The Mothers of the Believers: Hafsah Bint Umar bin Al-Khattab

Hafsah, the daughter of Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Madhoon, was born five years before the Prophet (ﷺ) received the revelation. She was the sister of Abdullah bin Umar. Hafsah married Khunais bin Hudhaifah and migrated to Medina with him. Her husband later died as a martyr. After his death, she married the Prophet (ﷺ).

Her Marriage to the Prophet

The following hadith describes how, after the death of Hafsa's first husband, her father became concerned about her loneliness and sought to marry her off to Uthman bin Affan and then to Abu Bakr. However, both men declined the proposals, and eventually, Hafsa became known as the Mother of the Believers. This hadith also demonstrates that it is permissible and acceptable for a father to seek a marriage for his daughter. As illustrated, Umar bin Khattab actively sought marriage proposals for his daughter, Hafsa.

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "When (my daughter) Hafsa Bint Umar lost her husband Khunais bin Hudhaifa As-Sahrni who was one of the companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and had fought in the battle of Badr and had died in Medina, I met Uthman bin Affan and suggested that he should marry Hafsah saying, "If you wish, I will marry Hafsah Bint Umar to you,' on that, he said, 'I will think it over.' I waited for a few days and then he said to me, 'I am of the opinion that I shall not marry at present.' Then I met Abu Bakr and said, 'if you wish, I will marry you, Hafsah Bint Umar.' He kept quiet and did not give me any reply and I became angrier with him than I was with Uthman. Some days later, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) demanded her hand in marriage, and I married her to him. Later on Abu Bakr met me and said, "Perhaps you were angry with me when you offered me Hafsah for marriage and I gave no reply to you?' I said, 'Yes.' Abu Bakr said, 'Nothing prevented me from accepting your offer except that I learnt that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had referred to the issue of Hafsah and I did not want to disclose the secret of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), but had he given her up I would surely have accepted her." (Bukhari, 4005)

The incident of the honey

Narrated Aisha: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to stay in the house of Zainab bint Jahsh (one of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ)), and he used to drink honey in her house. Hafsah and I decided that when the Prophet (ﷺ) entered upon either of us, she would say, "I smell in you the bad smell of Maghafir (a bad smelling raisin). Have you eaten Maghafir?" When he entered upon one of us, she said that to him. He replied (to her), "No, but I have drunk honey in the house of Zainab bint Jahsh, and I will never drink it again." Then the following verse was revealed: 'O Prophet (ﷺ)! Why do you ban (for you) that which Allah has made lawful for you?. ..(up to) If you two (wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) turn in repentance to Allah.' (66:1-4) The two were Aisha and Hafsah And also the Statement of Allah: 'And (Remember) when the Prophet (ﷺ) disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives!' (66:3), his saying, "But I have drunk honey." Hisham said: It also meant his saying, "I will not drink anymore, and I have taken an oath, so do not inform anybody of that." (Bukhari, 6691)

