Umm Fadl: One of the Believing Sisters

Rumaisah bint Milhan: She Made Islam Her Mahr

Rumaysa was known for her excellent character, the power of her intellect even before Islam was introduced to Madinah. Her father was Milhan bin Khalid, her mother was Mulaika bint Malik, and she had five siblings; Umm Haram bint Milhan, Haram bin Milhan, Sulaym bin Milhan, Umm 'Abdullah bint Milhan and Zayd bin Milhan. 

She was known by various names including Rumaysa, Ramlah and Ghumaysa and Sahlah. She however came to be known popularly as Umm Sulaym. Sulaym means ‘Safe and Sound’, Umm Sulaym was a nickname as she did not have a child named Sulaym. She was the mother of the famous Anas bin Malik. 

Umm Sulaym was first married to Malik ibn an-Nadr from who she had Anas ibn Malik. Umm Sulaym was one of the first women of Madina to accept Islam. She was influenced by Musab ibn Umayr. When Umm Sulaym embraced Islam, her husband was away from Madina. When he returned, he observed some changes and enquired on what had happened and Umm Sulaym went on to announce her acceptance of Islam to him and in public to his displeasure. She brought her son, Anas, into the fold of Islam. Her husband left the housed vexed and it is reported that he was assassinated by an enemy of his. 

When it was known that Rumaisah had become a widow, one man, Zayd ibn Sahl (Abu Talhah), resolved to become engaged to her. He was sanguine that Rumaisah would not turn him down since he was powerful and affluent. Moreover, he belonged to the same tribe as Rumaisah; the Banu Najjar. Abu Talhah careened to Rumaisah’s house. He sought permission to enter and it was granted. Anas was present and Abu Talhah popped the question. 

Umm Sulaym said, "A man like you, Abu Talhah, is not easily turned away. But I shall never marry you while you are an unbeliever". Abu Talhah impugned that she was trying to put him off and that perhaps she had already preferred someone more solvent and more influential so he said to her, "What is it that really prevents you from accepting me, Umm Sulaym? Is it the yellow and the white metals?" 

Umm Sulaym asked in a flummoxed tone, "Gold and silver?" "Yes," he said imperiously. Umm Sulaym replied, "I swear to you, Abu Talhah, and I swear to Allah and His Messenger that if you accept Islam, I shall be pleased to accept you as a husband, without any gold or silver. I shall consider your acceptance of Islam as my mahr." 

Umm Sulaym seized the opportunity to stress the vacuity of idol worship and she went on: "Don't you know Abu Talhah that the god you worship besides Allah grew from the earth?" "That's true," he affirmed. "Don't you feel stupid while worshipping part of a tree while you use the rest of it for fuel to bake bread or warm yourself? If you should give up these foolish beliefs and practices) and become a Muslim, Abu Talhah, I shall be pleased to accept you as a husband and I would not want from you any sadaqah apart from your acceptance of Islam." 

Abu Talhah asked, "Who shall instruct me in Islam?". "I shall," Rumaisah replied. "How?", he asked. Umm Sulaym pressed on, “Utter the declaration of truth and testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Then go to your house, destroy your idol and throw it away." 

Abu Talhah left weakened and reflected deeply on Rumaisah’s admonition. He came back to her beaming with happiness and said, "I have taken your advice to heart. I declare that there is no god but Allah and I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." 

Rumaisah and Abu Talhah were married, Anas was pleased, and the Muslims would say: "We have never yet heard of a mahr that was more valuable and precious than that of Umm Sulaym for she made Islam her mahr." Abu Talhah and Umm Sulaym had an vivacious life devoted to Islam. The Prophet visited their home often and he would pray on a mat provided by Umm Sulaym. The Prophet (SAW) also had siestas in their house and, as he slept, she would wipe the perspiration from his forehead. Once when the Prophet awoke from his siesta, he asked: "Umm Sulaym, what are you doing?" And she replied, "I am taking these drops of perspiration as a blessing which comes from you". 

It was noticed that the Prophet (SAW) had a special liking for Umm Sulaym and her family and when asked about it, he replied: "Her brother was killed beside me." He (SAW) was referring to Haram bin Milhan. Umm Sulaym also had a well-known sister, Umm Haram, the wife of Ubadah bin as-Samit. 

The Seerah of Ubadah bin as-Samit

Umm Sulaym gave water to Muslim soldiers and tended the wounded and even made attempts to defend the Prophet when the tide of battle was turning against him. At the Battle of Khandaq, the Prophet saw her carrying a dagger and he asked her what she was doing with it. She said: "It is to fight those who desert." And The Prophet replied, "May Allah grant you satisfaction in that". 

