Hafsa bint Umar
Part of a series on Islam Umm-al-Momineen Wives of Muhammad |
|---|
|
Hafsa bint Umar |
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008) |
Ḥafsah bint ‘Umar (Arabic: حفصة بنت عمر; literally: Daughter of a Lion; born c. 609[citation needed] - 45 AH (665–666) was the daughter of Umar (Umar ibn al-Khattab) and wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and therefore a Mother of the Believers.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
She was married to Khunais ibn Hudhaifa, but became a widow when she was eighteen and according to Islamic tradition her father offered her hand to Abu Bakr and Uthman Ibn Affan. They both refused to marry her because Muhammad had told them that he was interested in her, which they failed to mention to Umar.[1] When her father, Umar, went to Prophet Muhammad to complain about their behavior, Muhammad replied, "Hafsa will marry one better than Uthman and Uthman will marry one better than Hafsa."[2]
Muhammad married her after the battle of Badr in 2 AH. At the time of the marriage, Hafsa was around twenty years old and Muhammad fifty-six.[3] With this marriage, Muhammad strengthened his ties to Umar, who now became his father-in-law.
According to Islamic tradition, Hafsa had memorized the Qur'an. The copy of Zayd ibn Thabit which was recorded by the instructions of Abu Bakr was given to Hafsa. Uthman Ibn Affan, when he became Caliph, used Hafsa's copy when he authorized a single text of the Qur'an to be designated.
[edit] Legacy
[edit] Sunni view
Sunnis believe that the reason why Abu Bakr and Uthman did not agree to marry Hafsa was that they knew Muhammad wanted to marry her.[1][2]
