An Overview of the Wives of the Prophet (s.a.w.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

There is a lot said about the marriages of the Prophet (s.a.w.), and much of it is outright slander.  The following is a summary, and an attempt to address some of the contentions raised. 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) was monogamous for the first 25 years of his married life.  He was married to Sayyidatina Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (r.a.), the first person to convert to Islam, and 15 years his senior.  He was 25 and she was 40 when they got married.  She was the one who proposed to him. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) second wife was Sayyidatina Sawdah bint Zam’ah (r.a.).  She was a large-sized, black woman.  She was also one of the first Muslims to hijrah to Abyssinia.  Her husband then passed away, and she was left impoverished.  This marriage is proof that there is no consideration for skin colour, wealth or beauty, which was not what Sayyidatina Sawdah (r.a.) was known for.  Rather, she was known for her humour, her piety, her compassion and her overall excellence of character. 

There are claims that the Prophet (s.a.w.) wanted to divorce Sayyidatina Sawdah (r.a.) because she was old.  However, these ahadits, narrations, are mursal, meaning the narration cannot be linked to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and, thus, dubious.  Also, this is not in character of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  He was married to an older woman previously, and loved her dearly.  Sayyidatina Sawdah (r.a.) was a decade and a half younger than he was, at least.  Other sources put her around 20 years younger.  This argument made no sense since Sayyidatina Sawdah (r.a.) was nowhere close to menopause anyway. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) third wife was Sayyidatina ‘Aishah bint Abu Bakr (r.a.).  She was the daughter of Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.), the closest companion of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This marriage strengthened the bond between these two.  Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.) was known for her wit, and she is considered one of the first scholars of Islam.  After the passing of the Prophet (s.a.w.), she taught classes to new Muslims, and was a noted authority on tafsir, exegesis of the Qur’an, shari’ah, and she narrated many ahadits.  She is proof that women could be scholars and teach men. 

There are claims that Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.) was six years old when married.  This is based on a hadits found in Swahih al-Bukhari.  This is contestable, and my belief is that she was at least 16 years of age.  This is a view shared my many Muslim scholars over the ages, since based on other details known about her and her sister, it is impossible for her to have been that young. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) fourth wife was Sayyidatina Hafswah bint ‘Umar (r.a.).  She was the daughter of Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq (r.a.).  Sayyidatina Hafswah (r.a.) was widowed at the Battle of Badr, when her husband, Sayyidina Khunays ibn Hudzayfah (r.a.) was killed.  After Sayyidatina Hafswah (r.a.) was widowed, her father, Sayyidina ‘Umar (r.a.), offered her in marriage to both Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r.a.) and Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan (r.a.).  However, both of them declined and an aggrieved Sayyidina ‘Umar (r.a.) complained to the Prophet (s.a.w.).  The Prophet (s.a.w.) consoled him, saying that Allah (s.w.t.) Willed something better for her, and proposed marriage. 

This strengthened the relationship between the two.  The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) marrying Sayyidatina Hafswah (r.a.) also preserved the relationship between Sayyidina ‘Umar (r.a.), Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r.a.), and Sayyidina ‘Utsman (r.a.).  This is an example of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) subtlety and diplomacy. 

Sayyidatina Hafswah (r.a.) was a hafizhah of the Qur’an, and it was her copy that was used by Sayyidina ‘Utsman (r.a.) when he standardised the muswhaf, the written text, of the Qur’an. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) fifth wife was Sayyidatina Zaynab bint Khuzaymah (r.a.).  She was also known as Umm al-Masakin, “Mother of the Poor”, due to her extreme generosity and charity.  She was also widowed at the Battle of Badr, when her husband, Sayyidina ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Harits (r.a.), was killed.  Sayyidina ‘Ubaydah (r.a.) was her second husband. 

Although Sayyidatina Zaynab (r.a.) was described as beautiful, no one was inclined to marry a woman of two previous marriages.  Sayyidatina Zaynab (r.a.) was also sickly.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) broke the taboo of marrying “spoiled goods” and someone who was not in good health.  She passed away less than a year after the marriage, still very young. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) sixth wife was Sayyidatina Umm Salamah Hind bint Abu Umayyah (r.a.).  She was married to Sayyidina Abu Salamah ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad (r.a.).  They were among the first to convert to Islam.  Sayyidina Abu Salamah (r.a.) died of wounds received in the Battle of Badr.  She was pregnant, and a widow with three children then.  She was poor and had nothing.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) married her, and took care of her four children. 

