When it was clear that the Prophet (peace be upon him) decided to marry Safiyyah (radi Allahu anha), the news was received with considerable expectation. On their arrival in Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) accommodated her first in the house of his Ansari companion, Harithah ibn Al-Numan. Many women, particularly from the Ansar, went there to see the Prophet’s new wife. This was only to be expected since the Ansar were used to having the Jews living in their city until they had recently been evacuated. Safiyyah’s own people, the Al-Nadir tribe, were evacuated only three years earlier. The Prophet (peace be upon him) even noticed his wife, Ayesha (radi Allahu anha), going there, having covered her face. He (peace be upon him) observed her movement until he saw her going into that house. When she came back home, he (peace be upon him) asked her: ‘How did you find her?’ Her answer expressed her jealous feelings: ‘I only saw a Jewish woman.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Do not say that. She has become a Muslim, and she is a good Muslim.’
Category: Sahaba
Respecting The Companions Of The Holy Prophet
Part of respecting and obeying the Beloved Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam) consists of respecting his Companions (radiAllahu anhum), obeying them, recognizing what is due to them, following them, praising them, asking forgiveness for them, refraining from discussing their differences, showing enmity to those who are hostile towards them, and shunning the misguidance of some people and the innovators and the reports of any historians or ignorant transmitters who detract from any of them. If there is something equivocal that is reported about them regarding the trials that took place between them, then adopt the best interpretation and look for the correct way out of it, since that is what they deserve. None of them should be mentioned in a bad manner, nor are they to be rebuked for anything. Rather, we mention their good deeds, their virtues, and their praiseworthy lives and are silent about anything else.
The Beloved Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam) said, “When my Companions are mentioned, hold back.” (At-Tabarani)
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’Ala) says, “Muhammad (sallAllahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam) is the Messenger of Allah and those with him are hard against the disbelievers but tender among themselves…” (48:29) and “And the first and foremost are the Muhajirun and the Ansar,” (9:100) and “Allah was pleased with the believers when they were swearing allegiance to you under the tree,” (48:18) and “Men who have made true the covenant they had made with Allah.” (33:23)
Superiority Of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddiq Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu
The Ahl-e-Sunnat wa Jama’at has reached the consensus (Ijma’) that after the Prophets (Alaihim as-Salam), the best of creation are the four rightly guided Khalifas (Khulafa-e-Arba’a i.e., Hadrat Abu Bakr, Hadrat Umar, Hadrat Uthman, and Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhum Ajma’een).
Their sequence of excellence is that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddique is the most excellent, then Sayyiduna Umar, thereafter followed by the excellence of Sayyiduna Uthman and Sayyiduna Ali (Ridwanullahi Ta’ala Alaihim Ajma’een). Here, I present a few proclamations of the Classical Scholars and Jurists in this regard.
Proclamations of the Classical Scholars and Jurists
1. Imam al-Aazam Abu Hanifa gave one of the pithiest definitions of Sunnism in Islam:
“The doctrine of Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama’a consists in preferring the Two Shaykhs (tafdil al-shaykhayn) [i.e., Abu Bakr and ‘Umar over the rest], loving the Two Sons-in-law (hubb al-khatanayn) [i.e., ‘Ali and ‘Uthman], and wiping on leather socks (al-mas-h ‘alal-khuffayn) [i.e., all three contrary to Shi’is].” [Khulasat al-Fatawa, Vol. 2, Page 381]
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Intiqa’ bi-Manaqib al-A’immat al-Thalathati al-Fuqaha’ through several different chains. The same is also related by Sufyan al-Thawri by al-La’laka’i in his I’tiqad Ahl al-Sunna, Vol. 1, Page
152.
2. Imam al-Aazam Abu Hanifah in Fiqh Al-Akbar:
“The most superior and the best of all men after prophets – blessings and peace upon them – is Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. And then, Umar ibn al-Khattab al-Faruq. And then Uthman ibn Affan Dhu’n Nurayn. And then Ali ibn Abu Talib al-Murtada. May Allah be well pleased with them all; they were worshippers and steadfast on Truth and sided with Truth. We love all of them.” [Fiqh Al-Akbar]
3. Imam al-Nawawi said in his Fatawa:
“Know that each of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar is better than ‘Ali according to the Consensus (ijma’) of Ahl al-Sunna. The proofs for this in well-known sound hadiths are too famous and countless to be listed.” [Fatawa Imam Nawawi, Page 264]
Shan e Umar (Razi ALLAH ANHO)
He has been awarded with a lot of praise by Our Beloved Prophet Hazrat MUHAMMAD Sallalaho alaih wassalm and said that If there had been any messenger after me, it would have been UMER (radi Allahu anhu).
There are many hadith that mention the Good qualities and special position of Umar bin Khattab (radi Allahu anhu).
