Marriage of Hafsah bint ‘Umar (ra) – Sha‘ban 3 A.H. — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 2
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Marriage of Hafsah bint ‘Umar (ra) – Sha‘ban 3 A.H..
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: VII – Commencement of War with the Tribes of Najd and the Jews, the Marriage of Hadrat Fatimah and Hafsah, and a Few Miscellaneous Incidents
Pages: Book pp. 311–315 (PDF pp. 335–339)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Is Falsehood and Deception Permitted in War?] | Next: [Birth of Imam Ḥasan – Ramadan 3 A.H.] »
Historical Account
Bakr; and ‘Uthmān shall receive a better wife than Ḥafṣah.” The Holy Prophetsa said this because he had already intended to marry Ḥafṣahra and to give his own daughter Ummi Kulthūmra to Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra in marriage. Both Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra and Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra were aware of this and this is why they turned down the proposal of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra. Some time thereafter, the Holy Prophetsa married his daughter Ummi Kulthūmra to Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra, and this has already been mentioned above. Following this, the Holy Prophetsa sent a proposal himself to Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra for Ḥafṣahra. What more could Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra have asked for? He very happily accepted this proposal. In Sha‘bān 3 A.H., Ḥaḍrat Ḥafṣahra was married to the Holy Prophetsa and became a part of his household. When this marriage had taken place, Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra said to Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra
[Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 4, p. 394, Ḥafṣah Ummul-Mu’minīn, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)]
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu ‘Arḍil-Insānibnatahu….., Ḥadīth No. 5122]
“Perhaps your heart has been saddened on my account. The fact is, that I was already aware of the intention of the Holy Prophetsa, but I could not reveal his secret without permission. Of course, if the Holy Prophetsa had not intended so, I would have most gladly married Ḥafṣah.”
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu ‘Arḍil-Insānibnatahu….., Ḥadīth No. 5122]
One special wisdom in marrying Ḥafṣahra was that she was the daughter of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra, who one could say was considered to be the most eminent Companion after Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra, and he was from among the most intimate friends of the Holy Prophetsa. Hence, in order to further strengthen mutual relations and to compensate the grief of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra and Ḥafṣahra, which they had sustained by the untimely demise of Khanīs bin Ḥudhāfahra, the Holy Prophetsa deemed it appropriate to marry Ḥafṣahra himself. Another general wisdom under consideration was that if the Holy Prophetsa had a greater number of wives, the tasks of preaching and propagation, as well as education and training, could be performed on a much wider scale with greater ease, and in a more excellent manner among the women – who constitute half, if not, more than half of the world’s population in some respects.
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With regards to the issue of polygamy, a fundamental discussion has already been taken up whilst alluding to the marriage of Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra. At this instance, it need not be repeated, but it would not be out of place to mention that the restrictions which are stipulated by Islām with regards to polygamy, and which the Holy Prophetsa practically adhered to, are such that marrying more than one wife can in no way whatsoever be classified as a means of lust and enjoyment. As a matter of fact, the truth is, that in light of these restrictions, polygamy is a very great sacrifice, which both husband and wife are compelled to offer in the interest of self, family, nation, country or religion. Moreover, a person who offers this sacrifice sits at a far greater distance from domestic peace, comfort, joy and pleasure, than such a person whose wealth, attention, time and apparent, love belongs to one woman alone. Then, it should also be remembered, that a person who marries more than once, being motivated by pleasure and lust, always pays special attention to the food, clothing and lodging, etc., of his wives and provides them as much means as possible for their pleasure and enjoyment. However, in the life of the Holy Prophetsa a completely opposite picture is seen. Do not go far, merely open the Qur’an, which is categorically accepted as the most authentic scripture on the biography of the Holy Prophetsa. On one occasion, when wealth began to flow in from outside of Madīnah, and the Companions began to acquire some financial ease, the wives of the Holy Prophetsa submitted that now they should also receive a share of this affluence, and be somewhat compensated for the days of hardship they had spent until now. The Holy Prophetsa responded:
“If you desire the life of this world and its wealth and riches, come then I will provide you the wealth of this world. However, in this case you can no longer remain to be my wives (because I wish to keep my life free from the impurity of materialistic wealth). If you desire to remain as my wives, then live with me solely for the sake of God, for my office of prophethood, and for the sake of the hereafter. In that case, you shall receive a magnificent reward from God, which
is destined for those who do good.”
