Viewing 1 - 9 out of 29 Blogs.

Page:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >  Last >>

Tags: Can woman lead men in Salaat?

INTRODUCTION

Marriage is supposed to be a permanent contract. It is never entered into with a time limit. At the same time, it is a contract based upon affection and mutual understanding. Without these qualities, married life becomes impossible. For this reason, Islamic Law has taken great pains to preserve this affection and encourage treating one’s spouse kindly. It calls to gentleness and intimacy. It prescribes arbitration to deal with difficulties. In spite of all this, sometimes the hearts of people are incompatible with each other and foster no affection, so that a return of affection and mutual understanding becomes inconceivable.

In this situation, the only alternative to divorce is conflict and continuous quarreling. This can lead to mental illness, and it places the two people in a state of perpetual suffering. They merely maintain the outward appearance of a marriage in spite of the fact that they want to have nothing to do with each other.

The purposes of marriage and the wisdom behind it are not being realized under these circumstances, for the needed comfort, affection, and cooperation are just not there. The only logical solution in this situation is to terminate the marriage and give both people the opportunity to look for a better relationship elsewhere, so each can enjoy a happier and more peaceful family life.

This happens in two ways: a standard divorce or a khul` settlement where the wife pays compensation.

A. Divorce This is where the marriage contract is revoked either immediately or after a period of time. Thus there are two forms that it can take:

1. Irrevocablee divorce: This is where the husband does not have the right to take his wife back except with a new marriage contract, another dowry, and her consent.

2. Revocable divorce: This is a divorce where the husband has the right to take the wife back for a period of time without contracting with her a new marriage. The reason for this is that the marriage does not actually terminate until the waiting period is completed.

Islam has placed this form of divorce in the hands of the man, but it has taken many precautions with it and restricted it with a number of specific rules. Only one divorce should be given at a time. It must take place after she has completed a menstrual cycle and before he has resumed sexual relations with her, meaning it is not permissible for him to divorce her during her monthly period or if he has had sex with her afterwards. If he has had sexual relations with her after her last period, then he must wait for her to complete another monthly cycle before he can divorce her. This gives the husband a period of time to stay with his wife without divorcing her. Likewise, it gives him the right to take her back for a period of time, so if he regrets divorcing her, he still has the opportunity to resume his family life with her without having to go through any procedures or difficulties.

This period of time is three months for older women who have ceased to have their menstrual cycles as well as for those women who have never had monthly periods. For other women, the length of the waiting period is three menstrual cycles. However, the waiting period for a pregnant woman is up to the time that she has given birth.

The woman, according to many jurists, has the right to petition the courts for a separation during this time if she is suffering abuse from her husband, whether this abuse is physical or otherwise. The courts will offer her right to an immediate, irrevocable divorce at this time if she so wishes.

B. The Khul` Settlement: This is a divorce that occurs where the woman pays to her husband a compensation for being released from the marital bond.

This form of divorce is attested to by the following verse of the Qur’ân: “If they fear that they will not be able to keep to the limits set by Allah, then there is no sin on them for what she gives in payment for her freedom.”

The wisdom behind this option is that it gives the woman a way out if she cannot bear to remain with her husband. Sometimes a woman cannot stand to remain with her husband, but he has every desire to keep her. Thus, Allah has prescribed for her the khul` so that she can free herself from remaining with a man with whom she cannot hope to have a proper family life. Khul` is generally disliked – though not prohibited – unless the husband’s abusive behavior or ill treatment is the cause for her wanting to get away.

Likewise, the Qur’ân sternly forbids a man to mistreat his wife in hopes of taking her money. Allah says: “Do not treat them with harshness so you can take away part of what you have given them.”

Tags: Divorce & `Iddah

Sexual Rights in Marriage| Sheikh Khâlid al-Sayf, professor at al-Imâm University|


The governing principle for relations between the husband and wife is enshrined in two verses of the Qur’ân:

1. “And live with them on a footing of customary good dealings” [Sűrah al-Nisâ’: 19]

2. “And the women have rights similar to what you have, according to custom.” [Sűrah al-Baqarah: 228]

Customary good dealings cover all things that bring harmony to the husband-wife relationship and that foster love and affection. There is wisdom behind the generality and ambiguity of this injunction. People differ in their temperaments and needs. A fixed set of standards will never be possible for all people in all cultures at all times.

Therefore, Islam came with the principle of “customary good dealings” with its inherent flexibility. Islam requires from the husband and wife to behave towards each other in a good and appropriate manner that will strengthen and perpetuate a happy and harmonious marital life.

We also see that Allah placed the duty of providing for the wife squarely upon the husband’s shoulders. Allah says: “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women.” [Sűrah al-Nisâ’: 34]

It is the husband’s responsibility to provide for the needs of his wife. It is his duty to guarantee her well-being. This does not mean only her material needs, but also her emotional, psychological, and social needs.