Abu Saeed al Khudri reported that Muhammad said: “Every prophet has two wazeer (ministers) from the dwellers of the heaven (angels) and two wazeer from the inhabitants of the earth. So, my wazeer from the dwellers of heaven are Jibrael and Mikael, and my wazeer from the earthlings are Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) and Umar (radi Allahu anhu).” from Jami Tirmidhi
Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) said that one day, Muhammad (radi Allahu anhu) came out and entered the masjid, Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) and Umar (radi Allahu anhu) with him, to his right and left. Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had held their hands, and he said, “The three of us will be raised on the Day of Resurrection in this way.” from Jami Tirmidhi
Abu Saeed al Khudri (radi Allahu anhu) reported that he heard Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say, “While I was asleep, I dreamt that people were brought to me, all of them wearing shirts. Some of the shirts reached only up to the chest, and some a little below the chest. Umar ibn al-Khattab (radi Allahu anhu) was also brought to me. His shirt was so long that it trailed on the ground, and he dragged it along as he walked.” Some of the Sahaba asked him its interpretation, and he (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Religion.” from Sahih Bukhari and Muslim
Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) reported that Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Among the earlier ummah there have been muhaddath (who are blessed by Allah with inspiration). So if there is one in my ummah (who is blessed) then he is Umar (radi Allahu anhu).” from Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
Abu Zarr (radi Allahu anhu) reported that he heard Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say, “Allah has placed Truth on Umar’s tongue, and he speaks only the truth.” From Abu Dawood
Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) reported that Umar (radi Allahu anhu) said, “My thinking abided with my Lord on three matters (on which His Command was about to be revealed): the station of Ibrahim, the hijab, and the captives of the battle of Badr.” From Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
The Dream Of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu
Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu was a merchant before the advent of Islam and once traveled to Syria on business. While there, he had a dream in which he saw the sun and the moon descend from the sky and fall onto his lap. He took hold of them, placed them against his chest, and then stored them in a sheet. In the morning, he met with a Christian priest and sought an interpretation of the dream.
The priest asked him, “Who are you?”
“I am Abu Bakr, a resident of Makkah.”
“Which tribe are you from?”
“The Banu Hashim.”
“And what’s your means of livelihood?”
“Business.”
The priest then said,
“So listen carefully: The Final Prophet, Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him), has arrived, and he is from your tribe. If it weren’t for him, Allah wouldn’t have created the Earth, the Heavens, or even another prophet. He’s the leader of whatever came first and whatever comes last. O Abu Bakr! Soon you’ll join this deen and become both a minister and a viceroy of it. This is the dream’s interpretation. Listen too, that I’ve read the praise of this Prophet in the Torah and in the Bible, and I’ve already brought Iman upon him and accepted Islam – only I haven’t revealed this yet to the Christians out of fear.”
Hearing this, the love for the Holy Prophet began to grow within Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu, and he immediately headed back to Makkah, looked for the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him), and cooled his eyes with his blessed sight.
The Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam saw him and said, “Abu Bakr! You’ve come. Now quickly enter the religion of truth.”
Hadrat Abu Bakr respectfully replied, “Fine, but I’d like to see a miracle.”
The Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said, “Whatever you saw in Syria, and its interpretation by the priest, was solely my miracle.”
Hearing this, Hadrat Abu Bakr replied,
صدقت يارسول الله انا اشهد انك محمد رسول الله
You’ve spoken the truth, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” [Jami’ul Mu’jizat, Page 14]
Lesson: We see that Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu is a true Khalifa of Islam, and also that nothing of the happenings of the world is unknown to the Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him). We also come to know that had it not been for our Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him), nothing else in this world would have been created!!
Greet Her On Behalf Of Her Lord
Narrated Abu Hurairah: Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “O Allah’s Messenger! This is Khadijah, bringing you a dish with meat soup (or some other food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a palace made of Qasab in Paradise, wherein there will be neither any noise nor any toil (fatigue, trouble, etc.).” [Source~ Al-Bukhari]
‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas narrated that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) drew four lines on the earth and asked his Companions if they understood what these lines stood for. They respectfully replied that he knew better. He then told them that these lines stood for the four foremost ladies of the universe. They were Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, the mother of the Prophet Issa (peace and blessings be upon him), and ‘Asia bint Muzahim (the wife of the Pharaoh). She was the first person to have an abiding faith in the utterances of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to accept Islam as her religion and her way of life. She was blessed with the distinction of having been greeted with Salam (greetings) by Allah and the Angel Jibril.
Khadijah (r.a.) was born in Makkah in the year 556 CE. Her mother’s name was Fatimah bint Zayd, and her father’s name was Khuwaylid bin Asad. He was a very popular leader among the tribe of Quraysh, and a very prosperous businessman who died while fighting in the famous battle of Fujjar. Khadijah thus grew up in the lap of luxury. She married Abu Halah Malak bin Nabash bin Zarrarah bin At-Tamimi and bore him two children, Halah and Hind. She wanted to see her husband prosper and financed him in setting up a big business. But unfortunately, he passed away. Sometime later, the young widow married ‘Atique bin ‘Aith bin ‘Abdullah Al-Makhzumi, and she had a daughter by him as well, named Hindah, but the marriage soon broke up on grounds of incompatibility.
