As we all commonly know, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had many wives. There are many who raise issues over the fact but he married each one of his wives due to particular reasons. He married many of them in order to give them protection, save their dignity, at times to forge friendly relations, to reduce enmity between tribes and to spread Islam. His practice of polygamy was not associated with mere satisfaction of passion. It is rather associated with compassion toward widows, orphans and for the betterment of Islam. He was a model example to Muslims until the end of time of equality, justice and kindness to them all. He would never discriminate among them. He formed many Allies with his marriages and passed on Islam to the next generations as a practical example. So as you read ahead you will realise that there were solid reasons behind his polygomy. Umrah Tour
- Bibi Khadijah bint Khuwaylid: At the age of 25 Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) married his first and the most beloved wife Bibi Khadijah. She was a 40 years old widow with children. An extremely wealthy business woman who hired Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as her business agent but soon realised that Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is a truthful person with remarkable character and she wanted to marry him and sent her proposal for marriage.
She believed in him when no one did and accepted Islam. She gave up all her wealth for the good of Islam and lived a simple life to be with the Beloved Prophet Muhammaf. She was not only a wife to him but a dear friend and a true companion. Prophet Muhammad never took another wife till the time he was married to her (25 years). Even after her demise he never forgot her; she was always cherished in his memories and had a respectable place in his heart that no one could replace.
- Sawdah bint Zam’ah: She was an 80 year old, and had a dark skin tone as described in Sunnah. She was the 1st widow in Islam. Prophet Mohammed was lonely after the death of Bibi Khatija and had to take care of his family by himself and so couldn’t fulfil his religious duties of spreading Islam to the full extent. When suggested he asked for her hand in marriage with her parents and her permission. He wanted to break the prejudice that a widow woman is cursed and unwanted in the society and bring around the new beliefs of Islam in which women were honoured and treasured.
- Bibi Ayesha Bint Abu Bakr: Bibi Aishah was raised as a Muslim while most of the close companions reverted to Islam. She was just 6 years when Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) married her (it was normal in the Arab community at that time to get girls married at such a young age) but they consummated the marriage when she was 9. She was the youngest of all wives and the only virgin he married. Through this marriage especially, our Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) showed the Muslim Ummah that it is a sunnah to help your wife at home and be cooperative and appreciative of her when she is not perfect in her work and to show kindness towards your wife.
- Bibi Hafsa Bint Omar ibn Al Khattab: She was the daughter of Prophet Muhammad’s (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) companion Omar Bin Al Khattab. Her husband was killed in the battle of Uhud and she was a widow at age 18/19. She then had the honour of marrying Prophet Muhammad. Their marriage was a political alliance and linked the Al-Khattab family with the Prophet’s family. Like Bibi Aisha She had memorised the Holy Quran by heart. She would spend hours reading and understanding verses of the Quran. she had the great Honour of being the custodian of the first Mushaf.
- Bibi Zaynab Bint Khuzayma Al- Hilaliyah: Bibi Zainab was married and divorced to Thufail ibn Abdul muttalib the Prophet’s cousin. Thufail’s brother Ubaidah then married Bibi Zaynab out of respect, but to her dismay was killed during the historic Battle of Badr and she once again became a widow. She then came in the Nikah of our Beloved Prophet. But, had already earned the title of Mother of the Poor due to her generosity towards the poor. She was the 1st wife of our Prophet outside of the Quraish tribe. After her marriage to Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) muslim men no longer feared death while in battle, for they knew starvation and neglect is no more the future of their families. After this matrimony it was considered honourable to marry widows of the deceased of Islamic Wars (Shaheedan E Islam).
- Umm Salamah Bint Abu Ummayah Al-Makhzumiya: She was married to Abdullah ibn Al-Asad Makhzumi. She and her husband were among the first ones to leave Mecca bound for Medina, she experienced separation from her husband and the abduction of her son shattered her. She became a widow at the age of 30 / 40.