Umm Sulaym had two children from Abu Talha; Umair and Abdullah. A few days after Abdullah was born, she sent Anas with the baby and a bag of dates to the Prophet (SAW). The Prophet placed the baby on his lap. He crushed the dates in his mouth and put some in the baby's mouth. The baby sucked the dates with relish. Abdullah eventually grew up and had seven children all of whom memorized the Quran. 

Umm Sulaym's husband, Abu Talhah, passed away while he was on a naval expedition during the time of Uthman bin Affan and was buried at sea.  Rumaysa bint Milhan is believed to have passed away not long afterwards in 29 A. H. She was around 60 years old. May Allah please her and grant us her virtues.

LESSONS

1. Marrying a non-Muslim: Umm Sulaym turned down Abu Talha’s proposal. Not because he was a bad man but, because he was not a Muslim. This is proof that a Muslim cannot marry a pagan. Can Muslim Women Marry non-Muslim Men?
2. Islam over wealth: Umm Sulaym was not moved by the affluence or status of Abu Talha, she was only interested in her faith in Allah. She was not prepared to endanger her faith and the upbringing of her child for luxury however preponderant and tempting.

Ubadah Ibn as-Samit: A Black Man Equal to 1000 Men

Ubadah ibn Samit was a descendant of Saba from both his father's and his mother's side. His father was As-Samit b. Qays b. Asram and his mother was Qurratu’l-Ayn bint Ubada bin Nadla. 

Ubadah was one of the first twelve people of Madina who embraced Islam after meeting The Prophet at Aqabah; he is said to have been around forty years old at the time. 

He was dark-skinned, well-built and he was frequently described as good-looking. He was in every battle The Prophet (SAW) waged; he was also one of the scribes who wrote the Qur’an. Ubadah’s wife, Umm Haram bint Milhan, was the maternal aunt of Anas b. Malik. He had another wife named Jamila bint Abi Sa'sa'a. 

Ubadah ibn as-Samit was also known by the kunya, Abu al-Walid, because he had a son named al-Walid who was the father of Muhammad ibn al-Walid. 

When Muhammad (SAW) migrated to Madina, he struck a brotherhood between Ubadah ibn as-Samit and Abi Marthad al-Ghanwi. However, Ubadah had four blood siblings named Aus bin As-Samit (the husband of Khawla bint Thalaba), Thabit bin As-Samit, Umama bint As-Samit and Khawla bint As-Samit.

There were not many personal encounters between the Prophet (SAW) and Ubadah ibn as-Samit. 

During the Caliphate of Umar ibn Khattab, there was a request for reinforcement from Syria. Umar sent Ubadah and three others with a message that the four men were equivalent of 4000 warriors. 

Ubadah was not just a warrior; he also knew how to plan cities as an architect. Along with Amr b. al-Aas, he was involved in planning the city of Fustat (the first capital of Egypt) and was also involved in building the first Masjid in Egypt which exists till today. It is known as the Masjid of Amr b. al-Aas. 

It is said that Ubadah wrote the entire Qur’an in Kufic script on the periphery and on the walls of the Masjid from top to bottom on marble so that anyone could read it even while seated. The whole of this was destroyed by the British during their occupation of Egypt. 

The Muslims laid siege to the Babylon Fortress in 641 CE in the area known as Coptic Cairo today where the Egyptian Ruler was holed up. Amr ibn al-Aas sent a delegation of ten men, headed by Ubadah to speak with the Egyptian ruler. 

When Ubadah stepped forward, the ruler was alarmed because of the darkness of Ubadah’s skin. 

He said, “Take this black man away from me and let someone else come and speak to me!” 

One in the Muslim contingent replied, “This black man is the best of us in knowledge and wisdom. He is our leader and the best of us, and has been appointed over us. We all refer to his opinion, and our leader has appointed him over us and ordered us not to go against him.” 

The king said to the delegation, “How could you accept this black man as the best among you? Rather he should be the least among you.” 

The Muslim replied again, “No; even though he is black as you can see, he is the best in status among us, one of the foremost among us and one of the wisest. Blackness is not something bad among us.” 

The king said to Ubadah, “Come forward, O black man, and speak to me gently, for your blackness alarms me, and if you speak harshly that will alarm me further.” 

Ubadah went forth and said, “I have heard what you said. Among my companions whom I left behind are a thousand men who are all as black as me and even blacker than me and more terrifying to behold. If you saw them you would be even more alarmed. My youth has gone, but nevertheless I would not be scared if one hundred men of my enemy wanted to face me all at once, and the same is true of my companions, for our hope and our desire is to strive for the sake of Allah, seeking the pleasure of Allah. The reason for our campaign against our enemies who wage war against Allah is not hope of worldly gains or the accumulation of wealth; rather Allah has permitted that to us and made the booty we acquire permissible for us. But none of us cares whether he has a qintar of gold or has nothing but a dirham, because all we want from this world is something to eat and ward off hunger, and a cloth to wrap around ourselves. If one of us owns nothing more than that, that is enough. If he gets a qintar of gold he will spend it for the sake of Allah and be content with the little that is left in his hand, because the pleasure of this world is not true pleasure and its luxury is not true luxury; rather real pleasure and luxury come in the Hereafter. This is how our Lord has guided us and our Rasulullah has taught us; he advised us that our ambition in this world should be just to have enough to ward off hunger and cover our nakedness; our main concern should be to please our Lord and strive against His enemies.” 

