sfiyyah-bint-abdul-muttalib

Sayyidatuna Safiyyah Bint ‘Abdul Muttalib رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا was the fifth paternal aunt of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللہُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, real sister of Sayyid-ush-Shuhada[1], Sayyiduna Ameer Hamzah رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ and mother of Sayyiduna Zubayr Bin ‘Awwam رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, who is among the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah[2]. She held an illustrious rank among the people of Arab due to her nobility, lineage and family eminence.

Acceptance of Islam and migration

She رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا embraced Islam before the migration of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللہُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. She performed Bay’at[3] to the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللہُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and migrated to Madinah Munawwarah with her son, Sayyiduna Zubayr Bin ‘Awwam رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. By doing so, she was included among the sacred group of

وَ السّٰبِقُوْنَ الْاَوَّلُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُهٰجِرِیْنَ وَ الْاَنْصَارِ

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: And the earliest and the foremost Muhajireen (emigrants) and Ansaar (helpers of emigrants).

For this group, Allah Almighty has announced the glad tidings of His pleasure and Paradise in the Ayah 100 of Surah At-Taubah in the 11^th part. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8, pp. 34)

Children

She رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا had 3 sons: (1) Sayyiduna Zubayr رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ (2) Sayyiduna Saa`ib رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ (3) ‘Abdul Ka’bah [عبدالکعبہ]. (Siyar A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, pp. 516)

Courage and bravery

She رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا was extremely brave and courageous woman. You can imagine her bravery and courage from the fact that she is the very first woman in the history of Islam to kill an enemy of Islam. (Al-Isaabah, vol. 7, pp. 214)

Therefore, during the Ghazwah Khandaq (battle of trench), a time came when the enemies saw that the entire Muslim army is engaged in war at the trench. So all of a sudden, the enemies attacked the fortress in which Muslim women and children had sought refuge. One soldier of the enemy reached the door of the fortress. Sayyidatuna Safiyyah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا saw him. She uprooted a piece of wood from the tent and struck it on his head with such force that he died.

(Musnad Al-Bazzaar, vol. 3, pp. 190, Hadees 978)

Stood firm as a rock

In the battle of Uhud, when the Muslim army scattered, she رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا alone kept attacking the disbelievers with a spear; to the extent that the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللہُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was surprised upon her bravery and said to her son, Sayyiduna Zubayr Bin ‘Awwam رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ: O Zubayr! Look at the bravery of your mother and my paternal aunt! Various brave people have fled but she is fighting the disbelievers alone as steady as a mountain. (Zurqaani ‘alal Mawahib, vol. 4, pp. 490; Jannati Zaywar, pp. 504)

Patience and forbearance

In the battle of Uhud, when she رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا was about to come to look at the blessed body of her martyred brother, Sayyid-ush-Shuhada, Sayyiduna Ameer Hamzah رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, then the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللہُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to Sayyiduna Zubayr Bin ‘Awwam رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, ‘Do not let Safiyyah come close to him as she would be extremely grieved and distressed upon looking at the state of her brother.’ However, after seeking permission from the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللہُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, she came to her brother, recited ‘اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَ اِنَّاۤ اِلَیْهِ رٰجِعُوْنَ’ and said while displaying the highest level of patience, ‘I do not consider this to be a big sacrifice in the path of Allah Almighty.’ Then she supplicated for his forgiveness and returned back. (Seerat-un-Nabawiyyah li Ibn Hishaam, pp. 339)

Demise

She رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا passed away at the age of seventy-three (73) in 20 Hijri during the caliphate of Ameer-ul-Mu`mineen[4], Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq-e-A’zam رَضِىَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ in Madinah Munawwarah. Her blessed shrine is situated in Jannat-ul-Baqi’[5]. (Zurqaani ‘alal Mawahib, vol. 4, pp. 490)