Lives Of Pious Women part - 2

The Lives of The Daughters of
The Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام

Zaynab رضي الله عنها radiyallâhu ‘anhâ

She is the daughter of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He loved her very much. She was married to ’Abû al-‘Âs bin ar-Rabî' radiyallâhu ‘anhu. When she accepted Islam and her husband refused to do so, she severed relations with him and migrated to Madinah. A few days later, her husband also followed her to Madinah and accepted Islam. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam performed their nikâh again. He also liked her a lot. When she had left Makkah for Madinah, an incident took place on the way: two disbelievers encountered her on the way. One of them pushed her and she fell on a rock. He had some desire for her but that also disappeared. She was badly injured from this fall to the extent that she did not fully recover right until her death. Eventually, this was the cause of her death.
Lesson: Look at her courage and her piety that she was prepared to leave her birth-place and her husband for the sake of Dîn. Furthermore, she bore the difficulties imposed upon her by the disbelievers to the extent that she passed away. Yet she remained steadfast on Dîn. O women! You should be prepared to leave everything for the sake of Dîn. If you experience any difficulties, endure them. If your husband leaves the Dîn, do not side with him.

Ruqayyah رضي الله عنها

She is also the daughter of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam Her first marriage was with ‘Utbah, the son of the kâfir Abû Lahab. Abû Lahab has been mentioned in the Quran in Sûrah al-Masad (the 111th sûrah of the Quran). The father and son did not accept Islam and the former therefore ordered his son to leave her. Upon this, Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam performed her nikâh with ‘Uthmân radiyallâhu ‘anhu. When Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam prepared to leave for the battle of Badr, she was sick at that time. Because of this, he asked ‘Uthmân radiyallâhu ‘anhu to remain behind and tend to her and informed him that he will receive the same reward as those engaged in jihâd and that he will also receive a share of the booty. She passed away on the very day the Muslims vanquished the disbelievers and returned to Madinah.
Lesson: Look at her greatness that tending to her was considered to be equal to waging jihâd against the disbelievers. This eminence of hers was on account of her piety. O women! Always try to strengthen your Dîn. Do not allow yourselves to commit any sin as this is a cause of weakness in the Dîn.

Umme Kulthûmرضي الله عنها

She is also the daughter of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Her first marriage was with ‘Utaybah who was also a son of Abû Lahab. Before she could even go and live with this husband, Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam received prophethood. The father and son had not accepted Islam and the former ordered his son to leave her as well. When her sister, Ruqayyah, passed away, she married ‘Uthmân. When Ruqayyah had passed away, co-incidentally, Hafsah had also become a widow. ‘Umar radiyallâhu ‘anhu (the father of Hafsah) wanted to get her married to ‘Uthmân radiyallâhu ‘anhu. However, the latter did not show any interest. When Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam heard of this, he said to ‘Umar radiyallâhu ‘anhu: "I will show you a husband for Hafsah who is better than ‘Uthmân, and for ‘Uthmân a wife that is better than Hafsah." Based on this, Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam married Hafsah, and got ‘Uthmân married to ’Umme Kulthûm.
Lesson: Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam spoke good of her and when he speaks good of anyone, it is based on that person's ’îmân. O women! You should also put your ’îmân in order.

Fâtimah رضي الله عنها

She is the youngest of all the sisters but the highest in status and the most beloved to Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He has referred to her as the piece of his flesh and the leader of all women. He has also stated that if anything causes her sorrow, it causes him sorrow as well. When he fell ill, he whispered into her ear and informed her of the approach of his death. Upon hearing this, she began to cry. He again whispered into her ear and informed her that she should not grieve because she will be the first to join him and she will be the leader of all women in jannah. Upon hearing this, she began smiling. Although all his wives begged her to tell them what he had told her, she did not do so until after his demise. She married ‘Alî radiyallâhu ‘anhu. Many other virtues concerning her have been mentioned in the Hadîth.
Lesson One: The reason for Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam loving her the most and being specially attached to her is that she was the most pious, the most patient and the most grateful. O women! Adopt Dîn, patience and gratefulness. You will also become beloved by Allah and His Rasûl sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
Lesson Two: When we had first mentioned the life of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we also listed all the names of his wives and daughters.
Lesson Three: O women! There is one more point which you have to ponder over. You have read about Rasûlullâh’s sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam eleven wives and four daughters. You must have realized for yourselves that out of the eleven wives, apart from ‘Â'ishah radiyallâhu ‘anhâ, all the others had been married previously. From his daughters, apart from Zaynab and Fâtimah radiyallâhu ‘anhumâ, the other two were married prior to marrying ‘Uthmân radiyallâhu ‘anhu. No woman in the world is equal to these twelve women (the ten wives and two daughters who had been married previously) in honour and status. If entering into a second marriage was blameworthy or a blemish, would these women have ever done something that is considered to be a blemish? It is extremely sad that some ignorant people consider a second marriage to be a blemish. If one begins to consider something that occurred in the family of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam to be a blemish or to be immoral, how can one still have îmân? What type of Muslims are they that they find fault with the lifestyle of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam and consider the lifestyle of the kuffâr to be honourable? We are saying this because keeping a widow at home without allowing her to get married again is actually the custom of the kâfir Hindus of India.
We have something else to add to this. There is a big difference between you and the widows of the past. They may have been ignorant, but they used to take great precautions in safeguarding their honour and chastity. They used to suppress their nafs and did not allow it to fall into sin. As for today, the widows surpass married women in trying to beautify themselves. It is for this reason that many incidents are beginning to occur which are not suitable to be mentioned. In these times, it is most certainly not permissible to refuse widows from getting married. This is because neither the women have any shame and bashfulness of the past, the men do not have any sense of honour, nor do the widows know how to live a life of widowhood and to undertake the necessary means for their food and clothing. Now the time is such that one should not even forgetfully think of refusing a widow from getting married. May Allah give us understanding and success.


Note: After mentioning the lives of the women of the previous nations, we mentioned the lives of Rasûlullâh’s sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam 11 wives, and 4 daughters - totalling 15 women. We will now mention the lives of women who were present during the lifetime of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam and with some of whom he had special relations.