The actual name of Sayyidatuna Shayma Sa’diyah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاwas ‘Huzafah Bint Haris’ but the title of ‘Shayma’ predominated over her name. She was the real daughter of Sayyidatuna Halimah Sa’diyah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاand the milk-sister of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ.(Seerat-e-Ibn-e-Hishaam, pp. 66, 67)
Embracing Islam
When the Muslims fought the battle against the Hawazin tribe, its people were captured as prisoners by the Muslims and Sayyidatuna Shayma رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا, the milk-sister of Rasoolullah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was also one of them. She had not embraced Islam by that time. After becoming a prisoner, she came in the court of Rasoolullah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ and humbly said: ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ! I am your milk-sister.’ (Since the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ had seen her for the first time after childhood,) he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: ‘What is its sign (that you are my milk-sister)?’ She showed a sign which was recognised by the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ and he remembered his childhood which moved him to tears. He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ then spread his blessed chador on the ground, seated her with great respect and honour, and said: ‘If you wish to live with me [here], you may live with great comfort; if you wish to return to your tribe, you have the choice.’ She embraced Islam happily and opted to return to her tribe. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ blessed her with gifts before she left. (Al-Istia’ab, vol. 4, pp. 425, Raqm 3437)
She would recite couplets to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
Helping her honourable mother, Sayyidatuna Shayma رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاwould take interest in taking care of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. It is stated in ‘الاصابہ’ [Al-Isaabah] that Sayyidatuna Shayma رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاwould recite the following couplets to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ while comforting him on her lap:
يَا رَبَّنَا أَبْقِ لَنَا مُحَمَّدَا حَتّٰى أَرَاهٗ يَاْفِعاً وَأَمْرَدَا
ثُمَّ أَرَاهٗ سَيِّداً مُسَوَّدَا وَاكْبِتْ أَعَادِيْهِ مَعاًوَالْحُسَّدَا
وَأَعِطِهِ عِزّاً يَدُوْمُ أَبَداً
(Al-Isaabah Fi-Tamyeez-is-Sahabah, vol. 8, pp. 206)
‘O our Rab عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Keep Muhammad (صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ) alive for us so that I can see him growing up fully and then I see him as a chief; and (O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ!) humiliate his enemies and people jealous of him; and bless him with an everlasting respect.’
More beautiful than the moon
While reciting couplets to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, she also expressed her love in the following way:
مُـحَمَّدٌ خَيْرُ الْـبَشَرْ مِـمَّنْ مَّضٰى وَمَنْ غَبَـرْ
مَنْ حَجَّ مِنْهُمْ اَوِ اعْتَمَرْ اَحْسَنُ مِنْ وَّجْهِ الْـقَمَرْ
مِنْ كُلِّ اُنْثٰى وَذَكَـرْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَشْبُوبٍ اَغَـرّ
جَـنِّبْنِی اللّٰهُ الْغِـيَرْ فِـيْهِ وَاَوْضِحْ لِیَ الْاَثَـرْ
‘The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is the best amongst the living and passed away people who have performed Hajj and Umrah. He is more beautiful than all the men and women having beautiful and shining faces; in fact, he is even more beautiful than the moon. O my Rab عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Protect me from the misfortunes of time and make his signs clear to me.’ (Subul-ul-Huda-war-Rashaad, vol. 1, pp. 381)
A cloud would provide shade
Once in his childhood, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ left the house with Sayyidatuna Shayma رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاin the afternoon and the weather was very hot. Sayyidatuna Halimah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاwent in search of them and saw that Sayyidatuna Shayma رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا was reciting the following couplets, having the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ on her lap:
هٰذَا أَخٌ لِيْ لَمْ تَلِدْهُ أُمِّيْ
وَلَيْسَ مِنْ نَّسْلِ أَبِيْ وَعَمِّيْ
فَدَیْتُہ مِنْ مُخْوِل مُعِمّ
فَاَنْمِهِ اللّٰهُمَّ فِيْمَا تُنْمِيْ
‘He is my brother whom neither my mother has given birth nor does he belong to my father’s or paternal uncle’s lineage; O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Bless him with the best upbringing.’ Sayyidatuna Halimah Sa’diyah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاsaid: ‘O Shayma! Where have you brought him in this hot weather?’ Sayyidatuna Shayma رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَاhumbly replied: ‘O [my] mother! Hot weather is not affecting him because a cloud keeps providing him with shade to protect him from the sunlight. When he walks, the cloud also moves and when he stops, the cloud also stops.’ (Seerat-e-Halbiyah, vol. 1, pp. 150)
May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on her and forgive us without accountability for her sake!
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
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