Salam people! So for this months SuperMuslims Magazine's issue the theme was patience. I chose to write about four admirable women and the trials that they endured. Enjoy! Oh and at the bottom of the page you will find the link to the second issue of the SuperMuslim's magazine, SuperMuslims FB page, FB group , twitter, and website, be sure to check all those out!
The Virtue of Patience
By: Habiba Ghanem
In our lives we are going to be
faced with many difficult problems. Sometimes we are going to think that our
worlds are crashing down. This life is a struggle. What we need to have when
facing any adversity is patience. The
greatest people to look up to and to use as examples are the Prophet Muhammed
(PBUH) and his companions.
Anâs
Radhi-Allâhu 'anhu reports that Nabî Sallallâhu 'alayhi wasallam has said:
"From among the women of the world who have reached perfection and who are
worthy of following are: Miryam the daughter of Imrân; Khadija daughter of
Khuwailid; Fatima daughter of Muhammad and Asiyah wife of Fir'aun"
(Tirmidhi)
Do
you think that these women were honored with such a title without going through
hardships?
Of course not.
Let’s take a closer look at just a
few of the hardships that these women faced.
Khadija Daughter of Khuwalid:
The night when Prophet Muhammed
(PBUH) got his first revelation at mount Hira, he ran back to his house
shivering, Khadija was there to console him. She was the first to listen to him
and she was the first there to support him as he took his role as the Prophet
of our Ummah; she was always there for the Prophet (PBUH). This new
responsibility was a heavy load and at night when Khadija couldn’t sleep she
would pray to Allah (SWT). To further
show her support Khadija became the first person to accept Islam as her deen.
When people turned their back on the Prophet (PBUH) and gave him a hard time, Khadija
was the rock of support. She would support the Prophet (PBUH) and the believers
with her wisdom and money. Throughout
the course of events that took place, Khadija’s faith and love for Allah (SWT)
kept growing. Khadija’s strong and loving character captured the heart of not
only the Prophet (PBUH), but her character touched and inspired many people to
enter the faith of Islam (Malik).
Asiyah Wife of Farun:
Asiyah was married to a cruel man;
Farun. She was among the people who
announced their faith to Allah and His messenger Moses. Upon declaring her
faith, Farun tortured her. He pinned her to the ground in the scorching sun.
But Asiyah’s faith was too strong to be shaken and whenever Farun would look
away angels would use their wings to shield her from the sun. Her patience kept
her strong enough to endure the pain. Her faith made her turn and pray to Allah
(SWT) as she dreamt of her home in Jannah. Farun then gave her a choice; she
could either give up her belief or have a boulder end her life. Asiyah
refused to give up her belief, she chose to die and asked Allah for a home in
Jannah far away from evil (Siham).
Maryam Daughter of Imran:
Allah provided Maryam with a tough
plight. A situation so tough, that her chastity came in to questioning. Her
test later became known as one of history’s greatest miracles; the birth of
Eissa. Maryam the daughter of Imran had
always been a devout follower. When the angles sent her this revelation, she
went in to seclusion. Her faith in Allah
never decreased, even when people started accusing her of adultery and Allah
didn’t leave her side. When she went to her clan carrying her child, they
started questioning her. But Maryam didn’t reply, she just pointed at baby
Eissa. At that moment baby Eissa spoke to the people and declared; “I
am the servant of Allah who has given me the Book and made me a Prophet."
(19:30) (Siham)
Fatimah Daughter of Muhammed (PBUH):
After her mother’s
death Fatimah took on the role as the beacon of comfort to the Prophet
(PBUH). She was also benevolent with the
people just as her mother Khadija was. Fatimah was married to Ali son of Abi
Talib. They led a life of extreme poverty but despite her circumstances Fatimah
never lost her humility. To make ends
meet she was a grinder of corn and he was a drawer of water. One day after they
both came back from work exhausted Ali suggested that Fatima ask her dad to
give her some of the servants that were captured in one of the battles. When
Fatimah and Ali went to the Prophet (PBUH), he rejected their request because
other people were more in need than they were. Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) later
came to their house and told them to recite three things after prayer and
before they fell asleep; Subhanna Allah (Glory be to Allah), El hamdu
Allah (Praise be to Allah), and Allahu Akbar (Allah is great), for the
reward and ease provided by those words are much better than having servants
(“Fatimah bint Muhammed”).
In the face of great
adversity these women were confident that Allah would prevail. Their faith
surpassed and eased their grave struggles. When you face adversity you need to
know that Allah (SWT) will never leave your side, you need to be sure that He
will get you through whatever hardships you face. Be patient. Don’t lose faith.
This life is nothing but trials; a test that we should aim to pass.
"If
you see Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, holding back this world from you,
frequently trying you with adversity and tribulation, know that you
... hold a great status with Him. Know that He is dealing with you ...as
He does with His Awliya’ and chosen elite, and is watching over you"
--Al Ghazali
... hold a great status with Him. Know that He is dealing with you ...as
He does with His Awliya’ and chosen elite, and is watching over you"
--Al Ghazali
Works Cited
Malik, Fida H.
"Khadija." Wives of the Holy Prophet. 2009 ed. New Delhi: Adam
and Distributors, 1952. 77-92. Print.
Siham. "The
Great Women of Islam." The Great Women of Islam. 28 July 2008. Web.
24 May 2012. <http://jannah.org/madina/index.php?topic=1024.0>.
Umm Yusuf.
"Great Women In Islam-Fatimah, Daughter of the Prophet Muhammad - Fatimah
Bint Muhammad." A Glimpse Into The Life of A Muslimah. 27 Aug.
2007. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://southernmuslimah.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/great-women-in-islam-fatimah-daughter-of-the-prophet-muhammad/>.
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