حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، مَوْلَى أَبِي طَلْحَةَ عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ عِنْدِ جُوَيْرِيَةَ – وَكَانَ اسْمُهَا بَرَّةَ فَحَوَّلَ اسْمَهَا – فَخَرَجَ وَهِيَ فِي مُصَلاَّهَا وَرَجَعَ وَهِيَ فِي مُصَلاَّهَا فَقَالَ ” لَمْ تَزَالِي فِي مُصَلاَّكِ هَذَا ” . قَالَتْ نَعَمْ . قَالَ ” قَدْ قُلْتُ بَعْدَكِ أَرْبَعَ كَلِمَاتٍ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ لَوْ وُزِنَتْ بِمَا قُلْتِ لَوَزَنَتْهُنَّ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ عَدَدَ خَلْقِهِ وَرِضَا نَفْسِهِ وَزِنَةَ عَرْشِهِ وَمِدَادَ كَلِمَاتِهِ ” .
The prophet, peace to him, left the home of Lady Juwariyyah while she was making dhikr. There in her place, she continuously praised the Lord of the Worlds. Repeating sacred intonations and praising the divine in hopes of drawing nearness to Him. Sometime before this she had chosen —of her own free will, to submit to Allah and his messenger when she was given the choice of freedom or marriage. Even as her people stood across from her warning her that she would bring shame upon them if she choose Allah and His messenger over returning to her people.
Juwariyyah had been captured as a prisoner of war and her father came to pay her ransom saying, “Someone like my daughter is not kept as a captive. I am too noble for that. Let her go.” To which the prophet, peace to him, then said, “Do you think that we should give her a choice? Would we not then have done well?” And he answered, “Indeed, and I will pay you what you owe.” Her father went to her and said, “This man has given you a choice. Do not disgrace us.” But what mattered far more to Juwariyyah was to not disgrace herself. She knew that when you have to choose between anyone else and the messenger of Allah the choice is always the latter. And so Juwariyahh made her decision, “I have chosen the Messenger of Allah.” (1)
Thereafter she continued to choose Allah and his messenger. Becoming one of the mothers of the believers and worshipping her Lord continuously until the prophet, peace to him, was surprised to see that he had left her in a state of dhikr and come back to her sometime later and she was still in a state of dhikr. The prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, informed her, in his wisdom, that there was an even greater reward to be found in specific adhkar and that quality was sometimes better than quantity. So upon seeing her in that state he says, “Since leaving you I have said four phrases three times which, if weighed against all that you have said (during this period), would prove to be heavier.” Then he taught her —and us, the following words, “Glory be to Allah, and I begin with praise of Him to the number of His creatures, in accordance with His good pleasure, to the weight of His throne and to the ink (extent) of His words.” (2)
______
Related:
- Khadija Knew https://bythefigandtheolive.com/khadijahknew/
- Umm Salama: Separation, Grief, and Faith https://bythefigandtheolive.com/ummsalama/
Further Reading/Resources:
- 40 Hadith On the Memorable Qualities of the Mothers of the Believers by Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn Asakir, translated by Aisha Bewley 138-139
- Chapter 510: At-Tasbih (Glorifying Allah) Using Pebbles, Book 8: Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr, https://sunnah.com/abudawud:1503
Consider picking up a copy of my book, 40 Hadith of ‘Aisha, An English collection of 40 Hadith narrated by the beloved wife, scholar, and sage ‘Aisha bint Abu Bakr, available here (US) and here (International).
Recent Comments