إجازة الأستاذ أحمد لبن مدير المنتدى بقراءة الإمام عاصم الكوفي

موضوع: Umm Habeebah الخميس 22 ديسمبر 2016, 10:51 pm

Umm Habeebah:
Ramlah bint Abu Sufiyaan
may Allaah be pleased with her
mother of the faithful
==================
There was calmness, peacefulness and magnanimity in her nature. She embraced Islam early; so she was one of the early Muslims.

She migrated with her husband, `Ubaydullaah ibn Jahsh to Abyssinia. She preferred the love of Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, above the house of her father Abu Sufiyaan, the Quraysh leader and above his wealth, influence and affluence. She endured the pain of farness from Makkah, her hometown, the difficulty of life in a strange land and the agony of poverty.

Her husband then became a Christian, indulged in drinking alcohol and then died.

But who was better than the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, in healing the huge wound inflicted on the heart of Umm Habeebah?

{The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their [believers'] mothers ...} [Quran 33: 6]

When the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, knew about Umm Habeebah's loneliness, he sent to her asking for her hand in marriage. She willingly and happily accepted the proposal.

Here, dear reader, many people just make a passing mention of this event without taking a deep and reflective stance, especially in respect to the Negus, the Abyssinian king who paid the Mahr (bridal gift) and witness the marriage contract.

Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, is the daughter of the Quraysh chief and leader. She is the daughter of Abu Sufiyaan who became the leader of Quraysh after the death of Abu Jahl. And the suitor was the Muhammad, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.

The gesture of the Negus was of the highest level!

This event reflected on the psyche of Abu Sufiyaan in some aspects: One, implied psychological satisfaction with what had happened; and two, verbal acknowledgement of the Prophet's wisdom and far-sightedness when he said: "He is a stallion whose nose should not be cut off.”29

And years passed until Khaybar was conquered and Ja`far returned with Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, in his company. The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, then consumed the marriage with her and gave her an apartment. He would visit her, express happiness in meeting her and would pass the night in her house. Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, was a good model in good companionship.

Throughout more than fifteen years which Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, spent in foreign land, she did not set her eyes on the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, neither did she enjoyed his nice words.

But like her fellow male and female migrants, she received the new verses of the Quran that were being revealed, memorized them and understood them. News of events also came to them successively and they were on a constant contact with the Da `wah movement.

Dear reader, starting our talk about Umm Habeebah by mentioning that she was naturally calm, peaceful and magnanimous and that her heart was firm in faith like high mountains is not done out of a vacuum neither is it a made-up idea. She was in fact endowed with a great share of pure faith.

Her dreams regarding her separation from her husband, `Ubaydullaah ibn Jahsh and the Prophet's marriage proposal to her, testified to this.

She narrates to us:
"I saw my husband in a worst figure in my dream and I was frightened. When I woke up in the morning I found out that he had become a Christian. I informed him of the dream and he disregarded it and he became addicted to alcohol until he died.

29 Ibn `Abdul-Ban reported this on the authority of `Abdul-Wahid ibn Abu `Awn. See Al-Isaabah, vol. 4, p. 299.

Someone then came to me in my dream and said: `O mother of the faithful', and I was frightened. And as soon as I finished my waiting period, a female messenger of the Negus whose name is Abrahah came to me and said: `The king said: `Appoint someone as your guardian in marriage.' So I sent to Khaalid ibn Sa`eed ibn Al-`Aas ibn Umayyah and I appointed him as my guardian, and I gave Abrahah two bracelets of silver."'

On the evening, the Negus commanded Ja`far ibn Abu Taalib (to deliver a speech on his behalf). Ja`far then praised Allaah, extolled Him and read statements of testimony. He then said: "To proceed; the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, sent a message to me requesting the hand of Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, in marriage. So I granted his request. I am giving four hundred Deenaar as bridal money (Mahr) on behalf of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.

The Negus then poured the money. Khaalid then said: "I have accepted what the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam and his wife Umm Habeebah called to."

He thereafter accepted the money. The Negus threw a banquet for them and they eat.

Umm Habeebah said: "When the money came to me, I gave Abrahah fifty Deenaar therefrom.

She returned the money and said that the king had commanded her to do so. She also returned what I had given her before.

On the following day, she came to me with aloes, wars, 30 and ambergris, and many Ziyaad. I brought all that with me when I came to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam. 31

This purity of faith transformed her into another person during the time of her confrontation with polytheism. It is as if she was in a battlefield. Her weapon was the word of the truth that served like a sharp and stern sword. She feared no harm or difficulty, even with her closest blood relation.
30 A kind of perfume.
31 This story is reported by Ibn Sa`d.

