Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V urges Ahmadi women to emulate Prophet Muhammad’s female companions – Lajna address at Jalsa UK 2023

Hadeeqatul Mahdi, 29 July 2023: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa arrived at the Lajna marquee for his address.

To commence the formal session, Hazrat Amirul Momineen^aa called Hibbat-ul-Rahman al-Jabi Sahiba to recite a portion of the Holy Quran: Surah al-Hadid, Ch.57: V.21-24. The Urdu translation was read out by Qurranat-ul-Ain Sahiba. An Arabic qaseedah written by the Promised Messiah^as in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad^sa was then presented by Baraa Rashad Odeh Sahiba, followed by its Urdu translation by Durr-e-Ajam Ahmad Sahiba. Kashifa Qamar Sahiba then recited an Urdu poem written by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra.

Hazrat Amirul Momineen^aa then called Secretary Umur-e-Talibaat to announce the names of those Lajna students who achieved academic excellence.

Huzoor^aa then came to the podium to deliver his address. After tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatiha. Huzoor^aa announced that he had chosen various examples and incidents from the lives of the female companions of the Holy Prophet^sa, from which the Lajna could attain great examples. Huzoor^aa said that these incidents were so numerous in number that it was not possible to narrate them all. These examples show the love these female companions had for Allah, Islam, and the Holy Prophet^sa as well as their great examples of sacrifice, charity, and even the upbringing of their children.

Huzoor^aa said these women, before Islam, loved the world; however, after accepting Islam, they sacrificed everything for the love of Allah and His Messenger^sa. What were the examples of their worship? What was their state? 

Hazrat Hamna^ra bint Jahash narrated that once the Holy Prophet^sa entered the mosque, he saw a rope tied between two pillars. The Prophet^sa asked what the purpose of these ropes was. He was informed that Hamna^ra Bint Jahash would use these ropes for support when she tired during worship. The Prophet^sa said that if she should only worship according to her strength, and if she is tired, she should sit down. The Holy Prophet^sa said that one should worship when they are energised, and if they are tired, they should sit down and worship. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab at-tattawu‘, Bab an-nu‘as fi s-salah, Hadith #1312)

From this, we learn that the female companions were eager to worship Allah and that the Holy Prophet^sa stressed the importance of worship, but with balance, after which one could also continue worshipping in the future consistently without tiring.

Hazrat Aisha^ra was with a woman once, and after seeing her, the Prophet^sa asked who she was. Hazrat Aisha^ra said that she worshipped all night without sleeping; to this, the Prophet^sa said that one should only do what they were capable of doing and that Allah never tires, but humans do. The Prophet^sa also said that the best deeds are those that are performed with consistency.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas^ra narrated about her mother, saying that she loved keeping fasts and would fast every Monday and Thursday.

Hazrat Maymuna^ra bint Harith narrated that once the Holy Prophet^sa was distributing war booty amongst the muhajirun. Hazrat Zainab^ra bint Jahsh said something, upon which Hazrat Umar^ra rebuked her. To this end, the Holy Prophet^sa told Hazrat Umar^ra to leave them as they were.

These female companions also possessed great love for the Holy Prophet^sa. Once, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra said that during the Battle of Uhud when word had falsely spread that the Holy Prophet^sa had passed away and the Muslim women began running towards the battlefield, amongst them a woman was constantly told that her close relatives had died including her father, husband, etc., during the battle. However, every time she was told this, she would say, “How is the Holy Prophet^sa?” In great anguish and pain, she would ask, “What has the Holy Prophet^sa done!” Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra said that these words of worry were certainly exclaimed by a woman, as no man could utter them. They are uttered when by women when a beloved departs from them, i.e., “What have you done by getting martyred and leaving us alone!” However, once she was told that the Holy Prophet^sa was alive, she said, she does not care about anyone else as long as the Holy Prophet^sa is alive and well.

Another incident about an elderly lady is that when the Holy Prophet^sa returned from the Battle of Uhud, the children and women came out of the city of Medina to welcome him back. The Holy Prophet’s^sa camel’s reign was held by Hazrat Saad bin Muaz^ra who was proudly walking in front. He then met his elderly mother, who had come out of Medina to meet the Holy Prophet^sa. One of her sons was killed in Uhud. Her eyes had weakened, and she was eagerly trying to find the Holy Prophet^sa. Hazrat Saad bin Muaz^ra thought that if his mother heard about the death of her son, then she would not be able to bear this pain. He thought that the Holy Prophet^sa should console her, and so he indicated this to the Holy Prophet^sa and said ‘O Prophet, here is my mother”. The Holy Prophet^sa informed her about the death of her son. In reply, the lady managed to find the direction of the Holy Prophet^sa and whilst drawing closer and looking towards his face, she uttered:

“O Prophet^sa, when I have seen you safe and sound, then know that I have eaten the pain of the death of my son!”

