Part 105

"May you teach that (Hafsa) the protective words concerning an-Namlah (a kind of sores affect one’s

forehead) as you taught her how to write." [Reported by Abu Dawud]

Ash-Shifa! was famous for such protective words in the preIslamic period but after she had embraced Islam and migrated to Madina, she said to the Prophet (pbuh), "I would like to show you the incantation I used to make before Islam." The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Let me see." Having shown him the incantation she used to

do, the Prophet (pbuh) said. "Use such words as protective and healing ones and let Hafsa leam them." The incantation she made was for treating an-Namlah (a disease.)

The Prophet looked after ash-Shifa' when she came to Madina and assigned her a house. She, like all other Muslim women, loved the Prophet (pbuh) and learnt much of his sayings. After such long life of striving, and sticking to Islam, she died twenty years after Hijrah (may Allah have mercy on her).

Umm Hakim Bint al-Harith

She was Umm Hakim bint al-Harith ibn Hisham ibn alMughirah, Abu Jahl, ibn Hisham's niece. She was a sharp-witted and a wise woman. Al-Harith, Umm Hakim's father gave her to 'Tkrima in marriage. Only after the great victory did al-Harith and his daughter, Umm Hakim enter Islam. But ‘Ikrima, whose blood was made lawful by the Prophet (pbuh) ran away.

Having tasted the joys of the new faith Umm Hakim wished her husband embrace Islam. She went to the Prophet (pbuh) asking him to forgive her husband 'Ikrima if he entered Islam. Thereby, the Prophet (pbuh) forgave him. No sooner did she hear the Prophet's decree than she went forward to look for her fleeing husband so that she might find him before sailing. After a long search, she managed to catch him before sailing. She told him that the Prophet (pbuh) had forgiven him.

She then began to speak to him about the tenets of Islam and how elevated are its goals. She also spoke about the honorable character of the Prophet (pbuh) when he entered Makka and how he forgave all people there, although they had conspired against them before.

All what Umm Hakim said touched her husband's heart. Accordingly, he returned with her to embrace Islam before the hands of the Prophet (pbuh). He kept adhering to Islam and fighting in the cause of Allah until he attained the honor of martyrdom. Umm Hakim kept patient, although she was afflicted by the death of her husband, her brother and her father in the battlefield.

Shortly after the death of her husband, she was betrothed to Khalid ibn Sa'id, a Muslim leader. There occurred a war in which Khalid must lead the Muslim troops. Khalid wanted to consummate his marriage with Umm Hakim before wading into war. But Umm Hakim refused and asked him to delay that after war. He said, "I feel

that 1 will be killed there." Therefore, she agreed. As soon as he consummated his marriage with her and held the wedding banquet in the morning the Roman troops attacked them. The groom soon rushed into the battlefield and fought until he died as a martyr. It was said that Umm Hakim, after knowing that her husband had died, waded also into war to fight against the enemy. May Allah have mercy on her.

She was Baraka bint Tha'laba ibn Amr ibn an-Nu'man. She was from Abyssinia. The Prophet (pbuh) inherited her from his father. He (pbuh) spent most of his childhood in her custody. But when he got married to Khadija bint Khuwailid (may Allah be pleased with her) freed her to marry Ubaid ibn al-Harith al-Khazraji by whom she gave birth to Ayman.

The Prophet (pbuh) used to visit and honor her. He also used to call upon her by saying, "O mum" He would also say .

“This is the remainder of my household and Umm Ayman is

my mother after my mother passed away" [Reported by al-Hakim]

She (may Allah be pleased with her) got married to Zayd ibn Harith, (may Allah be pleased with them both) by whom she gave birth to Usama ibn Zayd, the Prophet's beloved person. When the Prophet (pbuh) decreed mass immigration to Madina, she responded to the Prophet's call and migrated on foot.

The Prophet (pbuh) used to treat her kindly. He would cuddle and make fun with her. Once, she came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, may you carry me." The Prophet (pbuh) said, I would carry you on the back of a she-camel's kid." She replied, "O Messenger of Allah, it could not." As a matter of fact all camels are she-camels' kids.

In the battle of Uhud, she (may Allah be pleased with her) was among the Muslim women who were to carry water to soldiers and treat the wounded. She also did so in the battle of Khaybar.

