Volume - VI / CHAPTER - 1 / LESSON NO: 4 / PAGE 2 of 2
"UMMAHAA-TUL-MU'MINEEN"
Q4: Please also tell us about Hadrat Aiesha Siddiqa briefly?
A. Ummul Mu'meneen Hadrat Aiesha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) was a daughter of the first Caliph Saiey-yidinaa Abu Bakr Siddique Akbar (may Allah be pleased with him). Her mother's name was Umme Roomaan Zainub who also belonged to the Holy Prophet's genealogical line through "Kanaanah" (an ancestor of the Holy Prophet). She was wedded to the Holy Prophet in holy Makkah in Shawwal of the 10th year of the Prophet's mission and was sent to him in Shawwal, 2 Hegira in holy Madinah. She was the only lady amongst all Umma-haatul Mu'meneen who was born and brought up in the lap of Islam and that she was virgin at the time of marriage unlike other wives of the Holy Prophet who were either widow(s) or divorcee(s). The Holy Prophet had described his "Nikaah" to her as "Minjaanib Allah" (from Allah Almighty). A narrative reported by Hadrat Abu Musa Ash'aree (in Sahih Bukhari) says: "once the Holy Prophet said that many people amongst men attained to perfection but amongst women only Mariyam bint Imraan and Aasia wife of Fir'aoon (Pharaoh) attained to perfection and Aiesha has superiority over all women as is "Sureed" (bread crumbled and mixed with soup) superior to all dishes. ["Sureed" was a favourite dish of the Holy Prophet which he savoured with a great relish]. Hadrat Ummul Mu'mineen Umme Salmah has related the Holy Prophet said: "I receive "Vahee" (Divine revelation) even when I am in Aiesha's quilt. But it never happened in other wives' beds".
Therefore, the Holy Prophet asked Saiey-yidah Fatimatuz Zahra: "O' my dear daughter! Don't you love the one whom I love? Yes I do, she replied. The Holy Prophet said: then you should also love Aiesha. A Hadees which has been reported in Bukhari and Muslim also vindicates her greatness that once the Holy Prophet addressed Hadrat Aiesha Siddiqa and said: This is Gibreil who says you Salaam. She responded: may Allah's peace and mercy be also upon him. The flag used in the battle of Badr under which the Angels served the cause of Islaam fighting alongwith the believers against infidels and the believers were blessed with the first ever glorious victory, was made of the covering-sheet of Hadrat Aiesha Siddiqa. This also proves her excellence. During the early days of battle of "Jamal", Hadrat 'Ammaar bin Yaasir (may Allah be pleased with him) said before the supporters of Moula 'Ali in Kufah mosque that "I know that Hadrat Aiesha is the wife of the Holy Prophet in this world and the world hereafter".
In a "Ghazvah" (war against infidels in which the Holy Prophet himself participated) her conveyance (the animal which carried her) lagged behind and reached the camp late. "Munaafiqeen" (hypocrites) who were allout to denigrate the Holy Prophet and undermine Islaam exploited her late arrival and spoke ill of her. Unfortunately a few Muslims also got entrapped in their obnoxious propaganda. Such awkward situation definitely strains and tries the fair sex. But her steadfastness in Islamic faith and purified nature helped her to be poise. She herself said: I was sure that the Holy Prophet would be divinely told about my chastity and virtue. But had no inkling that Allah Almighty would send down "Vahee" (revelation) on the Holy Prophet in my favour. The religious scholars say that Hadrat Yousuf (Joseph) was cleared of a calumny by the affirmation of an infant and Hadrat Mariyam (Mary) by Hadrat Issa(Jesus) but when Hadrat Aiesha Siddiqa was calumniated, Allah Almighty Himself affirmed her chastity and virtue by sending down seventeen Quranic verses. He would have made each tree and stone under the Sun testify her chastity, if willed. But He did not like it and chose to certify the chastity of the beloved of His beloved Himself thereby to further enhance her respect and excellence. After the descent of Quranic verses the Holy Prophet announced her triumph (over hypocrites) and innocence, described her "Taieybah" (chaste.pure) and also gave her the glad tidings of forgiveness and honourable provision. In short, the earth and heavens were resounded with the Divine proclamation of her chastity and virtue and the Quranic verses sent down in her favour will continue to be recited in prayers and in arches (of the mosques) till the Doomsday. What treasures of Islamic knowledge she passed on to the Muslim Ummah and what endeavours she made in disseminating the Holy Prophet's teachings is so great an excellence that no other wife of the Holy Prophet could get it.
She related 2,210 Ahaadees besides the solutions to complicated, delicate and sensitive issues and other Islamic services.
Hadrat Aiesha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) passed away at the age of 63 on 17th Ramadaan, 57 A.H. in holy Madinah and was buried in Jannatul Baqee'.
Q 5: Please also sum up about other Umma-haatul Mu'meneen?
A. The blessed lives of other Umma-haatul Mu'meneen are summarised as under:
3. Ummul Mu'meneen Sauda (may Allah be pleased with her): Her father's name was Zam'ah bin Qaieys. His maternal relatives were the maternal relatives of the Holy Prophet's grand father, Abdul Muttalib. She herself embraced Islaam first and then persuaded her husband, Sakraan bin Umro bin 'Abdood, who also embraced Islaam. He died in Abyssinia (Ethiopia). After his death, the Holy Prophet married with Hadrat Sauda. She was then 50. She served the Holy Prophet for 14 years and passed away at the age of 72 in holy Madinah during the Caliphate of Hadrat Farooque 'Azam (may Allah be pleased with him). Five Ahaadees are related by her.