After this, all her attention was devoted to the upbringing of her children and building up the business she inherited from her father. Her astuteness and business ability made her business one of the most widespread businesses among the Quraysh. Her policy was to employ hardworking, honest, and distinguished managers to deal on her behalf, as a lot depended on the integrity of the employees who travelled far and wide on her behalf. She exported her goods to faraway markets like Syria, and her managers bought goods from those markets to be sold at home.
The First Muezzin: Bilal Ibn Rabah, An Ethiopian
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) Death
Clearly, the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) final moments in this world revealed Bilal’s finest characteristics, as he was so emotional and seemed to be the person who suffered the most.
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) died on a Monday. Madinah has never witnessed such tears and unhappiness as that day. He died on Aisha’s chest; see the tenderness of his wife? She left her home, not knowing what to say to the people. She opened the doors to the mosque and said, “Allah messenger has died, Allah messenger has died.”?
The people in the mosque burst into tears. Anas Ibn Malak said, “The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) first came to Madinah on a Monday, and everything on that day was filled with light. Now he died in Madinah on a Monday, and everything on this day was filled with darkness.”
One of the Companions who were away from Madinah said, “When I returned, I found all the doors closed, and heard weeping from inside the houses.”
The first prayer after his death came, and Bilal ascended to call for the prayer, saying, “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest”, “There is no God but Allah, there is no God but Allah”. When he reached “witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”, the people in the mosque burst into tears and Bilal’s voice broke down, tears overcoming him. He couldn’t continue the call for prayer and descended from the pulpit. When the next prayer came, Bilal ascended to call for the prayer, and the same thing happened again.
O people, how can you latch onto other things and forget the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)?
Bilal stayed in this state for three days, wanting to call for the prayer but could not bring himself to do so.
He went to Abu Bakr and said, “Abu Bakr, discharge me from being the caller for prayer.”
He requested this after ten years of calling for prayers.
Abu Bakr wondered, “Why”?
Bilal replied, “I can’t call anyone for the prayer after Allah’s messenger. Every time I tried, I failed”.
Abu Bakr again wondered, “Why”?
Bilal said, “I can’t stay in Madinah after the Prophet’s death.”
Abu Bakr said, “No, I want you to stay with me”.
Bilal said, “If you released me from slavery under Umaya for yourself, then lock me up, and if you released me for Allah, then leave me to whom you released me for.”
Imagine how lovely and kind this former slave was.
Abu Bakr said, “I swear I didn’t buy you except for Allah’s sake, or spend my wealth except for Allah, or release you except for Allah, go, Bilal, do what you wish.”
Where do you think he went? He’s a soldier of Islam. Does it mean that as a result of the Prophet’s (P.B.U.H.) death, Bilal will stop everything and stay at home? No! He just can’t stand to stay in Madinah, because of the memories and the emotional ties.
Life After the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
Bilal went to Palestine, where he joined the army, which struggled to take back Palestine and Al Quds. Omar Ibn Al-Khattab sent out the armies, and they defeated the enemies and won. Bilal prayed with the Companions in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
O Allah! Reward us with a prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque!
The Muslims sent for Omar Ibn Al-Khattab to receive Palestine keys. He didn’t go in person to receive Egypt’s keys or Iraq’s keys, but he went to Palestine; see the significance of the country!
Omar met the armies and told them to gather in a wide open space, so they met on the Golan Heights. Omar asked, “Where’s Bilal?” It had been years since they had last met, and the happiness of meeting each other was immense. “Bilal, call for the prayer,” Bilal said, “Ruler of the Believers, I don’t call anyone for the prayers after the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).” Omar said, “Bilal, this is a victorious day, this is a day of dignity, a day which would make the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) pleased.” So Bilal ascended the Golan Heights and called: “Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest”, “there is no God but Allah, there is no God but Allah” until Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” was stated, and the whole army burst into tears. They even heard Omar’s weeping voice!
The rest of Bilal’s story can be narrated in a few lines. Bilal settled in Damascus in Syria. A few months before he died, he saw a vision; he saw the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) telling him, “O Bilal! What’s this unfriendliness? Didn’t you miss visiting me, Bilal? As soon as he woke up, he hurried to Madinah. He stood in front of the Prophet’s grave (P.B.U.H.) and greeted him: “Peace be upon you, Allah’s messenger, peace be upon you, Allah’s beloved.”
Let me tell you a really pleasant thing: no one salutes the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), without an Angel going to the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and informing him of this greeting, and so the Prophet would reply to your greeting! The Prophet (P.B.U.H) said, “Allah has angels walking on earth, if they find someone who is praying and greeting me, they carry the greeting to me, so I reply to your greeting.”
