Kabshah bint Raafi‘: The Mother of Heroes

21/12/2010| IslamWeb

She is Kabshah Al-Ansaariyyah Al-Khudriyyah bint Raafi‘ ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Al-Abjar, i.e. Khudrah ibn ‘Awf ibn Al-Khazraj, may Allah be pleased with her. Her mother is Umm Ar-Rabee‘ bint Maalik ibn ‘Aamir ibn Fuhayrah ibn Bayaadhah.

She was one of the early Muslims who embraced Islam with its first advent into Al-Madeenah. She is the mother of the Companion, the hero, Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aath, may Allah be pleased with him, on whose death it is said that the Throne of (Allah The Almighty) the Ever Merciful shook.  He was her son who "judged with the judgment of Allah The Almighty from over the seven heavens."

Her husband was Mu‘aath ibn An-Nu‘maan from the sons of ‘Abd-Al-Ash-hal, by whom she begot Mu‘aath, ‘Amr, Iyaas, Aws, ‘Aqrab and Umm Hizaam.

The mother of Sa’d, may Allah be pleased with her, would always hasten to do what is good.  She was the first to give the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet, , along with Umm ‘Aamir bint Yazeed ibn As-Sakan and Hawwaa' bint Yazeed ibn As-Sakan, may Allah be pleased with them.

There were many incidents that indicated her deep faith, keenness on Jihaad (struggle) and patience. She set out in the Battle of Uhud with the women who went out to be assured about the safety of the Messenger of Allah, , and although she had received the news of the martyrdom of her son, ‘Amr ibn Mu‘aath, may Allah be pleased with him, she was anxious to be assured about the safety of the Messenger of Allah, .

When she arrived in the battlefield and learnt that the Messenger of Allah, , was safe, she praised Allah The Almighty and regarded  her calamity as slight.

Her son ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, was fighting in the battle when Diraar Ibn Al-Khattaab, who was still a polytheist confronted and killed him.

Another incident that indicates her deep faith, patience, keenness on Jihaad and courage was when she was with the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, during the Battle of Khandaq, in the fort of Banu Haarithah. When the Messenger of Allah, , and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, set out for the battle, they kept the children and women in forts because they feared that the enemy might harm them.

‘Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

I was in the fort of Banu Haarithah in the company of Umm Sa‘d, may Allah be pleased with her, when Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aath, may Allah be pleased with him, came upon us saying (in the form of a poetic verse), "Within a very short time, a ram (meaning himself) is going to join the battle: how good is death when it is time for the term appointed." His mother said to him, "Then, join it O my son, for you have delayed."

I said to her, "O Umm Sa‘d, do you not think Sa‘d's armor should be  more covering?” Sometime later, an arrow injured his body which the armor did not cover.

The person who shot him said to him while shooting, "Take it, and I am the son of Al-‘Ariqah (the one who [causes others to] sweat)!"

He replied, "May Allah make your face sweat in the Hellfire!”

Ibn Al-‘Ariqah's name was Hibbaan ibn ‘Abd Manaaf, from Banu ‘Aamir ibn Lu'ayy. Al-‘Ariqah was the name of his mother. However, according to other reports it is said that the person who shot Sa‘d, may Allah be pleased with him, was Abu Umaamah Al-Jushami.

 

Umm Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with her, displayed extraordinary bravery and patience, for which she deserves the Paradise of Eternity. She serves as an inspiration for all Muslim women, just like the other esteemed female companions, may Allah be pleased with them.