Asma bint Abu Bakr is one of the most renowned Sahabiyat (female Companions) of the Prophet (SAW). Her father Abu Bakr (RA) was the first adult male to accept Islam. Her sister Aysha (RA) was the wife of Rasoolullah (SAW), thus making Rasoolullah (SAW) her brother-in-law. Her husband Az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (RA) was the first-cousin of the Prophet (SAW) and one of asharah mubasharah (10 companions promised Paradise). Her mother-in-law was Safiyyah (RA), the paternal aunt of Muhammad (SAW). With such a distinguished lineage, it is little wonder that Asma (RA) was such an inspirational Muslimah.

When Rasoolullah (SAW) determined to embark on a hijrah (migration) to Madinah, Hazrat Asma (RA) was one of the chosen few to be privy to his plans. The utmost secrecy had to be upheld, as the Quraish tribe had made their murderous intentions known. Asma prepared food for the journey and earned herself an unusual nickname. She relates: I prepared the journey-food for Allah’s Apostle in Abu Bakr’s house when he intended to migrate to Medina. I could not find anything to tie the food-container and the water skin with. So, I said to Abu Bakr, “By Allah, I do not find anything to tie (these things) with except my waist belt.” He said, “Cut it into two pieces and tie the water-skin with one piece and the food-container with the other” (the sub-narrator added, “She did accordingly and that was the reason for calling her Dhatun-Nitaqain [i.e. two-belted woman]).” [Bukhari]

Hazrat Asma (RA) was a strong character who fully supported her father’s decision to migrate. When Abu Bakr left for Madinah with the Messenger of Allah (SAW), Asma (RA) was pregnant with her first child. Nevertheless, she maintained a cool head and bravely faced an interrogation from Abu Jahl, one of the chiefs of Quraish. Upon discovering that Muhammad (SAW) had slipped out of Makkah, Abu Jahl pressured Asma to disclose the whereabouts of her father. He was certain that Abu Bakr would know where Muhammad (SAW) was. Abu Jahl did not know that Abu Bakr had left to accompany Muhammad (SAW) on his journey to Madinah and became enraged at Asma’s evasive responses to his questions. He delivered a hard blow to her face, the force of which broke her earring.

Abu Quhafa — Abu Bakr’s father — had heard that his son had migrated and left his family penniless. The old man had not yet accepted Islam and criticised the actions of his son to Asma. Abu Quhafa had lost his eyesight, so Asma took some pebbles and covered them with a piece of cloth. She urged her grandfather to feel the pile of ‘money’ that had been left behind for the family to use. Asma (RA) did this in order to allay the concerns of her grandfather. Given that he was still a mushrik (idol-worshipper) at the time, Asma was reluctant to ask him for financial assistance. She was proud in the praiseworthy sense of the word and would rather struggle than let her father’s decision to accompany Rasoolullah (SAW) be criticised.

When the first group of Companions left for Madinah, Asma and Zubayr (RA) were amongst them. Her pregnancy was almost at full-term, yet she bore the difficulties of the journey without complaint. The Jews of Madinah alleged that they had cast magic on the families of the muhajiroon (emigrants) so that their women would not produce offspring. The Muslims were made anxious by this claim, until Asma (RA) gave birth to Abdullah ibn Zubair. She recounts: I migrated to Medina while I was at full term of pregnancy and alighted at Quba [a settlement 3 miles distance from Madinah] where I gave birth to him. Then I brought him to the Prophet and put him in his lap. The Prophet asked for a date, chewed it, and put some of its juice in the child’s mouth. So, the first thing that entered the child’s stomach was the saliva of Allah’s Apostle. Then the Prophet rubbed the child’s palate with a date and invoked for Allah’s Blessings on him, and he was the first child born amongst the Emigrants in the Islamic Land (i.e. Medina). [Bukhari]

Asma was assiduous in avoiding anything that might earn the displeasure of Allah. Her mother Qutayla sent word that she was coming to visit her daughter in Madinah. She was not a Muslim and Asma was unsure as to the protocol regarding receiving pagan parents. She sent a message to Rasoolullah (SAW) and verified that she was allowed to receive her mother as a guest, before her arrival. Asma was also noted for her generosity, as related by her son Abdullah, “I have not seen two women more generous than my aunt Aisha and my mother Asma. But their generosity was expressed in different ways. My aunt would accumulate one thing after another until she had gathered what she felt was sufficient and then distribute it all to those in need. My mother, on the other hand, would not keep anything even for the morrow.” [Bukhari]

Az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam was far less prosperous than the affluent family of Abu Bakr, but he was married to Asma on account of his piety and outstanding character. Asma related what their early married life in Madinah was like: “When az-Zubayr married me, he had neither land, nor wealth, nor slave, nor anything else like it, except a camel to get water and his horse. I used to graze his horse, provide fodder for it, look after it and ground dates for his camel. Besides this, I grazed the camel, made arrangements for providing it with water and patching up his leather bucket and kneading the flour… And I used to carry on my head, the date-stones from the land of az-Zubayr which the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had endowed him and it was a distance of two miles from Madinah…” [Bukhari] Asma once declined the offer of Rasoolullah (SAW) for her to ride behind him on his camel, as she was very shy and mindful of Zubayr’s jealous temperament. As it happened, Zubayr later assured her that the thought of her carrying the date-stones was far more upsetting to him than the thought of her riding with the men!