[Al-Aḥzāb (33:29-30)]
Upon hearing this statement of the Holy Prophetsa, all of his wives unanimously submitted that God and His Messenger is all that they desired, and not the wealth of this world. In the presence of this excellent historical testimony, can it be fathomed that God-forbid, the polygamy practiced by the Holy Prophetsa was a means of pleasure and lust? Instead, most definitely, every new wife who came into the home of the Holy Prophetsa would increase the domestic burden of the Holy Prophetsa. Moreover, it was due to the magnificent spirit of sacrifice exhibited by the Holy Prophetsa, that for the sake of his religion, nation and country, he happily bore all of these hardships, and casting away the peace and tranquility of his life, he lived a completely ascetic life, as if he were a traveller.
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīri Sūratul-Aḥzāb, Bābu Qaulihī Wa In Kuntunna Turidnal-Ḥayātad- Dunyā….., Ḥadīth No. 4786]
Another wisdom in the polygamy practiced by the Holy Prophetsa was so that those attachments which are tied to a person in this world may be weakened. It is obvious that in this world, a person possesses many relationships which he must maintain. For example, there are parents, brothers and sisters, the wife and children, friends, neighbours, and so on and so forth. From among all these bonds, emotionally speaking, the most passionate and sensitive relationship is the one of husband and wife. At times, a man’s love for his wife takes on a state which may be generally described as passionate love, and sometimes the ebullience of emotions takes this passionate love to a kind of madness. Then, in such a state, except for spending an entire life preoccupied in this passionate love, a person no longer remains of any use. Moreover, it is accepted that the best works of the life of this world are not those which relate to individual life; rather, those which relate to collective and national life. Hence, since the Holy Prophetsa desired to develop the best possible ability in man so that he may fulfil the responsibilities which related to the collective life of humanity, for this reason, in certain circumstances and under special conditions, he permitted the practice of polygamy. Furthermore, in doing so, the Holy Prophetsa gave the relationship between husband and wife such a form, that a person does not become completely preoccupied in it. According to this principle, the polygamy practiced by the Holy Prophetsa was for the purpose of weakening personal ties,
and not for the purpose of strengthening them. As such, the response which the Holy Prophetsa gave to his wives upon their asking for wealth is a testimony to this very fact. Furthermore, it also demonstrates that not only did the Holy Prophetsa desire to devote his own attention towards God and his office of Prophethood, rather, even with respect to his wives, his heart desired that their relationship with him should also be wholly for the sake of the hereafter. Therefore, the polygamy of the Holy Prophetsa was in the interest of religion, nation and country. In these circumstances, most definitely, this was a great sacrifice of individual gain made by the Holy Prophetsa. By creating a state of immense hardship and difficulty in his domestic life, the Holy Prophetsa made it easier for himself to fulfil those responsibilities which fell upon him in his capacity as a law-giver, religious reformer and leader. Therefore, this action of the Holy Prophetsa is deserving of the gratitude of every such person, who in the likeness of wild beasts, does not only care for his own carnal desires and individual or personal gain; rather, considers the reformation and progress of moral, spiritual, national and collective life as being his prime objective.
At the time of her marriage, Ḥaḍrat Ḥafṣahra was approximately twenty-one years of age. After Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra, since she was the daughter of an individual who was the most eminent from among the Companions, she holds a special rank among the Azwāj-e-Muṭahharāt. She also possessed a close relationship with Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra, and except for the odd disagreement, which is nothing out of the ordinary in such relationships, both of them lived together very lovingly. Ḥaḍrat Ḥafṣahra knew how to read and write. As such, there is a narration in the Aḥādīth that she learned to write from a lady Companion named Shifā’ bint ‘Abdillāhra. She passed away in 45 A.H., when she was more or less, sixty-three years of age.
[Wives of the Holy Prophetsa [Publishers]]
[Sunanu Abī Dāwūd, Kitābuṭ-Ṭibb, Bābu Mā Jā’a Fir-Ruqā, Ḥadīth No. 3887]
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Section: VII – Commencement of War with the Tribes of Najd and the Jews, the Marriage of Hadrat Fatimah and Hafsah, and a Few Miscellaneous Incidents | Navigation: « Previous: [Is Falsehood and Deception Permitted in War?] | Next: [Birth of Imam Ḥasan – Ramadan 3 A.H.] »