When the king heard these, he said to those who were around him: “Have you ever heard anything like what this man is saying? His appearance alarmed me but his words alarm me more than his appearance. Allah has sent this man and his companions out to destroy the world! I think that they are bound to prevail over the entire world.” 

Ubadah was staunch in matters related to religion. Once an Imam delivering a Friday khutbah began to praise him while he was in the congregation. Ubadah took sand in his hand and threw it into the mouth of the Imam and said, "Did not the Prophet, Peace and Allah blessing belong upon him, say that when we saw a person extolling virtues to his face, then we should throw mud to his face?"

On one occasion, Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan expressed a personal opinion when Ubadah was quoting the Prophet (SAW). Ubadah vacated Syria in disgust. When Umar heard of this, he urged Ubadah to return to Syria saying, “A piece of land has no good in it which has not got a man of your kind.” 

Umar wrote to Muawiyah telling him, “You are not a governor over him”. 

Ubadah was one of the learned appointed by Umar to teach people Qur’an and Islam ethics and Ubadah remained in Homs until the people were competent in the Qur’an after which he left for Palestine where he remained for a long time serving as a state-appointed Qadi. A lot of his students became renowned scholars. 

The last Hadith he narrated was, “Whoever said, ‘There is no Deity save Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger,’ will be spared Hellfire”. 

When his son requested him to declare his will at the time of death, he advice: “My son, you will not experience full bliss of faith nor will you fully comprehend it until you believe in destiny governing good and evil”. 

When the time of death approached Ubadah, he asked to be moved to the courtyard and his home folk, relatives, neighbors and others were called together. 

He inquired of them if they had any claim on him, they thereafter said he had been like an honest and dutiful father to them all. 

Grave of Ubadah ibn as-Samit in Palestine

Before breathing his last, Ubadah ibn as-Samit requested that when he is dead “Let each of you make a goodly ablution, enter a Masjid and pray and supplicate for my forgiveness.” 

According to well-established reports, Ubadah ibn as-Samit died in the year 34 A. H in Palestine, he was around 69 years old.

May Allah be pleased with him.

LESSONS

1. Zero Racism: The Prophet (SAW) had companions from all races. At a time when black people were considered too inferior to sit in the midst of light skinned people, Muhammad (SAW) appointed black people as leaders over members of his own race. The Prophet (SAW) sid in his farewell Message, “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.”
2. Worldly Life: The Muslims were more concerned with meeting their Lord; they had very little concern for worldly pleasures.
3. War for Peace: The Muslims did not wage war against disbelievers for the sake getting their wealth. All they desired was for the word of Allah to prevail.
4. Sycophancy is a Crime: The practice of praising leaders for personal benefits is an act that frowned upon in Islam. This even extends to every individual; leader or follower. The Prophet (SAW) taught us a du’a to make when we are praised: “O Allah, do not call me to account for what they say and forgive me for what they have no knowledge of and make me better than they imagine.” Shu'ab Al-Iman 4:228
5. Superiority of Muhammad (SAW): Ubadah became furious at Muawiyya when the latter chose to follow his personal opinion on an issue that had already been decided by the Prophet (SAW). Ubadah did not hide his disgust for this and Umar ibn Khattab fully supported his stand. Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an: The only statement of the true believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful. Suratul Nur (24:51)

Sawda bint Zam'a: The Prophet's African Wife

Sawda

Her name is Sawdah bint Zam’a, her father was Zam’a ibn Qays  ibn Abdush-Shams ibn Abdi Widdi ibn Nasr ibn Malik ibn Hasl ibn Amir ibn Lu'ay (the Qurayshi) and her mother was Ash-Shamoos bint Qays ibn Zayd of Bani Adi ibn An-Najjar from Khazraj. 

Sawda bint Zam'a was born about 25 years before the Hijra and she was among the eight people of Banu Amir who left everything and migrated to Abyssinia for the sake of their religion. She was a simpatico tall and large black-skinned woman, with a jolly and affable disposition. 

She first married her cousin, as-Sakran ibn Amr, the brother of Suhail ibn Amr. From her husband, as-Sakran, she had one son, Abdur Rahman ibn Sakran, who was martyred in the Battle of Jalula in against the Persians in the reign of Umar ibn Khattab.