موضوع: رد: Umm Habeebah الخميس 22 ديسمبر 2016, 10:55 pm

The evidence for this is that the Quraysh reneged on the truce of Hudaybiyah which they made with the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, and Banu Bakr helped their allies against Banu Khuzaa`ah who were allies of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. They cruelly massacred them and they wantonly shed their blood without even any regard for the Ancient House.

Fearing that matters might develop into situations that would not be favourable to them, Abu Sufiyaan left Makkah as an envoy of the Quraysh to Madeenah to meet the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, and to apologise, vindicate themselves and reaffirm the truce.

The first thing he did when he arrived at Madeenah was that he headed for the apartment of his daughter, Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, who he had not seen for many years. She coldly received him. When he wanted to sit on the Prophet's, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, bed, she folded it up and did not allow him to sit on it.

He asked her astonishingly and sadly, "Daughter, do you love this bed better than me or you love me better than this bed?!"

She answered resolutely, sincerely and courageously, without being influenced by any family sentiment:
"No! It is the Prophet's, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, bed and you are a filthy polytheist!!"

Abu Sufiyaan then said: "You have been afflicted with evil after me."

She retorted, "No, I have rather been blessed with all goodness."

He then went out of her apartment, and he did not find any favour with her.

Here, the memory is vivid, memory of the encounter between the Muslims and the polytheists in the Battle of Badr; the encounter between the father and the son, the man and his brother and between members of the same kith and kin. But the bond of faith and the glory of Islam are more sublime and stronger.

Allaah Says (what means):
{The believers are nothing else than brothers ...} [Quran 49: 10]

Allaah also Says (what means):
{You [O Muhammad] will not find any people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger [Muhammad] even though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred [people].

For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Rooh [proofs, light and true guidance] from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens [Paradise] under which rivers flow to dwell therein [forever].

Allaah is pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of Allaah. Verily, it is the Party of Allaah that will be the successful.} [Quran 58: 22]

Abu Bakr and his son `Abdur-Rahmaan, may Allaah be pleased with them, had confronted each other; Abu `Ubaydah, may Allaah be pleased with him, and his father faced each other and `Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, and his maternal uncle had met head-on with each other. There are other similar examples.

The faith and Islam were the deciding factors!

And it was as if the mother of the faithful, Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, was raising the sword of Islam in the face of her father, Abu Sufiyaan!!

Indeed, there is a lesson there for those who are wise and there is, surely, in that a reminder for whoever has a heart or who listens while he is present in mind.

Was there any extremism in her behaviour? Was there any rigidity? Or she just adhered to the truth?

Allaah indeed prevents the true believers from befriending those who challenge Allaah and His Messenger even if they are their fathers, brothers or kindred!

There is no friendship with disbelief; there is no truce with polytheism, absolutely and truthfully.

In spite of few years that Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, spent with the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, she has memorized and narrated a considerable number of Ahaadeeth from him.

Those who heard from her narrated to us a number of traditions of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam. She therefore faithfully and trustworthily took part in enriching the noble Sunnah.

Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, lived for a while after the death of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. The most authentic narration is that she died in the year 44 after Hijrah.

She witnessed the crisis in which commander of the faithful `Uthmaan ibn `Affaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, was martyred but she took no part in the conflict neither with an opinion nor, with a stand. In spite of her family ties with `Uthmaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, she kept herself away from the furnace of the crisis that eat up everything with no exceptions.

She also witnessed the crisis that occurred between the leader of the faithful, `Ali ibn Abu Taalib, may Allaah be pleased with him, and her brother, Mu`aawiyah, may Allaah be pleased with him, but she did not take part in it.

Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, was always noble. She had always wanted to meet Allaah while her heart is free from malice against any Muslim. She was extremely delicate and severely sensitive. Her pure faith is rarely equaled.

Look at what she did when she was about to leave this world: `Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said: "Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, called me when she was about to die and said: `There might have been between me and you what usually happens between rivals. Will you please absolve me?' So I absolved her and asked Allaah to forgive her. She then said: `You have made me happy, may Allaah make you also happy.' And she sent to Umm Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with her, in the like manner."

But where is Habeebah, her only child? There was a report that Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her, migrated to Abyssinia while she was pregnant with Habeebah and that she gave birth to her there.

Habeebah was married to Daawood ibn `Urwah ibn Mas`ood Ath-Thaqafi.

May Allaah be pleased with Umm Habeebah, the mother of the faithful! May He also please her and make her abode honourable! May He let us join her in the group of His righteous slaves!

IZHAR UL-HAQ

إجازة الأستاذ أحمد لبن مدير المنتدى بقراءة الإمام عاصم الكوفي

Umm Habeebah