Preaching in the Lives of the Ummahat al Mu’minin

Certainly, preaching the religion was of great importance to the Ummahat al Mu’minin; there was no hadith they heard except that they taught it to others in accordance with the Prophetic injunction:

نضر الله امرءا سمع منا شيئا فبلغه كما سمعه فرب مبلغ أوعى من سامع

May Allah delight the one who hears something from us and conveys it as he heard it. Perhaps the one it is conveyed to is more understanding than the one who heard it.^[1]

The Ummahat al Mu’minin accomplished this through their vast knowledge and excellence in din. The jurists of that time learnt from them the laws beneficial to all people. The books on History have narrated to us a beneficial number of reports of the Ummahat al Mu’minin giving advice, commanding good, and prohibiting evil.

It would not be incorrect to conclude that the early success of the call to Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala was through Khadijah radiya Llahu ‘anha. She was the first to believe in the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and to assist him with her wealth and life. She is the best of the wives who connected with the heart of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. When the hardships of revelation intensified, the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would say regarding her—in remembrance of her:

لقد آمنت بي حين كفر بي الناس وصدقتني حين كذبني الناس وأشركتني في مالها حين حرمني الناس

Verily, she accepted me when the people rejected me, she believed me when the people belied me, and she shared her wealth with me when the people deprived me of theirs.^[2]

She stood firmly in establishing the din of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala. Thus, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala was pleased with her and, in exchange, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala will ensure that she is pleased in the Hereafter.

Sayyidah ‘Aisha al Siddiqah bint al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anha memorised numerous ahadith from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to disseminate among the people. The jurists and scholars learnt from her. People learnt from her and transmitted a large number of rulings and etiquette from her to the extent that it was affirmed:

إن ربع الأحكام الشرعية منقول عنها

Verily, a quarter of the rulings of the Shari’ah is narrated from her.

The scholars from the Sahabah and Tabi’in praised Sayyidah ‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha and her knowledge. Masruq rahimahu Llah said:

رأيت مشيخة من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الأكابر يسألون عائشة عن الفرائض

I saw the senior scholars from the Sahabah asking ‘Aisha about inheritance.

When narrating from her, he would say:

حدثتني الصديقة بنت الصديق حبيبة حبيب الله المبرأة من فوق سبع سموات فلم أكذبها

The truthful, daughter of the truthful, beloved of the beloved of Allah, the one whose innocence was declared from above the heavens, narrated to me. Thus, I will not belie her.^[3]

‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah rahimahu Llah said:

كانت عائشة أفقه الناس وأعلم الناس وأحسن الناس رأيا في العامة

‘Aisha was the most knowledgeable of people in fiqh, the most learned among them, and the most sound in judgement in matters of public concern.

Hisham ibn ‘Urwah narrates from his father:

ما رأيت أحدا أعلم بفقه ولا بطب ولا بشعر من عائشة

I have not seen anyone more knowledgeable in fiqh, medicine, and poetry than ‘Aisha.^[4]

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubaid ibn ‘Umair said:

أما إنه لا يحزن عليها إلا من كانت أمه

Only the one who regards her as his mother will grieve for her.^[5]

Hafsah bint ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Abi Bakr came to her wearing a thin scarf, leaving her forehead uncovered. ‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha tore it and asked her, “Do you not know what Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala revealed in Surah al Nur?” She then got another scarf and gave it to her.

‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha would preach to the women saying:

يا معشر النساء اتقين الله ربكن وبالغن في والوضوء وأقمن صلاتكن وآتين زكاتكن طيبة بها أنفسكن وأطعن أزواجكن في ما أحببتن أو كرهتن

O gathering of women, fear Allah—your Lord, perfect your wudu’, establish your Salah, discharge your Zakat with happiness, and obey your spouses in that which you like or dislike.

She would say:

خليفة الله تعالى على المرأة زوجها فإذا رضي عنها زوجها رضي الله عنها وإذا سخط عليها زوجها سخط الله عليها وملائكته لأنها تحمل زوجها على ما يحل لها

The deputy of Allah over a woman is her husband. If her husband is pleased with her, then Allah is pleased with her. And if her husband is upset with her, then Allah and His angels are upset with her because she abides by what pleases her husband.

She would say:

من حق الزوج على المرأة أن تلزم فراشه وتتجنب سخطه وتتبع مرضاته وتوفر كسبه ولا تعص له أمرا وتحفظه في نفسها

From the rights of a husband upon his wife is that she fulfils his conjugal rights, avoids his anger, pursues his pleasure, increases his earnings (does not waste his wealth), does not disobey his command, and protects his honour in respect of her being.^[6]

Zainab bint Jahsh radiya Llahu ‘anha assumed the rank of a female scholar, practicing believer, warner, and advisor for every believing male and female due to her practice upon the Sunnah of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam during his life as well as after his passing. She protected her hearing and her sight from acquiring the anger of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala. When the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam asked her regarding Sayyidah ‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha on the occasion of Ifk^[7], she said:

أحمي سمعي وبصري ما علمت عليها إلا خيرا

I protect my hearing and my sight; I do not know about her except good.

Umm al Mu’minin Sayyidah Maimunah radiya Llahu ‘anha narrated to the Ummah the laws concerning fiqh. For example, on the Day of ‘Arafah when the people were in doubt as to whether the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was fasting or not, she sent milk to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam when he stopped at his destination, which he drank while people were watching.^[8] She also explained the ghusl of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam after marital relations.^[9] Certainly, she was from the advisors and well-wishers of this Ummah. May Allah be pleased with her and the rest of the Ummahat al Mu’minin.

NEXT⇒ A brief overview of the lives of the Ummahat al Mu’minin

^[1] Sahih al Jami’ al Saghir, Hadith: 6764.

^[2] Al Isti’ab, vol. 1 pg. 589.

^[3] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 181.

^[4] ‘Atif Sabir Shahin: Nisa’ Hawl al Rasul, pg. 66.

^[5] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 185.

^[6] Siyar A’lam al Nubala’, vol. 2 pg. 185.

^[7] The occasion of Ifk is when Sayyidah ‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha was falsely accused by the hypocrites of committing adultery.

^[8] Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 1124.

^[9] Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 317.

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