Sawda was an early convert to Islam and it was by her persuasion that her husband embraced Islam. On the second emigration to Abyssinia, Sawdah had accompanied her husband to escape the persecution of Quraysh and maintain their faith in Islam. 

Not long after they settled in Abyssinia and felt safe, they heard that the pagans had concluded a truce with the Muslims and agreed to let them practice their religion freely. The Muslims were very happy and decided to return to their homes. But when they reached Makkah, they were shocked by the awful reality. The pagans were bitterer in their enmity towards the Muslims than ever and their cruelty had attained new heights.

Sawdah's husband died on the way to Makkah and left her in a terrible state of destitution. After the death of Khadijah, the Sahaba felt the sorrow and grief of Muhammad (SAW) and they desired for him to marry and relieve himself from his solitude. 

When mourning period of Khadijah was over, Khawlah bint Hakeem, the wife of Uthman ibn Math'un, went to him and said: "O Prophet of Allah! I see you feel the loss of Khadijah."; "Yes," he said. "She was both mother and housewife". 

Khawlah suggested that he should marry and she offered to find him a bride. Muhammad (SAW) said, "Who could be that bride?" Khawlah suggested Aisha bint Abu Bakr. But Aisha was still very young so he got engaged to her and left her in her parent’s house till she matured. 

Khawlah and the other Companions didn't want a delayed marriage; they wanted someone to console and help him in take care of his children, especially in those days of hardship. Khawlah mentioned Sawdah bint Zam'a. 

Sawda was relatively old, wasn’t considered among the most beautiful of women and wasn’t from a wealthy family. Moreover her father and brother were still pagans at the time. Her brother, Malik bin Zama'a, later embraced Islam. 

At the mentioning of Sawda by Khawlah, the Prophet (SAW) asked Khawlah to propose on his behalf. Khawlah went to Sawdah and said: "Allah has blessed you, Prophet Muhammad sent me to ask for your hand". 

Sawdah was flummoxed and with trembling voice she said: “I love that, but go and ask my father.” When the father heard the news he was very happy and said: “This is a suitable match; Muhammad is an honorable and compatible person. Would you like me to wed you to him?" Sawdah replied with just one word, "Yes." 

Stories of the proposal spread around Makkah, many could not believe their ears. 'How could an old widow without beauty and wealth succeed the noble and beautiful Khadijah?' They thought. The Prophet (SAW) married Sawdah in Makkah in Ramadan in the tenth year of his Prophethood. It is believed that both Muhammad (SAW) and Sawda were 50 years old when they got married. 

From the beginning, Sawda knew that the Prophet (SAW) married her out of compassion and not out of desire and she knew that no one else could give her a more respectable shelter than the great Prophet (SAW). 

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) liked the remarks she sometimes made. Once she told him, “I have prayed standing behind you, O' Prophet of Allah, and you made me kneel so long that I held my nose fearing that it will bleed". The Prophet (SAW) laughed and Sawdah was very happy. 

Sawda remained in charge of the Prophet's house for three years till Aisha arrived. Then she gave her the first place and did her best to comfort and assist the young bride. Other wives with beauty, nobility and prestige came to the house of the Prophet (SAW) but, Sawdah did not hesitate to favor Aisha without showing any apathy for the other wives. 

When every wife settled in her own apartment, Sawdah felt she had no right to spend her night with Muhammad (SAW) since young and beautiful wives were now around. The Prophet (SAW) felt bad about her emotional deprivation and was kind enough not to mention anything that could hurt her feelings. 

The Prophet (SAW) suggested divorce to free her from her duties and spare her the pain. Sawdah was aghast at hearing this, she was silent for a moment then she summoned courage and said to him, "Keep me please; I am not a selfish wife, but I wish to see Allah recognizing me as your wife on the Day of Judgment". She added gently, "Keep me, O' Prophet of Allah, and I will donate my night to Aisha as I do not demand that which women desire". 

The Prophet (SAW) kept her in his house and treated her with honor, dignity and respect. 

When Sawda performed pilgrimage with the Prophet (SAW), he allowed her to precede the people to Muzdalifah because of her heavy weight and her age. Aisha said: "I wish I had asked the Prophet to allow me to go to Muzdalifah like Sawdah did, so that I could pray Fajr in Mina before the people arrive.” 

After the demise of Muhammad (SAW), Sawda received a gift of money, which she spent on charity. Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan bought her house in Medina for 180,000 dirhams. Sawda, Aisha, Hafsa and Safiya always remained very close. 

