They are Honored, Women of Islam
Women's History Month March 2022
“She believed in me when the whole world refuted me and she attested to my trueness when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me.” said the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ peace be upon him about his beloved wife Ummul Mo’mineen Khadija bint Khuwailyd ؓ.
The contribution of Muslim women in the establishment of Islam started with our mother Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her and is still happening each and every day. Muslim women throughout the history played their role in the field of Dawah, education, government and were never afraid to shed their blood for the Deen of Allah, SWT.
They were the first to shed their blood for Islam. They facilitated the migration of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him, from Makkah to Madinah. They helped protect the city of Madinah from the invaders. They memorized the Quran and Hadith of the Prophet. They donated for the cause of Islam and did not fear poverty. They were scholars who taught the Quran and Hadith. They were not shy to challenge the Khalifa of the time or helped a Qadhi to correct his legal verdict. They were the first to start an Islamic University. They were the ones to send their husbands, brothers and sons to fight for Islam against the Mongols or Crusaders or others. And, they are the ones, as mothers and grandmothers teach Quran to their little ones and instill in them the love for Allah and His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, peace be upon him. They are the Jewels of Islam!
Umme Salma ؓ (Radi Allah Annha)
Umme Salma ؓ, her name was Hind bint Abe Umayya, but she is very well known as Umm-e-Salma ؓ. She belonged to a very respectable family and was famous for her knowledge of Islam and her wisdom. She was first married to Abdullah ؓ bin Abdul Assad Makzoomi, who was known as “Abu-Salma Umm-e-Salma ؓ had the honor to be the blessed woman who accepted Islam at its early stage. Her father Abe Umayya bin Abdullah ؓ bin Umro bin Makzoom was very generous person. Her mother was Aatika binte Amer Rabiya bin Malik bin Khazima. She inherited this quality of generosity from her parents. She was very happy and enjoyed the life when she was married to the brave, wealthy and kindhearted Abdullah ؓ bin Abdul Assad. The Holy Prophet ﷺ advised the Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia when the persecution became unbearable. Umm-e-Salma ؓ and Abullah ؓ were ready to undertake this immigration. This was the first batch of Immigrants to Abyssinia which consisted of 20 persons of whom 4 were women. Umm-e-Salma ؓ and her husband were happy there in Abyssinia and they had a beautiful daughter Zainab and a son named Umar also second daughter Durra was born there. The king of Abyssinia extended all comforts and facilities to the immigrants. Umm-e-Salma ؓ narrates that they came back to Makkah when they heard that Umer bin Khattab ؓ embraced Islam and the atmosphere there was peaceful for the believers, but this was not so when they came to Makkah and they had to accept the prevailing situation. Umme Salamah ؓ had vowed to delicate herself to Allah since she embraced Islam. She faced the most difficult and the most horrible situation, but Allah SWT was with her. She once made up her mind again to migrate to Abyssinia, but Prophet ﷺ asked them to migrate to Madinah. She prepared herself for migration to Madinah. Abu Salma ؓ brought a camel for this purpose. The family members of her objected for her departure and detained her at Makkah. Also the members of the family of Abu Salma ؓ came there and snatch my children and said that they would look after the children at Makkah. Only Abu Salma ؓ left for Madinah and Umm-e-Salma ؓ and her children had to stay at Makkah. Umm-e-Salma ؓ was very much upset and worried at this separation. At last, the family members of Umm-e-Salma ؓ took pity on her and the children were also brought by them and given to her. She was allowed to go to Madinah. She undertook the journey to Madinah all alone and reached Madinah. Uthman bin Talah ؓ, who was also going to Madinah and helped her very nicely and accompanied her till she met Abu Salma. Abu Salam ؓ participated in the battle of Uhad and he was among those who remained firm. He suffered a serious injury in that battle from which he was healed but not totally. For, after some time, the wound decayed and deteriorated until claimed his life. She was married to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in the year 4 Hijra. The prayer made by Abu Salma ؓto Allah SWT to give her a better husband was thus accepted by Allah SWT. She was a very great scholar of Islam, sagacious and wise woman. When the Prophet ﷺ commanded the people to slaughter their sacrificial animals and get their heads shaved at the Hudaybiah. The people were suffering distress for nothing. He ﷺ came to his tent and feeling indignant. He told Umm-e-Salma ؓ that he had commanded the people to slaughter their sacrificial animals and get their heads shaved but there is no response from them. Umm-e-Salma ؓ said “O Prophet of Allah: You cannot make these 1500 people do what they don’t want, just do your own duty which Allah SWT has imposed on you. Go ahead and perform your own rites in an open place so that every one of them can see you..” The Holy Prophet ﷺ stepped out of the tent and offered the slaughter of the camel. The people immediately came forward and did the same as the Prophet ﷺ was doing. She was very pious and learned. She knew reading and writing. She had the opportunity to accompany the Holy Prophet ﷺ on his journeys. She was with him at the battle of Mariah, Khaibar, Fateh Makkah,Taif and Hunain. She had made her apartment a place where the Messenger of Allah frequented and took as a place for rest. Perhaps, she reminded him with her maturity, wisdom, affection, her big heart, the sweetness of her smiling, her pleasant reception and her pure companionship of Khadeejah ؓ . When the Prophet ﷺ fell ill and moved to the house of A’isha ؓ, Umm-e-Salma ؓ often went there to see him. One day when he was very indisposed. She started crying, the Prophet ﷺ forbade her to do so by saying as “This is not the way of Muslims”. She loved the Prophet ﷺ very much and he also loved her for her kindness and gentleness. Umm-e-Salma ؓ narrated 378 ‘Ahadith’. She led a very simple and pious life. She was also very generous and made other people inclined towards generosity. Umm-e-Salma ؓ had authority on the matters to divorce, etc. Abdullah bin Abbas ؓ used to consult her. She left for her eternal abode at the age of 84 years in the year 62 Hijra. Abu Hurairah ؓ led her janaza in “Jannatul-Baqi”.
