Hafsah Bint ‘Umar: The Prophet’s wife in Paradise - I

Hafsah Bint ‘Umar: The Prophet’s wife in Paradise - I

Hafsah Bint ‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her was born five years before the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) became a Prophet. She was six years older than her brother 'Abdullaah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him. She was a beautiful and pious woman.

Her first marriage was to Khunays Ibn Huthaafah Ibn Qays as-Sahami  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him who was from Quraysh. He took part with the emigration squads to
Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Madeenah). He fought in the battles of Badr and Uhud. In the latter battle he was fatally wounded and died shortly thereafter in Madeenah. Hafsah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her was 18 years old at that time.

'Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him was depressed because of his daughter's affliction, since she had become a widow at such a young age. Whenever 'Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him saw his sad daughter, he grieved so much. After thinking for a long period, he decided to choose a husband for her, to provide her with what she had lost of repose for six months or more.

'Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him approached Abu Bakr  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him the dearest person to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and offered her hand in marriage to him.

‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him thought that Abu Bakr  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him would not refuse to marry a young, pious woman who was the daughter of the man by whom Allah supported Islam. Having sympathetically listened to him, Abu Bakr  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him did not respond.

‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him went back with a broken heart and almost did not believe what had happened. He  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him then went to 'Uthmaan Ibn 'Affaan  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him whose wife, Ruqayyah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her the daughter of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had recently died.

‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him offered him his daughter in marriage, but 'Uthmaan  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him apologized by saying: "I think I would not like to marry at the present time."

‘Umar's gloom increased by 'Uthmaan's refusal. He became upset and angry with his two companions, mentioning it to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) complaining about Abu Bakr and ‘Uthmaan  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  them.

Thereupon the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) smiled and said: "Hafsah will get a husband who is better than 'Uthmaan and 'Uthmaan will get a wife better than Hafsah." [Al-Bukhari]

After that, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) himself married Hafsah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her and 'Uthmaan  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him in turn married Umm Kulthoom  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her the other daughter of Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ).

Accordingly, ‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him was elated to receive such a great honor which he had never imagined possible, earlier. He went off to tell the good news to whomever he met.

When Abu Bakr  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him met him, he realized the source of his joy. ‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him told him of his unhappiness at Abu Bakr's refusal to reply when he had offered Hafsah's hand to him.
Abu Bakr  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him congratulated him and apologized by saying: "Do not be angry with me, ‘Umar, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) mentioned Hafsah before, and I could not disclose the secret of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Had he left her, I would have married her."

Since the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had mentioned Hafsah to him, he did not want to disclose the Prophet’s  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) secret.

The people of Madeenah were pleased with the Prophet’s  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) marriage to Hafsah Bint ‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her. It was contracted in the month of Sh'aban in the 3rd year of Hijrah.

Thus, Hafsah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her joined the rank of the pure wives of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) known as Ummahat Al-Mu'amineen (Mothers of the Believers), who were by then, Sawdah and 'Aa’ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  them; and became a member of the household of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ).

Sawdah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her was happy to see her but 'Aa’ishah, may Allah be please with her, was upset because Hafsah was within her age group and she feared that Hafsah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her would share the love of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ).

‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him knew very well that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) loved 'Aa’ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her more than any of the other wives and at times tried to make his daughter aware of this fact. He once said to her: "You are not like 'Aa’ishah and your father is not like her father."

When the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) deserted his wives because they became too demanding, ‘Umar  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him once again advised Hafsah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her to be careful saying: "You should not be deceived by the one who has been motivated by her beauty and the love of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) for her (referring to 'Aa’ishah)."

When the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) married his other wives ‘Aa’ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her began to realize that her protestations were in vain and she made a friend of Hafsah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her.

Among the other wives of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) 'Aa’ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her was the most intimate and the closest one to Hafsah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her. It was Hafsah and 'Aa’ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  them who supported each other against the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) in a domestic intrigue which is mentioned in the Quran.

It is also mentioned in a tradition reported in the book of Imaam Al-Bukhari  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him:

'Aa’ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her narrated: “Allah's Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) used to drink honey in the house of Zaynab Bint Jahsh and would stay there with her. So Hafsah and I agreed secretly that if he comes to either of us she would say to him: 'It seems you have eaten Maghaafir (a kind of flower whose nectar is sucked by the honey bee, and has slightly bad smell) for I smell in you the smell of Maghaafir,' (we did so) and he replied: 'No, but I was drinking honey in the house of Zaynab, the daughter of Jahsh, and I shall never take it again. I have taken an oath as to that, and you should not tell anybody about it.’” [Al-Bukhari]

The idea was to suggest to him that this bad smell came from his mouth because of his taking that particular honey.

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) has always disliked strong smells especially on his breath. He then forbade honey unto himself for which Allah revealed a verse in the Quran and rectified the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Regarding with this issue Allah Says (what means): "O Prophet, why do you prohibit (yourself from) what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Allah has already ordained for you (Muslims) the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your Protector, and He is The Knowing, The Wise." [Quran 66: 1-2]

Hafsah Bint ‘Umar: The Prophet’s wife in Paradise -II

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