Hafsa bint Umar
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Hafsa bint Umar Mother of the Believers | |
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| حفصة بنت عمر | |
| Born | c. 605 CE |
| Died | Sha'ban 45 AH; October/November, c. 665 (aged 59–60) |
| Resting place | Al-Baqi Cemetery, Medina |
| Known for | Fourth wife of Prophet Muhammad |
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Hafsa bint Umar (Arabic: حفصة بنت عمر, romanized: Ḥafṣa bint ʿUmar; c. 605–665) was the fourth wife of Muhammad and a daughter of the second caliph Umar (r. 634–644). In Islamic writings, her name is thus often prefixed by the title "Mother of the Believers" (Arabic: أمّ المؤمنين, romanized: ʾumm al-muʾminīn).
Early life
[edit]Hafsa was the daughter and eldest child of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Maz'un. She was born "when Quraysh were building the House Kaʿbah, five years before the Prophet was sent," i.e., in 605.[1]
Marriage
[edit]She was married to Khunays ibn Hudhafa but became a widow in August 624.[2]
As soon as Hafsa had completed her waiting period, her father Umar offered her hand to Uthman ibn 'Affan, and thereafter to Abu Bakr; but they both refused her. When Umar went to Muhammad to complain about this, Muhammad replied, "Hafsa will marry one better than Uthman and Uthman will marry one better than Hafsa."[3]
Muhammad married Hafsa in Sha'ban AH 3 (late January or early February 625).[4] This marriage "gave the Prophet the chance of allying himself with this faithful follower,"[5] i.e., Umar, who now became his father-in-law.
Surat al-Tahrim
[edit]To prevent jealousy among his wives, Muhammad took turns spending nights with each of them in different dwellings. On a night designated for Hafsa, while she was away visiting her father, Muhammad engaged sexually in her bed with Maria al-Qibtiyya, a Coptic slave given to him as a gift. When Hafsa unexpectedly returned and witnessed the incident, she became furious. Muhammad reassured Hafsa, vowing to never touch Mariya again while Hafsa would keep the matter confidential. Despite Hafsa's promise, Hafsa told Aisha, and it was not long before the news reached all his wives, leading to widespread discontent among them.[6][7][8][9]
News reached Muhammad, and he received a new divine revelation in Surat al-Tahrim (Quran 66:1–5) Cancelling Muhammad's earlier vow not to touch Mariya again, as it was prohibiting what God had made lawful for him. The revelation also rebuked his wives, though without naming them, for breaking the oath, and they were warned that God could replace them with better women.[10][11] Consequently, Muhammad stopped visiting all his wives for a month for their punishment, and spent the whole time with Mariya only.[6][7][8] Later, after 29 days had passed, Muhammad visited Aisha first, but she said, "You pledged not to come to us for one month, but tonight only makes 29 nights; I have been keeping count." Muhammad replied, "But there are 29 days in this month!" And the month did have 29 days.[12][7]
Nevertheless, some hadiths present an alternate account regarding the revelation of these verses. According to this narrative, Muhammad enjoyed some honey at Zaynab bint Jahsh's home, leading Aisha and Hafsa to claim his breath smelled. Consequently, Muhammad pledged to abstain from the honey. The revealed verses nullified this vow, asserting that his action was permissible.[11][13] This alternative story, however, fails to explain the part of the verses where Muhammad treated the matter as confidential, which was then disclosed by Hafsa.[11][10] Some scholars dismiss this alternative story as a fabrication aimed at undermining the previously more commonly known and less edifying version.[10][11][14][15]
Notable work
[edit]Uthman, when he became Caliph, used Hafsa's copy when he standardized the text of Qur'an.[16] She is also said to have narrated sixty hadiths from Muhammad.[17]
Death
[edit]She died in Sha'ban AH 45, i.e., in October or November 665. She is buried in Al-Baqi Cemetery next to the other Mothers of the Faithful.[18][19]
Contrasting Views
[edit]Sunni View
[edit]Hafsa is seen as scholarly and inquisitive by the Sunnis. She is also respected as a Mother of The Believers.
Shi'a View
[edit]Due to certain actions of disobedience to the Prophet,[20][21] Shi'as have a negative view of Hafsa.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). The Women of Madina p. 56. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 307. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- ^ Ibn Saad/Bewley vol. 8 pp. 56-58. The story is told in five separate traditions.
- ^ Ibn Saad/Bewley vol. 8 p. 58.
- ^ Margoliouth, D. S. (1905). Mohammed and the Rise of Islam, p. 307. New York & London: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
- ^ a b Rodinson 2021, p. 280.
- ^ a b c Hassan 2013, The Hafsa Affair.
- ^ a b Irving 2007, p. 188.
- ^ Morgan 2009, p. 137.
- ^ a b c Bosworth et al. 1991, p. 575.
- ^ a b c d Bagley 2013, p. 136–138.
- ^ Rodinson 2021, p. 282.
- ^ Hekmat 1997, p. 74–5.
- ^ Wherry 2013, p. 158–9.
- ^ Hekmat 1997, p. 75–6.
- ^ Bukhari 6:60:201.
- ^ Siddiqi, M. Z. (2006). Hadith Literature: Its Origin, Development, Special Features and Criticism, p. 25. Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust.
- ^ Ibn Saad/Bewley vol. 8 p. 60.
- ^ Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Sayyari (2009). Kohlberg, Etan; Amir-Moezzi, Mohammad Ali (eds.). "Revelation and Falsification: The Kitab al-qira'at of Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Sayyari: Critical Edition with an Introduction and Notes by Etan Kohlberg and Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi". Texts and studies on the Qurʼān. 4. BRILL: 103. ISSN 1567-2808.
- ^ "Sahih al-Bukhari 6691 - Oaths and Vows - كتاب الأيمان والنذور - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ "Sahih al-Bukhari 2468 - Oppressions - كتاب المظالم - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". sunnah.com. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
Sources
[edit]- Bagley, F. R. C. (1 February 2013). Twenty-three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-03041-4.
- Bosworth, C. E.; Donzel, E. van; Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch., eds. (1991). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Volume VI (Mahk-Mid): [Fasc. 99-114a]. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-08112-3. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- Hassan, Riaz (2013). Islam and Society: Sociological Explorations. Melbourne University Publishing. ISBN 978-0-522-86256-0.
- Hekmat, Anwar (1997). Women and the Koran: The Status of Women in Islam. Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1-57392-162-6.
- Irving, Washington (2007). Mohammed. Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 978-1-84022-573-0.
- Morgan, Diane (12 November 2009). Essential Islam: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 978-0-313-36026-8.
- Rodinson, Maxime (2 March 2021). Muhammad. New York Review of Books. ISBN 978-1-68137-493-2.
- Wherry, E. M. (4 July 2013). A Comprehensive Commentary on the Quran: Comprising Sale's Translation and Preliminary Discourse: Volume IV. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-39281-8.
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