Asma was a dutiful wife who performed her duties to the best of her ability. It is reported that Asma once complained to her father about Zubair’s strictness. Abu Bakr (RA) advised her, “My daughter be patient. When a woman has a righteous husband and he dies and she does not remarry after him, they will be reunited in the Garden.” (Reported in at-Tabaqat of Ibn Sa’d). Asma heeded the advice of her father, and her situation later eased by way of a servant donated to her by Abu Bakr.

Asma and her husband Zubayr had ten sons in total. Zubayr named each one after a martyred Sahabi (Companion). The most famous of their sons were Abdullah and Urwah. Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr was the leader of the Muslims during one of the most turbulent periods in Islamic history. In 64 AH, Abdul-Malik assumed leadership in Damascus. During his reign, Abdullah established his own government in Makkah. Abdullah ruled Makkah for 9 years. The inhabitants of Hijaz, Yemen, Iraq and Khurasan had sworn allegiance to him. Hajjaj ibn Yusuf was Abdul-Malik’s tyrant governor of Iraq and Hijaz. Hajjaj laid siege to Makkah with about 2000 Syrians.

The siege lasted several months and Abdullah’s small army was struggling to resist Hajjaj’s forces. He sought advice from his mother Asma, as to what options lay open to him. At this time she was approaching 100 years of age and was blind. Abdullah saw that his mother’s health was failing and consoled her by saying, “Peace lies in death.” What did this great lady say? Even at this advanced age, she was courageous and resolute.

“I sense that you wish my death to precede yours, but I desire to live until the matter is settled between you and your enemy. If you are slain, I shall earn reward by observing patience upon the death of my son. And if you are victorious over the enemy, my eyes shall be cooled.”

On the day of his martyrdom Abdullah paid his final visit to his blessed mother to seek her advice one last time. Once again Asma supported her son’s decision to continue fighting Hajjaj’s army. Asma told Abdullah, “My son! Do not accept humiliating conditions laid down by the enemy for fear of slaughter. It is better to embrace the edge of the sword with honour than to endure disgrace… and pass a life of humiliation under the whip.”

Abdullah paid tribute to Asma’s tarbiyyah (nurturing) of her children with these simple words: “Know that your son never drank wine, nor was he a fornicator. Nor did he wrong any Muslim or Kafir (non-Muslim). I am not saying this out of pride, but rather as an honour to you.” Abdullah bade his mother farewell and went out with his army to fight Hajjaj. He was killed a few hours later.

Hajjaj gave instructions that Abdullah’s lifeless body be crucified. To add insult to injury, he declared that it would only be taken down if Asma beseeched him to do so. Asma (RA) refused to do any such thing and her refusal was relayed to Hajjaj. The tyrant vowed that she would come to him, or he would send someone to drag her by her hair. In return, Asma vowed that she would not come to him, unless someone did drag her by her hair.

In the end, Hajjaj went to Asma’s residence. Keen to see her spirit broken, he insolently enquired: “What do you say about this matter?” Subhanallah. This is a tyrannical governor who has just murdered her son asking such an impertinent question, yet Asma did not flinch. She proudly replied, “As far as I am concerned, the result of the battle between you and my son is that you have destroyed his worldly life and he has destroyed your akhirah (hereafter)!” Asma then contemptuously asked: “Has not the time yet arrived for this knight to dismount?” Hajjaj replied, “You mean this munafiq (hypocrite?)” Asma boldly countered, “By Allah! He was not a munafiq. He was a man well-known for his prayers and fasting. I heard Allah’s Messenger (SAW) say that a great liar and a great fitnah-maker will arise from the tribe of Thaqeef. We have already seen the liar (Musaylimah al-Kathab) and I think that the fitnah-maker is none other than you!”

The unswerving attitude of Asma (RA) in times of calamity is a testimony to the strength of her character. She displayed a remarkable level of sabr (patience) when severely tested. Her patience was reflected in the character of her sons. Another one of her sons, Urwah ibn az-Zubayr, was one of the renowned scholars of Madinah. Urwah’s son Hisham reports that his father’s leg had to be amputated at the knee and he was advised to drink an intoxicant. Urwah refused saying, “I did not think that anyone would drink something which would take away his intellect to the point that he did not know his Lord.” So they took off his leg with a saw, and he did not say anything but “Ouch, ouch.” And in the same journey his son Muhammad was kicked to death by a mule and ‘Urwah was not heard to say anything about it but: We have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey. [Soorah Kahf 18:62]. O Allah, I had seven sons and You took one and left me with six, and I had four limbs and You took one and left me with three – so if You have tested me then You have saved me, and if You have taken – You have left (more) behind.” (Ibn ‘Asakir (11/287)

Asma bin Abu Bakr died a few days after the murder of her son Abdullah. She was amongst the earliest to accept Islam. She was a strong, dedicated, righteous lady. Even when grief-stricken, she was determined to speak out against injustice. Where others would have weakened and complained, she bore tremendous difficulties for the sake of Allah. One can see that Allah chose the best of creation to be the Companions of the last Prophet sent to mankind – Muhammad (SAW). “And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajireen and the Ansar and also those who followed them in goodness, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. Allah has prepared for them gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” [Surah At-Tawbah: 100]

(Source: al-istiqamah.com)