Hazrate Safiyah (R.A)

Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) is the sister of Hazrat Hamzah (R.A) and the daughter of Hazrat Abdul Muttalib (R.A).

Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) married Hazrat Awwam bin Khuwailid Qarshi Al-Asadi (R.A) who was the brother of Hazrate Khadijah tul Kubra (R.A). They were blessed with a son who was named Zubair. Hazrat Awwam (R.A) passed away when Hazrat Zubair (R.A) was at a young age, Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) did not marry thereafter.

Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) brought up her son Hazrat Zubair (R.A) in a very disciplined manner. Her aim was to make him a brave and fearless soldier, very often she subjected him to hard work and sometimes beat him also.

Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) realised that the people had come to know of the fact that she beats her son, expressed her feeling and explained, "Whoever thinks that I beat Zubair with ill intention, he is mistaken. I beat him so that he may become wise and brave and defeat the army of the enemies and capture booty."

When Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) heard about the Martyrdom of her brother (Hazrat Hamzah (R.A)), she (R.A) reached the battlefield.

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) saw Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) coming at a distance, He (S.A.W) told Hazrat Zubiar (R.A) to go and stop his mother coming ahead for she might loose balance of her mind seeing her beloved brother’s condition.

Hazrat Zubair (R.A) tried to stop his mother but Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) threw a punch on the chest of her son and moved forward. Whilst advancing forward she remarked that she knew that the body of her brother had been disfigured but he (R.A) sacrificed his life in the way of Allah (S.W.T). She (R.A) also added, “I shall keep patience in this distress hoping good reward from Allah (S.W.T).”

Hazrat Zubair (R.A) told the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) what his mother had said. He (S.A.W) told him to allow her to go ahead. She (R.A) went over the body of her brother, recited “Inna Lillah” and prayed for his deliverance. Witnessing exemplary patience of Hazrate Safiyah (R.A), the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) consoled her, and then her eyes shed tears.

Hazrate Safiyah (R.A) had brought two sheets for shroud of Hazrat Hamzah (R.A) but only one was used for him and the other for an Ansari, whose body was also disfigured, lying by Hazrat Hamzah (R.A). The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) did not like his follower un-shrouded and his uncle Hazrat Hamzah (R.A) with two sheets. The sheet, he was shrouded with, was smaller to his size when they covered his head, his feet remained open and when they covered his feet, his head remained open, in the end, they covered His (R.A) feet with the grass.