At the death of her husband she made this du’a to Allah:
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Allahumma Ajirni fi musibati, wa akhlif li khairan minha.
(“ To Allah,we belong and unto him is our return. O Allah , compensate me for my affliction and replace it for me with something better”)
As a result of this dua she was granted the gift of marriage to the Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). {It is well known amongst muslims to read this dua when incurred great loss or sorrow}. She narrated 3000 hadiths relating to women. Her life was filled with examples of patience and tawakkul in Allah for the Ummah to learn from.
- Zaynab bint Jahsh Al As’adiyah: She was married to Prophet Mohammed’s (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) adopted son Zaid Bin Harris. She was from the noble family of Quraish and had a high status. Zayd was not the kind of husband she had in mind as but to please the Prophet her family allowed the marriage to take place. she was unhappy with the marriage and so the marriage did not last for long.
Verses in the Quran were revealed to marry Zaynab as an example for the world to know that the rules for an adopted son are not the same as a biological son. She was known for her generosity and charitable works.
- Juwayriya bint al- Harith bin Abi Zarar: She was married to Mustafa Bin Safwan who had been killed in the battle and she was a widow at the age of 20 and held captive. She had been made a captive of Thabit ibn Qais, our prophet freed her. She was the daughter of the chief of Banu Mustaliq and her marriage to Prophet Mohammed’s (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) brought about an alignment between her tribe and the Muslims and allowed the tribe to enter Islam with honour and forget the humiliation of their defeat. And as a gesture of good will all the war booty was returned to Banu Mustaliq along with setting free all the war captives.
- Ume- Habibah Bint Abi Sufyan: Also known as Ramla, was the daughter of the chief Abu Sufyan of Quraish tribe of Mecca, who were enemies of Islam. She declared her faith without fear of the consequences and she held steady on her faith when she was tested severely with oppression.
Ume Habibah and her husband Ubaidullah ibn Jahsh joined the migration to Abyssinia. Her husband died thereafter. She was alone in a strange country with a young daughter and no support. When the Prophet heard of her difficult situation he offered to marry her and she accepted. The king of Abyssinia, who had recently reverted to Islam secretly, provided her mahr and witnessed the marriage contract in his country.
- Safiyah Bint Huyayy Bin Akhtab: Born in Madina to Huyayy ibn Akhtab the chief of Nadir tribe (Jewish tribe) and married Kinana B. Abi Haqiq from the same tribe. Her father and husband both were killed. The tribe was expelled from Madina and had to settle in Khaybar. After the Victory of Muslims in the war of Khaybar she was taken captive. After that Our Beloved Prophet asked for her hand in Marriage if she reverted to Islam and she accepted.
Despite reverting to Islam Prophets other wives teased her to be of jew origin to which beloved Prophet said to his wife:
“If they discriminate against you again, tell them that your husband is Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), your father was Prophet Harun ibn Imran and your uncle was Prophet Musa. So what is there to be scornful about?”
- Maymuna Bint Al- Harith Ameria Hilalia: She was first married to Abu Ruhm ibn Abd Al- Uzza, who died. Maymuna also known as Barra desired to marry Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and sent a proposal to him for Nikah and our Prophet accepted. She was married to our prophet for 3 years until his death in 1632. She was a very good natured and gentle woman. Her nephew, Ibn Abbas, who became the greatest scholar of the Quran, learned a great deal of knowledge from her.
It is a well known fact that Islam has spread on the shoulders of women/ mothers and has been preserved in their hearts since Centuries. It is a great honour to be the female of this Ummah and one should make sure to try their best to Spread Islam and learn about this world in relation to Islam and spread this knowledge of which his wives were living examples of. The books of authentic Hadith attribute more than 3,000 narrations and Prophetic traditions by his wives alone. It is our duty to spread this knowledge and enlighten our Gen-X and guide them right.
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