(Suadah Bint Zam ‘ah (RA

موضوع: (Suadah Bint Zam ‘ah (RA السبت مارس 02, 2013 9:48 am

Suadah Bint Zam ‘ah (RA)

She was the daughter of Shammoos from the Qurashee tribe of Banu Najjaar. Her father was also from a Qurashee tribe, Banu Amr bin Luwayy. Her first husband was Sakran bin Amar. Both she and her husband had accepted Islaam in the very early days and were both among the second group of Muslims who undertook the hijrah to Abyssinia. They had a son named ‘Abdurrahmaan.

One day Saudah dreamt that the Prophet entered her house and caught her by the nape of her neck. When she related this to her husband he said that it meant that after his death she would marry the Prophet. Some time later she saw in a dream the moon falling into her lap. When she told Sakran about this dream he felt that his end was near. A few days later he fell ill and passed away. She now led a very lonely life.

One day a good friend of Saudah, Khowlah bint Hakim, visited the Prophet and remarked that he must be living a very lonely life after the death of Khadeejah . The prophet agreed and she suggested to him that he should consider remarrying. When he asked whom he could possibly marry, she suggested Saudah and he agreed.

The Prophet married Saudah for a mahr of four hundred dirahms and they lived in the house of Khadeejah with his daughters Umm Kulthoom and Fatimah. She would relate to the Prophet her experiences in Abyssinia and fondly spoke of his daughter Ruqayyah and her husband, Uthmaan ibn Affaan, who migrated to Abyssinia with the first group.

When the persecution of the Muslims became unbearable, Allaah ordered the Prophet with the Hijrah (migration from Makkah to Madina). The Prophet left Makkah with his trusted friend Abu Bakr, leaving his wives and family behind. (He had also married Aisha bint Abi Bakr in Makkah). When he was settled in Madinah he sent for his family and they lived in the house of Zaid bin Harithah.

Saudah once performed nafl salaah during the night with the Prophet. The next morning she told him the salaah was so long, she taught a vein her nose would burst. He jokingly suggested that next time she should hold her nose while in rukoo’ (the bowing position). She then acted this out and the Prophet burst out with laughter. Saudah was this warm and simple person.

Saudah and Aisha accompanied the Prophet on Hajj and Saudah asked special permission to proceed to Muzdalifah earlier so as to avoid the crowds. Later Aisha regretted that she did not accompany her, as she missed her warm company and liveliness.

When Saudah first came to hear about Dajjaal (the anti-Christ), she was very scared. Aisha and Hafsah, another wife of the Prophet would often scare her with Dajjaal, and the Prophet would join in the fun. Once the Prophet and Saudah were sitting together and Aishah offered food from a special dish she had prepared. When Saudah declined, Aishah threatened to force feed her and eventually Saudah found food all over her face. Aishah, only in her early teens, was very playful, much to the delight of the Prophet.

After the battle of Badr, Suadah’s brother-in-law, Suhail bin Amr, was taken as a prisoner of war, but he escaped. When he was recaptured, he was brought into the city with his hands tied to his neck. When Saudah saw this she involuntarily said that he should have died a noble death rather than be humiliated like this. The Prophet reprimanded her and she apologised. The prophet just smiled and then announced that all prisoners should be treated with consideration. Thus the mujaahideen (soldiers in the holy war) first fed the prisoners and then ate themselves, all as a result of Saudah’s kind heartedness. Many of the disbelievers accepted Islaam due to this kind treatment.

When Saudah became old, she feared that the Prophet might divorce her, so she offered the nights that the Prophet would normally spend with her, to Aisha. Then Allaah revealed the aayah in Suratun Nisaa: “If a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband’s part, there is no sin on them if they make terms of peace between themselves, and making peace is better.” Aisha was very touched by this gesture and she and Saudah became even closer than before.

Saudah was a very generous person. During the reign of ‘Umar ibn Hattaab, he sent her a bag full dates of which she promptly distributed among the poor.

On the religious side, there are five authentic ahaadeeth (oral traditions) of the Prophet attributed to her.

Saudah died during the reign of Umar ibn Hattaab at the ripe old age of eighty.