Biography of Mrs Hafsa Bint Umar Bin Al-Khattab
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November 03 1997 Islamic Biography- Biography of female companions- Mothers of Believers-Mrs Hafsa: Biography of Mrs hafsa bint Umar bin Al-Khattab Praise be to Allah, the Lord of Creations, and Peace and blessings be upon our prophet Muhammad, the faithful and the honest. Oh, Allah, we know nothing but what You teach us. You are the All- Knower, the Wise. Oh Allah, teach us what is good for us, and benefit us from what You taught us, and increase our knowledge. Show us the righteous things as righteous and help us to do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us to keep away from them. O Allah our Lord, lead us out from the depths of darkness and illusion, unto the lights of erudition and knowledge, and from the muddy shallows of lusts unto the heavens of Your Vicinity. The dates of Mrs. Hafsah's birth, her marriage to the Prophet and death: Dear brothers, let us continue with the fourteenth lesson of the reverend female companions' biographies, may Allah be pleased with them all. We are still talking about the household of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, particularly about his wives. Today we are discussing the biography of the Prophet’s fourth wife, the Mother of the Believers Hafsah bint Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with them. Hafsah bint Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, was the pious wife who used to fast much and stand frequently in prayers. Furthermore, she was the one who kept the firstwritten copy of the Noble Quran in her house. Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, was born five years before the Messenger of Allah, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, became the Prophet. She got married to him three years after the Hijrah and after Aeyshah, may Allah be pleased with her. Hafsah narrated many Ahadeeth from the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, and from her father. Her brother Abdullah bin Umar narrated 1 Biography of Mrs hafsa bint Umar bin Al-Khattab from her many Ahadeeth of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. He narrated that the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said: ((Allah has chosen me, and He has chosen my Companions for me.)) The household of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, is a part of the mission, so his wife who Almighty Allah had chosen for him was assigned to transmit his Sunnan which are classified into: Sunnah Qawliyyah (his Ahadeeth), Sunnah Fiiliyyah (his actions) and Sunnah Taqririyyah (the approvals of Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, regarding the actions of the companions by his remaining silent or appreciating them.) Thus, the person who had to transmit the Sunnan of the Prophet, which we have to follow till the Day of Resurrection, was a qualified one. If the wife was not qualified, she would not deserve to be in the household of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. Narrated Abu Usaid: ((We went out with the Prophet to a garden called Ash-Shaut till we reached two walls between which we sat down. The Prophet said, "Sit here," and went in (the garden). The Jauniyya (a lady from Bani Jaun) had been brought and lodged in a house in a date-palm garden in the home of Umaima bint An- Nu'man bin Sharahil, and her wet nurse was with her. When the Prophet entered upon her, he said to her, "Give me yourself." She said, "Can a princess give herself in marriage to an ordinary man?" The Prophet raised his hand to pat her so that she might become tranquil. She said, "I seek refuge with Allah from you." He said, "You have sought refuge with One Who gives refuge." Then the Prophet came out to us and said, "O Abu Usaid! Give her two white linen dresses to wear and let her go back to her family.")) (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Divorce, Hadith 5255) The Prophet refused to marry her, because she was not clever at all, nor was she wise. She did not use her reason when she uttered those words. How dared she say to the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, "I ask refuge with Allah from you"? The wives of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, had to be outstanding because they had to report his sayings, actions and approvals which represent a source of Shar'e that we should follow in worshipping Almighty Allah. Hafsah, bint Umar bin Al-Khattab, the caliber of Islam died in the reign of Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufiyan while people were giving him the pledge of allegiance. Her first husband and the way he died: Dear brothers, the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, married her after her period of waiting was over. Her first marriage was to Khunays 2 Biography of Mrs hafsa bint Umar bin Al-Khattab Ibn Huthafah Ibn Qays as-Sahami, may Allah be pleased with him, who was from Quraysh and was one of the first who embraced Islam. He took part in the two emigrations to Abyssinia and then to Al-Madeenah with the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, to support him and fight with him. Khunays fought in the battles of Badr and Uhud. In the latter battle he was fatally wounded and died shortly thereafter in Al-Madeenah. The reverend female companion was a righteous wife, and all of you know that this worldly life is but a place of enjoyment and the best enjoyment in which is the righteous wife as the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said in the following Hadith: ((The whole world is a place of enjoyment and the best enjoyment is a righteous wife.)) (Muslim no. 1468 and An-Nisa'ee from Ibn Amr and Saheeh al-Jaam'e (3407).) In another Hadith the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was asked which woman was best and he replied: ((The one who pleases (her husband) when he looks at her, obeys him when he gives a command, and does not go against his wishes regarding herself or property by doing anything of which he disapproves.)) (Nasa'i and Bayhaqi, in Shu'ab al-Iman transmitted it.) Hafsah was a companion's righteous wife; it is enough for the wife to be righteous to enter Paradise. This is what the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said in the following Hadith: ((Please go and tell the ladies whom you represent that by doing your duty by your husbands in a pleasant manner, keeping in mind what will make them happy, and following them faithfully, you will please greatly Allah and He will give you the same rewards as have been promised by men.)) You know that Al-Jihad is the best deed ever, so if a woman takes care of her husband and children, she deserves Paradise. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him said: ((If a woman prays her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (i.e. Ramadan), guards her private parts, and obeys her husband, it will be said to her, 'Enter Paradise through whichever of the gates of Paradise you wish.')) (Al-Bukhari) As I mentioned earlier, Khunays was one of those who participated in the two emigrations; to Abyssinia and then to Al-Madeenah with the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. He fought against al-Mushrikeen (polytheists) 3 Biography of Mrs hafsa bint Umar bin Al-Khattab in the battle of Badr. The believers who fought in Badr were praised by the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him: ((Who knows, perhaps Allah has already looked at the Badr warriors and said: 'Do whatever you like, for I have forgiven you.')) (Al-Bukhari through Ali) They supported this religion and made it triumphant. Some people benefit Islam, while the others make use of it; some people participate positively to support Islam, while other people participate negatively; some give Islam, while other people take from it. Thus, those who sacrifice their time, efforts, money and souls in the cause of supporting the religion of Almighty Allah are best rewarded and they surpass those who make use of Islam. Khunays was one of the reverend companions who took part in Badr. Almighty Allah says: (And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force.) (Aal-'Imran: 123) The believers were very weak; in weaponry, money and number of fighters. However, they were victorious, because they submitted themselves to Almighty Allah. Khunays was seriously injured in the battle of Uhud, and he died from his deadly wounds. Hafsah was widowed while she was still young at the age of twenty. Umar's situation after the death of Hafsah's husband: Dear brothers, the death of Hafsah's husband was very painful to Umar. Indeed, only fathers among you know how dear the children are. I think that Almighty Allah makes us close to Him through fatherhood; a father is merciful, caring and affectionate to his children. Fathers are happy when they know that their children 4 Biography of Mrs hafsa bint Umar bin Al-Khattab are happy and safe. If you give as much gold as this worldly life it means nothing for a father whose son is not a comfort of his eye.