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WIVES OF THE APOSTLE OF GOD
The RAUZAT-US-SAFA OR
GARDEN OF PURITY (by Mohammad Bin Khavendshah Bin Mahmud) is the most
authentic book having detailed, well documented description about the
Holy Prophet (SAW) his family his missions, his miracles etc. most of
the material under this heading has been derived from that book for the
beneft of the new generation who may not have an access to such books.
(Compiler)
1 - HAZRAT KHADIJA (PEACE BE UPON HER)
The following
naration is a translation from Habib-us-Syar by Khondemir, the maternal
grandson of Mirkhond. Given as Appendix in Rauzat-us-Safa. P. 761
In the
Rauzat-ul-Ahbab it is recorded, according to trustworthy authorities,
that his holy and prophetic lordship introduced during his lifetime
twelve women into the bonds of matrimony and consummated it with them.
"Concerning 11 of them there is no difference of opinion, but of one it
is not certain whether she was wife or concubine". Ibid. p. 761.
All the biographers
agree that first spouse of the prince of mankind was Khadija the
greater-may Allah reward her. She was the daughter of Khowylad, son of
Asad s.o. A'bdul-u'zza, s.o. Qossai s.o.Kallab. The noble pedigree of
the most excellent of virtuous ladies and paragon of innocence
converges in Qossai with the genealogy of his lordship the seal of
prophecy. In dignity and relationship Khadijah - may Allah reward her -
stood nearer to the prince of Arabs and non Arabs than any of his other
wives. Ibid. p. 761
The congnomen of
Khadijah - may Allah reward her - was Omm Hind (mother of Hind), and her
sobriquet was Ttaherah (the pure one), her mother was Fatimah, the
daughter of Asad of the tribe Bani A'mer B. Lowa. Her first husband was
A'tyq, by whom she had a son and daughter. After his death Abu Halalah
married her (two other names are associated with Abu Halalah, Malek and
Zorarah, some refer as Zobayer, while some others Hind. Ibid. p. 762
In short when the
second husband died, many chiefs and nobles of Qoraish desired to marry
her, because of her excellent character, high intellect, and great
wealth but her ladyship would bestow her hand on no one, because when
waning moon of existence of Abu Halah had set in west of annihilations,
she dreampt one night that sun had descended from sky into her house
Khadijah - may Allah reward her - therefore always expected the rise of
that sun of the sphere of prophecy. Ibid. p.762. Once she obtained
information concerning all the circumstances of his Apostle lordship
(SAW) and the desire to marry him her over powered, she asked, Nafisa,
who was extremely handsome and intelligent; she concurred with the
opinion of Khadijah (peace be upon her) went to his lordship the
Apostle -u.w.b- and elicited from him with much dexterity, a favorable
reply to her question whether he would be inclined to ally himself to
Khadijah (peace be upon her), and returning to that happy lady, brought
her the glad tidings. Here on Khadijah (peace be upon her) selected a
propitious hour and assembled in her house her uncle A'mru Bin Asad,
with Waraqah, the son of Naufil, who was her near relative and a
Christian theologian. On the other hand, his holy and prophetic lordship
had, with Abu Talib and several other uncles, arrived during the same
hour at her invitation. On that occasion Abu Talib delivered the
following eloquent speech; 'Praise and adoration to Allah, who has made
us the children of Ebrahim and of Esma'il, brought us forth from the
family OF MOAD AND MAZAR, HAS MADE US GUARDIANS OF HIS HOUSE, THE
PRINCES OF HIS SANCTUARY, AND HAS PRESENTED US WITH KA'BAH, WHICH THE
PLACE OF CIRCUMAMBULATION AND THE QUIBLA OF MANKIND, AND THE SAFE
ASSYLUM OF EVERY ONE WHO FLEES TO IT FOR REFUGE. After some preliminary
remarks Abu Talib declared that "Now he weds Khadijah, the daughter of
Khoilad with a wedding gift of twenty camels of my property, which is
the marriage settlement, including all claims. By Allah! a high destiny
and great events are awaiting Mohammad (SAW). When Abu Taleb had
terminated this discourses, WARAQAH Bin Naufil also delivered a speech,
beginning with praise and adoration to the Most High, confirming what
Abu Taleb had said, and stating that he gave away Khudyjah (peace be
upon her) for a wife to Mohammad (SAW) with a dowry of four hundred
mithquals of gold". Ibid. Vol. i. part 2. pp. 129-30.
