Part 90

Once, when Muslims became luxurious, she was given one hundred thousand dirhams as a gift while she was fasting voluntarily. But she, at once, spent it in the cause of Allah. She was so poor that she had nothing to break her fast on. Thus, her maid asked her, "Would not you reserve a dirham in order to buy meat for breakfast?" She answered, had you reminded me, I would have done. She was a patient poor, and a modest wealthy woman. She did not adhere to this worldly life. Therefore, she thought that poverty and wealth were alike.

She was an ideal wife who was interested in learning from the Prophet (pbuh). Therefore, she became so knowledgeable that she was able to teach men and was a source of authorization and documentation in hadith transmission, and sacred law.

Az-Aubairi said, "If we compared ‘Aisha's knowledge to all women, ‘Aisha's would surpass them. Hisham Ibn Urwa said, I have never seen any one who could have knowledge of an ayah (a Qur'anic verse), an obligatory act, a Sunna act, poetry, history, lineage, Judgement, or medicine better than ‘Aisha. I asked her, "What about medicine? How did you learn it, aunt?" She answered, "When I was sick, the Prophet prescribe (treatment) for me as did he when the people became ill. I also heard the people prescribing treatment to each other. Thereby I memorized such prescriptions.

Once, Masruq was asked, "Did ‘Aisha perfect the obligatory acts.” He answered, "By Allah, I have seen the great prophetic companions asking her about the obligatory acts.”

Yet, she (may Allah be pleased with her) was jealous. She was the most jealous wife of the Prophet (pbuh). This can be the nature of the

woman; to be jealous of other wives. But such jealousy had ever never led her to hurt any other wife.

Let us now turn to the most critical incident in “Aisha's life: the incident of ifk (the lie). On the return from the expedition of Banu Mustaliq there occurred what would hurt ‘Aisha and in tum the Prophet's honour. When the. march was ordered, ‘Aisha was not in her tent, having gone to search for a valuable necklace she had dropped. As her litter was veiled, it was not noticed that she was not in it, until the army reached the next holt. Meanwhile finding the camp had gone. She sat down to rest, hoping that someone would come back to fetch her when her absence was noticed. It was night, and she fell a sleep. Next moming she was found by Safwan, a Muhajir. Who had been left behind the camp expressly to pick up anything inadvertently left behind. He put her on his camel and brought her, leading the camel on foot. This presented an occasion to the Prophet's enemies to raise a malicious scandal. The ringleader among them was the chief of Madina Hypocrites, Abullah Ibn Ubai.

‘Aisha was in extreme pain and anguish for an entire month because of the slander that was spread about her. Her husband, the Prophet (pbuh) and her father were also placed in a most awkward predicament, considering their position and the great work in which they were engaged.

Eventually, Allah revealed some Qur'anic verses to free ‘Aisha's from such accusation. ‘Aisha was an ideal woman in suffermg and afflictions. Therefore, she was a model for all women in both prosperity and adversity.

During the Prophet's illness, after returning from the farewell pilgrimage he felt that he was about to die. It is narrated that when the prophet was being carried to spend his nights with his wives in turns, he would ask, where should I go tomorrow? Where should I go tomorrow? (hoping to be ‘Ashah's tum). Then, the mothers of the faithful offered, pleasantly, their tums to ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with them all) to be treated where he liked. They said, O Messenger of Allah, we gave our turns to * Aisha.

The Prophet (pbuh), then moved to “Aisha's home who took care of him day and night. She would like to sacrifice herself for him as

saying “I sacrifice you with my father and mother, O Messenger of Allah." At the last moment of the Prophet's life, his head was placed on ‘Aisha's knees.

She said, "The Prophet (pbuh) died in the night of my usual turn at my house. Allah took him unto Him while his head was between my chest and my neck and his saliva was mixed with my saliva.” At this moment, ‘Abudur-Rahan Ibn Abi Bakr entered holding a soft siwak (tooth stick). The prophet looked at the siwak. I thought that he wished to brush his teeth with it. I took the siwak, chewed and then perfumed it. Then I gave it to the prophet who in turn brushed his teeth very well. As he returned it back, his hand fell down. I began to supplicate Allah with a du‘a often said by Jibreel and also by the prophet during his illness. However, the Prophet did not supplicate Allah with this du’a in this time. He then looked skyward and said (ar-Rafeeq al-Ala) the heavens. Then he died. Praise be to Allah who mixed my saliva with his at the last moment of the Prophet's life.

The Prophet (pbuh) was buried where he died, in her home. She lived after him teaching men and women, and formulating the history of islam until her death. She died on Tuesday night 17th of Ramadan, 57 AH she was sixty-six by then. May Allah have mercy and be pleased with her.