Sayyidatina Umm Salamah (r.a.) was one of the most influential of the wives of the Prophet (s.a.w.), and a noted scholar and authority of ahadits in her own right.  It is believed that her knowledge of the sunnah exceeded that of Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.). 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) seventh wife was Sayyidatina Zaynab bint Jahsh (r.a.).  She was originally married to Sayyidina Zayd ibn Haritstah (r.a.), but it was a contentious match.  Sayyidatina Zaynab (r.a.) was from a noble family, while Sayyidina Zayd (r.a.) was a slave.  The reason for the Prophet (s.a.w.) arranging this match was to show that lineage did not matter as much as piety and character.  However, their backgrounds were too different, and they could not get along. 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) married her in accordance to Revelation: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴحزَاب

وَإِذۡ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِىٓ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ وَأَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِ أَمۡسِكۡ عَلَيۡكَ زَوۡجَكَ وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَتُخۡفِى فِى نَفۡسِكَ مَا ٱللَّهُ مُبۡدِيهِ وَتَخۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخۡشَٮٰهُۖ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيۡدٌ۬ مِّنۡہَا وَطَرً۬ا زَوَّجۡنَـٰكَهَا لِكَىۡ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ۬ فِىٓ أَزۡوَٲجِ أَدۡعِيَآٮِٕهِمۡ إِذَا قَضَوۡاْ مِنۡہُنَّ وَطَرً۬اۚ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفۡعُولاً۬ (٣٧) 

Behold!  You did say to one who had Received the Grace of Allah and your favour, “Retain you (in wedlock) your wife, and fear Allah.”  But you did hide in your heart that which Allah was about to Make Manifest: you did fear the people, but it is more fitting that you should fear Allah.  Then, when Zayd had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We Joined her in marriage to you: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them: and Allah’s Command must be Fulfilled. (Surah al-Ahzab:37) 

The contention that the Prophet (s.a.w.) was suddenly aware of Sayyidatina Zaynab’s (r.a.) beauty, and engineered the divorce, is nonsense, since the Prophet (s.a.w.) knew her from childhood.  It was not as if they had recently met.  The purpose of this marriage is to show that it is permissible for someone to marry the former spouse of their adopted children, bit not that of their biological children. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) eighth wife was Sayyidatina Rayhanah bint Zayd (r.a.).  Rayhanah (r.a.) was a Jew, and her father was one of the leaders of the Banu Nadhir.  She married into another Jewish tribe, Banu Qurayzah.  Banu Qurayzah fought against the Muslims, violating the Compact of Madina.  They were defeated and according to their own law, the men were killed, and the women and children enslaved.  This was not according to shari’ah, but according to their own Jewish law.  Sayyidatina Rayhanah (r.a.) eventually chose to convert to Islam, and marry the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This marriage proved that sins of association have no place in Islam, and to prove that the Prophet (s.a.w.) had nothing against the Jews. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) ninth wife was Sayyidatina Juwayriyyah bint al-Harits (r.a.).  She was the daughter of the chief of Banu Muswthaliq, a hostile Arab tribe.  In a skirmish with the Muslims, her entire tribe was captured.  Sayyidatina Juwayriyyah (r.a.) converted and chose to marry the Prophet (s.a.w.), who accepted.  The marriage to the Prophet (s.a.w.) eventually lead to the manumission of her entire tribe since no Muslim wanted to own a slave who was related to a wife of the Prophet (s.a.w.). 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) tenth wife was Sayyidatina Swafiyyah bint Huyayy (r.a.).  She was the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhthab, chief of the Banu Nadhir, while her mother was from Banu Qurayzah.  Huyayy ibn Akhthab died an enemy of Islam.  The Banu Nadhir fought against the Muslims and were defeated at the Battle of Khaybar. 

Sayyidatina Swafiyyah (r.a.) was already twice married by age 17.  Her second marriage was to Kinanah ibn ar-Rabi’.  When she was still married to Kinanah, she told him she had a dream where the Moon fell into her lap.  Her husband slapped her in rage, and that mark stayed for a long time.  The dream meant she would convert to Islam and marry the Prophet (s.a.w.), which happened after the Battle of Khaybar. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) eleventh wife was Sayyidatina Umm Habibah Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan (r.a.).  Her father was Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, the leader of the Quraysh.  She was one of the earliest people to convert to Islam, in defiance of her family.  Her husband was ‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh.  ‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh was one of the famous early apostates, and he left Islam for Christianity.  His apostasy dissolved their marriage.  This left Sayyidatina Umm Habibah (r.a.) alone and bereft in a foreign land.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) married her while he was still in Madina, and she was in Abyssinia.  This proved that marriage by proxy is possible in Islam. 

On an aside, when the Prophet (s.a.w.) was informed of ‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh’s apostasy, the Prophet (s.a.w.) told the Muslims to leave him be.  This is proof that there is no death penalty for apostasy. 

The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) twelfth wife was Sayyidatina Maymunah bint al-Harits (r.a.).  She was with the Prophet (s.a.w.) for three years before he passed on. 

Lastly, there was Sayyidatina Mariyah bint Sham’un (r.a.), better known as Mariyah al-Qibthiyyah.  She was a Christian slave gifted to the Prophet (s.a.w.) by Cyrus, Patriarch of Alexandria.  Although there is disagreement whether she was a wife or concubine, she was treated as a wife.  This proved the permissibility of union with one of the People of Scripture. 

Every known marriage of the Prophet (s.a.w.) had a purpose and served as an example for the ummah.  No honest person can say that the Prophet (s.a.w.) married out of lust.  He took in the bereft, the widowed, the orphaned, the abused, the broken, the sickly, but each one of them an exemplar of piety.  He was truly Sent as an example.



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