Fatima bint Khattab ؓ (Radi Allah Annha)
The Bravey of Fatima ؓ (Radi Allah Annha)
By: Shaheer Jawad
Fatima bint Khattab ؓ was the sister of the second Khalifa of Islam and the father-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Umar ibn Al-Khattab ؓ . She accepted Islam along with her husband Saeed ibn Zaid ؓ who is also among the ten promised paradise. One day Fatima ؓ and her husband were learning Surah Ta-Ha from a Sahabi named Khabbab bin Arrat ؓ and the noise was heard outside. Then suddenly there was a knock on the door and someone was shouting. Fatima ؓ suddenly rushed to see who it was and she saw her brother Umar ؓ there with his sword and extremely angry and furious. Fatima ؓ opened the door and the first question Umar ؓ asked was “Have you accepted Islam”? Fatima ؓ replied in the affirmative and Umar ؓ began saying that how could you do this and leave the religion of your forefathers? Fatima said “ We are Muslims now so do whatever you want but we will not leave Islam. Then Umar ؓ smacked Fatima ؓ in the face and she began bleeding from her lips and mouth. Saeed, the husband of Fatima ؓ became angry with Umar and they began to fight. Then Fatima broke the fight and then she sat with her husband and Umar sat a little far from them. Umar asked Fatima to see what they were reading and she said that you need to be clean and make Wudhu. Thus, Umar became clean and started reading the first few verses of Surah Ta-Ha and he immediately recognized that Islam is a true religion and went to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to accept Islam.
The lesson from this story is that as a Muslim we should be proud of who we are in terms of our identity. Fatima ؓ stood up for herself and her husband by saying that do what you want but we will never leave Islam. This clearly shows how strong her faith was and she was not scared of her brother when even Shaitan would change his path if he saw Umar walking down the street.
Therefore, we as Muslims living in America must take great pride in our identity as a Muslim and be proud of our Islamic values and traditions.
Aisha (Radi Allah Annha):
The Greatest Woman Teacher of This Ummah
By Sh. Abdool Rahman Khan
Aisha ؓ was not only one of Mothers of the Believers and a beloved wife of the greatest human in the history of mankind; Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, but also one of the greatest female teachers of this Ummah. Not to mention, she was the daughter of one the greatest Muslims of this Muslim Ummah: Abu Bakr ؓ .
It was reported in al-Bukhaari that the Prophet ﷺ was asked: Which of the people is dearest to you? He said, ‘Aishah. He was then asked: Who among men (is dearest to you)? He said: Her father (Abu Bakr). Among her unique qualities was that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ passed away in her house, in her arms, and he was buried in her house. Subhan Allah!
However, her greatest accomplishment was her scholarship in the field of Islamic Sciences. Even as a child, Aisha ؓ showed exceptional intelligence. She lived a long time after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ. Later on in her life, the greatest of Sahaabah would consult her, when they were puzzled about some matter of religion. Umar ؓ The Second Caliph would frequently ask her about matters of faith in which he and the other Sahaabah ؓ were doubtful and often they found answers from her. She was the greatest female narrator of Hadith from the Prophet ﷺ narrating 2,210 Hadith. She ranked the second in this Ummah to have the most Hadith only preceded by Abu Hurairah ؓ. She was also known for her Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and eloquence. Tirmidhi reports Musa ibn Talha, a Tabe’I and a student of Aisha ؓ as saying that he did not find anyone more eloquent than Aishaؓ. Her nephew, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam was among the great jurists and historians of Madinah and had gained much of his knowledge from his aunt Aisha ؓ . Most importantly he had direct access to her being her nephew. That knowledge is with us till this day Alhamdulillah.
Moreover, Aisha ؓ lived a life of piety, simplicity and justice. This is only a very brief look into the life of the greatest woman of this Ummah.
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ؓ (Radi Allah Annha)
One of the most prestigious Woman in Islamic History is Hazrat Khadijah ؓ a Makkan, well experienced, reputable, and composed business woman.
When Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ met with Arch Angel Hazrat Gabriel عليه السلام, overwhelmed by the experience, rushed to his wife Khadijah ؓ, the center of solace and appeasement of his life.
She was the first one who accept the call of Islam and standing with prophet Muhammad ﷺ at the frontline in his lifelong struggle. Through her, prophet Muhammad ﷺ understood the matter of his first meeting with Angel Hazrat Gabriel عليه السلام.
She stood firm and being devoted to the cause of Islam. She sacrificed her health and wealth into the struggle of her husband. Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ called the year she departed, “The Year of Sorrow”. The best witness of the character of Hazrat Khadijah ؓ was prophet Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ himself, as he remembered her in these beautiful words, “… and she believed in me when no one else did; she accepted Islam when people rejected me; and she helped and comforted me when there was no one else lend me a helping hand”. May Allah help us in following the footsteps of Hazrat Khadijah ؓ. Aameen
