Safiyah Bint Huyay

Safiyah bint Huyay’s (صفیہ بنت حیی) real name was Zaynab, but she got famous with the name of Safiyah after her marriage with

Muhammad . ¹ “Safi” or “Safiyah” was a term used among the Arabs for that part of the spoils of war which were chosen by or bestowed upon to the king or leader of the army before the general distribution. She was called Safiyah because she was chosen by Prophet Muhammad from the captives of the battle of Khyber. ² A narration from Aisha bint Abu Bakr also endorses this. ³

Lineage

Safiyah was the daughter of Huyay ibn Akhtab ibn Sa’ya ibn Tha'laba ibn Ubayd ibn Ka’b ibn Abi Habeeb ibn Nadhir. Her father, Huyay ibn Akhtab was a wealthy chief of Banu Nadhir tribe who traced his lineage to Aaron (Harun) ibn Imran, the brother of

Moses . ⁴ Her mother was Barrah bint Samuel. ⁵

Life before Marriage with Prophet Muhammad

When the Jews heard about the arrival of Prophet Muhammad in Madinah, they hurried to see him, including her father, who was the chief of the tribe. He went to see the Messenger of

along with his brother. It is cited from Safiyah that, when the Messenger of Allah , came to Madinah, and stayed at Quba in the quarters of Banu Amr ibn Auf, her father, Huyay ibn Akhtab, and her uncle Abu Yasir ibn Akhtab went to see Prophet Muhammad . At sunset, they returned as two sluggards, falling and walking slowly. Safiyah greeted them cheerfully, but they were so depressed that none of them paid any attention to her. Then, Abu Yasir asked Huyay ibn Akhtab whether he was the Messenger of Allah or not. Huyay agreed that Muhammad was the Messenger of Allah and there was no doubt in it. Upon another inquiry by Abu Yasir, Huyay ibn Akhatab affirmed again that he had no doubts that Muhammad was the real Messenger of Allah. Then, Abu Yasir asked him about his plans. Huyay said that he would never believe in Prophet Muhammad and will be his enemy till the last breath ⁶ as he was not from Banu Israel.

Sometime later, the Jews of Banu Nadhir conspired to murder the Holy

, however, Prophet Muhammad was informed about it via revelation and he left the place before the Jews could make their move. After that, the forts of Banu Nadhir were besieged and after a six-day siege, the Jews surrendered. They asked the Holy Prophet to spare their lives. Prophet Muhammad agreed, but on the condition that the Jews would leave Madinah and take all what their camels could carry except arms and armor. Hence, the Jews left and settled in Khyber. ⁷

Safiyah bint Huyay was initially married to Salam ibn Mishkam ibn Al-Qurzi who was a famous Jewish poet and a brave warrior. Then, the couple got separated and Safiyah was married to Kinanah ibn Rabi, ⁸ an extremely rich man and the owner of Al-Qamus, the strongest fort at Khyber. At Khyber, the Jews kept instigating and aiding attacks against the Muslims of Madinah. Therefore, in 7 A.H., the Muslim army attacked Khyber in retaliation and destroyed their fortresses until they reached the strong hold of the Jews known as Al-Qamus. This castle was also taken over and Kinanah was captured along with many other Jews. Kinanah was brought before the Holy

and was asked about the riches and treasures of the Jews at Khyber. He said that all had been spent in the preparation of war. The Holy Prophet made Abu Bakr , Umar , Ali and many Jewish people witness to Kinanah’s words and declared that if Kinanah was found to be lying, then he would be punished severely. It is narrated that a Jew named Thalibah ibn Salam informed the Holy Prophet about the location of the treasure and it was taken out from there by the Muslims. It is also cited that Almighty informed the Holy Prophet about the whereabouts of the treasure, so he called Kinanah and told him that he was a liar. Then he sent Zubair ibn Awam along with other Muslims to the location where the treasure was buried. The Muslims took the treasure out and brought it in front of the Holy Prophet . Kinanah was handed over to Muhammad ibn Maslimah who killed him in retribution of his brother. ⁹

During this war, Safiyah bint Huyay , along with other women, was captured from the fort of Al-Qamus ¹⁰ or the fort of Nazaar in Shuqq region of Khyber. Jews had shifted their children and women to this fort after the fall of other forts in Shuqq region of Khyber. ¹¹ She was initially given to Dahya Kalbi as he had requested

Muhammad for a slave girl from the spoils of war. Then Prophet Muhammad was told that she was the chief woman of Banu Quraidha and Banu Nadhir tribe and belonged to the lineage of Aaron (Harun) so, he was advised to take her under his care, instead of giving to an ordinary soldier. Thus, Prophet Muhammad paid Dahya a monetary price in exchange of Safiyah, and asked him to choose any other slave girl for himself. Prophet Muhammad took Safiyah's possession, emancipated her and then married her. ¹²

