إجازة الأستاذ أحمد لبن مدير المنتدى بقراءة الإمام عاصم الكوفي

موضوع: Maariyah الخميس 22 ديسمبر 2016, 11:36 pm

Maariyah

may Allaah be pleased with her
the Copt
After the Truce of Hudaybiyah that took place in the month of Shawwaal of the Year 6 A.H., the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, sent message of Islam to the kings and the rulers of the then world, inviting them and their peoples to Islam and warning them that they would be responsible for the delay in responding to this call and reminding them of the repercussion of disdaining the pure religion.

But why had he not invited them at the beginning of his mission? The answer to this question demands deep understanding of the Seerah as it demands a serious study. The answer —by the grace of Allaah —is neither a talisman nor an enigma.

The struggle between this new religion and the leaders of polytheism among the Quraysh was intense and was in full swing. But on the path of the Muslims, this war was characterized by only insistence and firmness upon the truth and enduring of persecutions without a fight.

This was the situation for the entire thirteen years of Makkan period. Then the Hijrah to Madeenah took place after the Pledge of the Ansaar, the Aws and Al-Khazraj to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, that they would fight against all people in the cause of this religion and would protect the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and help his cause.

Then Allaah revealed the verse:
{Permission to fight [against disbelievers] is given to those [believers] who are fought against, because they have been wronged; and surely, Allaah is Able to give them [believers] victory.} [Quran 22: 39]

It is then that the Jihaad took a new nature, which is positivism and confrontation in the war field.

The existence of Islam since its first day in Madeenah had taken a political dimension which means: A state with its own geographical boundaries, people and system.

This situation is corroborated by the agreements the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, entered into with the Jews of Madeenah: Banu Qaynuqaa`, Banu Nadeer and Banu Quraydhah. The texts and articles of those agreements testify to this view. They are agreements of alliance, non-aggression and acknowledgement of each party's authority over its followers.

However, the aversive Quraysh —who turned away from the truth and guidance and instead inclined towards ignorance, error and desire while they were still the leaders of the Arabs and their object of respect— were hostile towards Islam, its Messenger and the Muslims.

It engaged the Muslims in battles from Badr to Uhud to the Trench! Its hostility towards the Muslims continued till the day of Hudaybiyah.
It was in Hudaybiyah that a truce took place between the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, and the Quraysh represented by Suhayl ibn `Amr.

This truce recognized the political entity of the Muslims as represented by the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, as the leader of that authority, and not as Prophet and Messenger.

We can observe this in Suhayl's rejection of the expression: `Muhammad, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, when the truce was being drafted. What does this rejection mean? It means: If we had acknowledged your being the Messenger of Allaah, we would not have waged war against you. You should therefore instead write your name and the name of your father!

The result of this truce is that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, with the acknowledgement of the Quraysh became the leader of a state!

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, henceforth was in a position to address letters to leaders of nations. No doubt, he was greater and nobler than the mere political title, but that was necessitated by the dictates of international relations.

Dear reader, this introduction was written because of the heretic and supercilious advocates of secularism and sabotage who talk on issues they know nothing about!!

It is also a historical necessity relating to our topic of discussion, which is the presence of Maariyah, the Copt around the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, and in his household.

Had it not been for the Prophet's, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, letter to Muqawqis the ruler of Egypt, there would not have been any mention of Maariyah in the history of Islam.

The Muqawqis was based in Alexandria. He took the city as his headquarters. He held the religious and political leadership over the Egyptian Copts, in spite of the Roman occupation of their land and their usurpation of the will of Egyptian people for many years.

The church then was divided into groups as far as belief, conducts and rituals were concerned: Western Church under the leadership of the Romans and Eastern Church under the leadership of its patriarchs and bishops. The Muqawqis belonged to the latter group.

It was Haatib ibn Abu Balta`ah who was sent with the Prophet's letter to the Muqawqis. All letters that were sent to different kings and rulers were of the same content.

The Muqawqis received the envoy of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, received the letter and read it. He hosted the envoy and honoured him but he did not accept the message of Islam.

He then sent some gifts with the envoy to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.