Hassan and Hussain, the Prophet’s (P.B.U.H.) grandchildren, came to Bilal, and he hugged them and cried. They said, We have missed your call for the prayer, Bilal. So he ascended to call for the prayer. Seven years had passed since he last did this. The whole of Madinah was captivated as they remembered this precious sound as they listened to the call for prayer.
The call to prayer has such sweetness.
People came out of their homes when they heard the call to prayer, moving towards the voice. Madinah cried like it hadn’t since the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
Bilal died in Damascus in Syria, where his grave lies. He died at the age of sixty. While dying, his wife felt sad and cried out, O disaster, O disaster. Bilal replied, “Don’t say O! Disaster, say O! Joy, O! Joy, for tomorrow I meet the beloved Muhammad and his Companions.”
Conclusion
Let’s remember the details of Bilal’s life:
He is the first caller of the prayers for the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
He embraced Islam at the age of 30.
He was among the first Muslims.
Abu Bakr released him from slavery.
He continued calling the prayers for the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) for ten years.
He was the only one who prayed in the Kaaba with the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
He died in Damascus, 17 A.H *. At the age of 60.
He said the well-known quote on his deathbed, “O! Joy, tomorrow I meet the beloved Muhammad and his Companions.”
Endnotes
* Radeeya Allah Anho, R.A. is the abbreviation, literally means “May Allah be pleased with him”.
* P.B.U.H. is the abbreviation of “Peace be upon him”, referring to the Prophet.
* Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage, which is optional and can be performed at any time.
* A.H. is the abbreviation of “After Hijraha”.
Bilal Becomes A Muslim
Bilal (Radeeya Allah Anho) embraced Islam in the first year of Muhammad’s prophecy at the age of 30. There was an age difference of ten years between him and the Prophet (P.B.U.H), as the Prophet received the message of Islam at the age of forty. Bilal was one of the first people in Makkah to embrace Islam.
Bilal had something valuable; he was the third person who became a Muslim in Makkah. This is a very important point, because he was a slave to a very cruel, disbelieving man from Quraish, Umaya Ibn Khalaf. This man lived and died a disbeliever, and Bilal wished to declare his religion openly, although he was forbidden to do so. Even though he had to hide his beliefs from his cruel master, his declaration of faith was accepted. Bear in mind that during the period of severe suffering in Makkah, no one openly declared their faith in Islam except seven people.
Firstly, the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), secondly Abu Bakr (R.A.), and thirdly person was Bilal Ibn Rabah (R.A.). Because he loved his religion so much, he couldn’t hide it, and so he forsook his life for the sake of Allah.
Bilal stood in the middle of Makkah and testified, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. He was among the Companions who were greatly harmed by the disbelievers because of his faith in Islam.
Umaya Ibn Khalaf used to take him to the desert and wait until the temperature reached forty or fifty degrees. He ordered his servants to undress Bilal, then cover him in an iron material, and place a heavy stone on his chest, which was so heavy that ten men couldn’t lift it. They would leave him like that for hours.
They would then return to him, and by then Bilal would literally be melting. They would demand Bilal to reject his faith in Allah and Muhammad (P.B.U.H.); but Bilal endless response would be: “Only one, only one” (meaning only One God). He stayed in this situation for endless days and months.
However, Bilal remained patient until Abu Bakr went to Umaya Ibn Khalaf and told him, “Why don’t you have mercy on this poor man?”
Umaya replied, “You give mercy to him”.
Abu Bakr said, “Yes, I will buy him. How much will you sell him for?”
A slave at that time was worth Dinars of silver. Since Bilal was in poor health and was beaten excessively, he was worth only one silver Dinar. The spiteful Umaya Ibn Khalaf said, “I will sell him for nine silver Dinars.” Abu Bakr replied, “And I will buy him for that price.”
Umaya laughed and said, “You know Abu Bakr, if you had argued the price with me, I would have sold Bilal to you for one Dinar”.
So Abu Bakr replied, “Umaya, if you had demanded one hundred Dinars, I would still have bought him!”
Brothers and sisters, spend wealth on people around you who are in need, be devoted and ready to sacrifice yourself. When you live solely for yourself and your children, you will live small and die small. But when you live for others, Allah will extend your life with each person you have helped.
If I asked women here, what is the state of your wardrobes? Filled with clothes? Do you wear them all? You’ll find that you don’t wear half of them. Why? Because fashion changes, and because you’re going to lose weight next year, etc. This is a selfish and greedy act. Give to those who need; those who can benefit from your unwanted goods.
The Migration to Madinah
Bilal stayed with the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) until the migration to Madinah (Al Hijrah), where they left Makkah for Madinah.
Something strange occurred in Madinah. The Prophet’s Mosque had been built, but people found it difficult to know the prayer times. How would they know when it is time for prayer? One of the Muslims suggested ringing a bell to signal that it is time for prayer. This idea was rejected, since the Christians use a bell to call members to church. Another Muslim suggested that they could raise a flag and walk with it to signal it was time to pray. But this idea was also rejected.