This was the great love and sacrifice the female companions had for the Holy Prophet^sa. Hazrat Anas^ra narrates that Hazrat Umm-e-Sulaim^ra, an aunt of the Holy Prophet^sa, would lay a leather skin down for the Holy Prophet^sa on which he would sleep. Once, when the Holy Prophet^sa was sleeping on it, Hazrat Umme Sulaim^ra, out of love and reverence for the Holy Prophet^sa, collected his hair and sweat and mixed it with perfume. Once the Holy Prophet^sa asked her what she was doing, to which she replied that she was collecting this for blessings for her children. The Holy Prophet^sa replied by saying: “You have acted rightly”.

Hazrat Zainab^ra Bint Abi Salma said that she went to Hazrat Umme Habiba’s^ra house when her father, Hazrat Abu Sufyan^ra, passed away. Hazrat Umme Habiba^ra called for something fragrant and rubbed it on another lady and then herself. She then said that she did not need to do this; however, the Holy Prophet^sa said that a woman cannot mourn for more than three days (apart from the death of her husband), and that’s why she applied perfume. 

Hazrat Fatima^ra Bint Qais said that the Prophet^sa sent a proposal to her for marriage to Hazrat Usama^ra Bin Zaid, his servant. She had heard the Holy Prophet^sa say that whoever loved the Prophet^sa should also love Usama. When the Holy Prophet^ra asked her about this proposal, she said that the matter was completely up to the Prophet^sa and she would follow in complete obedience. 

Once the Holy Prophet^sa said to a companion from the Ansar to give his daughter (in marriage). The companions said, “Very well, O Prophet^sa!” The Holy Prophet^sa replied by saying that the proposal was not for himself but for another servant companion: Hazrat Julaibeeb^ra. The Ansari companion sent this proposal to the mother, who at first wanted to accept it, thinking it was the Holy Prophet^sa himself who wanted to marry her daughter, but when she learnt that the proposal was meant for Julaibeeb^ra, she immediately rejected it, thinking it was beneath her. The girl for whom this proposal was made heard this conversation and said to her own parents that she would comply with whatever the Holy Prophet^sa said and would never reject it. It is narrated that in the Battle of Uhud, this husband of hers was martyred. The Holy Prophet^sa especially prayed for her, and it is narrated that she became one of the most wealthy women in Medina.

Hazrat Khadija^ra also made great sacrifices. Hazrat Aisha^ra narrated that the Prophet^sa would always remember and talk of Hazrat Khadija^ra and never fail to do so. Once, Hazrat Aisha^ra asked the Prophet^sa why he always spoke of an old woman when the Prophet^sa had been given other wives after her. The Prophet^sa, in anger, replied that he was not given any wife greater than her, as she believed in him when no one else did, supported him, and also bore the Prophet’s^sa children.

When Hazrat Khadijah^ra embraced faith, she could not have known the blessings that Allah Almighty had destined for her as a result of that faith. Indeed, she sacrificed all her wealth in the service of Islam and the Messenger^sa of Allah. She endured poverty and hardship despite being the wealthiest woman in Mecca, dedicating her life to the cause. For three consecutive years, she supported and endured such trials alongside her husband in Shi’b Abi Talib, where they were forced to live in seclusion. However, Allah showered His blessings upon her sacrifices to the extent that even today, she is held in high esteem and respected by the Muslim world.

Moreover, Allah instilled such love for her in the heart of the Holy Prophet Muhammad^sa that during the Battle of Badr, when the captives of war included her son-in-law, Abu al-’As, Hazrat Zainab^ra, who was still in Mecca at that time, sent her necklace as a ransom for him. This necklace was the same one that Hazrat Khadijah^ra had given to her daughter as part of her dowry. When the Prophet^sa saw this necklace, he was reminded of Hazrat Khadijah^ra, and tears welled up in his eyes. He then said to his companions, “If you wish, let this keepsake of Khadijah remain with her daughter.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 7)

Hazrat Aisha^ra would also make great financial sacrifices, and there are a lot of narrations that support this. Hazrat Abdullah ibn az-Zubair^ra would say that he had not seen anyone more generous than Hazrat Aisha^ra. She also narrated that once some of the Holy Prophet’s^sa wives asked him who would meet him first (after death). The Holy Prophet^sa replied by saying that the one whose hands were the longest. Hearing this, they began measuring the size of their hands, and Hazrat Sauda’s^ra hand was the longest. However, later they realised that this meant the wife who gave the most charity would meet him first, and thus Hazrat Zainab^ra passed away first after the demise of the Holy Prophet^sa.