Also, after the demise of the Prophet (SAW), Sawda vowed not to go for Hajj or Umrah. She said: "I have performed my Hajj and Umrah so now it is time to stay home as Allah commanded me.” She meant what Allah Says in the Qur'an: “And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as was the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity of sin, O people of the Prophet's household, and to purify you with extensive purification.” Suratul Ahzab (33: 33)

Sawda bint Zam’a passed away in the reign of Mu`awiyah ibn Abu Sufiyan in 54 A.H. in Madinah. She is believed to have been around 80 years old at the time of her passing and she was the third to the last wife of Muhammad (SAW) to pass away.

Aisha mourned Sawdah and said: "No woman is more beloved to me than Sawdah, whose shoes I would rather be in than others." 

Aisha never forgot that Sawdah donated her night with the Prophet (SAW) to her.

The Mother of the Faithful, Sawda bint Zam’a was buried in the famous cemetery, Janatul al-Baqee, in Madinah. May Allah be pleased with her and may He please her.

LESSONS

• Zero Racism: Islam has zero tolerance for racism. Muhammad (SAW) married a black woman, Sawda bint Zam’a.
• Marriage proposals: It might not be out rightly called haram but, it is not the Islamic formula for men to propose directly to a woman. It is best to do this through a third party most suitably another woman or a relative of the woman. Muhammad (SAW) proposed to Sawda bint Zam’a through Khawlah bint Hakim.
• Noble Character: Sawda’s father, Zam’a, was not a Muslim at the time Muhammad (SAW) proposed to her yet, he was thrilled at the thought of being an in-law to the Prophet (SAW). Muhammad (SAW) had such a noble character that even disbelievers looked forward to having close ties with him.
• Compassion: Muhammad (SAW) was always thinking of ways to comfort his community and every single one of its members. He (SAW) heard of the poignant situation Sawda was in and he took it upon himself to bring her comfort by bringing her into his household.
• The Day of Judgment: The companions of Muhammad (SAW) always had their thoughts on their fate on the Day of Accountability. Sawda didn’t want to remain a wife of the Prophet (SAW) for worldly benefits; she cared about having an elevated status in the sight of Allah by being resurrected as one of the wives of Muhammad (SAW).

Atiqa bint Zayd: The Wife of Martyrs

Desert

Atikah bint Zayd bint Amr ibn Nufail was one of the most beautiful  women of Quraysh. She was a poet who is notable for having married Muslim men who died as martyrs. 

Asma’a Bint Yazeed: The Orator of Women

Sahaba

The Sahaba learnt many things from Muhammad (SAW). They  asked him about the problems they  encountered in daily life and many others and The never failed to get them acquainted with the truth.  Not only men but also women went into the presence of the Prophet (SAW) to ask him about their

Khubaib Ibn Adiy: A Hero on the Cross

Martyr

Khubaib Ibn Adiy belonged to the Aws tribe from Al-Madinah, he was an Ansari. His father was Adi Ibn Malik

Since the day of the Prophet's Hijrah to Madinah, he frequently visited the Prophet (SAW).

He was described by Hasan Ibn Thabit thus, "He looked like a falcon among the Ansar. Allah endowed him with noble

The World Needs Leaders Like Sa'id bin Amir

Leadership

His full name was Sa'id bin 'Amir bin Hudhaym b. Salaman b.  Rabi'a b. Sa'd b. Jumah b. 'Amr b. Husays b. Ka'b. His father was Amir bin Hudhaym and his mother was Arwa bint Abi Mu'yat of Banu Umayya. He had two siblings, Fatima bint Amir and Jamil bin Amir. Sa’id ibn Amir al-Jumahi was one of thousands of pagans who left for the region of Tanim on the

Hakim ibn Hazm: The Only Person to Have Been Born Inside the Ka'abah

Hakim bin Hazm is the only person in the history of mankind to have been born inside the Kabah. On that particular day the Ka’abah was open because of a festive occasion. 

Thumamah Bin Uthal: The First Human to Recite the Talbiya Inside Makkah

The Holy Ka'abah

In the sixth year after the hijrah, the Prophet (SAW) decided to expand the scope of his mission. He sent eight letters to rulers in the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding areas inviting them to Islam, one of these rulers was Thumamah ibn Uthal.

Who Was The First Muslim To Die In Battle?

Ubaydah bin al-Harith was a relative and  companion of Muhammad (SAW).

Ubaydah was the son of Al-Harith bin Muttalib bin Abdmanaf bin Qusayy, hence a second cousin of Abd Allah bin

Safiyya Bint Huyay (The Relative of Prophets)

Towards Da Light

After the battle of Khaybar in which the Muslims defeated the Jews, two women were brought before the Prophet (SAW) by Bilal, one of the two women was shrieking, screaming and rubbing dust in her hair, while the other was silent. The silent one was Safiyya, the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab who was the chief of the Banu Nadir, the other woman was Safiyya's cousin. 

Safiyya could trace her lineage back to Harun (AS) (Aron). The Prophet (SAW) asked someone to look after the woman who was screaming and then took off his cloak and placed it over the shoulders of Safiyya, it was a gesture of sympathy. 