Her and her family's (relatives') embracing of Islaam in its early days and migration to Abyssinia for the sake of Islaam won her to be wife of the Holy Prophet.
4. Ummul Mu'mineen Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her): She was a daughter of Hadrat Umar Farooque (may Allah be pleased with him). Her husband Khunais migrated to Abyssinia for the sake of Islaam and then to holy Madinah. He took part in the battles of Badr and Uhd. He was seriously injured in Uhd battle and later passed away in Madinah.
After his martyrdom, the Holy Prophet married with Hadrat Hafsah. A Hadees says that Arch-Angel Gibreil applauded her thus: "Fa-Innamaa Qawwaamatun Sawwaamatun wa Innahaa Zaujatuka Fil-Jannah" (she devoutly worships [offers prayers], observes fasts and is your [Prophet's] wife in paradise). She was 22 at the time of her marriage with the Holy Prophet and passed away at the age of 59 in 41 A.H. in holy Madinah. She served the Holy Prophet for nine years. She related sixty Ahaadees.
5. Ummul Mu'mineen Zainub bint Khuzaima (may Allah be pleased with her): During the days of ignorance (pre-Islamic days) her appellation was "Ummul Masaakeen" (mother of indigent,poor). First time she was married to Tufail, second time to TJbedah and third time to Abdul Laah bin Jahash who was brother of Ummul Mu'mineen Zainub bint Jahash. Abdul Laah was martyred in the battle of Uhd. After his martyrdom, the Holy Prophet married with Hadrat Zainub. She passed away after about three months of marriage.
6. Ummul Mu'mineen Umme Salmah (may Allah be pleased with her): Her father's name was Abu Umaieyah. She migrated to Abyssinia with her husband Abu Salmah who was also foster brother of the Holy Prophet and then went back to holy Makkah. On migration of the Holy Prophet to holy Madinah, they set out to migrate there but her in-laws stopped her husband. She kept writhing and weeping for a year. At last, her stone-hearted in-laws allowed her with her child (Salmah) to migrate and thus she reached holy Madinah.
Being filled with compassion for her owing to her being widow of his foster brother and having small children, the Holy Prophet married with her. She served the Holy Prophet for seven years. She passed away at the age of 84. 378 Ahaadees are related by her.
7. Ummul Mu'mineen Zainub bint Jahash (may Allah be pleased with her): Her mother Umaimah bint Abdul Muttalib was the real paternal auntie of the Holy Prophet. She was first married to Zaid bin Haarisah. Zaid who was "Najeebut Tarafaien" (having noble parents) was kidnapped by a gang of kidnappers in his teens who later sold him as a slave. Hakeem bin Hizaam purchased him for Hadrat Khudaijatul Kubra who detailed him to serve the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet treated him so nicely and loved him so much that people began to call him "Zaid bin Muhammad". Zainub bint Jahash could not get on with her husband - hence the divorce.
Later, the Holy Prophet married with her, in deference to the Quranic injunction eliminating the dark custom which forbade a man to marry a divorcee or widow of the adopted son like that of real son. She passed away at the age of 52 in 20 A.H. She served the Holy Prophet for six years.
8. Ummul Mu'mineen Juwaireeyah (may Allah be pleased with her): She was taken prisoner in a "Ghazvah". The Holy Prophet ransomed her and then married with her. When the companions and believers came to know about this marriage, they immediately released all prisoners of her tribe (Banu Mustaliq) who were over one hundred, for, they had now been relatives of the Holy Prophet. She passed away at the age of 65 in Rabi-ul-Awwal, 56 A.H. Seven Ahaadees are related by her.
9. Ummul Mu'mineen Umme Habeebah (may Allah be pleased with her): She was the daughter of Abu Sufyaan bin Umaieyah who (Abu Sufyaan) had embraced Islaam a few days before the conquer of holy Makkah. She was one of those who embraced Islaam in its early days. She had to abandon her parents, family, tribe and homeland for the sake of Islaam, but she held fast to Islaam. When the Holy Prophet came to know about her sacrifices for Islaam, he wrote to the monarch of Abyssinia as she was still there, to send his (Prophet's) proposal of marriage to her. Being overwhelmed with joy, she gave all her jewellery (wearing then) as a gift to the slave-girl who conveyed the proposal.
The monarch of Abyssinia, Najaashi (Negus) himself held "Nikaah" ceremony in the presence of the attornies of the Holy Prophet. After that, she came to the Holy Prophet in holy Madinah. She passed away at the age of 74 in 44 A.H. in holy Madinah. She related 65 Ahaadees.
10. Ummul Mu'mineen Safiah (may Allah be pleased with her): She belonged to the descendants of Prophet Haroon (peace be upon him) and Israelites. Her (second) husband was killed in the battle of Khaibar and she was taken prisoner. Since she was a respected lady of the tribes of Quraizah and Nuzair (Nudair) that's why the Holy Prophet freed her and then married with her on the advice of his companions.
She served the Holy Prophet for about four years. She passed away in Ramadaan, 50 A.H. Ten Ahaadees are related by her.
11. Ummul Mu'mineen Maimoonah (may Allah be pleased with her): When the Holy Prophet performed Umrah in 7 A.H., Hadrat Maimoonah was a widow then. Paternal uncle of the Holy Prophet, Hadrat Abbaas told the Holy Prophet about her. He married with her. She served the Holy Prophet for nearly 3 1/4 years. She passed away at the age of 80 in 51 A. H. in the same house where she was married. She was one of the last wives of the Holy Prophet.
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