Maria Al-Qibtiyah

 Maria Al-Qibtiyah ( Radiallahu`anha)

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
All the praise and thanks are due to Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala., and May peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

 Maria Al-Qibtiyah was said to have married the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  and certainly everyone gave her the same title of respect as the Prophet's wives, 'Ummul Mu’minin' 'Mother of the Believers'.

Maria was born in Upper Egypt of a Coptic father and Greek mother and moved to the court of the Muqawqis when she was still very young.

The Christian ruler, or Muqawqis, of Egypt, sent him two Christian slave girls who were sisters as a gift, in response to the Prophet's letter inviting him to embrace Islam. She arrived in Medinah just after the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  returned from the treaty with Quraish which was known as at Al-Hudaibiyah.

The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  accepted Maria Al-Qibtiyah, into his household; her sister, Serene got married to a man that the Prophet honor, Hassan Ibn Thabit.

Maria gave birth to her son in 9 AH, the same year that his daughter Zainab died, and the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  named his new son Ibrahim, after the ancestor of the Jews and the Christians, the Prophet from whom all the Prophets who came after him were descended.

Unfortunately, when he was only eighteen months old, Ibrahim became seriously ill and died. Even though he knew that his son would go to the Garden, the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  could not help shedding some tears. When some of his Companions asked him why he was weeping, he replied: "It is my humanness."

As Ibrahim's body was being buried, the sun was eclipsed and it grew dark and gloomy. Some people thought this was connected with Ibrahim's death, but the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  soon clarified:

"The sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs; they are not eclipsed because of anyone's birth or death. When you see these signs, make haste to remember Allah in prayer."

Although the kafirun used to mock the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  because he had no sons, and say that he was 'cut off’, Allah made it clear in the following surah that the station of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  was far above that of any other man:

“Surely We have given you Al-Kawthar, so pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice. Surely he who mocks you is the one cut off.” [Surah Al-Kawthar, 108:1-3]

“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets and Allah has knowledge of all things.”[Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:40]

Maria Al-Qibtiyah was honored and respected by the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  and his family and Companions. She spent three years of her life with the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) , until his death, and died five years later in 16 AH. For the last five years of her life, she remained a recluse and almost never went out except to visit the grave of the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)  or her son's grave. Umar Ibn Al Khattab led the prayer over her and she was buried in Al-Baqi.

And Allah Knows Best

[Via Ummnurah]