly to Harithah bin Noman Ansari’s home stayed there for a while.

The ladies of Al-Madinah came there to meet Safiyyah (ra); and all of them were full of praise for her

Aishah’s (ra), Jealously Toward Safiyyah (ra).

When the Prophet (saw), asked Aishah (ra), for her opinion of Safiyyah (ra),. Aishah (ra), still vexed by her feminine jealousy, replied dryly that she had seen the Jewess .
The Prophet (saw), gently rebuked her, saying to her that “Safiyyah (ra), should no longer be referred to as Jewess, as she had accepted Islam”. Safiyyah, (ra), moved into her own home
Once Safiyyah, (ra), moved into her own place she displayed her noble upbringing by adopting a pleasant and friendly attitude with the other Mothers of the Believers.
She brought expensive gold jewelry with her from Khaiber and she presented this to the other wives.

She loved the Prophet’s (saw), daughter Fatimah (ra), and gave her gold earrings as a gift.
She tried her best to win a place in the hearts of Aishah and Hafshah (ra) because the Prophet (saw), held them in high esteem and loved them dearly.

An incident with Hafsah, (ra)

Safiyyah (ra), once mentioned to the Prophet (saw), that Hafsah (ra), taunted her, calling her the daughter of a Jew.The Prophet (saw) told her that she should have told Hafsah (ra), “She could not better than her; because her husband was Muhammad (saw), her father was Haroon as, and her uncle was Musa (as)”

An incident with Aishah, (ra)

On another occasion Aishah (ra), spoke of Safiyyah (ra), in disparaging manner in front of the Prophet (saw) .Prophet (saw), told Aishah (ra), that if her words were thrown into the ocean, they would make the whole ocean bitter .

Sahih Al-Bukhari Narrates An Incident about Safiyyah (ra).

On one occasion the Prophet (saw), was walking with Safiyyah (ra),
Two of the Ansar saw him walking closely with her, and greeted him
He asked them to stop, and explained to them that she was his wife, they praised Allah (swt), and said he need not explain.

He (saw), answered that Satan could pollute their minds, as he runs through the body like blood and he (saw), did not want to sow suspicions in their hearts .

The effect of Al-Qur’an in Safiyyah’s (ra), heart.
Safiyyah (ra), gave a lot of time to the reading of the Noble Qur’an and its effect on her heart was so intense, that she would weep because of the fear of Allah (swt).
She was extremely knowledgeable and spent most of her time memorizing, reciting, and learning the Qur’an

She was also very tolerant and forgiving, a good example is when she forgave her slave girl for carrying tales to Caliph Omar Farooq (ra),
Ayat 3:134

“3:134 who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good. (Al Imran 134)
The Eyes Which Shed These Tears Will Go to Paradise As They are the Proof of Safiyyah (ra), Intense Love for Allah (swt)

And so they fall down upon their faces, weeping, and [their consciousness of God’s grace] increases their humility.
(Isra 109)

“O the one in complete rest and satisfaction! Comeback to your Lord-well pleased (yourself) and well pleasing (unto Him)! Enter you among them My (honored) servants, and enter you My Paradise” (89:27-30)

MB08- Safiyyah Bint Huyayee (ra)

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Safiyyah Bint Huyayee (ra)

Saffiyah bint Huyayee (ra), Her Lineage, her freedom and her marriages
Safiyyah was the favorite daughter of Huyayee bin Akhtab the chieftain of the tribe of Banu Nadheer, a jewish tribe.

Her mother was Barah bint Shamwal who was the sister of Rafa’ah bin Shamwal. She was married to Salam bin Mashkam first, but they separated soon on the grounds of incompatibility
Her (ra), second husband was Kananah bin Rabi’ bin Haqeeq who was killed in the Battle of Khaibar

Her (ra), father and her paternal uncle Abu Yasir, loved Safiyyah (ra), deeply and used to lived in Al-Madinah

When the Prophet (saw) migrated to Madinah both Safiyyah’s father and uncle went to see him (ra), they recognized him and promised to be his enemy forever.

The Battle of Khaibar

When the Quraish prevented the Muslims from entering Makkah, i.e. after the treaty of Hudaibiyah, the news spread like wild fire through the whole of Arabian Peninsula that the Muslims had bowed and accepted an unfair treaty .

When the Jews in Khaibar heard this news, they decided to strike the Muslims in Madinah
When the Prophet heard the Jews were preparing for war, he (saw), gathered the fourteen hundred people who couldn’t perform Umrah even though they had set out for their journey halfway.

The Prophet (saw), took them as his army and set out to fight this battle of Khaibar in the early days of Muharram

The Prophets prayer

When he (saw), first sighted Khaibar he ordered his army to stop right there, and lifted his hands in supplication to Allah (swt). Whenever he traveled, it was his usual practice to recite this following prayer as soon as his eyes first fell on a city.

“O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and all that they envelop, Lord of the seven earths and all that they carry, Lord of the devils and all whom they misguide, Lord of the winds and all whom they whisk away, I ask you for the goodness of this village, the goodness of its inhabitants and for all the goodness found within it and I take refuge with You from the evil of this village, the evil of its inhabitants and from all the evil found within it”

The typical strategy of Prophet (saw), was that whenever he led his men to engage in battle, he planned to reach there by nightfall. But he was so principled that he would never attack the enemy at night in order to take them unawares
Soon after Fajr i.e. dawn prayers, the Prophet (saw) ordered the Mujahideen to advance and attack

The Jews of Khaibar started scattering towards their homes
When the Prophet (saw) saw them running he called out,

“Allah is Great, Khaibar is deserted, Khaibar is broken, Khaibar is destroyed and ruined!”.
By the grace of Allah (swt) the Muslims triumphed and all the ports of Khaibar were taken