Who was Sawada Bint Zam’a (رضي الله عنها)?

Sawada (رضي الله عنها) belonged to a Quraysh tribe. She was the daughter of the Quraysh called Zam’a and her mother’s name was Shamus bint Qays. She was first married to Al-Sakran ibn Amr and both of them converted to Islam at the first call of the Prophet of Allah. When things got too difficult for the Muslims to live in Makkah, they migrated to Abyssinia. In Abyssinia they lived a peaceful life, fulfilling the duty of true Muslims.

They waited for the situation to get better in Makkah so that they could again be in the company of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). But as luck would have it, al Sakran died in Abyssinia and Sawada (رضي الله عنها) became a widow. She did not have any choice but to return to Makkah. But she did not want to do this, fearing that her family might try to torture her and convert her. Recommended: Who was Khadija Bint Khuwaylid and What Role She Played for Islam?

Verse:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.”

“He has no partner. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims.”

What Sawada (رضي الله عنها) Saw in her Dream?

At this time, the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) wife, Khadija (رضي الله عنها) having died, the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was lonely and his uncle, Abu Talib had also died. The Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) household needed a woman who could take care of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) home and children. On the advice of Khawla Bin Hakeem, the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) decided to marry Sawada (رضي الله عنها).

Then Sawada (رضي الله عنها) returned to Makkah and got married to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and thus, entered the household of the Prophet Muhammad  (صلى الله عليه وسلم) as one of the Mothers of the Faithful. She became the second wife of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Read: Umm-e-Habiba (رضي الله عنها) Wife of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)

In Ibn Sa’d it is mentioned that Sawada (رضي الله عنها) after she was married to Al-Sakran, had a dream in which she saw that she was sleeping and one portion of the moon fell on her lap. She mentioned this dream to her first husband who said that if her dream was true, she would marry the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) soon after he died. The same day, Al-Sakran fell ill and died a few days later. 

Verse:

رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَآ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Our Lord! Perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, you are over all things competent. (Al-Tahrim 66:8)

How Sawada (رضي الله عنها) used to Make Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Happy?

Sawada (رضي الله عنها) had a pure heart and was amiable and humorous. Even though she was very dark in complexion, slow and fat, she was loving and affectionate wife of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). She dispelled the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) worries with her humor.

It has been reported that one day she saw the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in distress, She immediately told him jokingly, ”O Messenger of Allah! I prayed behind you yesterday and you prolonged the prostration long that I felt I was getting a nose-bleeding.” The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then started laughing and his gloomy look disappeared. At the time of her marriage with the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), Sawada (رضي الله عنها) was fifty years old. Recommended: Maymunah (رضي الله عنها) Wife of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and the One Who Devoted Herself for Islam

Verse:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاكِنًا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلًا

Do you not see [to] your Lord how He extends the shadow? And if He willed, surely He (could) have made it stationary. Then We made the sun for it an indication. (AlFurqan 25:45)

Sawada (رضي الله عنها) Didn’t Perform Hajj and Umrah After the Death of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)

Sawada (رضي الله عنها) was a true embodiment of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) teachings. She was obedient to the core. She was an obedient wife, fulfilling the commandments of her husband after his death. It has been reported by Abu Hurayrah that during the Hajj Al-Wida, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) told his wives to remain at home after his death. The Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) wives are the Mothers of the Believers. Read: History and Importance of Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) First Visit to Taif

Sawada (رضي الله عنها) followed this advice of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) all her life and never went on any Hajj after his death. She used to say that she had performed both Hajj and Umrah and now she would stay at the house of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and not go anywhere. According to Imam Ibn Hanbal, Sawada (رضي الله عنها) did not go on any Hajj after the death of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Verse:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

Glory be to Him Who took His devotee (Muhammad) one night from Masjid-al-Haram (in Makkah) to Masjid-al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem), whose vicinity We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs: surely He is the One Who is the Hearer, the Observer.

A Pious Worshiper

Sawada (رضي الله عنها) lived in a blessed house of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in the company of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his children and served the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) with total devotion and helped him in his dawah. Sawada (رضي الله عنها) remained the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) only wife for three years. The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was engaged to Aisha at this time but the marriage took place only after the battle of Badr. Sawada (رضي الله عنها) wholeheartedly supported the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in his difficult times and looked after the household of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) dutifully. The years she spent with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) totaled thirteen.

After the death of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), she spent the remaining years of her life in piety and worship. Long after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), the second Caliph once sent a bagful of Dirhams to Sawada (رضي الله عنها). She was surprised to get so many Dirhams in a bag which was used for packing dates. She said Caliph Umar had sent her too many. She immediately distributed all of it in charity. Read: 5 Attempts to Steal the Body of Prophet (P.B.U.H) from Madinah

She lived long and died during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab at the age of 72. According to ‘Aisha, ”Sawada (رضي الله عنها) was a pious worshipper and a generous giver of charity.”

Verse:

رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ

Our Lord! Indeed, I [I] have settled (some) of my offsprings in a valley, not with cultivation near Your Sacred House, our Lord! That they may establish the prayers. So make hearts of the men incline towards them, and provide them with the fruits so that they may be grateful. (Ibrahim 14:37)