At the time when the
rays of favour of the prince of existences shone upon the cheeks of her
circumstances, his lordship - (SAW) - was 25 and according to all Sunni
Traditions-Khadijah was 40. In Kaashaf-ul-ghummah, it is quoted as 28th
year when she was married to Holy prophet. It is an authentic fact that
all the children of his lordship the best of the servants, of God, were
born from Khadijah, except the lord Ibrahim, to whom Maryah the coptess
gave birth. As long as Khadijah (peace be upon her) was alive the most
excellent of men, did not marry any other women. Ibid. p763.
"There is a Tradition
from Imam Ali (A.S.) "The best women of pastime was Mariam (Mary) and
the best women of our times is Khadijah. "The tradition from E'bne Abbas
has attributed it to the prophetic lordship saying as "the most
excellent women among the inhabitants of paradise will be Maria, the
daughter of E'mran, Khadijah, the daughter of Khowylad; and Fatimah, the
daughter of Muhammed (S.A.W) and Asiah, the daughter of Mozahum. Ibid.
p. 763.
According to the most
prevalent and correct tradition, the death of Khadijah (peace be upon
her) took place in the month of Ramdhan, in the tenth year after the
mission (December 619 A.D) Ibid. p. 763
2. SOADAH
Her cognomen was Omm
alaswad. She was the daughter of Zamqah, s.o. Qays, s.o. A'bd-shams, s.o.
A'bdu, s.o. Nadzar, s.o. Malek, s.o. Jabal, s.o. A'amer, s.o. Lowa, s.o.
Ghaleb, and in Lowa her pedigree becomes connected with the prophet-o.w.b.b.,
etc-- Sodah had first been married to her cousin Sikran, s. o. A'mru,
s.o. A'bdus-Shams and had by him a son called A'bdur Rahman. Both Sikran
and Soadah had made their profession of Islam in the begining of the
mission, and were enrolled among the exiles of Abyssinia. After the
death of Sikran, in the tenth year after the mission, the prophet (SAW)
had, according to authentic traditions married and taken her to himself
before A'ayshah, and her dowry was four hundred dirhems of silver.
There is a tradition
of Abu Harrirah-m.a.r.h- that he said; 'The Apostle-b. etc-took all his
wives with him to the Hajjatul-woda (pilgrimage of valediction) and on
returning from that journey he said "This was the pilgrimage of Islam,
which you have performed, and henceforth you are no longer under the
obligation to repeat it. You must hereafter abandon travelling, and go
nowhere. But after the decease of his lordship, the mothers of the
Faithful again went for pilgrimage, except Soadah and Zayneb. According
to one tradition the death of Soadah-m.a.r.h- took place towards the end
of the Khilafat of the Commander of the faithful O'mar and according to
another it happened in 674.A.D. Ibid. p. 765
3. A'AYSHAH DAUGHTER OF ABU BAKR
Her cognomen was Omm
A'Abdullah, and her mother was Omm Ruman, the daughter of O'mayr, s. o.
A'amer, of the Bani Wohman B. Alhareth B.Ghanam B.Malek B.Kanah. the
seal of prophets received A'ashah into the bonds of matrimony when she
was but six years old, and consumated it with her in the first year of
the exile (A.D.623) when she had become nine years of age. According to
one tradition ,her dowry was an amount of goods valued at fifty dirhams,
but according to another it consisted of five hundred dirhems.
A'ayshah-m.a.r.h- was, according to the U'lama, distinguished by her
knowledge of matters pertaining to religion, like the companions. In
prudence and intelect she was the foremost of all mothers of the
Faithful, so that certain scholars adhere with reference to her to a
tradition, according to which the prophet-b etc is asserted to have said
regarding her; 'Take one third of your religion from this Humayra'.