Narrated Ibn Abbas: For the whole year I had the desire to ask Umar bin Al-Khattab regarding the explanation of a Verse (in Surah Al-Tahrim), but I could not ask him because I respected him very much. When he went to perform the Hajj, I too went along with him. On our return, while we were still on the way home. Umar went aside to answer the call of nature by the Arak trees. I waited till he finished and then I proceeded with him and asked him. "O chief of the Believers! Who were the two wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) who aided one another against him?" He said, "They were Hafsah and Aisha." Then I said to him, "By Allah, I wanted to ask you about this a year ago, but I could not do so owing to my respect for you." Umar said, "Do not refrain from asking me. If you think that I have knowledge (about a certain matter), ask me; and if I know (something about it), I will tell you." Then Umar added, "By Allah, in the Pre-islamic Period of Ignorance we did not pay attention to women until Allah revealed regarding them what He revealed regarding them and assigned for them what He had assigned. Once while I was thinking over a certain matter, my wife said, "I recommend that you do so-and-so." I said to her, "What have you got to do with this matter? Why do you poke your nose in a matter which I want to see fulfilled.?" She said, How strange you are, O son of Al-Khattab! You don't want to be argued with whereas your daughter, Hafsa surely, argues with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)  so much that he remains angry for a full day!" Umar then reported; how he at once put on his outer garment and went to Hafsah and said to her, "O my daughter! Do you argue with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) so that he remains angry the whole day?" Hafsah said, "By Allah, we argue with him." Umar said, "Know that I warn you of Allah's punishment and the anger of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) O my daughter! Don't be betrayed by the one who is proud of her beauty because of the love of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for her (Aisha)." Umar addled, "Then I went out to Um Salama's house who was one of my relatives, and I talked to her. She said, O son of Al-Khattab! It is rather astonishing that you interfere in everything; you even want to interfere between Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and his wives!' By Allah, by her talk she influenced me so much that I lost some of my anger. I left her (and went home). At that time I had a friend from the Ansar who used to bring news (from the Prophet) in case of my absence, and I used to bring him the news if he was absent. In those days we were afraid of one of the kings of Ghassan tribe. We heard that he intended to move and attack us, so fear filled our hearts because of that. (One day) my Ansari friend unexpectedly knocked at my door, and said, "Open Open!' I said, 'Has the king of Ghassan come?' He said, 'No, but something worse; Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)  has isolated himself from his wives.' I said, 'Let the nose of Aisha and Hafsah be stuck to dust (i.e. humiliated)!' Then I put on my clothes and went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 's residence, and behold, he was staying in an upper room of his to which he ascended by a ladder, and a black slave of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was (sitting) on the first step. I said to him, 'Say (to the Prophet (ﷺ) ) Umar bin Al-Khattab is here.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) admitted me and I narrated the story to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). When I reached the story of Umm Salama, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) smiled while he was lying on a mat made of palm tree leaves with nothing between him and the mat. Underneath his head there was a leather pillow stuffed with palm fibres, and leaves of a saut tree were piled at his feet, and above his head hung a few water skins. On seeing the marks of the mat imprinted on his side, I wept. He said.' 'Why are you weeping?' I replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Caesar and Khosrau are leading the life (i.e. Luxurious life) while you, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) though you are, is living in destitute". The Prophet (ﷺ) then replied. 'Won't you be satisfied that they enjoy this world and we have the Hereafter?' " (Bukhari, 4913)

Divorce and returned

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) divorced Hafsah. However, Jibreel came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him to take her back, as she is a devout woman who prays and fasts, and she will be his wife in Paradise.

Narrated Umar ibn Al-Khattab: "The Prophet (ﷺ) divorced Hafsah, but he took her back in marriage." (Abu Dawud, 2283)

It was narrated in Tabarani "That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) divorced Hafsah, then her uncles Qudamah and Uthman ibn Mazh'un came to her. She said: "By Allah, he did not divorce me due to any deficiencies in my food." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) came and entered, and she covered herself. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Jibreel came to me and said, 'Return to Hafsah, for she observes fasts and stands in prayer at night, and she will be your wife in Paradise.'" (Tabarani, 16085)

Hafsah's love for the Prophet (ﷺ)

Narrated al-Qasim: "Aisha said that whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) intended to go on a journey, he drew lots among his wives (so as to take one of them along with him). During one of his journeys the lot fell on Aisha and Hafsah. When night fell the Prophet (ﷺ) would ride beside Aisha and talk with her. One night, Hafsa said to Aisha, "Won't you ride my camel tonight and I ride yours, so that you may see (me) and I see (you) (in a new situation)?" Aisha said, "Yes, (I agree.)" So, Aisha rode, and then the Prophet (ﷺ) came towards Aisha's camel on which Hafsah was riding. He greeted Hafsah and then proceeded (beside her) till they dismounted (on the way). Aisha missed him, and so, when they dismounted, she put her legs in the Idhkhir and said, "O Lord (Allah)! Send a scorpion or a snake to bite me for I am not to blame him (the Prophet (ﷺ))." (Bukhari, 5211)

The Keeper of The Quran

The Quran was compiled during the caliph of Abu Bakr. After his death, Umar bin Khattab became its custodian. Following Umar's passing, Hafsah continued to safeguard the Quran until her own demise. According to a narration in Bukhari, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) expressed concern about variations in the recitation of the Quran. He approached Uthman with his worries, prompting Uthman to send a message to Hafsah, requesting the manuscript of the Quran. This was done so that copies could be made and distributed to every Muslim province.

Following the Prophet's passing, Hafsah dedicated herself to worshipping Allah and sharing her knowledge of Islam with others.

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