These needs and how to fulfill them vary form society from society. They were different in the past and they will differ in the future. Indeed, they do from individual to individual. What matters is to ensure that the husband and wife live in a happy, harmonious, and fulfilling marital relationship. This is one of the hallmarks of Islamic Law, that it has the flexibility to adapt to different times, cultures, and circumstances while retaining its essence.

We can see that this concept of “providing for and maintaining” the wife is expressed by the word “qawwâműn”. This word is given in the emphatic form, indicating that carrying this out is one of the most important – if not the most important – duty of the husband. This duty is to be carried out expressly for the benefit of the wife. It is never meant to be a means against her. It is an assurance that her rights and needs are guaranteed.

The right of the wife to sexual gratification is also emphasized by Islamic Law. The husband must fulfill her sexual needs and thereby safeguard her from temptation. He needs to hearken to her needs in and fulfill them according to what is reasonable and according to his abilities.

Islamic Law does not define a required level of sexual activity. This is again because people are different. Women’s needs differ and what is expected of the husband is to fulfill his wife’s needs. The obligation of the husband in this matter corresponds to the needs of the wife. This comes under the general maxim: “And live with them on a footing of customary good dealings” [Sűrah al-Nisâ’: 19]

The same can be said for the right to maintenance, to clothing, and to housing. In all cases, the husband is required to fulfill the wife’s needs.

The right to sexual fulfillment, however, is a mutual right, owed by each of the spouses to the other. As Allah says: “And the women have rights similar to what you have, according to custom.” [Sűrah al-Baqarah: 228]

Islam seeks through marriage to provide lawful fulfillment for the sexual needs of both men and women. Therefore, the man is expected to make himself attractive for his wife in his appearance, in the way that he dresses and in how he takes care of himself. It is not just the wife who is expected to do so for her husband.

A Wife’s Legal Redress

There is some confusion among the general public about the “four month” limitation on abstinence. It does not mean, as some people misconstrue, that a man only has to engage in sexual relations with his wife once every four months. It is rather a legal limitation for the continuation of the marriage contract in the face of a man’s abusive misconduct.

There are men in the owrld who are vile in character, corrupt in their outlook. They take a sick pleasure in depriving their wives of sexual gratification. Some of these men find an outlet for their own sexual needs either in unlawful liaisons or in abusing the institution of polygamy.

Islamic Law supports the woman in such cases. If a man refuses to have sex with his wife for whatever reason, his conduct is allowed to proceed for four month before legal redress is forced upon him. If, within that time, he returns to normal conduct and fulfils his wife’s sexual needs according to what is customary, appropriate, and commensurate with her needs, then the marriage remains intact.

If he fails to change his conduct within that time, then the wife has the right to be legally divorced from him for his failing to uphold her rights. He will be legally compelled to divorce her.

Allah says: “For those who take an oath for abstention from their wives, a waiting for four months is ordained; if then they return, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. But if their intention is firm for divorce, Allah hears and knows all things.” [Sűrah al-Baqarah: 227]

Some people misunderstand this verse to mean that a man is only required to have sexual relations with his wife once every four months. This is not the case at all. This verse is clearly talking about the extraordinary circumstance of an oath of abstention on the part of the husband, and it brings the extreme remedy of divorce at the conclusion of four months to safeguard the wife from such abusive behavior on the husband’s part.

And Allah knows best.

Tags: Sexual Rights in Marriage

Asalam o Alaykum,

Alhamdullilah we have started working on this web site to bring you the true konwledge of Islam, we request your prayers and support and i hope we can work as one group this group is called muslimgroup.

sallamalikoum

your brother in islam ...

and also more greetingto the administrator of this  great webside

Tags: sallamalikoum

That is because Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls" {Soorah al-Anfal (8):53}

This is one of the ways in which Allah deals with His servants, for He made the condition of people directly related to their belief. If they change their belief, Allaah will change their condition. Allah will replace their security with fear, and their sustenance. And security and sustenance are two Allah's greatest graces. Allah says in the Quraan: "So let them worship Allah the Lord of this House (the Kaaba) Who provides them with food against hunger and with security against fear (of danger)" {Soorah Quraish (106:3-4)}

Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet said: "How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but this is not the case for anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for which he is (also) rewarded." {Fiqh as-Sunnah, vol.4, p.1.}

What is Thankfulness?

