Mariyah Qibtiyah

Mariyah bint Sham’oon (ماریہ بنت شمعون) or Mariyah Qibtiyah (ماریہ قبطیہ) was a Coptic lady, given as a gift to the Holy

by Muqawqis, ¹ the Christian governor of Alexandria, Egypt. ² Later on, she became a Muslim and spent the rest of her life in Madinah. Prophet Muhammad had a son from her, Ibrahim , and this is the reason why she is also known as Umme Ibrahim . ³

A Gift for the Holy Prophet

After the treaty of Hudaybiyah,

Muhammad sent his delegates to different parts of Arabia and neighboring countries, inviting their kings and their people towards . Each letter was stamped with the Holy Prophet’s seal, which was a silver signet ring, on which the words ‘Muhammad () the of ’ were engraved. ⁴

To invite the Patriarch of Alexandria towards

, Hatib ibn Abi Balta was selected as a delegate ⁵ because he was familiar with the Egyptian language. The following letter was sent to the leader of the Copts in Alexandria:

  بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، من محمد بن عبد الله رسول الله، إلى المقوقس عظيم القبط، سلام على من اتبع الهدى، أما بعد، فإنى أدعوك بداعية الإسلام، أسلم تسلم، وأسلم يؤتك الله أجرك مرتين، فإن توليت فإن عليك إثم القبط… ⁶

  In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad (), the Messenger of Allah, to Muqawqis (the Patriarch), the Archbishop of the Copts: Peace be upon the one who follows true guidance. I invite you to embrace Islam. Become a Muslim and attain safety, and if you accept Islam, Allah the Sublime will reward you double. But if you decline to do so, you will be held responsible for the transgression of all the Copts...

After receiving this letter, Muqawqis went through it, then folded it with care and placed it in an ivory box. Then, he turned towards Hatib and said that if Muhammad is the

of , why didn’t he ask Him to destroy his enemies who tortured him and made him leave his own city? Hatib replied that if Jesus is a of , why didn’t he ask Allah to destroy his enemies when they plotted to kill him? The Patriarch said that you are right, and a wise man that was sent by a wise man. ⁷

Muqawqis realized that Prophet Muhammad was the Prophet of Allah, but, fearing that he would be discharged from his duties by the Romans, he did not accept

. ⁸ However, he replied the letter of the Holy with courtesy and sent some gifts which included two handmaidens, namely Mariyah and Sireen , a maid servant called Maboor, some honey, a grey donkey which was called Yafoor and a mule which was named as Duldul, along with some other things. ⁹

Mariyah and her sister Sireen were born to a Coptic father and a Byzantine mother. ¹⁰ They belonged to a village located in upper Egypt, known as Hifn, ¹¹ near Kora Ansina ¹² on the eastern bank of the Nile River. They were raised in the ancient city in Egypt and then moved to the palace of the Patriarch in Alexandria. ¹³ Mariyah was a beautiful lady ¹⁴ and a quick learner. She was already learned in Christianity when she was sent as a gift for the Holy Prophet . On the way back, Hatib presented Islam to Mariyah and her sister which they accepted and became Muslims. ¹⁵

Life with Prophet Muhammad

When the gifts reached Madinah, they were taken to the Holy

directly. Prophet Muhammad chose Mariyah for himself and gave Sireen to Hassan ibn Thabit . ¹⁶ Mariyah became a devout Muslim and lived a happy life under the care of the Holy Prophet . However, Prophet Muhammad could not free and marry her as the following verse had been revealed:

  لَّا يَحِلُّ لَكَ النِّسَاءُ مِن بَعْدُ وَلَا أَن تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رَّقِيبًا 52 ¹⁷

  After that (they have preferred your pleasure and your service to the worldly benefits), it is not lawful for you also (to marry) more women (so that these wives alone may enjoy the distinction of their glory). Nor is it lawful that (in case of divorce to some and regarding it Our command to maintain the present number of wives) you take (into marriage) other wives in their place, even though their beauty (of behaviour, moral conduct and style of preaching Din undefined) may seem to you pleasingly excellent. But the slave girl that is in your possession (by Our command is lawful). And Allah is Ever-Watchful over everything.

This verse stopped him from marrying more women, but also gave him the permission to keep handmaidens. ¹⁸ Hence, Mariyah lived with him as his handmaiden till he passed away ¹⁹ and she was happy about it. After a while, she felt some symptoms of pregnancy ²⁰ and gave this good news to the Holy Prophet . Upon hearing the glad tiding, Prophet Muhammad prayed to

and thanked him for his endowment.

Birth of the Beloved Son, Ibrahim

To ensure that Mariyah remained secure and comfortable,

Muhammad moved her to Al-Aliyah, located in the suburbs of Madinah, in a two story residence which is now known as ‘Mashrabah Umme Ibrahim’. ²¹ Throughout her pregnancy, her sister Sireen took care of her and when the time of delivery came, Prophet Muhammad called the wife of Abu Rafi , known as Salma for the delivery of the baby. ²² When the baby was born, Abu Rafi brought the good news to the Holy Prophet , who rewarded him and his wife generously. ²³ Then, he hurried to see his son and congratulate Mariyah on the birth of the baby, which had set her free from bondage. ²⁴ Hence, her status was elevated and she became an ‘Umme Walad’.

