Brief Introduction
Her name is Layla, but she رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا is renowned by her title Shifa. Her Kunyah is Umm-e-Sulayman. She is Qarashiyyah ’Adawiyyah. Her father’s name is ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Abd-ush-Shams, while mother’s name is Fatimah Bint Abi Wahb. Her ancestry is traced back to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on Ka’b Bin Lu’ay. There are total eight (8) generations until Ka’b Bin Lu’ay in her ancestry.
Migration and Islam
She is counted as one of the female companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُنَّ who embraced Islam in the early days of Islam. After embracing Islam, she migrated to Madinah Munawwarah and was privileged to pledge allegiance to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Al-Isti’aab, vol. 4, pp. 423)
Nikah and children
She رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا was married to Sayyiduna Abu Hasmah Bin Huzayfah ‘Adawi رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ. It is found that she had a son Sayyiduna Sulayman رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ and a daughter (who was married to Sayyiduna Shurahbeel Bin Habib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ). (Tabaqaat-e-Ibn-e-Sa’d, vol. 8, pp. 210; Ma’rifat-is-Sahabah, vol. 3, pp. 14)
Share in the great kindness of Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Sometimes, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would come to her home and take rest in the afternoon. Therefore, she would arrange a separate bed for the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. She رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا would spread the bed for the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم only. This sacred bed remained with her offspring for a long time as a sacred relic. Later on, Marwan Bin Hakam Umavi, the ruler of Madinah, took it from them.
The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave her a house in Madinah Munawwarah as well where she used to live with her son Sayyiduna Sulayman رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.
Virtues and qualities
Several Islamic scholars who are biographers have remembered her in the words of praise like وَكَانَتْ مِنْ عُقَلَاءِ النِّسَاءِ وَفُضَلَائِهِنَّ. It means that she رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا was very wise, graceful, and perfect [female] companion amongst of all women.
٭ Since she رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا was counted as one of extremely intelligent and wise women, Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyiduna Umar Farooq-e-A’zam رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ gave priority to her suggestion amongst all women.
٭ She رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا was also privileged to be the teacher of Umm-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyidatuna Hafsah رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا. (Al-Isaabah, vol. 8, pp. 201-202)
Services to Hadees
She رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا has narrated many Ahadees from the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Her narrated blessed Ahadees are available in the books of Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Nasa’i, and the books of Imam Bukhari named Al-Adab-ul-Mufrad and Af’aal-ul-‘Ibaad. (Tahzeeb-ul-Kamal, vol. 11, pp. 730)
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