Truly Phenenomal Women

The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then those who follow the latter" (Bukhari and Muslim). These are our Salaf; the examples to which we should strive to adhere.

But how many of us REALLY KNOW their stories? How many of us REALLY APPLY their guidance to daily living? I chose to focus on the wives and female companions (radiyallahu anhunna) of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) b/c it important for us to be able to identify w/ our role models. Although there were many outstanding women during that time, I have selected just a few. Yaa akhwaat...The next time you say "I gotta do what I gotta do", think of Hind bint Zar ar-Rakib (a.k.a. Umm Salamah - radiyallahu anha), who was almost left to make hijrah alone after her tribe forced her to stay in Makkah and her husband's clan snatched her son away. Once she and her son were freed, they loaded up a camel and headed out for Makkah, not knowing what was ahead of them. When her husband was wounded in the Battle of Uhud and left bedridden, she nursed him until his death. She did what she had to do, alright...whatever necessary to please her Lord. Yaa akhwaat...The next time you compromise your deen for the kuffar (whether it be family, friends, employers, or whatever), think of Sumayyah bint Khabbat (radiyallahu anha), who ultimately gave her life for Islam (the first to do so).

One evening, after being tortured for refusing to renounce Islam, Abu Jahl became angry w/ her and thrust a spear into her body, killing her instantly. Or think of Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan (a.k.a. Umm Habibah - radiyallahu anha), who stood up against her father's authority, rejected the idolatrous ways of the Quraish, and chose to follow Islam. Even when her own husband apostated from Islam, she had the wisdom to divorce him and the courage to remain in Abyssinia alone as a fugitive, w/ no family or support. Yaa akhwaat...The next time you fold your arms in ungratefulness over how much you DON'T have and what your husbands WON'T buy you, think of Asmaa bint Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anha), whose husband's only possession at the time of their marriage was a horse! Nevertheless, she stood by him in poverty, even when he treated her harshly. When they eventually acquired riches, Asmaa was not corrupted. She was very, very generous and was known to "not keep anything for morrow". Yaa akhwaat...The next time you are on the phone w/ your girlfriend, wasting time in idle talk, think of Fatimah bint Muhammad (radiyallahu anha), whom they called "al-Batul" b/c of her asceticism. Instead of spending her time in the company of women, she spent her time in salat, in reading Qur'an, and in other acts of ibadah. Or think of Aishah bint Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anha), who was one of three wives who memorized the Revelation and the only woman to have transmitted more than 2,000 sayings of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alahi wa sallam). Aishah was a scholar; she was proficient in fiqh, medicine, oratory, and poetry. InshaAllah, these "tidbits" have been of a great benefit to you all. May Allah (subhanahu wa t'ala) make us all PHENOMENAL WOMEN...AMIN!Sumayyah Amatullah
http://www.salafisisters.org/Halaqahs.html~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*"And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and do not separate, and remember Allah's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren, and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Signs clear to you, that you may be guided." (Surat Al-'Imran, 3:103)~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*