The gifts are:
1.    Maariyah and her sister Seereen
2.    A mule named Duldul.
3.    A donkey named Ya`foor.
4.    An old eunuch known as Ma'boor. Some said he was Maariyah's brother but the correct view is that he was her relative.
5.    1000 Mithqaal of gold.
6.    Twenty fine cloths.

Maariyah was a Copt girl from a village in the Upper Egypt. Her name was Ansana. She was fair-complexioned and beautiful with curly hair. It was said that her mother was of Roman descent and that this was the reason for her white skin.

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, took her for himself. He cohabited with her as maid that his right hand possessed and in spite of that, made her wear Hijaab. He gave her sister Seereen as a gift to Hassaan ibn Thaabit.

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, first sheltered her in the apartments of his wives.

He was very fond of her. He would pass two or three nights in her house. This made his other wives being enormously jealous of her. He then took her to an outskirt of Madeenah called Al-`Aaliyah and he would visit her there.

Maariyah embraced Islam and she practiced the religion excellently. This caused the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, to love her more.

The following is the role that Maariyah —in her presence around the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and in the house of prophethood— played. The role has its dimensions: Islamic rules and social implications.

Let us listen to `Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, the mother of the faithful narrate to us an aspect of the story of Maariyah.

`Amrah bint `Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Ansaariyah narrated from `Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, that she said: "I have never been jealous of any woman as I have been of Maariyah. This is because she was beautiful and curly-haired. The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, was fond of her.

When she first arrived, the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, lodged her at the house of Haarithah ibn Nu`maan. She then became our neighbour. He would stay with her for the most part of the night and the day until he would be tired or she would be tired. He then transferred her to Al-`Aaliyah where he would frequently visit her. And that would terribly upset us."

Maariyah became pregnant, while none of the Prophet's, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, wives, since he came to Madeenah was ever pregnant. He was therefore happy and his love and affection for her increased. He would incessantly stay with her.

It happened once that he cohabited with her in the apartment of Hafsah, may Allaah be pleased with her, and on her day. Hafsah, may Allaah be pleased with her, was very upset by this and she complained saying, "O' Allaah's Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, you have done to me something you have never done to any of your wives, and on my day, during my turn and in my bed!!!”

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, then replied her, "Will it not please you if I forbid her for myself and not come near her again?" Hafsah, may Allaah be pleased with her, answered, "Yes." He then prohibited her for himself and requested from Hafsah, may Allaah be pleased with her, to keep the matter as a secret and not mention it to anyone.

But Hafsah told `Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with them, of the matter; and Allaah informed him of this.

Then a rebuke, rules and threats came.

It is on this occasion that Allaah revealed His Saying (what means):
{0' Prophet! Why do you ban [for yourself] that which Allaah has allowed to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Allaah has already ordained for you [O' men] the dissolution from your oaths.

And Allaah is your Mawla [Lord, or Master, or Protector] and He is The All-Knower, The All-Wise. And [remember] when the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives [Hafsah], then she told it [to another i.e., `Aa'ishah], and Allaah made it known to him; he informed part thereof and left a part. Then when he told her [Hafsah] thereof, she said: `Who told you this?'

موضوع: رد: Maariyah الخميس 22 ديسمبر 2016, 11:38 pm

He said:
`The All-Knower, the All-Aware [Allaah] has told me.' If you two [wives of the Prophet, `Aa'ishah and Hafsah] turn in repentance to Allaah, [it will be better for you], your hearts are indeed so inclined [to oppose what the Prophet likes], but if you help one another against him [Muhammad] then verily, Allaah is his Mawla [Lord, or Master, or Protector], and Jibreel [Gabriel], and the righteous among the believers; and furthermore, the angels are his helpers.

It may be if he divorced you [all] that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you — Muslims [who submit to Allaah], believers, obedient [to Allaah], turning to Allaah in repentance, worshipping Allaah sincerely, given to fasting or emigrants [for Allaah's sake], previously married and virgins.} [Quran 66: 1-5]

These noble verses —throughout this Soorah— revolve around three things:
One: Reason for the revelation, mentioning of the event and its entailment of censure from Allaah to His Messenger in the beginning of the Soorah. The Soorah then mentioned the rule concerning atoning for an oath and then a severe threat from Allaah for `Aa'ishah and Hafsah's, may Allaah be pleased with them, helping of one another against the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.