A companion called Abdullah Ibn Zayd (R.A.) came and said, “O Allah’s Prophet! That night, I dreamt I saw a man selling bells, so I asked him if I could buy one. He replied, Why do you need it? I said, so that people would know it was time to pray. The man replied, I can tell you something better than that. I asked him what it was. He said: Call for the prayer.”
O brothers and sisters! His dream was about religion! Some of the youths’ dreams are to get a particular car, and that’s all they dream of!
While Abdullah Ibn Zayd told them of his dream, Omar Ibn Al-Khattab said, “I swear by Allah’s messenger, I saw exactly what he saw too!” Upon this, the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said, “Thanks be to Allah for this blessed vision. Tell Bilal to call for the prayer. He has a more beautiful voice than yours.”
Does Islam care about beauty, and how to make things look and sound beautiful? Is that our religion? Yes, that’s our religion! This is Islam.
So the call for the prayer was heard, and Bilal became the first caller for the prayers in Islam, and the first caller for the prayer for the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
Battles and the Return to Makkah
Bilal stayed with the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and never missed a single battle with him. When he was going to the battle of Badr to face the disbelievers, imagine who was among them? Umaya Ibn Khalaf! Bilal had come face to face with him! What would you do to the one who had tortured you? When Bilal saw him, he said, “Umaya Ibn Khalaf, the head of the disbelievers, I won’t survive if he survives.” During the battle, Umaya Ibn Khalaf was killed.
When the Muslims returned to Makkah, the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) returned the favor to Bilal. The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said, “Bilal, climb on the Kabah back and call out for the prayer”. It doesn’t end there. The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) asked, “Where is the Kabah key?” There were 10,000 people standing in front of the Kabah, and the space inside the Ka‘bah would not allow more than one person to pray next to the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). Who will enter with Allah’s Prophet?! Surely Abu Bakr or Omar or Othman? No, it’s a pious and loyal day, “Where’s Bilal, come Bilal, pray with me inside the Kabah”. No one had prayed in the Kabah with the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), except one person, Bilal Ibn Rabah. From then on, when Omar met Bilal, he used to say, “Bilal, Abu Bakr is your master, and you are our master.” ‘Omar used to say this to Bilal! Look at what he learnt from the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
Once the Prophet asked Bilal, “Bilal, tell me the best deed you have done, as I heard your footsteps in Paradise.”
“I swear the most I’ve done is that whenever my ablution was nullified, I would perform ablution immediately, and I would always pray two Raka‘s after ablution,” Bilal replied.
“That’s it Bilal!” The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) exclaimed.
Brothers and sisters, do you want to hear your feet walking in Paradise? Don’t move except when you are pure and on ablution. How can you leave your house in the morning when you are not?
Adil Khan
Role Model For Modesty ( Fatima bint Muhammad)
One day in the early days of Islam, the Prophet (SAWS) was praying in front of the Ka’aba. Abu Jahal, ‘Ukbah bin Abi Mu’eet, and Shayba, the enemies of the Prophet (SAWS) were sitting around and they said to each other, Abu Jahal made the suggestion and he said, “Who would take the guts of a camel and all of the filth and dump it on his back while he is praying to humiliate him?” Abu Jahal is someone who stepped on the neck of the Prophet (SAWS) while he was praying, he’s someone who used to throw dirt at the Prophet (SAWS) while he was praying but he wanted to degrade him even further. And ‘Ukban volunteered himself and he went and grabbed all of the filth of a camel, all of its guts and all of its najaasa (excretions) and he went and he dumped it on the back of the Prophet (SAWS) while he was in sujood/prostration. That weight down the back of the Prophet (SAWS) heavily. Imagine this young girl, not even a teenager yet, Fatimah radiyaAllahu ta’ala ‘anha, the daughter of the Prophet (SAWS) seeing her father in this state, seeing the people laugh at him and mock him and curse him. And she comes and she starts to scrape all of that filth off of the back of her father. Imagine the humiliation and the hurt and the pain and she sees that. She starts to cry Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha and the Prophet (SAWS) says “لا تبكي إن الله ناصرٌ أباك” [laa tabki inn Allah naasirun ‘abaaki]- Do not cry oh my daughter, Allah (SWT) will help and give victory to your father. And it is at that time that the Prophet (SAWS) raised his hands to the skies and made du’aa saying,
“اللهم عليك بأبي جهل، اللهم عليك بعقبة، اللهم عليك بشيبة”.
And those 3 men that the Prophet (SAWS) made du’aa against were the first 3 people to go down in Badr.