In Islamic terminology, Thankfulness is the acknowledgment of the fact that Allah is the only Grantor of graces, and full submission to Allah in a way that assures that acknowledgment. The graces (favors) of Allah are endless and countless. Allah says in His Book: "And if you were to count the blessings of Allah, you will never be able to count them." {Soorah Ibrahim (14): 34}

He, the All Mighty also says: "And whatever blessings and good you have, it is from Allaah .." {Soorah an-Nahl, (16): 53}

How can a servant (Abd) thank Allaah? {The word ‘slaves’ represents mankind, for all of mankind are expected to totally submit to the will of Allah}The servant can thank Allaah in many ways. These include:

1. Prostrating to Allah, when the servant receives a blessing from Allaah or when Allah saves him from a disaster. The Messenger of Allaah (salallahu alaihi wasallam) used to prostrate to Allah whenever he received a pleasant thing or was told good news. This prostration is conducted for the sole purpose of giving thanks to Allaah, the Granter of the grace and benefit that the servant received. [see Fiqh as-Sunnah by Sayyid Sabiq (English trans.) vol.2, p.45]

Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Auf relates that the Messenger of Allah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) went out once and he followed him until he entered a grove of palm trees and prostrated. His prostration was so long that 'Abdur-Rahman feared that Allah had taken his soul. 'Abdur-Rahman came to look at him and he raised his head and said: "What is wrong, Abdur-Rahman'?" Abdur rahman mentioned what had happened, and he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Gibra'el came to me and said: 'Shall I not give you glad tidings'? Allah says to you, Whoever prays upon you, I pray upon him. Whoever salutes you, I salute him.' Therefore, I prostrated to Allah in thanks." {This is related by Ahmad and by Al-Haakim who says: "It is sahih according to the criterion of al-Bukhari and Muslim}

2. Thanking Allah in words: The majority of the scholars agreed that if the servant does not thank Allaah for the grace he has, then that grace will go away and may never come back. Allah's Messenger (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "It is a fine thing when a believer praises and thanks Allah if good comes to him, and praises Allah and shows endurance if smitten by affliction. The believer is rewarded for everything, even for the morsel he raises to his wife's mouth." {Bayhaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-Iman. Sunan at-Tirmidhi no.1733 See also Saheeh Muslim (7138)}

3. Talking about the benefits Allah has granted him. This is because concealing the benefits of Allah is ungrateful. Allaah says in the Quraan: "Do they believe in the false deities and deny the favor of Allaah." {Soorah an-Nahl (16):72}

Ibn Katheer commented that denying the favors of Allah means hiding his grants and/or relating them to others than Allah.

Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid Al Juhani : The Prophet led us in the Fajr prayer at Hudaibiya after a rainy night. On completion of the prayer, he faced the people and said, "Do you know what your Lord has said (revealed)?" The people replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "Allah has said, 'In this morning some of my slaves remained as true believers and some became non-believers; whoever said that the rain was due to the Blessings and the Mercy of Allah had belief in Me and he disbelieves in the stars, and whoever said that it rained because of a particular star had no belief in Me but believes in that star." {Saheeh al-Bukhari (1:807)}

4. Helping people in need. It was mentioned in a Hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) that: "As the grants from Allah to a servant increase, so will the people's needs of that blessed servant's services. If the servant ignores their needs, it will cause those grants to be removed" (lbn Hibban)

The Prophet (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "If anyone strokes an orphan's head, doing so only for Allah's sake, he will have blessings for every hair over which his hand passes; and if anyone treats well an orphan girl or boy under his care, he and I shall be like these two in Paradise," putting two of his fingers together." {Sunan at-Tirmidhi no.4974}

Why does the servant not thank Allah?
The servant may not thank Allaah for several reasons:

1. The servant may be unaware of the general grants that were bestowed by Allah on the creatures. Many people wrongly think that money is the only thing to be considered and ignore the other general grants such as hearing, vision, sanity and health. The Prophet (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good." {Saheeh al-Bukhari vol 8: 421}

Aaishah, the Prophet's wife said: "Whenever a servant drinks a drop of water which gets into his body and leaves it with no harm, then a thanks is due."

A man came to a good Muslim and complained that Allah made him very poor. The good man said: "Would you like to have ten thousand dinars and be insane?" The Complainer answered: "No." The good man said: "Would you like to have ten thousand dinars but have your legs chopped off" The complainer answered: "No." The good man then said: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself complaining about your Lord while all of these grants which are His; have been bestowed on you?"

2. The servant may not give thanks to his Lord because he is unaware of the people who have less bounties than him. This is mentioned in a Hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim, that:

Allaah's Messenger (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Look at those people who have less than you and never look at those who have more grants than you, this will ensure that you will not depreciate Allah's grants." {Saheeh Muslim no.1530}

At times of hardship, one should turn his eyes towards a person who owns less worldly things than him. He will then be calmed and his ungratefulness will disappear. One will then thank his Lord and say: "Thanks to Allah who has guarded me against the harm which He has afflicted others, and who has chosen not to afflict me" {Sunan at-Tirmidhi}

3. The servant may not give thanks to his Lord because he is unaware of Allah's names, attributes and laws. The real ignorant person is the one who gets deceived by the amount of money he has or by his position or his power. He forgets the fact that as Allah has granted, He may also take the blessings away. Allaah says in His Book, "Say, O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule) You give Power to whom You will and You take away power from whom You will, and you endue with honor whom you will, and humiliate who you will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things." {Soorah al-Imran (3):26}

When does Allaah take His grants away from His servants?

