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Hafsa bint Umar Mother of the Believers | |
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| حفصة بنت عمر | |
| Born | c. 605CE |
| Died | Sha'ban 45AH; October/November,c. 665(665-00-00) (aged 59–60) |
| Resting place | Al-Baqi Cemetery, Medina |
| Known for | Fourth wife ofProphet Muhammad |
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Hafsa bint Umar (Arabic:حفصة بنت عمر,romanized: Ḥafṣa bint ʿUmar;c. 605–665) was thefourth wife ofMuhammad and a daughter of the second caliphUmar (r. 634–644). In Islamic writings, her name is thus often prefixed by the title "Mother of the Believers" (Arabic: أمّ المؤمنين,romanized:ʾumm al-muʾminīn).
Hafsa was the daughter and eldest child of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab andZaynab bint Maz'un. She was born "when Quraysh were building the HouseKaʿbah, five years before the Prophet was sent," i.e., in 605.[1]
She was first married toKhunays ibn Hudhafa but became a widow in August 624.[2]
As soon as Hafsa had completed herwaiting period, her father Umar offered her hand toUthman ibn 'Affan, and thereafter toAbu Bakr; but they both refused her. Disappointed, Umar went to Muhammad to complain about this, and Muhammad replied, "Hafsa will marry one better than Uthman and Uthman will marry one better than Hafsa."[3]
Muhammad married Hafsa in Sha'ban AH 3 (late January or early February 625).[4] This marriage "gave the Prophet the chance of allying himself with this faithful follower",[5] i.e., Umar, had become his father-in-law.
There are two stories related to the revelation of the opening verses ofSurat al-Tahrim. One is authentic according to Imamsal-Bukhari andMuslim and found inSahih Muslim 1474, narrated by the Prophet's wifeAisha. In this first narration, the Prophet prevented himself from drinking honey to please his wives.
The latter narration ismursal (meaning the chain of narration goes back to a successor instead of a direct companion of Muhammad) andḍaʻīf(weak). Its isnad is weaker than that of the first story, however, it is accepted by some tafseer scholars who preferred this explanation, such as in Tafsir Al-Jalalayn and Tafsir at-Tabari. Imam al-Tabarani says "The first opinion (concerning the story of honey) is stronger, yet it is not impossible that both matters occurred, and that this (i.e. the revelation) came down concerning both stories". In this narration, the Prophet was intimate withMaria al-Qibtiyya while Hafsa was away visiting her father, then asked him "In my home and on my bed?" upon returning and discovering about their act. He then made Maria forbidden upon himself to please Hafsa.[6] Al-Qurtubi states that the first one is authentic and the second is weak.[6]
Ibn Al-Arabi wrote inAhkam al-Qur'an that: "Indeed, the only authentic narration is that it was about honey, that the Prophet drank it with Zainab, and Aisha and Hafsa pretended to be offended by it. There occurred what occurred and the Prophet made an oath never to drink it again. He confided that to his wife and the verse was revealed regarding all of them".[6]
Uthman, when he became Caliph, used Hafsa's copy when he standardized the text ofQur'an.[7] She is also said to have narrated sixtyhadiths from Muhammad.[8]
She died in Sha'ban AH 45, i.e., in October or November 665. She is buried inAl-Baqi Cemetery next to the otherMothers of the Faithful.[9][10]
Hafsa is seen as scholarly and inquisitive by theSunnis. She is also respected as a Mother of The Believers.[11].After the passing away of ProphetMuhammad, she did not remarry, as it was believed that it washaram for Muslims to marry the wife of the prophet after his passing away from this worldly life.
Due to the honey incident with the prophet,[12][13] Shi'as disapprove of Hafsa and Aisha in this particular incident and cite the beginning of Surat al-Tahrim and the accompanying hadith as evidence.[14]
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