Now the moral of this story more than anything else is the young girl. Don’t you think that would traumatize her and make her an individual who would not have the same love for her father’s cause but would rather blame it? Absolutely not! And we look at this young girl Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha, the 5th child of the Prophet (SAWS). The Prophet (SAWS) had other daughters and you might wonder, why Fatima? Why is she the one that perfected her faith? What about her older sisters? And there are a couple of reasons that the scholars mention. One of them is that she spent the most time with her mother Khadija Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha, another woman who had perfected her faith. And so she adopted her morals and her characters more than anything else. Another reason is that she was with the Prophet (SAWS) at times when no one else was with him. When Khadija Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha passed away, it was only the Prophet (SAWS) and Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha alone in that household. Subhan Allah, you can imagine what role she had to play. She was only 5 years old when Rasool Allah received revelation. She was born and grew up in Islam unlike any of the other children. She grew up in Islam. But Subhan Allah she was with the Prophet (SAWS) when no one else was with him. And you can imagine those moments. Imagine the times the Prophet (SAWS) would come home when he was feeling devastated after losing Khadija and AbuTalib and having no one else she was the one that would cook for him, she was the one that would come to his aid, she was the one that started to comfort him and took her mother’s place Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha. And in fact, they used to call Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha ‘أم أبيها’ [umm abeeha]- the mother of her father. Subhan Allah. She cared for the Prophet (SAWS) that much.
She also adopted so much from the Prophet (SAWS) in terms of her character. One of her nicknames being ‘الزهراء’ [al-Zahraa’] – the splendid one was because of her radiant face, she had that beautiful radiant face and she was the daughter of the Prophet (SAWS) whose face was as bright as the full moon. And we find that ‘Aisha Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha says something very special about her. ‘Aisha says, “I have never seen anyone who resembled the Prophet (SAWS) from Allah’s creation more in speech and character and conversation than Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha.” And listen to what ‘Aisha says, she says that any time Fatima entered a room where the Prophet (SAWS) was she said the Prophet (SAWS) would get up. He would greet her, he would kiss her, he would hold her hand and then he would take Fatima and sit her down in the same place that he was sitting, ‘alayhi al salat wassalam, Honoring her and holding her in that high esteem. And you might think to yourself, Subhan Allah this woman is that daughter of Khadija Radi Allahu anha but the Prophet (SAWS) said that Fatima is ‘سيدة نساء الجنة’ [sayyidat nisaa’ al-jannah]- she is the queen, the leader of the women of Paradise. Not only has she perfected her faith but she is the leader of the women of Paradise. And the Prophet (SAWS) treated her like royalty. But royalty in a different sense. You know we think of royalty nowadays that he got her married to a really rich man and probably gave her a palace and spoiled her rotten and gave her gifts all the time. The Prophet (SAWS) rejected many proposals from great sahaba who had wealth and were very well off in dunya and aakhirah but the Prophet (SAWS) chose ‘Ali radiya Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu, the one who the Prophet (SAWS) called his brother after Hijra. And Rasool Allah (SAWS) used to always call ‘Ali his brother after hijra to the point that Umm Ayman Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha she said, “How come you call him your brother? Who is your brother?” He said, “This is the one who I made my brother. We were paired after hijra.”
The Prophet (SAWS) chose ‘Ali for Fatima. And the Prophet (SAWS) whenever ‘Ali Radi Allahu ‘anhu came to propose to Fatima, the Prophet (SAWS) sat infront of ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu and ‘Ali was nervous. So the Prophet (SAWS) offered it to ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu and said, “Maybe you came so that you could get engaged to Fatima?” ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu said “Yes”. So the Prophet (SAWS) said, “Well what do you have as a dowry? What do you have as a mahr?” He had nothing. All he had was a shield and that’s the only thing he owned. And the Prophet (SAWS) said, “Well why don’t you sell that shield and use that as mahr?” And that is the only thing she had as her dowry. ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu sold his shield to ‘Uthman Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu and that was the only thing that would be used for dowry.
Subhan Allah think about how much the Prophet (SAWS) loved her but even with that, the Prophet (SAWS) was so involved with the life of Fatima and ‘Ali that sometimes Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha thought that maybe the Prophet (SAWS) loved ‘Ali more than her because the Prophet (SAWS) was always caring for that household. He would come and wake them up for qiyam-ul-layl. Subhan Allah he was always involved with that household, always taking care of them and checking up on them. So Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha wondered one time that maybe the Prophet (SAWS) loves my husband more than me. And the Prophet (SAWS) who has ‘خلقٍ عظيم’ [khuluqin ‘atheem]- the most perfected exalted character says to ‘Ali and Fatima when they’re together, he points to ‘Ali and says, ‘فاطمة أحب إلي منك’ [Fatima ‘ahabbu illayya mink]- Fatima is more beloved to me. And then he looks to Fatima and says, ‘وعلي أعز إلي منك’ [‘Ali a’azzu illayya minki]- and ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu has more honor with me than you. Subhan Allah satisfying and pleasing both parties.