Angrily,  the Prophet (SAW) turned to Bilal and said, "Bilal, has Allah plucked mercy from your heart that you let these two women pass by those of their menfolk who have been killed?" This was considered a severe reprimand. 

Although Safiyya’s father was a staunch enemy of Islam, it was characteristic of the Prophet (SAW) that he did not bear any grudges. The Prophet (SAW) invited Safiyya to embrace Islam which she did and having given her her freedom, she then accepted to marry him. Safiyya bint Huyay (RA) married the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in 7 AH, when the Prophet was sixty years old and she was seventeen years old. Some people may have wondered how it was that Safiyya could accept Islam and marry the Prophet when her father had been his bitter enemy. The answer may be found in what she related of her early life as the daughter of the chief of the Banu Nadir. 

She narrates, "I was my father's favorite and also a favorite with my uncle. They could never see me with one of their children without picking me up. When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) came to Medina, my father and my uncle went to see him. It was very early in the morning, between dawn and sunrise. They did not return until the sun was setting. They came back worn out and depressed, walking with slow, heavy steps. I smiled to them as I always did, but neither of them took any notice of me because they were so miserable. I heard Abu Yasir ask my father, “Is it him?” My father replied, “Yes, it is.” He asked again, “Can you recognize him? Can you verify it?” My father replied, “Yes, I can recognize him too well.' He asked again, “What do you feel towards him?” And my father replied, “Enmity, enmity as long as I live.” 

It was thanks to the descriptions in the Torah, that the most learned rabbi of the Jews, Abdullah ibn Salam, had embraced Islam on seeing Muhammad (SAW) and it was also because of these descriptions that Huyayy ibn Akhtab was also able to recognize the Prophet (SAW). 

However, Huyay like most of the others, was deeply disappointed that the last Prophet was a descendant of Isma'il and not of Ishaq, (the two sons of Ibrahim (AS), peace be upon them), this was because the Jews claimed exclusive descent from Ishaq. Huyay also he did not want to lose his position of power and leadership over his people. It was for these reasons that Huyay decided to oppose and fight the Prophet (SAW). While in public, he and the other leaders of the Jews made peace treaties with the Muslims and the Jews broke as soon as it seemed a favorable time to do so. 

Although Safiyya was Huyay's daughter, she had a pure heart and had always wanted to worship her Creator. Consequently, as soon as the opportunity arose, not only to follow the last Prophet, but also to be married to him, she took it. Though Safiyya had in Muhammad (SAW) a most kind and considerate husband, she was not always favorably accepted by some of his other wives. 

It is related by Anas that on one occasion, the Prophet (SAW) found Safiyya crying. When he asked her what the matter was, she replied that she heard that Hafsa had disparagingly described her as 'the daughter of a Jew'. 

The Prophet (SAW) responded by saying, "You are certainly the daughter of a Prophet (Harun), and certainly your uncle was a Prophet (Musa), and you are certainly the wife of a Prophet (Muhammad), so what is there in that to be scornful towards you?" 

Then he said to Hafsa, "O Hafsa, fear Allah!" 

Once the Prophet (SAW) was accompanied on a journey by Safiyya and Zaynab bint Jahsh when Safiyya' s camel went lame. Zaynab had an extra camel and the Prophet asked her if she would give it to Safiyya. Zaynab retorted, "Should I give it to that Jewess!" The Prophet (SAW) turned away from her in anger and would not have anything to do with her for the next two or three months just to show his disapproval of what she had said. 

Some three years later, when Muhammad (SAW) was in his final illness, Safiyya felt for him deeply. "O Messenger of Allah," she said, "I wish it was I who was suffering instead of you." 

Some of the wives winked at each other which made the Prophet cross and he exclaimed, "By Allah, she spoke the truth!" 

She still underwent difficulties after the demise of the Prophet (SAW). Once a slavegirl she owned went to Umar and said, "Amir al Muminin! Safiyya loves the Sabbath and maintains ties with the Jews!" 

Umar asked Safiyya about that and she said, "I have not loved the Sabbath since Allah replaced it with Friday for me, and I only maintain ties with those Jews to whom I am related by kinship." 

She asked her slavegirl what had possessed her to carry lies to Umar and the girl replied, "Shaytan!" Safiyya said, "Go, you are free." 

Safiyya was with the Prophet for nearly four years, She was only twenty-one when the Prophet (SAW) passed away, and lived as a widow for the next thirty-nine years. She passed away in 50 AH, at the age of sixty. May Allah be pleased with her.

