Pious women of Islam
Sayyidatuna Asma Bint Yazeed رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا
Muhammad Bilal Sa’eed Attari Madani
Once, a woman came to the court of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and began to say, ‘O Prophet of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! I have come to you, representing many women; Allah Almighty has sent you to both, men and women. Thus, we women have brought faith in you, and have vowed to follow you. Now, the situation is such that we women remain in our homes behind veils, we serve our husbands, we take care of their homes, and we protect their wealth and possessions. Whilst men take part in the Jumu’ah prayer and funeral prayers, and gain rewards. The question is that, will we women also receive a portion of the reward that is granted to those men?’
Hearing this, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم looked towards the noble companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم and said, ‘Look at how good a question this woman has asked about her religion.’ Then he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to that woman, ‘Listen, and then inform the women: If women serve their husbands and keep them happy, and always seek their pleasure, and always obey them, then the women will also receive rewards equivalent to the actions of the men.’ The woman became very happy after hearing this. (Istee’ab, vol. 4, p. 350, selected)
Are you aware of who this great and wise woman was? She was none other than the first cousin of the great companion, Sayyiduna Mu’aaz Bin Jabal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, and the female Ansari companion, Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Salamah Asma Bint Yazeed رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا. (Jannati Zevar, p. 534) She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا is also referred to with the beautiful title of ‘خَطِیبَةُ النِّساءِ’ (i.e. the emissary of the women). (Al-Isaabah fi Tamyeez-ul-Sahabah, vol. 8, p. 21) This was because she رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا would often present the queries of the women in the court of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.
Virtues and merits
Sayyidatuna Asma Bint Yazeed رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا took part in Bay’at-e-Ridwan (the Pledge of Ridwan) and had the honour of pledging allegiance to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and became from amongst those who received the glad tidings of Paradise. She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا also had the privilege of narrating many Ahadees from the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Siyar A’lam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, p. 532) Similarly, she رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا also had the honour of serving the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Musnad Ahmad, vol. 10, p. 443, Hadees 27673)
She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا enjoys the honour of being from amongst those fortunate female companions who took part in readying Sayyidatuna Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا to be a bride. (Usd-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 7, p. 23)
Sacred relics of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا states: The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once offered Maghrib Salah in my home, and there were 40 noble companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْھُم with him. I presented a small amount of curry and a few pieces of bread to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Everyone ate from that food, yet it did not finish. Then the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم drank from my water skin. We would give the sick water to drink from that water skin and they would be cured, and we would sometimes drink from that water skin ourselves, for blessings. (Tabqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 8, p. 244)
Comments