When the Prophet (pbuh) died, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to ‘Umar, “Let us visit Umm Ayman as the Prophet (pbuh) used to." When seeing them, she wept. They asked her, "Why do you weep? What Allah prepared for His Messenger is better." She replied, 1 know, but I weep because the heavenly revelation will no longer come. Impressed by her words, they began to weep as well."(Reported by Muslim)

She was Hind bint ‘Utbah ibn Rabie’a ibn ‘Abd Shams ibn ‘Abd Manaf. She was of good and rational character. Her son, Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan said about her, "She was greatly dangerous in the pre-Islamic period but was of good character in Islam".

She got married to Al-Fakiha ibn al-Mughira by whom she gave birth to Abban. She after separating from al-Fakiha, got married to Abu Sufyan ibn Harb.

In the battle of Badr, she was afflicted by the death of her father, 'Utbah, her brother, al-Walid and her uncle, Shayba. She grievously lamented them and wished for taking vengeance. Therefore, in the battle of Uhud, she accompanied the army of Quraish like many other women who were to encourage the warriors. The women in this battle were to hit drums and sing poems in order to encourage the army.

In this battle Hind committed a heinous crime which the history did not forget. She enticed her slave, Wahshi to assassinate Hamza who killed most of her family in the battle of Badr. Moreover, she after the death of Hamzah disfigured him and removed his liver to chew it. She could not swallow his liver; therefore she spat it out. Because of her hostile attitude towards Hamza in that day, she was called the ‘livers’ eater’.

Not until the Manifest Conquest of Muslims in Makka did Hind come to the moment of illumination. It was said that when Abu Sufyan embraced Islam and went back to Makka crying, "O people of Quraish, Muhammed launched towards you troops that you could not oppose. Whoever entered Abu Sufyan's house is at peace, and whoever stayed home or entered the Sacred Mosque is at peace too."

Hind did not like her husband's behavior and insulted him. In the second day of the conquest she asked her husband to lead her to the Prophet (pbuh) He said, "Oh, you did not like that yesterday" she said, "I have never seen good worshipping of Allah like what the Muslims did last night. They spent all the night praying, kneeling and prostrating." Abu Sufyan said, "You would better go to him with one of your kin." Therefore, she went with Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him.)

She stood veiled before the Prophet (pbuh) with some other women. She said, "O Messenger of Allah, praise be to Allah Who made the belief He chose manifest. I declare that I believe in Allah and His Messenger. Then, she disclosed her face and said, "I am Hind bint Utbah." The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Welcome" and began to take the pledge of fealty and faith from them. Hind said, "May we shake your hand?" The Prophet (puh) said.

"T do not shake women's hands. What I say to a woman is valid to a hundred." [Reported by Malik in Mouatta’]

She then joined the Muslim community and took part in the Islamic achievements. She accompanied her husband in the battle of Yarmuk and reported some prophetic hadiths. She (may Allah be pleased with her) died fourteen years after Hijrah. May Allah have mercy on her.

She was Ghaziyya bint Jabir ibn Hakim she was from Quraish. She embraced Islam while still in Makka. From the very beginning she started to disseminate Islam secretly among the women of Quraish. She did not bother about the torture she might face if the people know about her.

When the people of Makka knew about her they said "We did not put you into torture for the sake of your kin. But all what we could do is to return you to them." When her kin received her they swore that they would put her into severe torture.

They carried me on the worst of their camels and left me without water. In the midst of the day, when the sun became hot, they left me alone without shelter. I was about to lose my senses. Then they kept torturing me for three days.

In the third day they offered to release me in condition that 1 repudiate. But I did not bother about them. All what I did was to point with my finger skyward. All of sudden, I found a goblet of water near my lip. After I had drunk, the goblet flew back and was hanged in the sky. This happened to me thrice. When they noticed my wet face, they wondered and asked me "O opponent of Allah, how could you get this water?" "It is Allah's sustenance," I replied. They went forward to check their water. They found it as it is. They, accordingly, said, "We testify that your Lord and ours is one." They all embraced Islam and migrated to Madina. May Allah have mercy on Umm Sharik who set a good example in the field of disseminating

She was Lubaba bint al-Harith ibn Hazan ibn Bujair, the wife of al-'Abbas. She gave birth to six boys by al-'Abbas, the Prophet's uncle. The names of her sons are al-Fadl, ‘Abdullah, 'Ubaidullah, M’bad, Quthum and *Abdur-Rahman.

She embraced Islam before Hijra. She was the second woman to enter Islam after Khadija (may Allah be pleased with them both).