1. When one commits sins: The Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "The servant will be deprived a provision because he committed a sin" (Musnad Ahmed)

On the other hand, fearing Allaah causes His provisions to come forth, Allah says in the Quraan: "And whoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, Allaah will make way for him out of every difficulty, And He will provide for him from sources he never imagined" {Soorah at-Talaq (65):2-3}

2. When the servant relates the grants to himself and does not acknowledge that Allah is their Grantor as Qaroon (a tyrannical king mentioned in the Qur'aan al-Qasas (28): 78 ) said: "This has been given to me only because of knowledge I possess."

Consequently. his punishment was, "So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place. Then he had no group or party to help him against Allaah." {Soorah al-Qasas (28): 81}

3. When the servant does not give Zakaat. The Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Indeed Allaah the Most High said, 'We have sent down the wealth for the prayer to be established and that Zakaat be given; and if the son of Aadam had a valley, he would love to have a second; if he had two valleys, he would love to have a third, and nothing will fill the belly of the son of Aadam except dust …" {Musnad Ahmed & at-Tabaraanee. Saheeh al-Jaami, no.1777}

So the money is actually Allaah's money, and we have been entrusted with it. And he (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Do not shut your money bag; otherwise Allah too will withhold His blessings from you. Spend (in Allah's cause) as much as you can afford. " {Saheeh al-Bukhari 2/515}

The Prophet of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) also said, "Do not withhold your money by counting it (i.e. hoarding it), (for if you did so), Allah would also withhold His blessings from you." {Saheeh al-Bukhari vol.2: 514}

4. When the servant of Allaah becomes arrogant due to the large amount of money he has. If the person feels superior to other people, and his wealth becomes his only business, if he talks about it and only about it wherever he goes, and forgets to remember Allaah and praise Him; if he starts evaluating people based on their wealth, then Allaah will remove his grants. Allaah says in the Quraan: "Woe to every slanderer and back biter. Who has gathered wealth and counted it. He thinks that his wealth will make last forever. Nay! Verily, he will be thrown into the crushing fire." {Soorah al-Humazah (104):1-4}

And finally there is no better example for us than the Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) who used to offer night prayers till his feet became swollen. Somebody said to him, "Allah has forgiven you, your faults of the past and those to follow." On that, he said, "Shouldn't I be a thankful slave (of Allah)?" {Saheeh al-Bukhari vol.6: 360}

Tags: Thankfulness towards Allah

Aishah (radhiallaho anha) too was married to the Prophet (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) in Shawwal of 10th year of the mission. She was born in the 4th yare of the mission and was married when she was six and was actually sent by his parents to live with Prophet after his emigration to Medina when she was nine. She was eighteen at time of the prophet death. She died on the night of Tuesday, the 17th Ramadan 57 A.H. at the age of sixty-six. She desired at the time of her death that she might be buried along with other Ummuhat-ul-Momineen, in the public gravead, though she could be buried by the said of the Prophet's grave which was in her house. She was the only wife of the Prophet who had not been married previously. All the remaining wives had either been widowed or divorced (some quite a few times) before they become UmmuhatulMumineen. To be married in Shawwal was considered a bad omen among the the Arab women. 

Aishah (radhiallaho anha) says: " I was married in Shawwal. It was also Shawaal when I was sent to live with the Prophet (sallallho alahi wasallam). Which of the Prophet's wives has been more blessed with his love and Allah's other favours than me?"

On the death of Khadijah, Khaulah-bint-Hakim came to the Prophet (sallallho alahi wasallam) and said: " O, Prophet of Allah ! Don't you like to marry again? "

The prophet : " Whom can I marry ?"

Khaulah :      " I know one virgin and one widow."

The Prophet : " Name them."

Khaulah :       " The virgin is Aishah, the daughter of your bosom friend Abu Bakr and the widow is Saudah-bint-Zamah."

The Propeht : " All right ! You may make the proposal."

Kahulah then went to Aishah's mother Ummu-Rooman and said to her:
            &nb sp;    " I have come with a tremendous good for your family."
     Ummu Rooman : What is that ?"

Kkoulah : " The prophet (sallallaho alaihai wasallam) has sent me to seek Aishah's hand for him."

Ummu Rooman : " But Aishah is hid niece? How can she be married to him ? Let me consult her father."

Abu Bakr (radhiallaho anho) was not at home at that time. When he come, the Proposal was placed before him and he expressed the same difficulty. Khaulah returned to the prophet (sallallaho alaihai wasallam) and apprised him of their difficulty. 
    The prophet (sallallaho alaihai wasallam) said:
        " Abu Bakr is my bosom friend and brother-in-Islam but this does not forbid my marring his daughter."

