Ruqayyah bint Muhammad
Encyclopedia
Ruqayyah bint Muhammad was the second daughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad
and his first wife Khadija. She was amongst the earliest converts to Islam. She had married Utbah ibn Abu Lahab
, but he divorced her after her conversion to Islam, after which she married Uthman bin Affan. She is described as "ذات الهجرتين" meaning "she who emigrated twice" since she participated in both the Migration to Abyssinia
and Migration to Medina. She died in Medina in 2 AH (624 CE), at the same time as the Battle of Badr
. Some Shiites dispute Ruqayyah's genealogy (see Genealogy of Khadijas daughters).
and asked to wed two of his daughters to his sons: Ruqayyah to Utbah
, and Umm Kulthum
to Utaybah
. Later, after Muhammad had begun to preach Islam openly, Abu Lahab became hostile and actively opposed Islam. After sura
Al-Masadd was published, he asked both his sons to divorce Muhammad's daughters, which they did.
After Ruqayyah's divorce, Uthman asked for her hand in marriage. They had a son named Abd-Allah, but he died when he was very young.
, and she migrated there as well. It was in Medina that her son Abd-Allah died.
Her grief over the loss of her mother and son would was compounded by an illness (said to be measles) which left her bed-ridden in 624 AD, at the same time as the Battle of Badr
was being carried out. Ruqayyah died before the Muslims returned from battle, and was buried in Al-Baqi' cemetery
. Uthman stayed by her side during her illness, and did not participate in the battle.
says: "His children born of Khadīja are four daughters; there is no difference of opinion about that".
Some amongst the Shiite minority believe that only Fatima was Muhammad's daughter, and that the other daughters were from a previous marriage by Khadija, or were adopted.
. His father, Abu Lahab, forced Utbah to divorce Ruqayyah due to Abu Lahab's opposition to Muhammad and his teachings. Muslim convert Uthman ibn Affan had long admired Ruqayyah and was then able to ask for her hand in marriage.
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
and his first wife Khadija. She was amongst the earliest converts to Islam. She had married Utbah ibn Abu Lahab
Utbah ibn Abu Lahab
Son of Abu Lahab, he married Muhammad's second daughter Ruqayyah, but divorced her on his father's request.He had an Arab slave-girl named Barirah mawla Aisha whom he did not treat well.-See also:*Family tree of Utbah ibn Abu Lahab...
, but he divorced her after her conversion to Islam, after which she married Uthman bin Affan. She is described as "ذات الهجرتين" meaning "she who emigrated twice" since she participated in both the Migration to Abyssinia
Migration to Abyssinia
The migration known as the first Hijarat was made in two groups totalling more than a hundred persons. According to Islamic tradition, eleven male and five female Sahabah, the Muslims who originally converged in Mecca, sought refuge from Quraysh persecution in the Kingdom of Aksum in of in the...
and Migration to Medina. She died in Medina in 2 AH (624 CE), at the same time as the Battle of Badr
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
. Some Shiites dispute Ruqayyah's genealogy (see Genealogy of Khadijas daughters).
Early life
Ruqayyah was born before the beginning of Islam. Abu Lahab approached MuhammadMuhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
and asked to wed two of his daughters to his sons: Ruqayyah to Utbah
Utbah ibn Abu Lahab
Son of Abu Lahab, he married Muhammad's second daughter Ruqayyah, but divorced her on his father's request.He had an Arab slave-girl named Barirah mawla Aisha whom he did not treat well.-See also:*Family tree of Utbah ibn Abu Lahab...
, and Umm Kulthum
Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad
Umm Kulthum was the third daughter of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad from his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid.- Marriage and children :She was first married to Utaybah bin Abu Lahab...
to Utaybah
Utaybah bin Abu Lahab
Son of Abu Lahab, he married Muhammad's third daughter Umm Kulthum, but divorced her on his father's request.-See also:*Family tree of Utaybah bin Abu Lahab...
. Later, after Muhammad had begun to preach Islam openly, Abu Lahab became hostile and actively opposed Islam. After sura
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
Al-Masadd was published, he asked both his sons to divorce Muhammad's daughters, which they did.
