Umm-e-Hani and Safiyyah

Who was Umm-e-Hani (رضي الله عنها)?

She was Ali’s sister and a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). She embraced Islam, but her husband remained a polytheist (Non-believer in God). She stayed in Makkah with her husband and children and did not migrate to Madinah.

How Umm-e-Hani (رضي الله عنها) saved herself from Polytheist life

On the day of the conquest of Makkah, one of the polytheists (Non-believer in God) fearing for his life, escaped to her house to seek her protection. Ali ibn Abi Talib came looking for him but Umm-e-Hani (رضي الله عنها) barred his way.

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) honored her right of giving protection and said,

“We have given protection to those to whom you have given protection, Umm-e-Hani.”

Umm-e-Hani (رضي الله عنها) is very famous for her narration of the incident of Isra which happened when the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) slept at her home one night.

The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said his night prayer along with the others in her home and then went to sleep. In the morning, when everyone woke up for the Fajr prayer, the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) told them,

”Umm-e-Hani (رضي الله عنها), I said the night prayer with you as you have seen, and then I went to the Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) and I prayed there. I then came back to say Fajr prayer with you.’‘

When the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was leaving, Umm-e-Hani (رضي الله عنها) told the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم),

“O Prophet of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم), do not tell people this, lest they should disbelieve you and harm you.” But the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, ”By Allah, I will tell them.”

Verse：

قَالَ رَبِّ اِنِّىۡ ظَلَمۡتُ نَفۡسِىۡ فَاغۡفِرۡ لِىۡ

Then he prayed: “My Lord! I have indeed inflicted wrong on myself, so do forgive me,” (Al Qasas 28:16)

Who was Safiyyah Bint Abdul-Muttalib (رضي االله عنها)?

She was the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) paternal aunt and sister of Hamza ibn Abu Muttalib. She was married to Awwam ibn Khuwaylid, a brother of Khadija.

After the death of her husband, Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) devoted herself to bringing up her two sons. Safiyyah embraced Islam around the time that Hamza embraced Islam.

But her son, Zubayr ibn al Awwam, had converted to Islam before her. She bore all the difficulties during the early period of Islam and later on migrated to Madinah. )

Safiyyah (رضي االله عنها) Played an Important Role in the Battle of the Trench

She played an important role during the Battle of the Trench and saved Muslim women and children from an attack by the Jews. In fact, the Muslims had left their women and children in a fortress and Hassan ibn Thabit was told to look after them.

However, a Jew climbed up the fort to spy on them and attack them while other Jews waited down at the foot of the fortress. She spotted this Jew and asked Hassan to deal with him. But Hassan, being weak, said if he had been capable of fighting him, he would have gone along with the Prophet.

At this Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) picked up a wooden tent pole and struck the Jew on the head with it and killed him. She then threw his head over the fortress wall in order to frighten the Jews waiting down below.

Seeing this, the Jews at the bottom of the fortress thought that there were men posted up there and decided not to attack.

In this way, all the women and children were saved by Safiyyah. She lived a long time and died during the period of Caliph Umar.

Dua:

اللهم اغفر لي، وارحمني، وعافني، وارزقني

O Allah, Forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, protect me and provide me with sustenance.