Two: Mentioning of sincere repentance. This is addressed to all Muslims.

Three: The Soorah ends with citing an example from history about two women who would enter Hell though they were wives of two Prophets. They are Prophet Noah's, may Allaah exalt his mention, wife and Prophet Lot's, may Allaah exalt his mention, wife. Both of them betrayed their husbands and their husbands did not avail them nothing against Allaah and they were told, "Enter the Fire along with those who enter!"

Another example is then cited of the two among the women of Paradise: Pharaoh's wife who asked her Lord to build a house for her in Paradise and rescue her from Pharaoh and his evil deeds and from the regressive people. The second woman is Maryam (Jesus' mother), may Allaah exalt their mention, the daughter of `Imraan who guarded her chastity and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord and she was of the obedient to Allaah.

Dear reader, do not forget that Maariyah was the cause of all this.

She was once wrongfully accused of a doubtful behaviour. But Allaah exonerated her.

Ibn `Abdul-Hakam narrated on the authority of `Abdullaah ibn `Umar, may Allaah be pleased with them, who said: "The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, visited the Copt lady, the mother of his son Ibraaheem and found with her a relative of hers43 who came along with her from Egypt and who frequently visited her. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was upset and he went back.

`Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, then met him and knew from his looks that he was upset. So he asked him of the matter and he informed him. Thereupon, `Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, took his sword and went in to the apartment of Maariyah while her relative was still with her. He aimed at striking him with the sword. When the eunuch saw that, he exposed himself for he had no genitals. When `Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, saw that, he returned to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, and informed him of what he saw.

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, thereupon said: `Angel Gabriel has come to me and informed me that Allaah has exonerated Maariyah and her relative and that she is pregnant of a son for me and that he resembles me more than anybody else.

He also commanded me to name him
43 He is Ma`boor the eunuch.
Ibraaheem and he (Gabriel) called me `Abu Ibraaheem'.'”44

This incidence is reported in another version without the addition mentioned at the end.

Thaabit Al-Bunaani narrated from Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, that a man was charged with fornication with the slave girl of Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam. Thereupon Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said to `Ali, may Allaah be pleased with him, "Go and strike his neck." `Ali came to him and he found him in a well making his body cool. `Ali said to him, "Come out." And as he took hold of his hand and brought him out, he found that his sexual organ had been cut. `Ali then refrained from striking his neck. He came to Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, and said: "Allaah's Messenger, he has no sexual organ."45

Maariyah delivered and it was a boy! The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, named him Ibraaheem as a way of seeking blessing with the name of his ancestor Prophet Ibraaheem, may Allaah exalt his mention.

That was in the month of Dhul-Hijjah, the eighth year after Hijrah.

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, then said about Maariyah, may Allaah be pleased with her: "Her son has set her free."

موضوع: رد: Maariyah الخميس 22 ديسمبر 2016, 11:40 pm

This is an Islamic legal rule concerning bondswomen who bear children for their masters after they have been cohabited with as maids who are possessed by right hand. If they deliver their babies they become free.

In this aspect, we can say that Maariyah's presence in the Prophet's, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, household and around him generously enriched Islamic jurisprudence, as it enriched forms of social relations.

The 8th year of Hijrah is the year of conquest, the Conquest of Makkah. It was the occasion in which the Ancient House was purified from the filth of statues and the last bastion of polytheism was eradicated in the Arabian Peninsula. It was an occasion in which the veil of polytheism that had overwhelmed the Quraysh for generations, since their deviation from the pure monotheism of Prophets Ibraaheem.
44 There is Ibn Laheeqah in the chain of transmitters of this narration and he is known as weak.
45 Muslim.

and Ismaa`eel, may Allaah exalt their mention, was removed.