After that, the angel Gabriel came to see the Holy Prophet and said ‘Peace be upon you, Father of Ibrahim’. ²⁵ Hence, Prophet Muhammad named his son as ‘Ibrahim’ (), the name of the father of the Prophets. On the 7th day after his birth, Prophet Muhammad sacrificed a ram, shaved the head of the baby and gave silver to the poor which equaled the weight of the baby’s hair. ²⁶

Death of the Beloved Son, Ibrahim

Then, he assigned Ibrahim to the care of Umme Bardah , a wet nurse, so that she could feed him and look after him. After around 18 months, Ibrahim fell ill and was moved to a date orchard near Mashrabah Umme Ibrahim. When Ibrahim’s situation worsened,

Muhammad was called. Upon hearing the news, he was overwhelmed and his knees could not support his weight any more. Hence, he asked one of his companions, Abdul Rehman bin Auf to help him walk so that he could go to Mariyah and his son. He reached Mariyah and took Ibrahim from her. Mariyah was crying as she saw Ibrahim breath his last breaths. Prophet Muhammad bowed his head in submission and said the following to Ibrahim :

  يا بني ما أملك لك من الله شيئاً… ²⁷

  O my son (Ibrahim), against the Judgement of Allah, we cannot avail you a thing.

The Holy Prophet’s eyes filled with tears and Ibrahim passed away in his hands. Then, Prophet Muhammad kissed him tearfully and said:

  لا بد منھا حتى يلحق آخرنا أولنا لحزنا عليك حزناً هو أشد من هذا، وإنا بك لمحزونون، تبكي العين ويحزن القلب، ولا نقول ما يسخط الرب. ²⁸

  (O Ibrahim) were the truth not certain that the last of us will join the first, we would have mourned you even more than we do now. The eye weeps tears and the heart is saddened, but I will say nothing except that which pleases our Lord.

Then, he looked at Mariyah and comforted her by saying that he (Ibrahim ) has a nurse in paradise and the remaining days of his nursing will be done in paradise. ²⁹ Then, he asked the two women to stop lamenting.

Ibrahim was given Ghusl (bath before funeral) by Al-Fadl ibn Abbas ³⁰ and the Holy

led his funeral prayer. Then, Ibrahim was laid in his grave which was located beside his brothers and sisters. Then, his grave was closed and sprinkled with water. ³¹ Mariyah bid goodbye to her son in full submission to and said what the Holy Prophet had recited earlier:

  …إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ 156 ³²

  …Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.

Demise

Mariyah accepted the will of

and lived on. The very next year, she was struck with another tragedy as the Holy passed away. After his demise, she lived in isolation and only left her house to visit the grave of her son, and the Holy Prophet’s mosque. After Prophet Muhammad’s demise, Abu Bakr took care of her living expenses during his reign, and after his demise, Umar paid her expenses. She passed away in 16 A.H. ³³ in the reign of Caliph Umar . ³⁴ Her funeral prayer was led by Umar ³⁵ and she was buried in Jannat Al-Baqee, ³⁶ beside her son.

 

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• ² Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (2011), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Marifat lil Taba’at wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 264.
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• ⁸ Muhammad Husein Haykal (1993), The Life of Muhammad ﷺ (Translated by Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi), Islamic Book Trust, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Pg. 376-377.
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• ¹⁰ Ahmed ibn Yahya ibn Jabir ibn Dawood Al-Baladhuri (1996), Jumal min Ansab Al-Ashraf, Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 449.
• ¹¹ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (2011), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Marifat lil Taba’at wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 600.
• ¹² Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1968), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 172.
• ¹³ Faridah Masood Debas (2009), The Wives of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, International Islamic Publishing House, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Pg. 164.
• ¹⁴ Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmed Al-Halabi (1427 A.H.), Al-Seerah Al-Halabiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 3, Pg. 433.
• ¹⁵ Ahmed ibn Yahya ibn Jabir ibn Dawood Al-Baladhuri (1996), Jumal min Ansab Al-Ashraf, Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 449.
• ¹⁶ Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1968), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 172.
• ¹⁷ Holy Quran, Al-Ahzab (The Confederates) 33: 52
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• ²² Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Suhaili (2000), Al-Raudh Al-Unf fi Sharha Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah, Dar Al-Ihya Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 160.
• ²³ Ahmed ibn Yahya ibn Jabir ibn Dawood Al-Baladhuri (1996), Jumal min Ansab Al-Ashraf, Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 449.
• ²⁴ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (2011), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Ma’rifat lil Taba’at wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 602.
• ²⁵ Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Suhaili (2000), Al-Raudh Al-Unf fi Sharha Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah, Dar Al-Ihya Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 160.
• ²⁶ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (2011), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Ma’rifat lil Taba’at wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 601.
• ²⁷ Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar Al-Madani (2009), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Ishaq, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 288.
• ²⁸ Ibid, Pg. 289.
• ²⁹ Ibid, Pg. 288.
• ³⁰ Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1968), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 173.
• ³¹ Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmed Al-Halabi (1427 A.H.), Al-Seerah Al-Halabiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 3, Pg. 435.
• ³² Holy Quran, Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2: 156
• ³³ Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1968), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 174.
• ³⁴ Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Suhaili (2000), Al-Raudh Al-Unf fi Sharha Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah, Dar Al-Ihya Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 160.
• ³⁵ Izz Al-Din Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Shaibani ibn Athir (2003), Usud Al-Ghaba fi Ma’rifat Al-Sahaba, Maktaba Al-Tawfiqiya, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 7, Pg. 247.
• ³⁶ Yusuf ibn Abdullah ibn Abd Al-Barr Al-Qurtabi (1992), Al-Istia’ab fi Ma’rifat Al-Ashab, Dar Al-Jeel, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 1912.