The Prophet (SAWS) while he was checking up on them, for example, one time he saw Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha and think about this: the only thing that they owned in their household was a sheepskin to sleep on. That was all they had in their possession and the Prophet (SAWS) he sees this situation and he comes home one day Fatima said to the Prophet (SAWS) that ‘Ali is upset that they had some kind of difference like any other married couple and ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu went to sleep in the masjid. The Prophet (SAWS) goes to the masjid and he sees ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu laying down he wakes ‘Ali up and starts to dust off ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu and says, ‘قم يا أبا تراب’ [qum ya abaa turaab] -stand up oh father of dust. And ‘Ali said that was the most beloved nickname to me after that. Rasool Allah (SAWS) was diffusing the situation. He always wanted them to be happy and together and was checking up on his daughter.
Again, this is the Queen of the Women of Jannah, right? So what would her status be like in dunya? ‘Ali Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anhu sees Fatima Radi Allahu ‘anha one day and her hands are covered in blisters because of how much she has to work because of all the hardship that she goes through in this life. This is the Queen of the women of jannah. And he says to Fatima Radi Allahu ‘anha, and this was after a Battle, he says, “Why don’t you go to the Prophet (SAWS) and ask him for a servant?” Ask the Prophet (SAWS) for a servant. And the Prophet (SAWS) did not want that for her. The Prophet (SAWS) comes to their home and sits ‘Ali and Fatima on the bed and Rasool Allah (SAWS) sits between them and he says, “Shall I give you something even better than that?” He says, “Say Subhan Allah 33 times, Aalhamdulellah 33 times, and Allahu Akbar 34 times before you sleep.” This is the Prophet (SAWS) caring for his daughter. This is what he considered providing for his daughter.
Now the Prophet (SAWS) of course took care of them but you have to understand that this did not make Fatima Radi Allahu ‘anha a bitter woman. She didn’t think to herself “I’m entitled I should be living a really good life”, because she saw the way that her father was suffering and she suffered with him and she was like him (SAWS). And Subhan Allah we find that when the Prophet (SAWS) was dying, Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha, she saw the Prophet (SAWS) in his battered state and his clothes and his illness and she started to cry. And Rasulullah (SAWS) calls her over compassionately, and the Prophet (SAWS) says come let me tell you something. And Rasulullah (SAWS) whispers something to her and she starts to cry further. And then Rasulullah (SAWS) says come back down let me tell you something else. And he whispers to her again and she starts to laugh and the people were amazed. ‘Aishah Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha demanded she said, “Tell me what it was that the Prophet (SAWS) told you!” At first, she refused, but eventually, she gave in and said ‘Aisha Radi Allahu ‘anha. She said, “My father told me the first time (SAWS) that he would not survive this illness. And then he called me back and told me you will be the first one to join me.” She laughed at death. The Prophet (SAWS) was telling her you’re going to be the first one to die from my companions and Subhan Allah 4-6 months afterward Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha became ill and she was ill from the time of the death of the Prophet (SAWS) out of her pain from her father dying. And this is a mother of young children. This is a mother who is married to a wonderful husband but Subhan Allah she just wants to be with her father (SAWS) in jannat-ul-firdaous.
She goes one day and she lies down and she smiles looking to the heavens and she calls for Asmaa bint Abi ‘Umays, the wife of Abu Bakr Al-Siddeeq may Allah (SWT) be pleased with them both. And Asmaa was going to be the one that was going to wash the body of Fatima . And look at how this royal woman speaks, she says to Asmaa “Whenever you do my ghusl (wash my body after I pass) and whenever you do my janaazah (funeral) do it at night so that the people will not see my figure.” Subhan Allah! This was a woman who was full of modesty and was known for her modesty. She is the daughter of the most modest and most bashful (SAWS). She said, “Whenever you bury me, bury me in the evening so that no one would see my figure.” Subhan Allah! And that is how she was buried at night. But Allah (SWT) joined her with her father (SAWS) and she took her rightful position as the Queen, the leader, of the women of Paradise.
Now I just want you to think about this for a moment. Who was a greater woman than Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha? Who is more deserving of a lavish wedding and of a high mahr and of living a life of joy and luxury than Fatima Radi Allahu ta’ala ‘anha? But that is not what true royalty is. Because a kingdom that will be taken away at any moment is not a real kingdom at all. But rather that which is eternal and everlasting ‘والآخرة خيرٌ وأبقى’ [wal aakhiratu khayrun wa abqa]- that which is everlasting is what truly matters. And she is a Queen in that regard and she is Royal in Jannah.
And we ask Allah (SWT) to grant us that high and royal company in the highest of levels jannat-ul-Firdaus. Allahumma ameen.
Please note this transcript has been edited for readability purposes. If any of this information is good and true, know that it comes from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. If there are mistakes we ask for Allah’s Forgiveness and Mercy.
By: Brother Omar Suleiman.
