Hazrate Umm Waraqa (R.A)

Hazrate Umm Waraqa (R.A) was the daughter of Abdullah ibn Al-Harith. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) called her the Martyr, as she prayed for death in the cause of Allah (S.W.T) . At the battle of Badr, she asked the Holy Prophet's (S.A.W) permission to join the Muslim army in order to treat the wounded for she might win the Martyrdom.

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said to her; "Allah would grant you Martyrdom. Stay home you are a Martyr."

She (R.A) was a learned Scholar and a pious and modest lady, who was well known amongst the female companions (R.A) as one who spent her nights and days in prayer and meditation. She had memorised the Holy Quran by heart,

The Beloved Prophet (S.A.W) would sometimes take along some Sahabah Ikraam to visit the home of Hazrate Umm Waraqa (R.A). He would tell them to accompany him to the house of the lady who was a living Martyr. Nobody could understand how this would take place with her sitting in her house, but they were sure it would definitely happen, as this news had been given by Holy Prophet (S.A.W).

Hazrate Umm Waraqa (R.A) herself waited patiently for this auspicious event, which would be the fulfilment of her greatest dream. During this time Holy Prophet (S.A.W) passed away from this world and Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (R.A) succeeded and became the first Caliph, he (R.A) also passed away from this world and Hazrat Umar e Farooq (R.A) had now became the 2nd Caliph.

Hazrate Umm Waraqa (R.A) had two slaves (male and female) working for her and she (R.A) told them that they will be freed after she has passed away. The two slaves got together and decided that they were tired of waiting for this old lady to die. They planned to kill her in her sleep and escape to freedom. They were so tempted by the thought of freedom that they forgot to consider their future as well as their life in the Aakhiraah. In the dead of night as Hazrat Umm Waraqa (R.A) lay asleep, they killed her, covered her body with a sheet and crept away from the house silently.

In the morning Hazrat Umar (R.A) said, “By Allah (S.W.T) , I did not hear the recitation of aunt Umm Waraqa last night”. Hazrat Umar (R.A) went to Hazrate Umm Waraqa's (R.A) home to check on her and found that she had been murdered. Then He (R.A) saw that both the slaves were missing and realised that they must be the criminals.

Hazrat Umar (R.A) said, Rasoolullah (S.A.W) was truthful when He (S.A.W) used to say, "Let us go to visit the Martyr".

Hazrat Umar (R.A) ordered the killers to be brought before him. They confessed their crime. Thus, he sentenced them to be crucified. They were the first people to be crucified in Madina Shareef. May Allah (S.W.T) have mercy on Hazrate Umm Waraqa (R.A) who won the Martyrdom, which she had asked for. (Related in Ibn Hajar in Isbah, Asbahani in Helyat al Awliya and al-Hakim in Mustadrak)