Huzoor^aa said that there are many Ahmadi women who also do not care for their money and jewellery and donate it openly and willingly to Allah’s cause.

Speaking about some of the cruelty the female companions faced, Huzoor^aa gave the example of the family of Hazrat Yasir^ra. Once, the Holy Prophet^sa was passing by them and saw them being persecuted, to which the Holy Prophet^sa said “Patience, O family of Yasir!”. Sometime later, Abu Jahl killed Hazrat Yasir’s^ra father and then also stabbed his mother, Hazrat Sumaiyya^ra with a spear, resulting in her martyrdom.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra said that when news came that the great and mighty Roman Empire was going to attack the Holy Prophet^sa and the Muslims, it was a grave and dangerous situation. The Holy Prophet^sa said that instead of the Romans attacking the Muslims in their town, the Muslims should go out and attack the Romans. The Holy Prophet^sa said that all pious people should go out to fight them. After a companion, who was away for some work, returned home to Medina, he wanted to show affection to his wife after returning from a trip, but his wife pushed him away and said, “Are you not ashamed that the Holy Prophet^sa is out fighting and you are here?” The companion realised the intensity of the situation and immediately left to fight. It was not that this female companion did not love her husband; rather, she realised the protection of the Holy Prophet^sa and Islam was much more important than her love for her husband. 

When Hazrat Umme Shareek^ra accepted Islam, her polytheist family members captured her and tortured her greatly for three days. They then told her to leave Islam; however, she could not hear them properly due to the immense torture inflicted upon her. She narrated that she did hear them telling her to reject Tawhid and in response, she said she would never leave Tawhid and was ready to die for this.

Hazrat Abu Bakr^ra once passed a Muslim slave who was being persecuted by Hazrat Umar (when he had not yet accepted Islam). Hazrat Umar^ra, at the time, told her that he only took breaks from beating her because he was tired; otherwise, he would not stop. In response, Hazrat Abu Bakr^ra also paid for her freedom.

Hazrat Zinnirah^ra ar-Rumiyyah was among the early female Muslims and accepted Islam in the beginning. The idolaters would inflict cruelties on her. She was the female slave of the Banu Makhzum. Abu Jahl would persecute her. It is recorded that she was the slave of Banu Abd al-Dar. When she accepted Islam, she lost her eyesight. Upon this, the idolaters said that Lat and Uzza caused Zinnirah^ra to lose her eyesight because she rejected them. Upon this, Zinnirah^ra said, “Laat and Uzza do not even know who worships them, how could they take away my sight when they themselves cannot see anything? This is from the heavens, and it was Allah’s decree that I lost my sight. My Lord has the power to enable me to see again.”

This was her reply to the disbelievers. The next morning, when she woke up, Allah the Almighty had restored her vision, and she was able to see again. Upon this, the Quraish said, “This is because of Muhammad’s sorcery.” When Hazrat Abu Bakr^ra saw the pain and suffering inflicted on her, he bought her and set her free.

During the Battle of Qadisiyya, at the time of Hazrat Umar^ra, Chosroes brought elephants to the battlefield to scare away the camels. This resulted in great losses for the Muslims. A day before the fiercest day of the battle, Hazrat Khansa^ra took her four sons to the battlefield and sent them to fight for the Muslim army, even to the death. She later prayed to Allah in isolation to bring her sons back safely, and Allah listened to her prayer.

Huzoor^aa also spoke of a narration in which a female companion mother encouraged her child not to share any secrets that the Holy Prophet^ra had given them. Huzoor^aa said all Ahmadis should reflect on this too and not reveal secret matters to others.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih^aa said that all Ahmadis must try to follow these great companions and their examples. 

Huzoor^aa said that though lots of Ahmadi women are sacrificing a lot of wealth in this era for the cause of Allah, those women who are financially affluent should give special focus to sacrificing their wealth in Allah’s way. If their husbands stop them from doing so, then they should clearly tell them that in religious matters they will not listen to them.

Huzoor^aa said that in today’s era, it is the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that has the honour of sacrificing their lives too, and this was also due to the upbringing given to children by Ahmadi mothers. Huzoor^aa said that there are lots of Ahmadi mothers who write to him and declare that they are also ready for their children to be sacrificed in Allah’s way. Huzoor^aa said that Ahmadi mothers should instil such religious importance within their children, that they always give preference to faith in all situations.

Huzoor^aa prayed for all Ahmadi women to attain these great heights and said that by the betterment of women, men will also be guided. 

In the end, Huzoor^aa led everyone in silent prayers, which were followed by various choral poems read by Lajna.