Godly Women
Sayyidatuna Hind b. ‘Utbah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا
Maulana Bilal Sa’eed ‘Attari Madani
Once, a maid hurried to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم with a gift of two baby goats. Arriving at the tent, she greeted and sought permission to enter. ‘My lady has sent a gift for you,’ she said, ‘and has apologised. Our goats have given birth to only a few baby goats (otherwise we would have gifted more to you).’ The Honourable Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم accepted the gift and supplicated: ‘May Allah Almighty bless your goats and increase them.’
The maid returned to her lady, telling her the supplication of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Hearing these gracious words, the woman was moved with joy. The maid later testified that following this incident, there was an unprecedented increase in their livestock. The lady would explain it as a result of the blessings of the Honourable Prophet’s supplications. The lady also said, ‘I saw myself in a dream, standing in the sun. There was shade near me but I was unable to reach it. Then, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came close to me and because of him, I was able to reach the shade,’ (Tareekh Ibn-e-Asakir, vol. 70, p. 184). She accepted Islam on the day of the Conquest of Makkah.
Do you know who this lady was? She was a companion of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and her name was Sayyidatuna Hind b. ‘Utbah Al-Hashimiyyah. Her husband was Sayyiduna Abu Sufyan and her son was Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُما.
Love for Islam
She had such immense love for Islam that she broke the idol that was in her house, declaring, ‘We were in delusion because of you,’ (Tabaqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 8, p. 188).
Praiseworthy Qualities
She رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was an expert in Arabic stylistics and rhetoric and extremely intelligent, (Usd-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 7, p. 316).
Devotion to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Sayyidatuna Hind b. ‘Utbah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا said, ‘Messenger of Allah! On the entire earth, there was no-one more hated by me than your family. But today, there is no family more beloved to me than your family,’ (Bukhari, vol. 2, p. 567, Hadith 3825).
As a brave and astute warrior, she served Islam by participating in the Expeditions of Yarmuk and Al-Qadisiyah, (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 6, p. 174). At a critical moment in the Expedition of Yarmuk, she encouraged the believers, ‘Fight in the way of Allah Almighty and sacrifice your lives,’ (Futooh Al-Sham, vol. 1, p. 196). Similarly, when the women were pledging allegiance to the Honourable Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, she too joined in, (Tabaqat Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 8, p. 189).
Passing Away
During the reign of Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, she passed away on the same day as Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq’s father, Sayyiduna Abu Quhafah Uthman. Her legacy includes the many hadith she transmitted, (Mirqat-ul-Mafatih, vol. 8, p. 243, under the Hadith 4466).
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