Sayyidatuna Bibi Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا

Lineage and introduction

According to the famous saying, Sayyidatuna Bibi Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا was among the descendants of Rayyan Bin Waleed, King of Egypt. Her lineage is Aasiyah Bint Mazahim Bin Ubayd Bin Rayyan Bin Waleed. This is the very Rayyan Bin Waleed who was the king of Egypt in the era of Sayyiduna Yusuf (عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم) and accepted faith in Sayyiduna Yusuf (عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم). (Rooh-ul-Ma’ani, Part 20, Surah Qasas, Ayah 9, Part 20, pp. 344 – Noor-ul-‘Irfan, Part 20, Surah Qasas, pp. 615 - Al-Manaqib-ul-Mazeediyah, vol. 1, pp. 38)

Shelter for the Masakeen (poor)

Sayyidatuna Bibi Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا was the wife of Fir’awn, who was extremely cruel and heartless king of Egypt. Being the wife of the king of that time she had enormous wealth. In spite of this she was not arrogant and proud of her wealth, but rather she had immense love and affection, feelings of sympathy and kindness for the poor. Sayyidatuna Bibi Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا used to give Sadaqah and charity generously. That is why she is called Umm-ul-Masakeen the mother of the poor.

(Baghawi, part 20, Surah Al-Qasas, Taht-al-Ayah 9, vol. 3, pp. 375 – Mustadrak lil Haakim, vol. 3, pp. 457, Hadees 4150)

No attachment to Fir’awn

Sayyidatuna Bibi Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا was extremely sick of Fir’awn because he would treat the people very oppressively. And her Nikah with Fir’awn was also not performed by her agreement nor as per her wish, rather she and her father would dislike him. Actually, he had got married to her oppressively but Allah Almighty protected her from Fir’awn and he remained unable to get closer to her. (As-Seerat-ul-Halabiyyah, vol. 1, pp. 96) That is why she had no offspring (it is stated in certain narrations that Fir’awn had a daughter) it may be possible that he had adopted the girl from someone else.

 (Noor-ul-‘Irfan, Part 20, Surah Al-Qasas, Taht-al-Ayah, 9, pp. 464)

Honour of naming a Nabi

Sayyidatuna Bibi Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا also had the honour of naming Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم (Khaazin, Part 20, Surah Al-Qasas, Taht-al-Ayah 7, vol. 3, pp. 425) Due to the fear of Fir’awn’s troops, mother of Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم placed the box in the river after putting Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم into it. The river led towards the stream which used to flow nearby Fir’awn’s palace. The box went to that stream while floating, and afterwards Fir’awn ordered that the box to be brought in the palace and opened. A beautiful child was found when the box was opened. In Qibtee language water is called “Mu” and tree is called “Si”. The box was found between water and trees and for this reason; Sayyidatuna Bibi Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا gave name Musa to the child.

(Durr-e-Mansoor, part 20, Surah Al-Qasas, Taht-al-Ayah. 4, vol. 6, pp. 391 – ‘Aja’ib-ul-Quran, pp. 174)

Coolness of eyes

In the blessed childhood of Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم, when Sayyidatuna Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا took him in her lap and saw the Noor of Nubuwwah on his face, she made him her son and the blessed words she used while talking to Fir`awn are mentioned in glorious Quran in this way

قُرَّتُ عَیْنٍ لِّیْ وَ لَكَؕ-لَا تَقْتُلُوْهُ ﳓ ۖ

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: This child is the coolness of my eyes and yours; do not kill him

(Part 20, Surah Al-Qasas, Ayah 9)

Upon this, wicked Fir`awn said: “Keep it with you, I do not need him.”

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: “Like Aasiyah, if Fir`awn had also admitted this fact that this child was the coolness of his eyes, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ must have bestowed guidance upon him as Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ had granted guidance to Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا.”

 (Tafseer-e-Kabeer, Part 20, Surah Al-Qasas, Taht-al-Ayah 9, vol. 8, pp. 581)

How did Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا attain Iman?

While the wizards attained Iman after the manifestation of the truth following the sensational rivalry of miracle and magic between Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم and the wizards, Sayyidatuna Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا immediately felt the Noor of truth and attained Iman when she had learned about this rivalry. (Siraat-ul-Jinan, vol. 10, pp. 230)

Chief of the Jannati women

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: “Four [blessed] women are the chiefs of Jannati women: (1) Maryam [رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا] (2) Fatimah [رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا] (3) Khadijah [رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا] (4) Aasiyah [رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا].” (Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol. 12, pp. 65, Hadees 34401)

Nikah with Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in Jannah

A great excellence of Sayyidatuna Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا is that she will be a wife of Beloved صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in Jannah. It is narrated that when Sayyidah Khadijah  رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَاwas suffering from a deadly disease, the Beloved Rasool  صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمapproached her and said: “O Khadijah! I feel grieved when I see you in this condition but Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has placed abundant goodness with it. You know that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has married you, Maryam Bint-e-Imran, Kulsoom, ‘blessed sister of Sayyiduna Musa
عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم and Aasiyah, ‘the blessed wife of Pharaoh’ to me in Jannah.” (Mu’jam-e-Kabeer, vol. 22, pp. 451, Hadees 1100)

Martyrdom and blessed shrine

When Fir`awn remained unsuccessful in all his efforts to make Sayyidah Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا turn away from Iman [Islam], he decided to martyr her. The plea Sayyidah Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا made in the merciful court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ before martyrdom is mentioned in glorious Quran in this way:

رَبِّ ابْنِ لِیْ عِنْدَكَ بَیْتًا فِی الْجَنَّةِ وَ نَجِّنِیْ مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَ عَمَلِهٖ وَ نَجِّنِیْ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظّٰلِمِیْنَۙ(۱۱)

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: ‘O my Lord! Build a house for me by You, in Paradise, and rescue me from Fir’awn and his action, and rescue me from the unjust people.’ (Part 28, Surah At-Tahreem, Ayah 11)

Incident of martyrdom of Sayyidah Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا was occurred in this way that Fir`awn said to his courtiers: “Bring a rock; if she stands firm in Iman despite seeing it, cause it fall on her; if she turns away from Iman, she is my wife (do not kill her).”

So, when the rock was brought in front of Sayyidah Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا, she saw her Jannati palace on the sky which made her determination and perseverance firmer and she departed this world in the very state. After this, when the rock was caused to fall on her, it dropped merely on her body which was without a soul. (Tafseer-e-Tabari, Part 28, Surah At-Tahreem, Taht-al-Ayah 11, vol. 12, pp. 162)

So, during the period when Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم was yet alive and the people of Bani Israel were not liberated from the tyranny of Fir`awn, Sayyidah Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا had embraced martyrdom.

According to the author of Mu’jam-ul-Buldaan, the blessed shrine of Sayyidah Aasiyah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهَا is situated in Egypt. (Mu’jam-ul-Buldaan, vol. 4, pp. 277)