Muhammad sent Safiyah and her cousin with Bilal who took them from the route where the dead bodies of their relatives where lying on the ground. Safiyah remained quiet while her cousin started screaming vehemently and put sand on her face after seeing her relative’s corpses. The Holy Prophet disliked this act of Bilal and asked him if he had lost his mercy, as he was taking a juvenile girl through a route filled with the dead. Thus, Prophet Muhammad scolded Bilal for this act and tried to console Safiyah’s cousin. ¹³

Another narration states that when Safiyah was brought before the Holy

, after the war, he told others to take her in to a tent. When the Holy Prophet saw her, he told Safiyah that her father always held hostility against him. On hearing this she said that God Almighty does not punish someone else for another person’s sins. Prophet Muhammad offered her two options. He told her that if she wanted, she was free and could be sent to her tribe or she could accept and marry him. Safiyah chose to accept Islam, as she loved Islam from a young age and wanted to adopt it. Hence, she considered it best for herself to accept Islam and marry the Holy Prophet . ¹⁴

The most authentic narration is that she was chosen by

Muhammad as his share in the spoils of war. Then, he gave her the choice to go back to her tribe, or accept and marry him. She chose to accept Islam and marry the Holy Prophet . ¹⁵

Marriage with Prophet Muhammad

The Holy

married Safiyah at Khyber and her freedom was made her dowry. ¹⁶ She was seventeen years old at the time of marriage. ¹⁷ When Safiyah was married to Prophet Muhammad , she had a bruise below her eye. When the Holy Prophet asked her about it, she told him that her former husband had hit her after she had told him her dream. She had dreamed that a full moon rose from Yathrib and came in to her lap. When her husband heard about it, he said, you wish to marry the king of Yathrib, who is fighting us and slapped her. Hence, she had a bluish bruise on her face. ¹⁸

Then they returned to Madinah and a valimah (wedding feast) was organized in which sattu (drink made from wheat) and dates were served. ¹⁹ According to Ibne Ishaq, Al-Hais, a dish which is a mixture of dates, sattu (wheat) and ghee were served. ²⁰ Safiyah was an extremely beautiful girl. When the women of the Ansar heard about her beauty, they gathered to see her ²¹ at the house of Haritha ibn Nauman .

Her love for the Holy Prophet was unmatched and she used to express it in her words as well. At one time, when the Holy Prophet was ill, the Mothers of the Faithful were around him. Safiyah came forward and said that she wished that the illness had inflicted her instead of the Holy Prophet so that she could take his suffering upon herself. When the other wives heard it, they winked at one another. Prophet Muhammad noticed it and testified that Safiyah was a loyal and truthful lady, and she meant what she said. ²²

Her Character

Safiyah was a very wise, virtuous and patient lady who remained composed, ²³ even in the toughest of circumstances. Furthermore, she was a merciful woman who would forgive others. Once, her maid made a wrong complain about her to Caliph Umar . The incident is narrated as:

  روينا أن جارية لها أتت عمر فقالت:إن صفية تحبّ السبت وتصل اليھود، فبعث إليھا فسألھا عن ذلك، فقالت: أما السبت فإنّي لم أحبه منذ أبدلني اللَّه به الجمعة، وأما اليھود فإن لي فيھم رحما، فأنا أصلھا، ثم قالت للجارية: ما حملك على هذا؟ قالت: الشيطان. قالت: اذهبي، فأنت حرة. ²⁴

  It is reported that her maid went to Umar ibn Al-Khattab and told him that Safiyah liked Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath) and she had contacts with the Jews. Umar sent for Safiyah and asked her if her maid was telling the truth. She said: I don’t like Saturday since Allah exchanged it with Friday for me; as for the other matter, I have relatives among the Jews as that is my origin. Then she turned to her maid and asked her, what made you do this? The maid replied: the Devil. Instead of punishing her, Safiyah told her: Go, you are free.

Safiyah was also a very generous woman. She even sold her other house (apart from the one in the Holy Prophet’s compound), fixed one third of its proceeds for her Jew nephew and the rest for the poor people of Madinah. ²⁵

After the demise of Prophet Muhammad , she always missed his kindness and protection. She lived the rest of her life, praying and worshipping Allah, but ensured that she was treated in the same manner as other Mothers of the Faithful. It is narrated that when the Muslims conquered their enemies in various places and took the spoils of war, Umar set an allowance of 12000 dirhams for each of the Mothers of the Faithful except Juwairiyah and Safiyah , to whom he gave 6000 dirhams each. They both objected to the decision and refused to take the money. Umar told them that the others were given more since they were emigrants, but Juwairiyah and Safiyah said that all the wives were given this amount due to their relationship with the Holy prophet , which they had as well. Hence, they were given 12000 dirhams as well. ²⁶

Role during the Siege of Uthman

Safiyah actively played a role to settle down the political problems which began during the reign Uthman and tried her best to stop the rebellion. She tried to reach Uthman on her mule but, she was not allowed to meet him. Ushtar forced her mule to return. ²⁷ Then, she had a wooden conduit built between her house and Uthman’s so that she could provide food and water to him and his family. ²⁸ She continued to help him until he was martyred.

