Pious Women
Sayyidatunā Umm Hishām bint Ḥāritha
رَضِیَ الـلّٰـه عَـنْـهُمَا
Mawlana Wasim Akram Attari Madani
Hailing from the Ansar,[1] Sayyidatunā Umm Hishām رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was a Companion of the beloved Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Her father, Sayyidunā Ḥaritha ibn Nuʿmān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, and her mother, Sayyidatunā Umm Khālid bint Khālid رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا,[2] were well-known Companions. Umm Hishām رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا is from amongst the fortunate women who partook in the Pledge of Ridwan.[3] She was the milk sister of Sayyidatunā ʿAmrah bint ʿAbd al-Raḥmān رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا,[4] who was a jurist and a student of Sayyidatuna ʿĀʾisha رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا.[5]
Sayyidatunā Umm Hishām رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا had the privilege of narrating hadith directly from the Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Many people transmitted hadith from her, including her sister, ʿAmrah bint ʿAbd al-Raḥmān,[6] ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Saʿd, and Khubayb ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān.[7] Her hadith have been narrated in the collections of Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, and Ibn Mājah رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ.[8]
Sayyidatunā Umm Hishām رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا memorised Surah Qāf. She said:
‘I heard the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم recite Surah Qāf, and I memorised it directly from him. The Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم recited this surah in every Friday sermon.’[9]
The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم recited one verse of Surah Qāf in a sermon and another in the next sermon. As she attended the Friday prayers,[10] she was able to memorise the entire surah over a period of multiple sermons.[11]
Sayyidatunā Umm Hishām رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was a loyal follower of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and cherished the memories of basking in his radiant company. She remarked, “We shared a stove with the Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for two years or one year and some months.”[12] Imam Nawawī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـه explained, “This statement of Umm Hishām bint Ḥāritha ibn Nuʿmān رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا suggests that as well as being aware of the condition of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, she made it the adornment of her memory. She had a special closeness to the house of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم too.[13]
[1] Tahzeeb al-Tahzeeb, vol. 10, p. 533
[2] Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8, p. 325
[3] Usd al-Ghaabah, vol. 7, p. 441
[4] Taqreeb al-Tahzeeb, p. 1386
[5] Siyar A’lam al-Nubala, vol. 5, p. 416, Al-A’laam li al-Zirkili, vol. 5, p. 72
[6] Tahzeeb al-Tahzeeb, vol. 10, p. 533
[7] Usd al-Ghaabah, vol. 7, p. 441
[8] Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud, vol. 4, p. 442
[9] Muslim, p. 336, Hadith 2015
[10] Initially, women were permitted to enter the Masajid. However, through the unanimous decision of the noble companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم thereafter, it was disallowed; this is the view of Sayyidatuna A’isha رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا. Read Fatawa Faiz ul-Rasool volume 2 p. 635 for more detail.
[11] Mirat ul Manajeeh, vol. 2, p. 344
[12] Muslim, p. 336, Hadith 2015
[13] Sharh Muslim li al-Nawavi, vol. 6, p. 161
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