Hafsah Bint ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with her, was born five years before the Messenger of Allah (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 in the two emigrations (to Abyssinia and Al-Madeenah). He fought in the battles of Badr and Uhud. In the latter battle he was fatally wounded and died shortly thereafter in Al-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 he went home and saw his sad daughter, he grieved. 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 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 went back with a broken heart and almost did not believe what had happened. He 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 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 complaining about Abu Bakr and ‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with them.
Thereupon the Prophet 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 himself married Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, and 'Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, in turn married Umm Kulthoom, the Prophet 's other daughter, may Allah be pleased with her.
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 mentioned Hafsah before, and I could not disclose the secret of the Prophet . Had he left her, I would have married her."
Since the Prophet had mentioned Hafsah to him, he did not want to disclose the Prophet’s 's secret.
The people of Al-Madeenah were pleased with the Prophet’s marriage to Hafsah Bint ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with her. It was contracted in the month of Sha'baan in the 3rd year of Hijrah.
Thus, Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, joined the rank of the pure wives of the Prophet the 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 .
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 .
‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, knew very well that the Prophet 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 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 for her (referring to 'Aa’ishah)."
When the Prophet 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 '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 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 :
'Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated: “Allah's Messenger 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 has always disliked strong smells especially on his breath. He then forbade honey unto himself for which Allah revealed (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]