Khaulah went and informed Abu Bakr accordingly. Abu Bakr was too glad to call the prophet (sallallaho alaihai wasallam) to his home and perform Aisha's ' Nikah' with him. A few months after when the prophet (sallallaho alaihai wasallam) had emigrated to Madina, Abu Bakr (radhiallaho anho) said to the prophet (sallallaho alaihai wasallam):
             " Why don't have your wife Aisha live with you?"

He said:   " I have to get some furniture, etc., before I do that." 
Abu Bakr presented him some money with which necessary things were arranged. Aishah then started living with the Prophet from Shawwal of 1 ar 2 A.H. She shared the bad with the Prophet for the first time in Abu Bakr's house.

These are the three marriages which the prophet (sallallaho alaihai wasallam) had before Hijrah. All the remaining wives came to him in Medina.

Aishah's  spending the path of Allah
Once Aishah (radiallaho anha) recevied a gift two bags containing 1,00,000 Darham. She started distributing these among the poor till by the evening not a single Darham was left with her. She was keeping fast that day. Her maid servant brought her a loaf of bread and a little olive oil for Iftar and remarked. ' I wish we had kept one Darham for ourselves to get some meat for Iftar.'
     Aishah said : " Don't be sorry now. If you had told me at that time I would have perhaps given you one Darham." 

Once she was fasting and had noting for her Iftar expcet one piece of bread. A poor man came and begged for some food. She asked her maid to give him that piece. 

The maid said: "If I give him the piece of bread, there will be nothing left for your Iftar."
Aishah said: " Don't mind. Let him have the piece."
Once she killed a snake. She saw a vision in her dream saying:
" Aishah you killed a Muslim."
Aishah replied: " How could a Muslim come into the house of the Prophet widow?"
The vision rejoined: " But he had come in Purdah."
She abruptly got up from her sleep and at once spent 12.000 Darhams in Sadaqah as that was the blood-money fixed for a Muslim killed by mistake. 
Urwah (radhiallaha anho) said: I Once saw Aishah spending 70,000 Darham in charity while she herself was wearing a shirt with patches."

Aishah  gets angry with Ibn-Zubair
Abdullah-bin-Zubair was Aishah's nephew. He was very dear to her as she had brought him up. He did not like spending so much in charity while she herself lived in want and poverty. He mentioned this to somebody and said: " I must stop her from doing that."

She learnt about it and was so much upset that she swore not to speak with Abdullah for the rest of her life. Abdullaha-bin-Zubair (radhiallao anho) was very much shocked by her oath. He deputed many people to speak to her for him but she told them,

" I have taken an oath and I am not prepared to violate it."

He, at last, took two persons from the family of the Prophet's mother to her house to intercede for him. Aishah (radhiallaho anha) allowed the persons to enter the house and to speak to her from behind a curtain. IbnZubair also stealthily got in with the persons. When the persons started takling, he could not control himself and crossed the curtain and feel at the feet of her aunt crying and entreating her for pardon. The two persons also interceded and reminded her of the Prophet's forbidding a Muslim form discarding speech with another Muslim. When she heard this Hadith she got scared of Allah's displeasure and the result thereof and began to weep very bitterly. She forgave Zubair adn began to speak with him. She was then liberating slave after slave in expiation of her oath till 40 slaves had been st free by her. Even later on whenever she thought of the violation of her oath, she wept so much that her shawl would become wet with her tears.

Aishah and fear of Allah
Who dose not know about the love that the Prophet (sallallaho alaaihi wasallam) had for his wife Aishah? It is said that when he was inquired whom he loved most, he replied, " Aishah."  She was so well-versed in Islamic jurisprudence that many eminent Sahabah would go to her for solving their problems in this field. jibrail used to greet her wit 'Assalam-o-alaikum' The Prophet (sallallaho alaaihi wasallam) once told her that she would be his wife in the Paradise. When she was slandered by the Munafiqin, Allah exonerated her from the slander and confirmed her innocence by revealing verses on the Qur'an.

According to Ibn-Sa'ad,  " Aishah once enumerated as many as ten special virtues which Allah had given her over the other wives of the Prophet (sallallaho alaaihi wasallam). Her spending in the path of Allah has already been narrated in the previous stories. In spite of all these privileges and virtues she feared Allah so much that she was often heard saying:

" I wish I were a tree so that I could be always busy in Allah's tasbih and be absolved of reckoning on the Day of Judgment."