LESSONS

1. It is not part of Islam to display corpeses to the relatives: Bilal did this and the Prophet (SAW) rebuked him. The likes of ISIS, Boko Haram and Al Qaeda violate Islamic injunctions by displaying executions in videos.
2. Safiyya married the Prophet (SAW) willingly: We see this in the sympathy she showed when the Prophet (SAW) was ill and he (SAW) confirmed her faith.
3. Equity between wives: The Prophet (SAW) never allowed his other wives maltreat Safiyya. 
4. Zero racism: Muhammad (SAW)-an Arab married Safiyya-a Jewess. They were bonded by Islam and Muhammad (SAW) rebuked any who talked about her on the grounds of her race.

A Sahabi Who Never Saw Muhammad

When the Prophet (SAW) returned to Madinah from the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year after the Hijrah, he fell ill. News of the Prophet’s illness spread rapidly throughout Arabia. Sincere Muslims were saddened by the news but for some, it was time to reveal their real attitudes to Islam. In al-Yamamah, Musaylamah the Imposter renounced Islam. So too did Tulayhah al-Asadi in the land of the Asad. In Yemen, al-Aswad al-Ansi also became an apostate. These three imposters claimed that they were prophets sent to their respective peoples as according to them, just like Muhammad (SAW) was sent to the

Mu’adh ibn Jabal (First Class Da’ee)

Mu’adh ibn Jabal was a young man growing up in Madina when Islam began to spread over the Arabian Peninsula. His full name was Mu'adh ibn Jabal ibn 'Amr b. Aus b. 'Aidh b. 'Adi b. Ka'b b. 'Amr b. Ady b. Sa'd b. Ali b. Asad and he was born 18 years before the hijra. He was a handsome and imposing character with black eyes and curly hair who immediately impressed whoever he met.[1] He was already distinguished for his intelligence among young men of his age when he embraced Islam at the hands of Mus’ab ibn Umayr. Mu’adh was among the seventy-two Madinite who journeyed to Makkah, one year before the hijrah, and met the Prophet at his house and later again at the second pledge of Aqabah. A

Abu Musa Al-Ashari (The master of horsemen)

Horseman image

His real name was Abdullah ibn Qays bin Saleem bin Hadar bin Harb b. 'Amir b. 'Unz b. Bakr b. 'Amir b. 'Udhr but he was and continues to be known as Abu Musa al-Ashari. He was short statured of medium build and sported a thin beard. He left his native land, the Yemen, for Makkah immediately after hearing that a Prophet had appeared there who was a man of rare insight, who called people to the worship of One God and who insisted on the highest standards of morality. 

At Makkah, he stayed in the company of the Prophet and

Thabit ibn Qays (The Prophet’s Spokesman)

Thabit ibn Qays was a chieftain of the Khazraj tribe and therefore, a man of considerable influence in Madina. He was known for the sharpness of his mind and the power of his oratory. It was because of this that he became the khatib or the spokesman and orator of the Prophet and Islam in general. 

He embraced Islam at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr whose cool and persuasive logic and the sweetness and beauty of his Quran recital proved irresistible. 

When the Prophet (SAW) arrived in Madinah, Thabit and a great gathering of horsemen gave him a warm and enthusiastic welcome. Thabit acted as their spokesman and delivered a speech in the presence of the Prophet and his companion, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. He began by giving praise to God Almighty and invoking peace and blessings on His Prophet and ended up by saying: "We give our pledge to you, O Messenger of God, that we would protect you from all that we protect ourselves, our children and our wives. 

What would then be our reward for this?" The speech was reminiscent of words spoken at the second Pledge of Aqabah and the Prophet's reply as then was the same: "Al-Jannah - Paradise!" When the Madinites heard the word "al-Jannah" their faces beamed with Joy and excitement and their response was: "We are pleased, O Messenger of God! We are pleased, O Messenger of God." From that day on the Prophet (SAW) made Thabit ibn Qays his Khatib, just as Hassan ibn Thabit was his poet. 

When delegations of Arabs came to him to show off their brilliance in verse and the strength of their oratory skills, the Prophet (SAW) would call upon Thabit ibn Qays to challenge their orators and Hassan ibn Thabit to vaunt his verses before their poets. In the Year of the Delegations, the ninth after the Hijrah, tribes from all over the Arabian Peninsula came to Madinah to pay homage to the Prophet (SAW), either to announce their acceptance of Islam or to pay jizyah in return for the protection of the Muslim state. One of these was a delegation from the tribe of Tamim who said to the Prophet: "We have come to show our prowess to you. Do give permission to our Shaif and our Khatib to speak." The Prophet (SAW) smiled and said: "I permit your Khatib. Let him speak."