Demise

She passed during the reign of Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufiyan ²⁹ and Saeed ibn A’as led her funeral prayer. ³⁰ She was buried in Jannat Al-Baqee and heer name is also remembered in the books of Ahadith as she transmitted 10 narrations of the Holy

. ³¹

 

---

• ¹ Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Baqi ibn Yusuf Al-Zurqani (1996), Sharah Al-Zurqani Ala Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 428.
• ² Abu Al-Fadl Muhammad ibn Mukram ibn Ali (1414 A.H.), Lisan Al-Arab, Dar Sadir, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 14, Pg. 463.
• ³ Ahmed ibn Al-Hussain ibn Ali ibn Musa Al-Bayhaqui (1424 A.H.), Al-Sunan Al-Kubra, Hadith: 12753-12754, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 6, Pg. 496.
• ⁴ Abu Al-Fadl Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Asqalani (1415 A.H.), Al-Isaba fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 210.
• ⁵ 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. 160.
• ⁶ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkat wa Maktaba wa Matba Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, Pg. 518-519.
• ⁷ Safi Al-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri (2010), Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum, Dar Ibn Hazam, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 308-309.
• ⁸ 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. 160.
• ⁹ Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi (1409 A.H.), Al-Maghazi, Dar Al-A’alami, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 670-673.
• ¹⁰ Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Habban Al-Tamimi Al-Darmi (1417 A.H.), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah wa Akhbar Al-Khulafah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Thaqafiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 304.
• ¹¹ Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi (1409 A.H.), Al-Maghazi, Dar Al-A’alami, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 668-669.
• ¹² Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj Al-Neshapuri (2000), Sahih Al-Muslim, Hadith: 3497, Dar Al-Salam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Pg. 600.
• ¹³ Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi (1409 A.H.), Al-Maghazi, Dar Al-A’alami, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 673-674.
• ¹⁴ Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1990), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 97.
• ¹⁵ Ibid., Pg. 96.
• ¹⁶ Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar Al-Madani (2009), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Ishaq, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 285.
• ¹⁷ Abu Abdullah Shams Al-Din Al-Zahabi (1425 A.H.), Tadhhib Tahdhib Al-Kamal fe Asma Al-Rijal, Al-Farooq Al-Haditha lil Taba’at wal-Nashr, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 11, Pg. 147.
• ¹⁸ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkat wa Maktaba wa Matba’ Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 2, Pg. 336.
• ¹⁹ Ibid, Vol. 2, Pg. 646.
• ²⁰ Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar Al-Madani (2009), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Ishaq, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 285.
• ²¹ Abu Abdullah Shams Al-Din Al-Zahabi (1425 A.H.), Tadhhib Tahdhib Al-Kamal fe Asma Al-Rijal, Al-Farooq Al-Haditha lil Taba’at wal-Nashr, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 11, Pg. 147.
• ²² Abu Al-Fadl Ahmed ibn Ali ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (1415 A.H.), Al-Isaba fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 212.
• ²³ Abu Abdullah Shams Al-Din Al-Zahabi (1425 A.H.), Tadhhib Tahdhib Al-Kamal fe Asma Al-Rijal, Al-Farooq Al-Haditha lil Taba’at wal-Nashr, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 11, Pg. 145.
• ²⁴ Abu Al-Fadl Ahmed ibn Ali ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (1415 A.H.), Al-Isaba fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 211-212.
• ²⁵ Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1990), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8. Pg. 102.
• ²⁶ Ahmed ibn Yahya ibn Jabir ibn Dawood Al-Baladhuri (1996), Jumal min Ansab Al-Ahraf, Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 444.
• ²⁷ Abu Al-Fadl Ahmed bin Ali AL-Asqalani (1415 A.H.), Al-Isaba fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 212.
• ²⁸ Abu Al-Fadl Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Asqalani (1415 A.H.), Al-Isaba fi Tamyeez Al-Sahaba, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 8, Pg. 212.
• ²⁹ Yusuf ibn Abd Allah ibn Abd Al-Barr Al-Qurtabi (1992), Al-Isti’aab fi M’arifat Al-Ashab, Dar Al-Jeel, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 1872.
• ³⁰ Ahmed ibn Yahya ibn Jabir ibn Dawood Al-Baladhuri (1996), Jumal min Ansab Al-Ahraf, Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 444.
• ³¹ Al-Syed Al-Jamili (1416 A.H.), Nisa Al-Nabi, Dar wa Maktabah Al-Hilal, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 115.