The Mothers of the Believers

All the wives of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) are the mothers of all Muslims.  Their status is so high that no other women in world can match it.  It is mentioned in the Holy Quran:

 

O wives of the Messenger! You are not the like of any of the womenfolk.  Surah Ahzaab (33:32)

 

The wives of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) are the mothers of all Muslims and marrying them is forbidden.  There is no Hijab with one’s own mother, but in light of their status and dignity, all Muslims have to practice Hijab with the wives of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Allah Most High says in the Holy Quran:

 

This (Esteemed) Prophet is nearer to and has a greater claim on the believers than their own souls and his (pure) wives are their mothers. And blood relations have a greater claim one to another (in the distribution of inheritance) in the Book of Allah than (the rest of) the believers and the Emigrants except that you desire to do favour to your friends. This command is written in the Book of Allah.  Surah Ahzaab (33:6)

 

Among the Mothers, 6 are from different clans of Quraish – Hadhrat Khadija bint Khulaid, Hadhrat ‘Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Hadhrat Hafsa bint ‘Umar, Hadhrat Umme Habiba bint Abu Sufyan, Hadhrat Umme Salma bint Abu Umayya and Hadhrat Sauda bint Zama’a (May Allah be well pleased with them).  Four of them, Hadhrat Zainab bint Khuzaima, Hadhrat Zainab bint Jahsh, Hadhrat Juwairiya bint Harith and Hadhrat Maimoona bint Harith (May Allah be well pleased with them) are from clans other than the Quraish and one, Hadhrat Safiya bint Hayy (May Allah be well pleased with her) is from Bani Nadheer of Bani Israil.

 

Hadhrat Khadija (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

The first wife of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  She is specially distinguished among the wives of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  She was the first among the women to embrace Islam.  After the declaration of Prophethood, there was a wave of opposition all around.  She became His close confidant and supported Him.

 

There are many Hadith which express the excellence of Hadhrat Khadija (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

Imam Tabarani has quoted on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) let her eat dates from paradise in this world itself.

 

It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari that Hadhrat Jibreel (May peace be upon him) came to the Holy Prophet and said:  Hadhrat Khadija (May Allah be well pleased with her) is bringing food in a vessel.  When she comes, convey the greetings (Salaam) of Allah Most High and my greetings.  Give her the glad tidings that there is a beautiful palace of pearls in paradise for her in which there will be no noise and no inconvenience.  There is a Hadith in Zurqani:  Hadhrat Khadija, Hadhrat Fatima, (May Allah be well pleased with them) Hadhrat Mariyam and Hadhrat Asiya (May peace be upon them) are the superior-most women of paradise.

 

Even after her demise, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would mention her frequently and whenever He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would slaughter a goat, He would definitely send a share to her friends as well.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 22).  Her blessed grave is in Jannatul Mu‘alla in Makkah.

 

Hadhrat Ayesha (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

She is the daughter of Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Her mother’s name was Umme Roomaan (May Allah be well pleased with her).  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) married her 3 years before the Emigration (Hijrah).  She started to live with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in 1^st Hijri.  She was then 9 years old.  At the time of the demise of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), she was 18 years old.  She passed away Tuesday night, 7^th of Ramadhan, 58 Hijri

 

Her Funeral Salaat (Salaat Ul Janazah) was led by Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) and she is buried in Jannatul Baq‘ee.  Except her, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) didn’t marry any unmarried woman.  There are many distinctions and excellences of hers.  One among them is that the divine revelations would come even when she would be in the bed of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  There are 2210 Hadith narrated on her authority.  A divine revelation came to affirm her chastity.

 

Hadhrat Hafsa (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

Her father was Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Her first husband Hadhrat Qunais bin Hudhafah (May Allah be well pleased with him) was martyred either in the Battle of Badr or in Uhud.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) married her in 3^rd Hijri.  She has a high status in the discipline of Hadith and Fiqh (jurisprudence).  Sixty (60) Hadith have been narrated on her authority.  She passed away in 45 Hijri, in the month of Sha’abaan in Madina and her blessed grave is in Jannatul Baq‘ee.

 

Hadhrat Umme Habeeba (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

Her actual name is Ramla.  She is the daughter of Hadhrat Abu Sufyan (May Allah be well pleased with him).  The name of her mother is Safiya bint Al A’as who is also the paternal aunt of Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Sixty-five (65) Hadith have been narrated on her authority.  Hadhrat Mu‘awiya (May Allah be well pleased with him) is her brother and student.  She passed away in 44 Hijri.  She was buried in Jannatul Baq‘ee.  There is a weakly authenticated tradition that her blessed grave is in Damascus.  However, the authoritative opinion is of being buried in Jannatul Baq‘ee.

