Juwayriyyah Bint Al-Harith

23/08/2019| IslamWeb

The fifth year of Hijrah (the Migration of Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) from Makkah to Al-Madeenah) was a year rich in major events. During its second half, the Muslims were busy fighting the enemies of outside as well as within (coalitions of different tribes of infidels and hypocrites that rallied against Muslims to impede the spread of Islam).

Muslims dug a trench around Al-Madeenah to defend it against the enemies outside. But a greater danger was facing them from inside, that of the Jewish tribes who breached the peace treaty. After defeating the enemies, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) rallied the Muslims against the Jewish tribe of Banu An-Nadheer first. They blockaded their fortress for twenty-five days until they all surrendered. Then the Muslims set off towards the tribe of Banu Al-Mustaliq who were gathering forces to fight them.

The two armies met at a watering well called Al-Muraysee'. A fierce battle took place which ended by a heavy defeat of Banu Al-Mustaliq. Most of their fighters were killed and their women were taken captives. Their leader, Al-Harith Ibn Dhirar, escaped, but his daughter, Barrah, fell to the hands of the Muslims.

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) distributed the captives among the Muslims. The daughter of Al-Harith fell to the lot of Thabit Ibn Qays  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him. 'Aa'ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her who accompanied the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) on this expedition, related: "When the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) distributed the captives of Banu Al-Mustaliq, she (Barrah) fell to the lot of Thabit Ibn Qays  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him . She was married to her cousin, who was killed during the battle. She gave Thabit a deed (document), agreeing to pay him for her freedom. She was a very beautiful woman. She captivated every man who saw her. She came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) to ask for his help in the matter. As soon as I saw her at the door of my room, I took a dislike to her, for I knew that he would see her as I saw her. She went in and told him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) who she was, the daughter of Al-Harith Ibn Dhirar, the chief of his people. She said: 'You can see the state to which I have been brought. I have fallen to the lot of Thabit, and have given him a deed for my ransom, and I have come to ask your help in the matter.' He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: 'Would you like something better than that? I will discharge your debt, and marry you.' She said: 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah!' 'Then it is done.'  He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) replied." [Ahmad]

This was the event that turned Barrah's (later named Juwayriyyah by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention )) life around. For not only did she accept Islam, thus saving herself from Hellfire, but by accepting the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) for her husband and thus became Umm Al-Mu'mineen (Mother of the Believers).

The news that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had married Juwayriyyah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her spread out, and now that Banu Al-Mustaliq were the Prophet's relatives by marriage, the Muslims found it hard to keep them as their captives. "The relatives of the Messenger of Allah!" They exclaimed. They set them free. A hundred families were released from captivity because of this blessed marriage. "I do not know a woman who was a greater blessing to her people than she." Said 'Aa'ishah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her.

Juwayriyyah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her was a woman of exceptional beauty, and because she belonged to the highest class of her society, she  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her acquired the best upbringing and education that was available during her time. She  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her was twenty years old when the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) married her. No doubt, she  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her was the source of jealousy for his other wives  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  them but this did not prevent them from appreciating her good character and companionship.

When the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) went back to Al-Madeenah after that raid (on Banu Al-Mustaliq), with Juwayriyyah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her and was at a place called 'Thatul-Jaysh', he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) entrusted her to one of the Ansar (supporters of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) from Al-Madeenah). Her father, Al-Harith, discovered that she  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her had been captive and went back to Al-Madeenah, bringing his daughter's ransom. When he reached Al-'Aqeeq (a place near Al-Madeenah), he looked at the camels he had brought as her ransom and admired two of them greatly, so he hid them in one of the passes of Al-'Aqeeq. Then he came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) dragging the camels behind him, and told him: "My daughter is too noble to be taken as a captive. Set her free by this ransom." The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) replied: "Isn't it better that we let her choose for herself?" "That is fair enough," said Al-Harith. He came to his daughter and said: "This man is letting you choose so do not dishonor us!" "I choose the Messenger of Allah," she  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her replied calmly. "What a disgrace!" he exclaimed.

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) then said: "Where are the two camels which you have hidden in Al-'Aqeeq in such-and such a pass?" Al-Harith exclaimed: "I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, and that you Muhammad are the Messenger of Allah! For none could have known of this but Allah." He  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him and his two sons who were with him and some of his men accepted Islam. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) asked him again for his daughter's hand and he  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him accepted. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) gave his new bride four hundred Dirhams as her dowry.

Juwayriyyah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her accepted Islam wholeheartedly and followed the excellent example of her husband  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) in the worship of her Lord, trying to even compete with him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) at times. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) left her room once for Fajr (dawn prayer) and came back after Dhuha (forenoon): "I spent all the time you were absent supplicating," she told him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Shall I tell you a few words, if you say them they will be heavier in the scale (on the Day of Judgment) than what you have done? You say; 'Subhana Allahi 'adada khalqih, subhana Allahi ridha nafsihi, subhana Allahi zinata 'arshihi, subhana Allahi midada kalimatih." (Exalted (and Praised) is Allah as many times as the number of His creatures, and as much as pleases Him, and as much as the weight of His Throne, and as much as the ink for His Words). [At-Tirmithi]

Juwayriyyah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her spent her life in seclusion after the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) passed away. The Caliphs  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  them would provide for her sustenance, but she would spend it all for the sake of Allah. She  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her performed Hajj many times, and was known for her passionate worship.

She  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her kept away from all the trials that raged later during her life. She  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  her died during the caliphate of Mu'awiyah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him at the age of sixty five.

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