According a great many of companions and T'abi's (i.e. followers who
came after them) have recorded the sayings of A'ayshah. It is related
that A'rwah B.Zubayr-m a.r.h- said 'I never saw anyone more versed in
the meaning of the Quran and in the Ordinances obligations,
commandments, the permissions and prohibitions, ceremonies of the Arabs,
and Knowledge of genealogies, than A'ayshah-m.a.r.h.
In the
Rauzat-ul-ahbab it is recorded that when his lordship the seat of
prophecy was asked what man he loved most, he said; A'ayshah.
In the chronicle of
Hafez Abru an account is inserted from Rabyi-l-abrar and from
Kamelu-s-Sapinah inauguration of Yazid, how Moa’awiah b. Abu Sofian,
who was in the year 55 (A.D. 675) for the pupose of inauguration of
Yazid, had insulted Hyssayn the son of Ali Murtada (A.S.), A'bdullah,
the s. o. Omar, A'bdur-rehman, the s.o. Abu Bakr, and A'bdullah -
m.a.r.h in consequence where of Ssidyqah-m.A.r.h. blamed and reproved
him. Moa'awyah therefore dug a well in his house, covered its top with
reeds, and placed on these a chair of ebony. Then he invited Ssidyqah to
an enertainment and seated her on that chair, so that she fell into the
well, which Moa'awyah covered this time firmly with mortar and departed
from Madinah to Mekkah. It is recorded in Rauzat-ul-Ahbab that
A'ayshah.m.a.r.h departed this life on Tuesday the 17th of the month
Ramdhan, in the year 58 (A.D. 677) in consequence of a natural disease .
Ibid. p. 770.
4. HAFSAH DAUGHTER OF O'MAR B. KHATTAB
He mother was Zaynab,
the daughter of Mottawum B. Habyb B. Wohb B. Hudhafah. She was first
married to Hanys B. Hudhafa B. Qaus Sahmy who had been present at the
battle of Badr, and after his dicease the APOSTLE of Allah-bl etc-
married her, towards the end of the second or the begining of the third
year after exile (A.D. 634 or 625). His lordship has once divorced her
but took her back.
She died during the
Khilafat of Dhu-n-nuryn (i.e. Othman) - Allah rewards them both - in
the year 27 (A.D. 647) but according to Rauza-ul-Ahbab that event
happened at the time of Mo'awviyah in the 45, or 41, or 47, or 50
after the exile (A.D. 665, 661.667, or 670) Ibid. pp. 770-771
5. ZAYNAB, THE DAUGHTER OF KHODHAYMAH
She was first the
wife of Tofayl B. Alhareth B. Abd-ul Muttalib. After Tufail had divorced
her, his brother A'bdah B. Alheth married her according to one
tradition, but according to another it was Abdullah Hajash Asdy, and
when her second husband departed, the lord of prophecy married her,
during the month of Ramdhan, in the third year after exile A.D. 625. She
only enjoyed that happiness only for 8 months and died in Rabyi, the
second, of the fourth year after the exile. A.D. 625. Ibid. p. 771
6. OMM SOLMAH, DAUGHTER OF ABU OMMYAH
She was called Hinda,
and her fathers name was Abu Ommyah, but, according to Ebne Jauzi and
according to some other historians, it was Khodyfa. It is also said
that her father was Hesham B. Almoghyra B. Abdullah. B. O'mar B. Mahdum
B. Yaqytz B. Aqrah B. Ka'b. B. Lowa B. Ghaleb (so her pedigree also was
connected with that of Mohammad (SAW) According to some traditions her
dowry was four dirhams, but she was highly respected by the seal of
prophets. Her death took place during the reign of Yazid, in the sixty
first year of exile (A.D. 680). She had attained the age of sixty four
years and died the last of all the pure spouses of the prince of
existence. Ibid. pp. 771-772
7. ZAYNAB,DAUGHTER OF JAHASH
The Cognomen of Zaynab is Ommu-l-hukm but her name was at first Barrah, which his
lordship the best of men changed to Zaynab. She was first married to Zyd,
who divorced her. When, however, the Ydet (Iddat) had elapsed, the
Prophet-bl etc. said during the moth of Dhu-l-qadah, in the fifth year
after the exile (A.D. 626) to Zyd; 'Go and ask Zaynab in marriage to
myself. She was married to the APOSTLE of God on the witness of Jebrail.
