Juwayriyyah Bint al-Harith (The One Who Benefitted Her People)

The Prophet (SAW) named her Juwayriyyah himself. Before this, her name was Barrah. The Prophet (SAW) on a number of occasions changed the names of people when they embraced Islam to more reasonable ones. He did this so that his Companions would shun anything which was related to the time of ignorance. The Prophet (SAW) disliked that a person should praise himself and the name ‘Barrah’ is derived from the term birr, which means righteousness. How then can a person be openly called "righteous"^[1]? The Prophet
(SAW) also disliked for a person to say: “He just left the house of ‘Barrah’ (which means: a righteous woman).” Juwayriyyah was the daughter of the chief of Banu Mustaliq-al-Haarith ibn Abi Diraar. Banu Mustaliq was one of the tribes which waged war against Islam, wanting to extinguish the light of Allah by both their mouths and hands. The Prophet (SAW) had appointed qualified men to monitor the enemy's movements. This is how the Prophet (SAW) came to know of Banu Mustaliq’s intentions. As an experienced commander, the Prophet (SAW) decided to launch a sudden attack on them.^[2] The Muslims arrived near them, at a well called al-Muraysee and attacked them putting an end to their plots, it was called the ‘Battle of Muraysee’.^[3]

Aisha (RA) narrated what happened on that momentous day: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) took the women of Banu Mustaliq as captives. He them took out one fifth of them and divided the remaining ones among his companions, giving the cavalry soldiers two shares and the infantry soldiers one share. Juwayriyyah fell into the share of Thaabit ibn Qays, she was formally married to a cousin of hers known as Mani ibn-Safwan. She was bereaved of him and so agreed with Thaabit ibn Qays to buy her freedom with nine Uqiyahs of gold. She was a pleasant woman, no one saw her except that he became captivated by her. While the Prophet (SAW) was sitting, suddenly Juwayriyyah entered asking him concerning her ransom agreement with Thaabit. By Allah, as soon as I saw her, I disliked her coming in front of the Prophet (SAW) for I knew that he would see what I saw in her. She then started addressing the Prophet (SAW) she said: ‘O’ Messenger of Allah! I am Juwayriyyah, the daughter of al-Harith - the leader of his people. You are not oblivious of what has happened to me. I fell in the share of Thaabit ibn Qays and agreed with him to ransom myself with nine Uqiyahs. So help me to free myself.’ ^[4] The Prophet (SAW) replied, ‘do you want what is better than that?' She said, ‘What is it?’The Prophet (SAW) said, ‘I will pay on your behalf and then marry you’ She said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ The Prophet (SAW) then said, ‘I have done that’. Her first statement “O Messenger of ALLAH” indicated her belief in Islam and that was how Juwayriyyah bint al-Harith became among the Mothers of The Faithful. Aisha continued: “When the news of this marriage came to the people they began saying, ‘Will the Prophet's in-laws be held as captives?!’ Then the people freed all the captives that were with them from the tribe of Banu Mustaliq, and the number of those who were freed reached one hundred households because of the Prophet’s marriage to Juwayriyyah.”^[5] It was at this point that Aisha (RA) said, “I know of no other woman who brought greater blessing to her people than Juwayriyyah”^[6]. Juwayriyyah was a highly devoted Muslimah. Ibn Abbas narrated: The Prophet (SAW) prayed the Fajr prayer and then left Juwayriyyah’s apartment. He stayed out until forenoon and then came back while she was still at her place of prayer. She told him, ‘I have stayed here since you left.’ The Prophet (SAW) thereupon told her, ‘I have recited four words three times after I left you and if these were to be weighed against what you have recited since morning, (then) these words would outweigh them and (these words) are, ‘Praise be to Allah according to the number of His creation and according to the pleasure of His Self and according to the weight of his Throne and according to the ink (used in recording) words (for His Praise)’

Juwayriyyah had profound knowledge on Islamic rulings, an example of a Hadith narrated from her is the one narrated by Abu Ayyub al-Atakee in which Juwayriyyah said that the Prophet (SAW) visited her on a Friday while she was fasting. He asked her, “Did you fast yesterday?” She said, “No.” He said, “Are you going to fast tomorrow?” She said, “No.” Thereupon he said, “Then break you fast”^[7]

Juwayriyyah’s father, al-Harith ibn Abi Diraar knew of her movements, from the possession of Thaabit ibn Qays to the house of Muhammad (SAW). He decided to go to Madinah to ransom her with one hundred camels. When he came close to Madinah, he looked at his camels and isolated two those that impressed him, tied them up and assigned some guards to watch over them. He then entered into the presence of the Prophet (SAW) while the Prophet (SAW) was sitting in the Masjid, he greeted the Prophet (SAW) and begged him to accept the ransom and return his daughter to him. The Prophet (SAW) welcomed him and asked him with a smile, “What about the two camels you set aside and tied up in so-so place?”^[8] al-Harith became speechless and was unable to lie. Immediately he said: “I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that you, Muhammad are a Messenger of Allah! By Allah! No one knows of this matter except Allah alone.” Following al-Harith’s reversion, all the members of Banu Mustaliq tribe embraced Islam after al-Harith informed them of what had happened and invited them to Islam^[9] and Juwayriyyah continued to live with the Prophet (SAW) Juwayriyyah lived for fifty years after the Hijrah. It is said that she was 65 years old when she passed away. Marwan ibn al-Hakam, the governor of Madinah at that time performed the funeral prayer and then she was buried in Janatul al-Baqee.’

May Allah be pleased with her and please her and her with ALLAH, Ameen.

LESSONS

1.      We should not bare names that show arrogance and disbelief.

2.      When we have enemies we should always be at alert.

3.      Banu Mustaliq was not attack simply because they were not Muslims, rather, they were attacked because they were preparing to fight the Muslims.

4.      Juwayriyyah said to the Prophet (SAW), “So help me to free myself”. She came to the Prophet (SAW) to assist her gain freedom. There is no way she would have done that if she didn’t know that the Prophet (SAW) had a soft heart and that he wasn’t a fan of owning slaves.

5.      Muslim were not obsessed with owning slaves, they set free almost a thousand slaves in one day after the Prophet (SAW) married Juwayriyyah because they knew that if they had maintained as slaves; it would displease the Prophet (SAW).

6.      The beautiful comments of Aisha (RA) on Juwayriyyah (RA) shows us that this hatred co-wives of this era have for each other has no link to Islam.

7.      If you fast a voluntary fast one any day asides Monday and Thursday, you should fast the following day as well.

8.      Among the Miracles of the Prophet (SAW) is that he could give account of happenings even if he wasn’t present physically when they happened.

9.      After al-Harith bin Abi Diraar embraced Islam, he didn’t keep it to himself; he went back to his people to call them to the good he had discovered. We should never feel comfortable being the only ones in the neighborhood who understand Islam.

10.  The people of Banu Mustaliq must have embraced Islam because al-Harith-even without being a Muslim was a man of integrity. We should always be people worthy of respect in the eyes of the community, it assists da’awah.