Sayyidatuna Khawla Bint Tha'labah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا

Pious Women

Sayyidatuna Khawlah Bint Tha’labah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا

Sayyid Imran Akhtar Madani

Sayyidatuna Khawlah Bint Tha’labah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was from Khazraj, a tribe of the Ansar. She therefore has the honour of being a companion from the Ansar. Her lineage has been mentioned as Bint Maalik Bin Tha’labah Bin Asram,^[1] but because of her link with her grandfather, she is called Bint Tha’labah.^[2] Her name has been mentioned in its diminutive form as Khuwaylah.

She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا is the wife of Aws Bin Saamit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, who is the brother of the famous Companion Sayyiduna Ubadah Bin Saamit.^[3] She is a distinguished figure as Allah Almighty stated in the Quran a solution to a problem she encountered in her marital life. She stated: ‘By Allah, the opening verses of Surah al-Mujaadalah have been revealed regarding me and my husband, Aws.’^[4]

What transpired is that her husband, Aws Bin Saamit رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, once said in a state of anger, ‘You are like my mother to me.’^[5] Uttering such statements to one’s wife is called zihaar.^[6] Such words constituted a divorce in the Age of Ignorance, but Sayyidatuna Khawlah’s husband said these words during the time of Islam. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُstated that in the Age of Ignorance, a woman would become haram for her husband due to zihaar. The first person to commit zihaar in Islam was Aws.^[7]

When Sayyiduna Aws رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُsaid these words, Sayyidatuna Khawlah Bint Tha’labah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا visited the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمand explained the entire situation. She remained there until the Quranic command was revealed. The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمhad a particular (revelation-related) experience, and once it was over, he stated: ‘Allah Almighty has revealed the command regarding you and your husband.’ Then, he صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمrecited from the beginning of Surah al-Mujaadalah ‘قَدْ سَمِعَ اللهُ’ until ‘عَذَابٌ اَلِیْمٌ’ (in which the rulings of zihaar were explained).^[8]

Those who understood the value of this honour granted to her from the Almighty held her in high esteem. Once, Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُwas going somewhere with some people when she stopped him. He approached her with his head lowered and remained standing until she had finished what she had to say. She offered words of advice in an earnest manner. After she left, a person said: ‘O leader of the believers! You kept the youth of Quraysh standing here for that old woman?’ Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُreplied: ‘Do you not know who she is?’ He responded, ‘No.’ Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُsaid: ‘That was Khawlah Bint Tha’labah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا whose plea Allah responded to. By Allah, even if she had stayed until the evening, I would not have left until she finished speaking.’^[9]