After Ruqayyah's divorce, Uthman asked for her hand in marriage. They had a son named Abd-Allah, but he died when he was very young.
Migration to Abyssinia
Due to the Meccan oppression of early Muslim converts, a small group of Muslims (said to be just 11 men and 4 women) chose to migrate to Abyssinia in 613 AD. Amongst this first batch was both Ruqayyah and her husband Uthman. Their stay in Abyssinia did not last long, as they soon heard news that the Meccans had ceased their hostilities to Islam. Ruqayyah and Uthman returned to Mecca, but there they found that the news was false, and that the Meccans had actually intensified their campaign against the Muslims. Ruqayyah and Uthman joined a second migration to Abyssinia in 615 AD, with around one hundred other Muslims.Migration to Medina
Many Muslims chose to stay in Abyssinia and live there until they received word to emigrate to Medina directly. However, a few Muslims chose to return to Mecca, and Ruqayyah was amongst them. Upon her return, she learned that her mother Khadija has passed away in her absence. Her stay in Mecca did not last long either, as most Muslims had began to migrate to the friendly city of MedinaMedina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, and she migrated there as well. It was in Medina that her son Abd-Allah died.
Her grief over the loss of her mother and son would was compounded by an illness (said to be measles) which left her bed-ridden in 624 AD, at the same time as the Battle of Badr
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
was being carried out. Ruqayyah died before the Muslims returned from battle, and was buried in Al-Baqi' cemetery
Al-Baqi'
Maqbaratu l-Baqī is a cemetery in Medina, Saudi Arabia, located to the southeast of the Masjid al-Nabawi. The mosque is built where the Islamic prophet Muhammad used to live, built a mosque and is currently buried. The cemetery therefore holds much significance. It contains many of Muhammad's ...
. Uthman stayed by her side during her illness, and did not participate in the battle.
Minority view
The Sunni majority believe that all four of Khadija's daughters are from her marriage to Muhammad. The Sunni scholar Yusuf ibn abd al-BarrYusuf ibn abd al-Barr
Yusuf ibn Abdallah ibn Mohammed ibn Abd al-Barr, Abu Umar al-Namari al-Andalusi al-Qurtubi al-Maliki, commonly known as Ibn Abd-al-Barr was a famous Sunni Maliki Islamic Scholar...
says: "His children born of Khadīja are four daughters; there is no difference of opinion about that".
Some amongst the Shiite minority believe that only Fatima was Muhammad's daughter, and that the other daughters were from a previous marriage by Khadija, or were adopted.
Marriage dispute
There is dispute about her marriage. Some sources has reported she was first married to Utbah ibn Abu LahabUtbah ibn Abu Lahab
Son of Abu Lahab, he married Muhammad's second daughter Ruqayyah, but divorced her on his father's request.He had an Arab slave-girl named Barirah mawla Aisha whom he did not treat well.-See also:*Family tree of Utbah ibn Abu Lahab...
. His father, Abu Lahab, forced Utbah to divorce Ruqayyah due to Abu Lahab's opposition to Muhammad and his teachings. Muslim convert Uthman ibn Affan had long admired Ruqayyah and was then able to ask for her hand in marriage.
See also
- Fatima bint Muhammad
- Zainab bint MuhammadZainab bint MuhammadZainab bint Muhammad was the eldest daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his first wife Khadijah. She was born in the fifth year of his marriage to Khadijah, when he was thirty. She died in 8 AH.-Marriage & children:...
- Umm Kulthum bint MuhammadUmm Kulthum bint MuhammadUmm Kulthum was the third daughter of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad from his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid.- Marriage and children :She was first married to Utaybah bin Abu Lahab...
- Genealogy of Khadijah's daughtersGenealogy of Khadijah's DaughtersKhadijah bint Khuwaylid, the first wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, had six children. Some Shia dispute whether all of the children were born in her marriage to Muhammad, or if three of the four daughters were born to a previous marriage.-Introduction:...
- SahabaSahabaIn Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...