Mothers of the believers

Q: How many women Prophet Muhammad(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) had married and at the time of marriage what was the age of Prophet Muhammad(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) and the Mother of the Ummah  'Aisha?

A: The Prophet Muhammad(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) married many women, but had nine at a time.  Abdul Rahman Ibn Jauzi, a noted historian mentions the names of the wives the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) had in his lifetime.

    1- Khadija bint Khuwalid, the first woman who came in the life of the Prophet (s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam).  She bore him two sons and four daughters.  Being a rich lady from a noble decent, mother Khadija supported the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) as she was the first lady who entered the fold of Islam.  The Prophet(s'Allahu
'alayhe wa salam) did not take a second wife in the lifetime of Khadija.  She remained a constant source of consolation for him, as long as she lived.  She spent all her wealth in the service of Islam.

    2- Saudah bint Sama'ah: She was a widow and entered the fold of Islam in the early days of it.  She migrated to Abyssinia with the first band of migrants.  As she was old, in her later years she gave her turns to mother 'Aisha.  Here it is to be noted that the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) spent his rest time with all his wives equally
dividing it among them.

    3- 'Aisha bint Abu Bakr: The Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) married her when she was nine years old.  Among all the wives of the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) she was the most favorite.  Mother 'Aisha lived long after the death of the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam).  She was very intelligent and learned.  Many traditions have been reported by her.  She had taken upon herself to teach the Ummah about the private life of the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam).  Some scholars challenge the authenticity of the traditions describing her age at the time of her marriage.  But the correct and authentic traditions determine her age and there is no reason to doubt them.  Though a marriage in this age is not so common but it is not impossible biologically.  She was the only
wife who was not a widow or divorcee when the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) married her.

    4- Hafsa bint Umar: She was the daughter of Umar bin Al-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam.  She also narrated many traditions about the private life of the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam).

    5- Umm Salamah Hind bint Abu Umayyah: She also migrated to Abyssinia with her former husband.

    6- Umm Habibah bint Abu Sufyan: She also migrated to Abyssinia, but her husband converted to Christianity, the predominant religion of Abyssinia.

    7- Zainab bint Jahsh: She was a cousin of the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) and the Prophet first married her away to Zaid bin Haritha, a slave of the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) whom he freed and then adopted as a son.  After her divorce Allah ordered the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) to marry her.  The divine purpose was
to abolish the institution of adoption.  In the ARab society before Islam the adopted sons were treated as real sons.  Islam nullified this custom.

    8- Zainab bint Khuzaimah

    9- Juwairiyyah bint Harith:  She was among the prisoners of war and she was allotted to Thabit bint Qais.  She, being the daughter of a tribal chief, appealed to the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) to rescue her from this insult.  When Thabit guessed the will of the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) he manumitted her and the
Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) married her.

    10- Saffiyah bint Huyai: She was also taken prisoner of war.  She came to the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) as a slave girl.  But when she embraced Islam, the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) took her in marriage.

    11- Maimuna bint Harith: The Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) married her in Saraf when he was on his way to Makkah.  She died in Saraf.

    Ibn Jazi mentions many other women whom the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) married but did not live with them:

    Marya Qibtiyyah
    Fatima Kallabiyyah
    Asma bint Numan
    Qatilah bint Qais
    Maleekah bint Ka'b
    Umm Sharik
    Khaula
    Sharraf
    Laila bint Haleem
    Ghiffariyyah

    The Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam) proposed to some women but it did not materialize.  Besides this, some women offered themselves in marriage to the Prophet(s'Allahu 'alayhe wa salam), but he did not accept.

Article written by:
Dr. M. Iqbal Masood Nadvi