UMM - AL-FADHL BINT AL-HARITH(radiy-Allahu 'anha) Second Female Convert To Islam In
History Like their male
counterparts, the first generation of Muslim women played a great role not only
in giving moral support to the message and its followers, but by offering
material support as well. A listing for the women heroic personalities of Islam
will be too long to make. It is enough for us to mention that the first person
ever to follow Prophet Muhammad (sall-Llaahu 'alayhi wa-sallam) in history was a
woman, his loyal wife Khadijah (radiy-Allahu 'anha) who gave him the moral and
material support he badly needed at those critical moments of the early days of
Islam. It is reported that the second woman to accept Islam was known in Islamic
history by her title Umm-ul-Fadhl. Umm ul-Fadhl was the wife of Al-'Abbas ibn
'Abd-Al-Muttalib, uncle of the Prophet (salla-Llaahu 'alayhi wa-sallam). She was
to become later a sister-in-las to the Messenger of Islam as well. In addition
to all these she was also the mother of 'Abdullah 'ibn 'Abbas known as
Hibr-ul-Ummah, or the scholar of the Muslim
Nation. With her
special traits and supporting attitude towards Islam, Umm-ul-Fadhl was in direct
contrast to the wife of another uncle of the Prophet, namely Umm Jameel, the
wife of Abu Lahab, who was one of the fiercest enemies of Islam and its
Messenger. It was in reference to Umm Jameel and to her husband that Chapter 111
of the Qur'an was revealed, where the painful doom of those two ruthless
antagonists of the faith was announced. Interestingly enough, Umm-ul-Fadhl had
the honor of being responsible for liberating the Muslims from the cruel Abu
Lahab, as we shall read later. As pointed out
earlier Umm-ul-Fadhl offered all the support she could to the prophet of Islam
and to the early followers of Islam. While the Makkans were preparing for the
battle of Badr, Al-'Abbas came to inform his wife that he had to join the
Makkans in the war, and he bid her farewell after giving instructions regarding
his will in case of his death. We said that Al-'Abbas had to join the Makkans,
because, as history tells us 'Al-Abbas had already accepted Islam, but was asked
to keep it a secret since he was to act as an eye for the Prophet (salla-Llaahu
'alayhi wa-sallam) in Makkah. In fact, he was taken captive in the battle of
Badr and was asked by the Prophet to pay ransom for himself and two of his
nephews as well; thus, confirming the impression for the unbelievers of his role
as a non-Muslim. Naturally, the battle of Badr was in favor of the Muslims and a
disaster for the Makkan polytheists, who lost a sizable number of their leaders
(including the notorious Abu Jahl). Umm-ul-Fadhl was very pleased with the news,
and so was her servant and ex-slave Abu
Rafi'. When Abu Lahab learnt that a nephew of his managed to
escape and come to Makkah, he came quickly to check the news about the battle of
Badr. Abu Sufyan ibn Al-Harith told Abu Lahab about the bad news and the severe
blow received by the polytheists. He continued, "But by Allah, I could not blame
our fighters. For we saw white knights on white horse filling the horizon."
Umm0ul-Fadhl kept all the while exchanging looks of delight with Abu Rafi (who
was also a convert to Islam in secrecy). But though she had warned Abu Rafi of
revealing his feeling of ecstasy to Abu Lahan and the other enemies of the
faith, he could not control himself when he heard the words of Abu Sufyan
Al-Harith concerning the men in white. He unconsciously exclaimed. "By Allah!
Those must have been angels." Abu Lahab who was deeply disturbed and depressed
and insanely mad at the Muslims found an opportunity to express his rage by
beating the poor Abu Rafi, who was a helpless es-slave. Umm-ul-Fadhl could not
stand the sight of Abu Lahab ruthlessly beating her poor Muslim servant. She
immediately got hold of a heavy stick and hit Abu Lahab on the head, shouting:
"You have taken the opportunity of the absence of his master to beat the poor
fellow." Blood gushed forth from the head of Abu Lahab who hurried home. That
wound proved fatal. For it caused Abu Lahab to suffer from a bad infectious
disease that caused every on (including his own wife and children) to turn away
from him, and he died like a worthless dog. Thus, Umm-ul-Fadhl was responsible
for ridding the Muslims of a fierce antagonist of the faith, who had caused so
much injury to Muhammad (salla-Llaahu 'alayhi wa-sallam) and his followers in
Makkah. When
Umm-ul-Fadhl learnt later from her husband Al-Abbas that he was instructed by
the Prophet to stay in Makkah, she asked permission to take her children with
her to join the Muslim community in Madinah; thus, suffering the pains of
separation from her husband in order to give her children the opportunity to
imbibe the teachings of the faith directly from the origin, Prophet Muhammad
(salla-Llaahu 'alayhi wa-sallam). Umm ul-Fadhl was fortunate in another way, since she was honored to feed one of the favorite grandsons of the Prophet, Al-Husain, of her milk. Thus, our heroine Umm ul-Fadhl was honored not only to be the second female follower of Islam (Khadijah being the first), but also to be a mother to two eminent heroes of Islamic history : 'Abdullah ibn Al-Abbas, her real son, and al-Husain ibn 'Ali who nursed by her and fed with her milk.
Take From the
Book of Heroes of
Islam Prof. Mahmoud Esma'il SienyKing
Saud
University Riaydh,
K.S.A
Darussalam published
Shaik
Sadik
O Allah! The (only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, etc.) in this world and in the Hereafter, cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous."
Islahonline
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