" I wish I had been a stone or a clot of earth." 
" I wish I had been a leaf of tree or a blade of grass."
" I wish I had not been born at all

Tags: STORIES OF AISHAH SIDDIQA

Maria al-Qibtiyya (may Allah be pleased with her) is said to have married the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and certainly everyone gave her the same title of respect as the Prophet's wives, 'Umm al Muminin' 'Mother of the Believers'. Maria was born in upper Egypt of a Coptic father and Greek mother and moved to the court of the Muqawqis when she was still very young. She arrived in Medina to join the Prophet's household just after the Prophet returned from the treaty with Quraish which was contracted at al-Hudaybiyya. Maria gave birth to a healthy son in 9 AH, the same year that his daughter Zaynab died, and the Prophet named his new son Ibrahim, after the ancestor of both the Jews and the Christians, the Prophet from whom all the Prophets who came after him were descended. Unfortunately, when he was only eighteen months old, Ibrahim became seriously ill and died. Even though he knew that his small son would go to the Garden, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) could not help shedding some tears. When some of his Companions asked him why he was weeping, he replied, "It is my humanness."

As Ibrahim's body was being buried, the sun was eclipsed and it grew dark and gloomy. Some people thought this was connected with Ibrahim's death, but the Prophet soon clarified this. "The sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs," he said, "they are not eclipsed because of anyone's birth or death. When you see these signs, make haste to remember Allah in prayer." Although the kafirun used to mock the Prophet Muhammad because he had no sons, and say that he was 'cut off' , Allah made it clear in the following surah that the station of the Prophet Muhammad was far above that of any other man;

In the name of Allah, The Merciful, the Compassionate: Surely We have given you AL Khawthar, so pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice. Surely he who mocks you is the one cut off. (Quran 108:1-3)

Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets, and Allah has knowledge of all things. (Quran 33:40)

Maria was honored and respected by the Prophet and his family and Companions. She spent three years of her life with the Prophet, until his death, and died five years later in 16 AH, (may Allah be pleased with her) For the last five years of her life, she remained a recluse and almost never went out except to visit the grave of the Prophet or her son's grave. After her death, Umar ibn al Khattab led the prayer over her and she was buried in al Baqi.

Tags: MARIA AL-QIBTIYYA

Maymuna bint al-Harith, (may Allah be pleased with her), married the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in 7 AH, when the Prophet was sixty years old and she was thirty six years old. Maymuna's sister, Umm al-Fadl Lubaba, was the mother of Abdullah ibn Abbas, the son of one of the uncles of the Prophet and the one of the wisest of his Companions. Umm al-Fadl was one of the earliest Companions of the Prophet. Once Abu Lahab, the enemy of Allah and the Messenger of Allah, entered the house of his brother, al-Abbas, and proceeded to attack Abbas client, Abu Rafi, because he had embraced Islam. Abu Lahab knocked him to the ground and knelt on him, continuing to beat him. Umm al Fadl grabbed a post that was there and cracked it across Abu Lahab's head, saying, "Will you victimize him because his master is absent?" He treated in shame and died a week later.

Zaynab bint Khuzayma, Umm al Muminin, was also her half-sister. Her other sisters included Asma bint Umays, the wife of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, who later married Abu Bakr, and Salma bint Umays, the wife of Hamza, the "Lion of Allah". Her full sisters were Lubaba, Asma and Izza. Maymuna was thus one of the 'Ahlul- Bayt' , 'the people of the House', not only by virtue of being a wife of the Prophet, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) but also because she was related to him. Zayd bin Arqam related that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "I implore you by Allah! The People of my House!" three times. Zayd was asked who were the People of the House, and he said, "The family of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the family of Jafar ibn Abi Talib, the family Aqil ibn Abi Talib, and the family of Al Abbas ibn Abdal Muttalib."

Maymuna or Barra as she was then called, yearned to marry the Prophet. She went to her sister, Umm al Fadl to talk to her about that and she, in turn, spoke to her husband, al-Abbas. Al-Abbas immediately went to the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with Maymuna's offer of marriage to him and her proposal was accepted. When the good news reached her, she was on a camel, and she immediately got off the camel and said, "The camel and what is on it is for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." They were married in the month of Shawwal in 7 AH just after the Muslims of Medina were permitted to visit Mecca under the terms of the treaty of Hudaybiyya to perform umra. Allah Almighty sent the following ayat about this:

Any believing woman who dedicates herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her, that is only for thee and not for the believers. (Quran 33:50)

The Prophet gave her the name, Maymuna, meaning "blessed", and Maymuna lived with the Prophet for just over three years, until his death. She was obviously very good natured and got on well with everyone, and no quarrel or disagreement with any of the Prophet's other wives has been related about her. 'A'isha said about her, "Among us, she had the most fear of Allah and did the most to maintain ties of kinship." It was in her room that the Prophet first began to feel the effects of what became his final illness and asked the permission of his wives to stay in A'isha's room while it lasted.

