Sayyidatuna Barira

Pious Women

Sayyidatunā Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا

Mawlana Wasim Akram Attari Madani

Sayyidatunā Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا , the emancipated slave of Sayyidatunā ʿĀʾisha al-Ṣiddīqa رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا , is a well-known Companion.^[1] She was initially owned by a Jewish man,^[2] but was later bought and manumitted by Sayyidatunā ʿĀʾisha رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا .^[3] Her father’s names is Ṣafwān.^[4] She would serve Sayyidatunā ʿĀʾisha رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا even before the latter bought her.^[5] Many rulings of the sharia are linked with her.^[6] Sayyidatunā Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was the first woman in Islam who was made a mukaatab^[7].^[8]

Husband:

The husband of Sayyidatunā Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was the Companion, Sayyiduna Mugīth رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ .^[9] He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was also a slave, but had been set free by the time Sayyidatunā Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was emancipated.^[10]

Requesting meat from Sayyidatunā Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا :

Sayyidatunā ʿĀʾisha رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا states:

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم arrived when the meat was boiling in the pot. Some flatbread and an accompanying dish were presented to him. He said, “Is that not a pot of meat that I see?” I replied, “Most certainly. However, that meat has been donated as charity to Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا , and you do not consume charity.” The noble Prophet said, “It is charity for her, but a gift for us.”^[11]

Commenting on this hadith, Mufti Ahmad Yaar Khan Naeemi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه explains: “It means, ‘Tell Barīra to share some of this meat with us. It being charity concluded with her. We will receive it as a gift from Barīra, which is permissible for us…’” The ruling ˹of the asset˺ changes with the changing of ownership, therefore, if an eligible poor person is given zakat and he used that zakat to host a rich person or a sayyid, or if he gave that money to a masjid, guest house or spent it on a well, it will be permissible. This is because the zakat concluded with the poor individual, and it is now a gift from him.^[12]

Advice to the Caliph:

Whilst advising ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān, she said, “Indeed, I see the signs of you becoming the leader of this Ummah, so refrain from spilling blood after you attain power.”^[13] Sayyidatunā ʿĀʾisha, Sayyiduna ibn ʿAbbās, Sayyiduna ʿUrwa, ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān, and ʿAbd Allah b. Muhayrīz narrate from Sayyidatunā Barīra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا .^[14]