When The Prophet’s Wives Met Men
It is well known that a divine order was given to the Prophet (peace be upon him), late in his life, requiring his wives to be behind a screen when speaking to men. Before that order, they behaved like other Muslim women, taking part in the public life of society and meeting men on public and private occasions. There are many examples of this on
either very common occasions, such as the mere exchange of greetings, or special ones like weddings and parties. However, we will cite other examples so that we give an idea of the extent of their participation in public life, and the variety of purposes of their meetings with men.
The first example concerns the pursuit of knowledge and involves Lady Khadeejah, the Prophet’s first wife. Lady Ayesha reports: “The first aspect of revelation given to the Prophet was that his dreams would always come true. Khadeejah took him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, her cousin on her father’s side. Waraqah had converted to Christianity before the advent of Islam. He used to write in Arabic whatever he learned of the Gospel. He was an old, blind man. Khadeejah said to him: ‘Cousin! Listen to what he (meaning Prophet Muhammad) has to tell you.’ He said to him:
‘What is it that you have seen?’ The Prophet told him about his encounter with Gabriel, the angel. Waraqah said: ‘This is the archangel who used to come to Moses. I wish I were a young man. I wish I am alive when your people will drive you out of your town.’ The Prophet said: ‘Will they drive me out?’ Waraqah answered. ‘Yes. No one has ever preached what you will be delivering without being met with hostility. If I am alive on that day, I will give you great support.’ (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
After Khadeejah’s death, the Prophet (peace be upon him) married several wives who reported many of his statements and teachings. But none reported more than Ayesha, who was endowed with a rich wealth of knowledge. Saeed ibn Al-Aas reports that both Ayesha and Uthman told him that “Abu Bakr sought admission to speak to the Prophet when he was lying on his bed, wearing Ayesha’s shawl. When Abu Bakr was admitted, the Prophet attended to his business, and then he left. Then Umar sought permission, and he was allowed while the Prophet remained in the same position. When he finished his business, he left. Uthman later sought permission, and the Prophet sat up and told Ayesha to put her clothes together, covering herself well. When Uthman left after finishing his business with the Prophet, Ayesha said: ‘Messenger of God! Why did you not sit up and prepare yourself to receive Abu Bakr and Umar as you did for Uthman?’ He said: ‘Uthman is a shy person. I feared that if I received him when I was in that position, he would not put his request to me.” (Related by Muslim.)
Usamah ibn Zayd reports that “Gabriel the angel came to the Prophet when he was at Umm Salamah’s home, and he spoke to him before standing up and leaving. The Prophet asked his wife, Umm Salamah, who that person was.
She said: ‘He is Dihyah.'” Umm Salamah said: “By God, I had no doubt that the man was Dihyah until I heard the Prophet speaking to the people, reporting what Gabriel said.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
It should perhaps be explained that sometimes Gabriel came to the Prophet taking the shape of a human being. On those occasions, he mostly appeared like Dihyah ibn Khaleefah Al-Kalbi, who was a very handsome companion of the Prophet. This explains how the Prophet’s wife, Umm Salamah, thought Gabriel to be Dihyah, but when she heard the Prophet addressing his companions and saying to them what Gabriel said earlier, she realized her mistake.
Ayesha reports that when the Prophet’s wives needed to go to the restroom, they went at night to Al-Manasi’, a wide, open place with no vegetation. Umar used to say to the Prophet that he should keep his wives screened, but the Prophet did not do that. One night Sawdah, the wife of the Prophet, went out for that purpose. She was a tall woman. Umar called out to her: ‘We have recognized you, Sawdah!’ He did so out of his eagerness that the Prophet’s wives should be screened. Soon afterward, God’s order was revealed for them to be screened.’ (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Anas reports: “On the day of the Battle of Uhud, fighters retreated, leaving the Prophet. I saw Ayesha bint Abu Bakr and Umm Sulaym, having lifted their dresses. I could see their anklets as they moved fast, carrying water skins on their backs and pouring water in people’s mouths before going back to fill up the water skins and giving people to drink.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Together, these Hadiths give us a picture of the Prophet’s wives actively participating in the life of the Muslim community. When the Prophet was visited by some of his companions, they were often present, in case the Prophet needed anything. People put their cases, and asked for rulings, even on intimate matters such as intercourse between man and wife, when they might be present. The Prophet neither ordered them to go out, nor was he upset that the man should put such a question while his wife was present. On the contrary, he answered him in a very relaxed manner, letting the question appear as a very ordinary one.
We also note that the Prophet was frequently visited by his companions, who had different needs. He did not have a reception room where he conducted his community affairs.
He simply admitted people into his room, where any of his wives might be present. The fact that they were later ordered to remain behind a screen puts them in a special category among women, with certain rules applicable to them only.
There is no suggestion, at any time, that other women should follow their example concerning such rules. Therefore, their conduct as appears in these Hadiths is the one that Islam wants ordinary Muslim women to follow. They confirm that Islamic society is one where men and women mix socially, but observe a high standard of propriety and decency, maintaining Islamic morality.
By: Dr. Abd Al-Haleem Abu Shuqqah