After the Prophet's death, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Maymuna continued to live in Medina for another forty years, dying at the age of eighty, in 51 AH, (may Allah be pleased with her), being the last of the Prophet's wives to die. She asked to be buried where had married the Prophet at Saraf and her request was carried out. It is related that at the funeral of Maymuna, Ibn Abbas said, "This is the wife of Allah's Messenger, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) so when you lift her bier, do not shake her or disturb her, but be gentle." It is also related by Ibn Abbas that he once stayed the night as a guest of Maymuna, who was his aunt, and the Prophet, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) They slept on their blanket lengthways and he slept at the end, crossways. After they had all slept for awhile, the Prophet rose in the middle of the night to pray the tahajjud prayer, and Ibn Abbas joined him.

They both did wudu, and he prayed eleven rakats with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Then they both went back to sleep again until dawn. Bilal called the adhan, and the Prophet did another two short rakats, before going into the mosque to lead the Dawn Prayer.

Ibn Abbas said that one of the dua'ahs that the Prophet made during this night was : "O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light on my sight, light behind me, light in front of me, light on my right, light on my left, light above me and light below me; place light in my sinew, in my flesh, in my blood, in my hair and in my skin; place light in my soul and make light abundant for me; make me light and grant me light."

It is commonly agreed that it was after the Prophet had married Maymuna, giving him now nine wives (A'isha, Sawda, Hafsa, Umm Salama, Zainab bint Jahsh, Juwayriyya, Umm Habiba, Safiyya and Maymuna), that the following ayat was revealed:

It is not lawful for you (O Muhammad, to marry more) women after this, nor to exchange them for other wives, even though their beauty is pleasing to you, except those whom your right hand possesses (as maid servants); and Allah is always watching over everything. (Quran 33:52)

After this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not marry again. When however, the Christian ruler, or Muqawqis, of Egypt, sent him two Christian slave girls 0 who were sisters as a gift (in response to the Prophet's letter inviting him to embrace Islam), along with a fine robe and some medicine the Prophet, accepted one of the slave girls, Maria, into his household; he gave her sister Serene, to a man whom he wished to honor, namely Hassan ibn Thabit; he accepted the robe; and he returned the medicine with the message, "My Sunna is my medicine!" This occurred in 7 AH, when the Prophet was sixty years old and Maria was twenty years old.

Tags: MAYMUNA BINT AL-HARITH

Safiyya bint Huyayy, (may Allah be pleased with her) married the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in 7 AH, when the Prophet was sixty years old and she was seventeen years old. As in the case of juwayriyya bint Harith, this marriage occurred after one of the Muslims' decisive battles, in this case, the battle of Khaybar. After the battle of Khaybar in which the Muslims defeated the Jews, two women were brought before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) by Bilal, the black mu'adhdhin of Medina whose beautifully piercing voice constantly called the Muslims to prayer right up until the Prophet's death- after which he could not bring himself to call the adhan anymore, until he was present at the surrender of Jerusalem to the khalif Umar in 17 AH. They had passed by those who had been killed in the fighting. One of the two women was shrieking and screaming, and rubbing dust in her hair, while the other was mute with shock.

The silent one was Safiyya, the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the chief of the Banu Nadir who had all been expelled from Medina in 4 AH after plotting to kill the Messenger of Allah by dropping a stone on his head as he sat talking with their leaders. The noisy one was Safiyya's cousin. Safiyya could trace her lineage directly back to Harun, the brother of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon them). The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked someone to look after the woman who was screaming and then took off his cloak and placed it over the shoulders of Safiyya, whose husband had been killed in the battle. It was a gesture of pity, but from that moment she was to be honored and given great respect in the Muslim community. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) turned to Bilal and said, "Bilal, has Allah plucked mercy from your heart that you let these two women pass by those of their menfolk who have been killed?" This was considered a severe reprimand, for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) rarely criticized the behavior of those who served him. Anas ibn Malik, for example once said, "I served the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for eight years. He never once scolded me for something that I had done or for something that I had not done."

Like Umm Habiba, Safiyya was the daughter of a great chief. The only person who could save her from becoming a slave after having enjoyed such a high position was the Prophet. Although her father had planned to assassinate Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) after the battle of Uhud, and had conspired with the Banu Qurayza to exterminate all the Muslims during the battle of al-Khandaq, it was characteristic of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he did not bear any grudges. For those who did wrong, he felt pity rather than anger, and for those who had done no wrong, he had even greater compassion. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) invited Safiyya to embrace Islam, which she did, and having given her, her freedom, he then married her. Some people may have wondered how it was that Safiyya could accept Islam and marry the Prophet when her father had been his bitter enemy, and when bloody battles had taken place between the Jews and the Muslims. The answer may be found in what she has related of her early life as the daughter of the chief of the Banu Nadir.

She said, (may Allah be pleased with her): "I was my father's favorite and also a favorite with my uncle Yasir. They could never see me with one of their children without picking me up. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Medina, my father and my uncle went to see him. It was very early in the morning and between dawn and sunrise. They did not return until the sun was setting. They came back worn out and depressed, walking with slow, heavy steps. I smiled to them as I always did, but neither of them took any notice of me because they were so miserable. I head Abu Yasir ask my father, 'Is it him?' 'Yes, it is.' 'Can you recognize him? Can you verify it?' 'Yes, I can recognize him too well.' 'What do you feel towards him?' 'Enmity, enmity as long as I live.'