She was Hafsa bint ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab. Allah supported Islam by means of her father ‘Umar. She was beautiful and pious woman. She got married to Khunis Ibn Hudhafa Ibn Qays as-Sahami who was from Quraish. He was a part of the two emigrations: to Abyssinia and to Madina. He fought in Badr and Uhud. In the latter battle he was fatally wounded and died shortly thereafter. Hafsa was eighteen years by then.

‘Umar was depressed for his daughter's affliction who became a widow at such a young age. Whenever he went home and saw his sad daughter, he grieved. After a long period of thinking he decided to choose a husband for her to provide her with what she had lost of repose along six months, or more.

He first chose Abu Bakr, (may Allah be pleased with him) the dearest person to the Prophet (pbuh) ‘Umar, at once, went to Abu Bakr to offer him his daughter for marriage. ‘Umar thought that Abu Bakr would not refuse to marry a young pious woman who was the daughter of the man by whom Allah supported Islam. Having sympathetically listened to him, Abu Bakr did not respond.

‘Umar went back with a broken heart and almost did not believe what had happened. He then went to Uthman Ibn Affan whose wife, Rugayya, the daughter of the Prophet had recently died. Having offered him his daughter to marry, he apologized by saying, "I think I would not like to marry at the present time."

‘Umar's gloom increased by Uthman's refusal, which followed Abu Bakr's. He became angry with his two intimate friends. Then, he went to the Prophet (pbuh) complaining about Abu Bakr and “Uthman. Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh) smiled and said,

"Hafsa will get married to someone who is better than Uthman and Uthman will get married to someone who is better than Hafsa.”

Accordingly ‘Umar was elated to receive such a great honour which he never thought about it. He went off to tell whomever he met. When Abu Bakr met him, he realized the source of his joy. Therefore, he congratulated him and apologized by saying, "Do not be angry with me, “Umar. The Prophet has mentioned Hafsa before and I could not disclose the Prophet's secret (pbuh). Had he left her, I would have married her."

All people in Madina was pleased with the Prophet's marriage to Hafsa bint ‘Umar. It was contracted in the month of Sha’ban in the third year of Hijra. They blessed the marriage of ‘Uthman to Umm Kulthum bint Muhammed (pbuh) in the month of Jumada al-Akhirah in the same year as well. Thus, Hafsa joined the rank of the Prophet's pure wives, mothers of the faithful who were, by then, Sawdah and * Aisha.

Among the other wives of the Prophet (pbuh), ‘Aisha was the most intimate and closest one to Hafsa. His father, once, said to her, “How would you be like ‘Aisha and how would your father be like hers?"

It is Hafsa and ‘Aisha who backed up each other against the Prophet (pbuh). Consequently Allah the Almighty said,

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lf ye two turn in repentance to Allah, your hearts are indeed so inclined; but if ye back up each other against him, truly Allah is his protector and Gabriel 3

It is narrated that the prophet (pbuh) divorced Hafsa once when she backed up against him. Then he took her back according to Jibreel's

"Take Hafsa back; she fasts and prays in the night all the time.”

Hafsa realized the gravity of what she had done to her noble husband when she disclosed his secret. But after the Prophet forgave her, she lived in tranquility and repose again.

When the Prphet (pbuh) died and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) succeeded him, it was Hafsa who was chosen to keep the first copy of the glorious Quran. She kept on worshipping Allah devoutly, fasting, praying and keeping the copy of the Muslim constitution, the immortal miracle and the source of legislation and belief.

When her father, the caliph of the Muslim felt that he was about to die after he was stabbed by Abu Lu'lu’a, the Zoroastrian in the month of Zul-Hijjah, 23 AH Hafsa was the guard of what he left of inheritance.

She (may Allah be pleased with her) died in Mu’awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan’s era after she commended her brother Abdullah with what she had been commended by her father. May Allah be pleased with the guard of the Qur’an.

She was Hind bint Umayyah Ibn Al-Mugheerah al-Makhzumiyyah who was from Quraish. His father was a prominent master in Quraish. He was called Zad ar-Rakib (a provision for the passenger), This was because, when travelling he used to suffice whomever accompany him. As for her mother, she was ‘Atikah bint ‘Amir ibn Rabi‘ah alKananiyyah who was from Banu Firas.

Besides her honorable and well-established lineage, she was a beautiful and an intuitive woman. She first got married to Abu Salama, “Abudullah Ibn ‘Abdel-Asad al Makhzumi who emigrated twice: to Abyssinia and Madina.