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Hafsa bint Umar (Arabic: حفصة بنت عمر, romanized: Ḥafṣa bint ʿUmar; c. 605–665) was the fourth wife of Muhammad and a daughter of the second caliph Umar (r. 634–644). In Islamic writings, her name is thus often prefixed by the title "Mother of the Believers" (Arabic: أمّ المؤمنين, romanized: ʾumm al-muʾminīn).
Hafsa bint Umar Mother of the Believers | |
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| حفصة بنت عمر | |
| Born | c. 605 CE |
| Died | Sha'ban 45 AH; October/November, c. 665 (aged 59–60) |
| Resting place | Al-Baqi Cemetery, Medina |
| Known for | Fourth wife of Prophet Muhammad |
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Early life
editHafsa was the daughter and eldest child of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Maz'un. She was born "when Quraysh were building the House Kaʿbah, five years before the Prophet was sent," i.e., in 605.[1]
Marriage
editShe was married to Khunays ibn Hudhafa but became a widow in August 624.[2]
As soon as Hafsa had completed her waiting period, her father Umar offered her hand to Uthman ibn 'Affan, and thereafter to Abu Bakr; but they both refused her. Disappointed, Umar went to Muhammad to complain about this, and Muhammad replied, "Hafsa will marry one better than Uthman and Uthman will marry one better than Hafsa."[3]
Muhammad married Hafsa in Sha'ban AH 3 (late January or early February 625).[4] This marriage "gave the Prophet the chance of allying himself with this faithful follower",[5] i.e., Umar, had become his father-in-law.
Surat al-Tahrim
editThere are two stories related to the revelation of the opening verses of Surat al-Tahrim. One is authentic according to Imams al-Bukhari and Muslim and found in Sahih Muslim 1474, narrated by the Prophet's wife Aisha. In this first narration, the Prophet prevented himself from drinking honey to please his wives.
The latter narration is mursal (meaning the chain of narration was interrupted) and ḍaʻīf (weak), narrated by Zaid ibn Aslam from the third generation who did not witness the event and found in Tafsir al-Tabari (who was known to record numerous kinds of narrations, both authentic and inauthentic, as a compendium for hadith scholars to peruse and criticize narrations). In this weak narration, the Prophet was intimate with Maria al-Qibtiyya while Hafsa was away visiting her father, then asked him "In my home and on my bed?" upon returning and discovering about their act. He then made Maria forbidden upon himself to please Hafsa.[6] Al-Qurtubi states that the first one is authentic and the second is weak.[6]
Ibn Al-Arabi wrote in Ahkam al-Qur'an that: "Indeed, the only authentic narration is that it was about honey, that the Prophet drank it with Zainab, and Aisha and Hafsa pretended to be offended by it. There occurred what occurred and the Prophet made an oath never to drink it again. He confided that to his wife and the verse was revealed regarding all of them".[6]
Notable work
editUthman, when he became Caliph, used Hafsa's copy when he standardized the text of Qur'an.[7] She is also said to have narrated sixty hadiths from Muhammad.[8]
Death
editShe died in Sha'ban AH 45, i.e., in October or November 665. She is buried in Al-Baqi Cemetery next to the other Mothers of the Faithful.[9][10]
Contrasting Views
editSunni View
editHafsa is seen as scholarly and inquisitive by the Sunnis. She is also respected as a Mother of The Believers.
Shi'a View
editDue to the honey incident with the prophet,[11][12] Shi'as disapprove of Hafsa and Aisha in this particular incident and cite the beginning of Surat al-Tahrim and the accompanying hadith as evidence. But they do not curse them generally, which is extremism.[13]
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). The Women of Madina p. 56. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 307. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ Ibn Saad/Bewley vol. 8 pp. 56-58. The story is told in five separate traditions.
- ^ Ibn Saad/Bewley vol. 8 p. 58.
- ^ Margoliouth, D. S. (1905). Mohammed and the Rise of Islam, p. 307. New York & London: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
- ^ a b c Elias, Abu Amina (26 March 2016). "Story of Hafsa and Maria in Surat al-Tahrim". www.abuaminaelias.com. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
- ^ Bukhari 6:60:201.
- ^ Siddiqi, M. Z. (2006). Hadith Literature: Its Origin, Development, Special Features and Criticism, p. 25. Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust.
- ^ Ibn Saad/Bewley vol. 8 p. 60.
- ^ Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Sayyari (2009). Kohlberg, Etan; Amir-Moezzi, Mohammad Ali (eds.). "Revelation and Falsification: The Kitab al-qira'at of Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Sayyari: Critical Edition with an Introduction and Notes by Etan Kohlberg and Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi". Texts and studies on the Qurʼān. 4. BRILL: 103. ISSN 1567-2808.
- ^ "Sahih al-Bukhari 6691 - Oaths and Vows - كتاب الأيمان والنذور - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ "Sahih al-Bukhari 2468 - Oppressions - كتاب المظالم - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ "The Sixteenth Spurious Argument: Shia Opinon about Hafsa and Aisha". www.al-islam.org. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
Sources
edit- Bagley, F. R. C. (1 February 2013). Twenty-three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-03041-4.
- Bosworth, C. E.; Donzel, E. van; Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch., eds. (1991). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Volume VI (Mahk-Mid): [Fasc. 99-114a]. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-08112-3. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- Hassan, Riaz (2013). Islam and Society: Sociological Explorations. Melbourne University Publishing. ISBN 978-0-522-86256-0.
- Hekmat, Anwar (1997). Women and the Koran: The Status of Women in Islam. Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1-57392-162-6.
- Irving, Washington (2007). Mohammed. Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 978-1-84022-573-0.
- Morgan, Diane (12 November 2009). Essential Islam: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 978-0-313-36026-8.
- Rodinson, Maxime (2 March 2021). Muhammad. New York Review of Books. ISBN 978-1-68137-493-2.
- Wherry, E. M. (4 July 2013). A Comprehensive Commentary on the Quran: Comprising Sale's Translation and Preliminary Discourse: Volume IV. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-39281-8.