In your opinion, why did Hazrat Sawdah (RA) immediately distributed the bag of Dirhams sent by Hazrat Umer bin Khattab (RA)?
please help!
Answers
Answer:
Prophet’s love for Khadijah R.A was very strong. Her death was not only one of the saddest incidents for the messenger of Allah but it also created a gap in the household and for his daughters. He remained distressed and sorrowful, seeing the daughters would remind him the absence of a mother.
Khawlah bint Hakeem R.A, who was the wife of Uthman ibn Math’oon, both husband, and wife were among those who embraced Islam on the first call and love for Islam was in their blood. When Khawlah R.A saw that condition of Rasool Allah SAW, she didn’t stop herself to take a brave step.
She asked, “Messenger of Allah, I see you distressed after the death of Khadeejah R.A”. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, “Yes, she was the mother of the household and the caretaker for the family.”
Here it is notable that how this experienced lady, out of love and compassion, observed the need of the Prophet’s noble household to someone who could fill the gap created by the death of Khadeejah. Khawlah employed her maturity, farsightedness, and deep faith, and suggested messenger of Allah ﷺ two names for another marriage, telling him: “If you like, you can marry a non-virgin and if you like you can marry a virgin, O Messenger of Allah.” So he asked her of the non-virgin and the virgin and she replied that the matron was Sawdah bint Zam’ah and the virgin was Aishah R.A daughter of Abi Bakr, who was the Prophet’s most beloved of all men.
Perhaps, Khawlah R.A suggested Sawdah because she was a middle-aged and experienced woman so that she could take care of the Prophet’s family and cater for his household, and suggested A’ishah who was a virgin and a young woman so his broken heart could be mended and serve as a way of strengthening the relationship between the Prophet and Abu Bakr.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then permitted Khawlah to mention them his proposal. So Khawlah commenced her efforts and the efforts were successful in both proposals.
Before proceeding, let’s look into the life of Sawda bint e zamah.
Life before the marriage with Prophet ﷺ:
Sawdah R.A’s father, Zam’a ibn Qays, was from the Amir ibn Luayy clan of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. Her mother, Al-Shamus bint Qays, was from the Najjarclan of the Khazraj tribe in Madina.[1] She married As-Sakran ibn Amr.[1] Both of them accepted Islam in the early time of Prophethood. When enemies of Islam made it hard for believers to live peacefully, at the permission of messenger of Allah, a big group of Muslims migrated towards Abyssinia. They both also migrated at that time.
Both husband and wife came back to Makkah after spending several years in Abyssinia. But As-Sakran didn’t live longer after returning back. They had one son, Abdur Rahman ibn Sakran.
Sawda bint Zam’a, may Allah be pleased with her had been the first woman to immigrate to Abyssinia in the way of Allah. After her husband’s death, she was now living with her aged father. She was middle-aged, rather plump, with a jolly, kindly disposition, and just the right person to take care of the Prophet’s household and family. She dreamt in the life of her first husband, that the moon is fell in her lap, she told her husband, and he described that after my death, Prophet ﷺ will marry to you.
When Khawlah asked her about the Prophet’s proposal of marriage, Sawdah R.A tried to contain herself in spite of her utter astonishment and then replied in a trembling voice, “I would like that! Go to my father and tell him that.” Khawla went to Zam’a, greeted him and then said, “Muhammad son of Abdullah son of Abdul Muttalib, has sent me to ask for Sawdah in marriage.” The old man shouted, “A noble match”, feeling it was a great honor and accepted the proposal.
After marriage with Prophet ﷺ:
The Messenger of Allah married Sawdah in 10th Hijri [4] by paying dower of 400 dirhams but A’ishah was engaged to him because she was then too young for the consummation of marriage. Thus did Sawdah enter the household of the Prophet as one of the mothers of the faithful. She immediately took over the care of his daughters; Umm Kulthoom and Fatimah were very young at that time. She started managing the affairs of the Prophet’s household as well. She pleased the Prophet’s heart and helped him go on calling for Allah.