Sayyidatuna Umm Munzir Salma Bint Qays رضی اللہُ عنہا

Godly Women

Sayyidatuna Umm Munzir

Salma Bint Qays رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا 

Maulana Waseem Akram Attari Madani

Sayyidatuna Umm Munzir Salma Bint Qays رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was honoured by being the maternal aunt of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.^[1] It was a norm amongst the Arabs for the maternal aunt of the father and grandfather to also be referred to as “maternal aunt”, which is why she was the maternal aunt of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم from his paternal grandfather’s side.^[2]

Her father’s name was Qays Bin ‘Amr and her mother’s name was Rughaybah Bint Zuraarah. Some historians have mentioned Rughaybah with a ‘زا’, and so they mentioned her as Zughaybah Bint Zuraarah.^[3] She was married to Sayyiduna Qays Bin Sa’sa’ah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. Her appellation is derived from her relationship to her son Munzir [Umm Munzir].^[4] She is more famously known by this than her name.^[5] Her brother was an illustrious companion: Sayyiduna Sulayt Bin Qays رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ.^[6] He participated in all the ghazawaat with the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, including the  battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq.^[7] She, along with her two sisters—Sayyidatuna Umm Sulaym and Sayyidatuna Umayrah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُّنَّ—participated in Bay’ah al-Ridhwan.^[8] This was the pledge sworn to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on the occasion of the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah. The Quran states how Allah is pleased with the ones who participated in this pledge of allegiance.^[9] The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘Nobody from those who pledged allegiance under the tree will enter the Hellfire اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه.’^[10]

As Sayyidatuna Umm Munzir رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا accepted Islam early on, she was therefore blessed with the opportunity of praying towards both Qiblahs: Bayt al-Maqdas and the Kaaba.^[11]

She had a love for teaching about Islam. Her love and interest for Islamic knowledge can be understood from the following incident. When she and other women from the Ansaar pledged their allegiance to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, alongside other matters, he made them pledge that they would not deceive their husbands. Sayyidatuna Umm Munzir رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا requested another woman to ask the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم what he meant by this, to which he replied: ‘To not give the husband’s wealth to someone else in secret [without his permission].’^[12]

Note that the Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took a pledge of allegiance from women without any physical contact. Sayyidatuna Aisha رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا states: ‘I swear by Allah, his hand did not touch another woman’s hand at the time of receiving allegiance. He would only receive their pledge by way of speech.’^[13]

Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Na'eemi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـه states: ‘Whenever the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would receive the pledge from men, he would shake hands. However, he never shook hands with women; he only received their allegiance by way of speech. This is because it is forbidden to touch non-mahram women, irrespective of whether one is a spiritual guide, scholar, shaykh or anyone else.’^[14]

May Allah Almighty have mercy upon her and forgive us without accountability for her sake.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن  صَلَّی اللہ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلہٖ وَسَلَّم