 

Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

Her actual name is Hind.  Her father’s name is Hudhaifa (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Her first marriage was with Hadhrat Abu Salma bin Hadhrat Asad (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Both the husband and wife emigrated Abyssinia.  In 4^th Hijri, her husband died.  Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) took her in marriage.  378 Hadith of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) are narrated on her authority.  She passed away in 61 Hijri at the age of 84.(Subul Ul Huda War Rashad, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 191).  Her blessed grave is in Jannatul Baq’ee.

 

Hadhrat Sauda bint Zama’a (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

Before being married to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), she was married to her cousin Sakraan bin ‘Amr (May Allah be well pleased with him).  After that she had the honor of being married to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Her father’s name was Zama’a and mother's name was Shamoos bint ‘Amr.  She passed away in 52 Hijri in the month of Shawwaal in Madina and her blessed grave is in Jannat Ul Baq‘ee.

 

Hadhrat Zainab bint Khuzaima (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

She was earlier married to Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Her husband was martyred in the Battle of Badr.  (Zurqani ‘Alal Mawahib, Vol. 4, Pg. No. 417)

 

She had the honor of becoming the wife of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in 3 Hijri one month before the Battle of Uhud.  She passed away in 4 Hijri, Rab‘ee Thani and she is also resting in Jannatul Baq‘ee.

 

Hadhrat Zainab bint Jahsh (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

She would feed the poor a lot, that’s why her honorific was Ummul Masakeen.  She is the daughter of Hadhrat Umaima (May Allah be well pleased with her), the paternal aunt of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  She was earlier married to Hadhrat Zaib bin Haritha.  Then in 4 Hijri, she was wedded to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  She passed away in 21 Hijri in Madina and is buried in Jannatul Baq‘ee. Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) led her Funeral Salaat.

 

Hadhrat Safiya (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

She was earlier in the marriage of Kanaana bin Alhaqaiq.  Later on, she was married to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  She was from among the progeny of Hadhrat Haroon (May peace be upon him).  Among all the wives of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), it was her distinction that she was from the progeny of a great Prophet and was also the wife of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Earlier, her name was Zainab.  Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) named her “Safiya”.  She passed away in Madina in 50 or 52 Hijri is resting in peace in the Jannat Ul Baq‘ee.

 

Hadhrat Juwairiya (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

She was the daughter of Haarith bin Zaraar, the leader of clan of Mustaliq.  In her early life, she was called Barrah.  Then later, she was named as Juwairiya.  She died in 50 Hijri in Madina and is resting in Jannat Ul Baq‘ee.

 

Hadhrat Maimoona (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 

Her father’s name was Haarith bin Huzn and mother’s name was Hind bin ‘Auf.  Earlier, she was married to Abu Raham bin ‘Abdul ‘Uzza.  She came into the matrimony of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in 7 Hijri after the Battle of the Trench.  After this marriage, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) didn’t marry anyone.  She passed away in 51 Hijri.  Her blessed grave is in “Sarf” in Makkah.  (Zurqani ‘Alal Mawahib, Vol. 4, Pg. No. 418), which is now called

“Nawaariah”.

 

Among the wives of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the first one to pass away was Hadhrat Khadija (May Allah be well pleased with her).  At the demise of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), 9 mothers of the believers were present.  After the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) passed away into the presence of Allah, the first one to pass away was Hadhrat Zainab bint Jahsh (May Allah be well pleased with her) and the last was Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with her).

 

The wisdom behind multiple marriages of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has 11 wives.  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) married a 40-year-old woman, Hadhrat Khadija (May Allah be well pleased with her) at the age of 25.  After she passed away, the Prophet married a 55-year-old lady Hadhrat Sauda (May Allah be well pleased with her).  Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) came to live with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in 1 Hijri when the Prophet was aged 54.  Then apart from Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her), none among the wives was unmarried when the Prophet married them.  All the other wives had this honor between 1 Hijri to 9 Hijri.  Although this period was a very busy period of the Prophet’s life with all His propagation of Islam.  The Conquest of Makkah and all the other wars happened in this period.  An extraordinarily large number of delegations came from various parts of Arabia.  Multiple marriages in spite of being so busy were only because of socio-religious reasons.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) married the daughters of such people who were looked upon with respect in their clans/communities and other people followed them so that by virtue of these marriages, the Islamophobia of these communities should end and the highways of love and understanding be opened, as it is human nature to love one’s relatives.  The attribute of modesty was present in the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in its most complete form.  It was necessary that the women should also be instructed in and taught the rules that pertain to them.  It was the design of Allah Most High that through the mothers of the believers, the details of the Prophetic life and the specific rules that pertain to them should reach the women of the Ummah.  Thus, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) arranged for education of the women through His wives.