On the same day also the verse of Quran 'Veil' was revealed, as is
related in detail in voluminous books. She died in 20th year after the
exile, she was 50 years and was interred in the Baqyi cemetry. Ibid. pp
772-72.
8. OMM HABYBAH, DAUTHER OF ABU SOFYAN
According to one
tradition her name was Ramlah, and according to another Hinda. Her
mother was Sofyah, the paternal uncle of O'thman-m.a.r.h- the
commander of the faithful. She was daughter of Abu-l-ass B. Ommyah B.
A'bdu-sh-shams. She was first married to A'bdullah B. Jahash Asdy, with
whom she lived several years. She made a profession of faith in the
beginning of Islam. During the sixth year after the exile (A.D 627) the
best of men wrote letter to the Najjashy requesting him to inform Omm
Habyba that he desired to marry her. After getting her consent Najjashi
married her, by proxy to the lord of prophecy, in the presence of
Ja'fer T'tayyar-m.a.r.h. ( A.D. 628). She died during the reign of
M'oawwyah, in the year 42 or 44 (663 or 665), in the cityof Madina, and
Marwan held prayers over her body; but according to others she died in
Syria. Ibid. pp. 772-74.
9. SSOFYAH, DAUGHTER OF E. AHTTAB
She was a Jewess of
Bani Nadzyr, of the tribe Aaron-to whom salutations - and her mother
was Dharr, the daughter of Samuel.Ssofiyah was first wife of Sollam, s.o.
Mashkam, and a separation between them taken place then she was married
to Kunainah B. Rabyi B. Abu-l-haqyb married her, but was slain in the
battle of Khyber and Ssofiyah became a prisoner of war. The best of
men-b etc. however liberated her and married her, she was 17 years old.
According to the author of the Guzidah, she died A.H. 36, but according
to others A.H. 50 or 52. She was buried in Baqyi. Rauzatus-Safa. pp.
774-75
10. MAYMUNAH, DAUTHER OF ALHARETH
Her name was Barrah,
but the best of men-b. etc. changed it to Maymunah. She was first
married to Masud B. Abu-Dirham, after they have separated then
Abdu-l-layl, the son of A'mru married her. After the decease of her
second husband, Maymuna was however, in consequence of her propitious
destiny, in the seventh year after the exile (A.D.) 629), exalted to the
happiness of becoming the spouse of the lordship the prophet-b etc -
who consummated the marriage on his return from the O'mratu-qadza (the
decreed pilgrimage) in the noble habitation of Maymuna; but she died
likewise, which took place in the 38 ( A.D. 658) and according to
another tradition in 61 (681) If the last tradition is correct, Maymuna
must have been the last of the mothers of the faithful who died last.
Ibid. p.777
THE CONCUBINES.
The prince of
divinely inspired messanger-b. etc.- had four concubines. The first was
Maryah the coptess, daughter Shimaun, whom Maqqoqush the governor (of
Alexzandria) had sent by way of gift to his lordship the best of men-b.,
etc-who made use of her in the kingdom of Yemen (sic) and begat with
her Ibrahim. The death of Maryah took place during the time of the
Khilafate of the Commander of faithful O'mer- A.r.h.in the year 16(A.D.
637) and she was buried in Baqyi cemetry.
Secondly : Rayhana,
who was a captive from among Bani Nazdyr, or Bani Qorytt; and the
prophet-b. etc- selected her for his portion, leaving her the option to
take a profession of Islam or to remain in her own religion; Rayhana,
however, preferred to become a Musalman, and his lorship made use of
her in the kingdom of Yemen (sic). There are other tradition too.
According to one tradition she died during the year of Hajattul woda,
but according to another in the time of Khilafate of Omar, first is most
accurate. Allah is most knowing and wise.
Thirdly The
slave-girl Jamylah who had fallen to the portion of his lorship the
prophet-u.w.b. from among captive.
The slave girl whom
Zaynab, the daughter of Jahash had presented to his lordship". Ibid.
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