Muslim Women to Look Up to: Hazrat Saudah

It's important that as Muslimahs we have our own role models to look up to. We don't look to the latest stars, celebrities, models and politicians for our examples. Instead we look to the Muslimahs of yesterday and today. We are beautiful, strong, intelligent women with voices to be heard. Always have been and always will be. We are the mothers, the teachers, the listeners, the supporters and the backbone of our Ummah.

Her name and lineage

Hazrat Saudah (Radi’Allahu Anha) belonged to the tribe of Aamir Bin Lawi which was a branch of the Quraysh. She was the daughter of Zam’a, son of Qais. Her mother’s name was Shamoos who belonged to the Banu Najjar tribe of Medina.

Her youth

She was initially married to Sakran, son of Amr who was a nephew of her father. She and her husband embraced Islam together in the early days of Prophethood. Because of the tyranny and repression of the Quraysh towards Muslims, Hazrat Saudah (Radi’Allahu Anha) and her husband joined the party of immigrants leaving for Abyssinia. She returned to Makkah after residing in Abyssinia for a number of years. On returning to Makkah, her husband Sakran passed away.

Marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)

After the sad demise of Hazrat Khadijah (Radi’Allahu Anha), the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) was greatly grief-stricken. Through a number of people, the marriage of Hazrat Saudah (Radi’Allahu Anha) was decided and her father gave her in marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) for dower money of 400 Dirhams. It is narrated that Hazrat Saudah (Radi’Allahu Anha) saw a dream during the lifetime of her former husband, Sakran, who gave the interpretation that he would die and she would be wedded to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). This dream came true.

Qualities

Hazrat Saudah (Radi’Allahu Anha) was the most obedient of all the wives. On the occasion of the last pilgrimage, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) had desired that his wives stay in their homes after his death. Hazrat Saudah (Radi’Allahu Anha) obeyed this order to the extent that she did not leave her home even for another Hajj saying, “I have already performed Hajj and Umrah and hence I shall stay on in my home as per orders of Allah and His Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).”

In alms-giving and generosity, she was above all the wives except Hazrat Aisha (Radi’Allahu Anha). She earned from cleansing of hides and skins and spent lavishly in the way of Allah on deeds of virtue and righteousness.

She also had a good sense of humour. At times, she walked in such a way that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) was amused. Once she said to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), “Last night I prayed in your company but your bowing became so prolonged that I feared my nose had started bleeding and I caught hold of my nose for a long time. This amused the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and he smiled.

***article from http://issmstudents.org.uk/articles/female_comp/Saudah_ra.asp***

***If you know a Muslimah to look up i.e. your Mother, teacher, sister in your community, friend, etc. Send us an email at mail@muslimah2muslimah.com so we can feature them. Tell us why they are a Muslimah to look up to in your opinion along with an image.***

Asalaamu alaikum

Nadira & Najwa

Muslimah2Muslimah Big Sister Program

We have been working on getting our Big Sister Program for quite some time. We still have a lot of work to do to get things going, but we have been receiving a lot of email from sisters looking for mentors. We would love to be able to speak to each and every sister and have a chance to connect with them on a personal level. However due to location and the amount of sisters looking for mentors we would not be able to do it.

We think this would be great for new shahaadahs, younger sisters, sisters looking to learn more/strengthen their deen and have someone to be able to connect with. So insha' Allah if you are interested in being a mentor or you are seeking a mentor please send us an email at bigsisterprogram@muslimah2muslimah.com with the subject Big Sister Program for more info. Also be sure to let us know if you want to mentor or are looking for a mentor.

Asalaamu alaikum
Nadira & Najwa

Muslim Women to Look Up to : Hazrat Umm-e-Habibah

It's important that as Muslimahs we have our own role models to look up to. We don't look to the latest stars, celebrities, models and politicians for our examples. Instead we look to the Muslimahs of yesterday and today. We are beautiful, strong, intelligent women with voices to be heard. Always have been and always will be. We are the mothers, the teachers, the listeners, the supporters and the backbone of our Ummah.

***If you know a Muslimah to look up i.e. your Mother, teacher, sister in your community, friend, etc. Send us an email at mail@muslimah2muslimah.com so we can feature them. Tell us why they are a Muslimah to look up to in your opinion along with an image.***

Hazrat Umm-e-Habibah (Radi’Allahu Anha)

Her name and lineage

Her first name was Ramlah and her surname was Umm-e-Habibah (Radi’Allahu Anha). She was the daughter of Abu Sufyan and her mother’s name was Safiyya Bint Auld Aas who was a real paternal aunt of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).

Marriage to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)

Her first marriage was to Obaidallah Bin Jahash, they both accepted Islam together and migrated to Ethiopia. On reaching there, Obaidallah became a Christian and also asked Ramlah to become a Christian. She however, refused to leave Islam. After her Iddat, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) sent Amr Bin Umayya Zamir to the Negus (Ruler of Ethiopia) to arrange the marriage of Ramlah (Radi’Allahu Anha) and the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). In the evening, Negus gathered all the Muslims and read out the formal sermon of marriage. At the time Umm-e-Habibah was 36 or 37 years old.

Features and Character

Umm-e-Habibah (Radi’Allahu Anha) was extraordinarily beautiful. Her father, Abu Sufyan himself said, ‘In my estimate the most handsome of Arab women and the most beautiful amongst them is Umm-e-Habibah (Radi’Allahu Anha)’. In the Traditions book, as many as 65 Ahadith are attributed to her.Before the fall of Makkah, her father Abu Sufyan went to visit Umm-e-Habibah. He wanted to sit down on the bedding of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), but Umm-e-Habibah did not allow her father to sit on this as he was yet an unbeliever. Abu Sufyan was infuriated. She said, ‘You are a polytheist and hence unclean. This is a pure, clean bedding of the Holy Prophet’. Abu Sufyan retorted, ‘You have been spoilt a lot in my absence’.

She was also meticulous in acting upon the Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). She had heard from the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), that whoever among the believers offered twelve Rak’ats of supererogatory prayers (Nawafil), that person shall have a palace in Paradise. She said, ‘I persisted in offering these twelve Rak’ats daily’.

Her Death

Umm-e-Habibah (Radi’Allahu Anha) died at the age of 73 years in the year 44AH, during the Caliphate of her brother Amir Mo’awiya. She was buried in a house of Hazrat Ali (Radi’Allahu Anhu) in Medina. At the time of her death, she called Aisha (Radi’Allahu Anha) and Umm-e-Salmah (Radi’Allahu Anha) and said, ‘Whatever unpleasantness happens to take place among co-wives, it also took place among us. I request you to forgive me any such unpleasantness’. Aisha (Radi’Allahu Anha) said she forgave her and prayed for her salvation. On this day, she said, ‘You have pleased me (by ready forgiveness). May Allah please you!’

***article from http://issmstudents.org.uk/articles/female_comp/Umm-e-Habibah_ra.asp

Asalaamu alaikum

Nadira & Najwa