Their orator, Utarid ibn Hajib, got up and held forth on the greatness and achievements of their tribe and when he was finished the Prophet summoned Thabit ibn Qays and said: "Stand and reply to him." Thabit rose and said: "Praise be to God Whose creation is the entire heavens and the earth wherein His will has been made manifest. His Throne is the extent of His knowledge and there is nothing which does not exist through His grace. Through His power He has made us leaders and from the best of His creation He has chosen a Messenger who is the most honorable of men in lineage, the most reliable and true in speech and the most excellent in deeds. He has revealed to him a book and chosen him as a leader of His creation. Among all creation, he is a blessing of God. He summoned people to have faith in Him. The Emigrants from among his people and his relations who are the most honorable people in esteem and the best in deeds believed in him. Then, we the Ansar (Helpers) were the first people to respond (to his call for support). So we are the Helpers of God and the ministers of His Messenger."

He was especially sensitive and cautious of saying or doing anything that would incur the wrath of God Almighty. One day the Prophet saw him looking not just sad but dejected and afraid. His shoulders were hunched and he was actually cringing from fear. "What's wrong with you, O Abu Muhammad?" asked the Prophet. "I fear that I might be destroyed, O Messenger of God," he said. "And why?" asked the Prophet. "Almighty ALLAH has prohibited us from desiring to be praised for what we did not do but I find myself liking praise. He has prohibited us from being proud and I find myself tending towards vanity." 

This was the time when the verse of the Quran was revealed: "Indeed, God does not love any arrogant boaster." Suratul Lukman (31:18)

The Prophet (SAW) then tried to calm his anxieties and allay his fears and eventually said to him: "O Thabit, aren't you pleased to live as someone who is praised, and to die as a martyr and to enter Paradise?" Thabit's face beamed with happiness and joy as he said: "Certainly, O Messenger of God." "Indeed, that shall be yours," replied the noble Prophet. 

There was another occasion when Thabit became sad and crest-fallen, when the words of the Quran were revealed: "O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet and neither speak loudly to him as you would speak loudly to one another, lest all your deeds come to naught without your perceiving it." Suratul Hujarat (49:2)

On hearing these words, Thabit kept away from the meetings and gatherings of the Prophet in spite of his great love for him and his hitherto constant presence in his company. He stayed in his house without ever leaving it except for the performance of the obligatory Salat. The Prophet (SAW) missed his presence and asked for information about him. A man from the Ansar volunteered and went to Thabit's house. He found Thabit sitting in his house, sad and dejected.

"What's the matter with you?" asked the man. "It's bad," replied Thabit. "You know that I am a man with a loud voice and that my voice is far louder than that of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. And you know what has been revealed in the Quran. The only result for me is that my deeds will come to naught and I will be among the people who go to the fire of hell." 

The man returned to the Prophet and told him what he had seen and heard and the Prophet instructed him to return to Thabit and say: "You are not among the people who will go to the fire of hell but you will be among the people of Paradise." Such was the tremendously good news with which Thabit ibn Qays was blessed. 

The incidents showed how alive and sensitive he was to the Prophet and the commands of Islam and his readiness to observe the letter and the spirit of its laws. He subjected himself to the most stringent self-criticism. His was a God-fearing and penitent heart which trembled and shook through the fear of God. 

Thabit bin Qays was martyred in the battle of Yamamah in 12 A.H.

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

HAFSAH BINT UMAR (The Custodian of the Book of ALLAH)

Hafsah was one of the daughters Umar ibn al-Khattaab (The Second Caliph). Her full name was

Hafsa bint Umar b. al-Khattab b. Nufayl b. 'Abdul-'Uza b. Riyah b. 'Abdullah b. Qurt b.Razah b. 'Adi. In Arabic, Hafs is one of the names given to the lion. The Prophet (SAW) would often address Umar (RA) as Abu Hafs (the father of Hafs, i.e. Hafsah). Hafsah was born 16 years before the Hijra; 3 years before the Prophet Hood of Muhammad (SAW) and was among the Mothers of the Believers.

Before she was married to the Prophet (SAW) she was married to

Atikah bint Khalid: How Well She Described Muhammad (SAW)

Her full name was Atika bint Khalid b. Khalif b. Munqidh b. Rabi'a b. Asram b. Dabays b. Haram b. Habsha b. Salul and Umm Ma’bad was her nick name. Her father was Khalid b. Khalif. She was a famous, chaste, strong and courageous woman who had a camp in Qudayd. 

Salman al-Farsi (The Good)

Salman al-Farisi was a seeker of Truth, he grew up in the town of Isfahan in Persia in the village of Jayyan. His father was the chief of the village and was the richest person there. Salman’s father loved him more than any other person so he kept me at home, in the same way that young girls were kept. Salman became devoted to the Magian religion so much so that he attained the position of custodian of the fire which they worshipped. His duty was to see that the flames of the fire remained burning day and night. Salman came across a group of Christians and was attracted to their religion. His father feared that he might leave the religion of their fore-fathers, he kept Salman in