The Prophet's joy at the birth of his son Ibraaheem was great. This joy increases day by day in his heart. For, he would visit Maariyah in her house on days and in turns other than hers in order to see his son Ibraaheem while he grew day after day.

He had carried him in his bosom many times and babbled with him. He was really a father not like other fathers! He was in fact a role model!

Can we forget his playing with his granddaughter Umamah daughter of Zaynab?

Can we forget how he carried her in his back while he was in prayer?

Can we forget his love and affection for Hasan and Husayn, sons of Faatimah, may Allaah be pleased with them?

Can we forget his coming down from the pulpit while he saw Husayn entering the mosque stumbling in his long and loose garment and the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, carried him in his hands and went back to the pulpit to complete his sermon?

We can never forget all that! We should then imagine, in the light of all the above memorable incidences, how strongly the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, would have been attached to his son Ibraaheem, especially having seen him grow to an eighteen-month-old toddler and having seen him walk and talk!

Yes! He was the fruit of his heart and his own son!

But...
{Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last [end] of the Prophets ...} [Quran 33: 40]

Though this verse was revealed for a specific reason relating to Zayd ibn Haarithah, but —as far as I am concerned, and Allaah Knows best — it heralded a divine rule: That the Seal of the Prophets would not have any sons of his who would live after him.

When Ibraaheem was eighteen-months old, he became a victim of a fever. All remedies were of no avail. He breathed his last in the hands of his father and his soul departed to its Creator.

The women broke into tears and wept in solidarity with the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.

At the grave of his son, his eyes were overflow with tears and he said nothing more than this:
"The eyes shed tears and the heart grieves. We are saddened by your departure, O' Ibraaheem.
And we shall not say except what pleases Allaah."

At the peak of this tragedy, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, never forgot that he was a Prophet. How could he forget that?!

At the very time that his son died, there was an eclipse of the son. But that was not because of the death of his son. It was rather a co-incidental orbital movement. Thereupon some people said: "The sun eclipsed for the death of Ibraaheem!"

When the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, heard that, he quickly announced, "The sun and the moon are two of the Signs of Allaah. They do not eclipse because of anyone's death or because of their life."

Maariyah, may Allaah be pleased with her, lived for many years after the death of Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam. Abu Bakr used to pay for her maintenance, and `Umar did so after Abu Bakr, may Allaah be pleased with them.

In the year 6 A.H., Allaah invited her unto Himself.

Al-Waaqidi said: "She died in Muharram of the 6th year of Hijrah. `Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, gathered people to witness her funeral. He led the prayer on her after which she was buried at Al-Baqee`."

May Allaah be pleased with her and make the upper Paradise her abode!

There is final statement I would like to make:
The name Maariyah was strange among ordinary and known Arab names. I have never come across a female companion whose name is Maariyah (besides the mother of the Prophet's son) except only one.

Ibn Hajar said:46 "Maariyah, the Prophet's maid." Abu `Umar47 said: "Her agnomen is Umm Rabaab. Her Hadeeth was narrated by the people of Basra that she tilted her head for the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, when he ascended a wall running away from the polytheists."

I (Ibn Hajar) say: This narration was reported by Ibn Mandah from Ya`laa ibn Asad and `Abdullaah ibn Habeeb from Umm Sulaymaan from her mother from her grandmother from Maariyah who said: "I tilted my head for the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, ..."

He (Ibn Mandah) then mentioned the remaining part of the Hadeeth. In her biography, he said about her, "Maariyah, the housemaid of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, ''I (Ibn Hajar) say: "It will soon come that her name is Mardiyah and that she was a companion. As for Umm Sulaymaan, I do not know her name."

The above corroborated our view that the name `Maariyah' is not Arabic and that the Arabs did not know it except after Maariyah, the Copt. I believe that `Maariyah' is a distortion of Maryam, because the name Maryam in foreign language is close to Maariyah in pronunciation.
46" See Al-Isaabah, vol. 4, p. 391.
47 i.e. Ibn `Abdul-Barr in his work: Al-Istee`aab

IZHAR UL-HAQ

إجازة الأستاذ أحمد لبن مدير المنتدى بقراءة الإمام عاصم الكوفي

Maariyah