The significance of this conversation is evident when we recall that in the Torah of the Jews, it was written that a Prophet would come who would lead those who followed him to victory. Indeed before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Medina, the Jews used to threaten the idol worshippers of Yathrib, as it was then called, that when the next Prophet came to the believers were going to exterminate them, just as the Jews had exterminated other tribes who refused to worship God in the past. As in any case, of the Prophet Jesus, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who had been clearly described in the Torah - but rejected by many of the Jews when he actually came - the next and last Prophet was accurately described in the Torah, which also contained signs by which the Jews could easily recognize him. Thus Ka'b al-Ahbar, one of the Jews of that time who embraced Islam, relates that this Prophet is described in the Torah as follows:

'My slave, Ahmad, the Chosen, born in Mecca, who will emigrate to Medina (or he said Tayyiba - another name given to Yathrib); his community will be those who praise Allah in every state.'

And 'Amr ibn al-'As said that it also says in the Torah:

'O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good news and a warner and a refuge for the illiterate. You are My slave and My messenger. I have called you the one on whom people rely, one who is neither coarse nor vulgar, and who neither shouts in the markets nor repays evil with evil, but rather pardons and forgives. Allah will not take him back to Himself until the crooked community has been straightened out by him and they say, "There is no god but Allah." Through him, blind eyes, deaf ears and covered hearts will be opened.'

It was thanks to these descriptions in the Torah, that the most learned rabbi of the Jews, 'Abdullah ibn Salam, had embraced Islam on seeing Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and it was because of these descriptions that Huyayy ibn Akhtab was also able to recognize him. However Huyayy, like most of the other Jews, was deeply disappointed that the last Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was a descendant of Isma'il and not of Ishaq, (the two sons of the Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon them), since the Jews of that time claimed exclusive descent from Ishaq, through the twelve sons of his son Ya'qub (who was also known as Israel), from whom the twelve tribes of Israel had originated. Not only did Huyayy resent the fact that the last Prophet had appeared amongst the Arabs, but also he did not want to lose his position of power and leadership over his people.

It was for these reasons that Huyayy secretly decided to oppose and fight the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) while in public he and the other leaders of the Jews made peace treaties with the Muslims and the Jews broke as soon as it seemed a favorable time to do so. Although Safiyya was Huyayy's daughter, she had a pure heart and had always wanted to worship her Creator and Lord, the One who had sent Moses, to whom she was related, and Jesus, and finally Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with all of them. Thus as soon as the opportunity arose, not only to follow the last Prophet, but also to be married to him, she took it. Although Safiyya had in Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a most kind and considerate husband, she was not always favorably accepted by some of his other wives, especially when she had first joined the Prophet's household. It is related by Anas that on one occasion, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) found Safiyya weeping. When he asked her what the matter was, she replied that she heard thHafsa had disparagingly described her as 'the daughter of a Jew'.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) responded by saying, "You are certainly the daughter of a Prophet (Harun), and certainly your uncle was a Prophet (Moses), and you are certainly the wife of a Prophet (Muhammad), so what is there in that to be scornful towards you?" Then he said to Hafsa, "O Hafsa, fear Allah!"

Once the Prophet was accompanied on a journey by Safiyya and Zaynab bint Jahsh when Safiyya' s camel went lame. Zaynab had an extra camel and the Prophet asked her if she would give it to Safiyya. Zaynab retorted, "Should I give to that Jewess!" The Prophet turned away from her in anger and would not have anything to do with her for two or three months not to show his disapproval of what she had said. Some three years later, when Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was in his final illness, Safiyya felt for him deeply and sincerely. "O Messenger of Allah," she said, "I wish it was I who was suffering instead of you." Some of the wives winked at each other which made the Prophet cross and he exclaimed, "By Allah, she spoke the truth!"

She still underwent difficulties after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Once a slavegirl she owned went to the Amir al Muminin Umar and said, "Amir al Muminin! Safiyya loves the Sabbath and maintains ties with the Jews!" Umar asked Safiyya about that and she said, "I have not loved the Sabbath since Allah replaced it with Friday for me, and I only maintain ties with those Jews to whom I am related by kinship." She asked her slavegirl what had possessed her to carries lie to Umar and the girl replied, "Shaytan!" Safiyya said, "Go, you are free."

Safiyya was with the Prophet for nearly four years, She was only twenty-one when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) died, and lived as a widow for the next thirty-nine years, dying in 50 AH, at the age of sixty (may Allah be pleased with her).

Tags: SAFIYYA BINT HAYAYY

Page:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >  Last >>