Sayyidah Safiyyah bint Huyayy

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Sayyidah Safiyyah bint Huyayy

Name and lineage

Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab ibn Sa’yah of the Banu al Nadir. Al Nadir is from the descendants of Lawi ibn Yaqub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ‘alayhim al Salam, and then from the descendant of Harun ibn ‘Imran ‘alayh al Salam.

She was first married to Sallam ibn Mishkam and after him to Kinanah ibn Abi al Huqayq, who was killed in the Battle of Khaybar. Sayyidah Safiyyah radiya Llahu ‘anha was taken captive and given to Dihyah al Kalbi radiya Llahu ‘anhu as his share from the spoils of war. He made an agreement with her that she will pay for her freedom, which was paid by the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then freed her and married her; her freedom being her mahr (dowry). She passed away in 52 AH.

Merits and Status

1. She married a Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, she was the daughter of a Prophet, and her paternal uncle was a Prophet. Al Tirmidhi narrates from Sayyidina Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

بلغ صفية أن حفصة قالت بنت يهودي فبكت فدخل عليها النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهي تبكي فقال ما يبكيك فقالت قالت لي حفصة إني بنت يهودي فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إنك لابنة نبي وإن عمك لنبي وإنك لتحت نبي ففيم تفخر عليك ثم قال اتقي الله يا حفصة

It reached Safiyyah that Hafsah said, “The daughter of a Jew,” so she wept.

The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam entered upon her while she was crying and asked her what made her cry. She explained, “Hafsah said to me that I am the daughter of a Jew.”

The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “You are certainly the daughter of a Prophet, your uncle is a Prophet, and you are married to a Prophet^[1]; so what is she boasting over you about?”

He then told Hafsah to fear Allah.^[2]

2. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam praised her truthfulness when she said to him in his final sickness:

أما والله يا نبي الله لوددت أن الذي بك بي

Harken, by the oath of Allah, O Prophet of Allah, I wish to suffer your pain [instead].^[3]

NEXT⇒ Sayyidah Maimunah bint al Harith

^[1]  Your father is Harun, your uncle is Musa, and I am your husband. In one narration, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told her:

ألا قلت وكيف تكونان خير مني وزوجي محمد وأبي هارون وعمي موسى

Why did you not say, “And how are you two better than me, while my husband is Muhammad, my father is Harun, and my uncle is Musa?” (Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3892.)

^[2]  Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3894.

^[3]  Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq, vol. 11 pg. 431, Hadith: 20922; Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8 pg. 128.