PROPHET’S DAUGHTERS AND WIVES
Hadrat Fatimah
Fatimah is unanimously considered the most excellent of all the daughters. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had said about her that she was the leader of the ladies in paradise. She was married to Honorable Ali (May Allah glorify his face). four hundred and eighty Dirhams were fixed as Mahr (The dower). Fatima's age at that time was fifteen years five months. The dowry of this leading lady among the women was (1) on bed-sheet (2) one pillow stuffed with the substance of the date-tree (3) one leather cushion (4) one ordinary cot (5) two pitchers (6) one small water-skin (7) two skin water containers and (8) one grain-grander.
Fatimah herself used to do all the house-hold jobs including grinding. This was that dowry and Mahr for the marriage of the dearest daughter of the Leader of both the worlds (peace be upon him), and the semblance of her austere life. Will not those ladies feel ashamed, who squander their money on their marriage ceremonies and thus spoil their own world and the Hereafter?
That none of the male issues of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) survive was based on some great divine wisdom. His posterity spread in the world only through his female off-spring but even among his daughters only Fatimah's poaterity survived. Some of his other daughters did not bear any child, and the off-springs of other daughters did not survive.
Hadrat Zainab
Zainab was married to Abul Aas-ibnur-Rabi and she give birth to a boy, who died after a few years. She also had one daughter Umamah, who was married to Ali (May Allah glorify his face) after the demise of Fatimah, but there was no issue by her.
Harat Ruqayyah
Ruqayyah was married to Uthman, who accompanied him during his migration to Abyssinia. She died issueless in 2 A . H. on her way back from battle of Badr. After her, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gave her second sister Umme Kulthoom in marriage to Uthman in 3 A .H. for this reason Zin-Noorain (Owner of two lights) because the title of Uthman. She also died in A .H. and at that time the Holy Prophet )peace be upon him) said that if he had a third daughter he would have given even her to him in marriage.
Muslim ladies should remember that according to reliable traditions contained in the books on Prophet's biography, once Ruqayyah come to the Prophet to complain against Uthman after getting angry with him. But the Prophet replied, "I do not like that a woman should complain against her husband. You better go home and settle there." This is the education for girls, which can replenish their life in this world as well as in the Hereafter.
Prophet's Respected Wives
During the life-time of respected Khadijah, the Holy Prophet )Peace be upon him) did not marry any other women. when she died three years prior to Hijrat (Migration to Madina), and he had become forty nine years old, other ladies were married to him. Whose names are (2) Saudah binte Zam'ah (3) Aaiyshah Siddiqah (4) Hafsah (5) Zainab binte Khuzaimah (6) Umm-e-Salmah (7) Zainab binte Jahash (8) Juwairiyah (9) Umm-e-Habibah (10)Safiyah and (11) Maimoonah. Out of his eleven wives, tow died in his presence and nine after his Demise. And there is consensus of the Ummah (Muslim Community) that this peculiarity was for the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) only. For any other Muslim, keeping of more than four wives at a time is not allowed. Some causes of the Prophet's peculiarity in this regard shall be mentioned later.
Hadrat Sauda
She was first married to Sukran bin Amr. Later, after hr first husband's death, she was married to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
Hadrat Aaiyshah Saddiqah
She was the daugher of Hadrat Abu Bakr (and as desired by Abu Bakr) was married to the Holy Prophet, when she was only six year old, but she left her parents' home to live with the Holy Prophet at the age of nine. When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) left this world, she was eighteen years old. The fact that how much the Holy Prophet's company influenced her and how much she gained by her closeness to him, can be ascertained from the statements of the senior most Companions of the Holy Prophet, who used to say that whenever they found its exact knowledge with Aaiyshah Siddiqah. That is why even the most learned Companions were her pupils in respect of religious affairs.
Hadrat Hafsa
She was the daughter of Hadrat Umar and her first husband was Unais ibne Huzafah who died in Madina after sustaining several wounds in the battle of Badr. The Prophet married her by the end of 2 A .H. or in 3 A .H. to console Umar who had extended her hand to Abu Baker and Uthman, but both had declined to marry her.
Hadrat Zainab
She was well-known as Ummul-Masakeen ( Mother of the poor); was first married to Tufail bin Harith, who divorced her, and was then married to his brother Ubaidah. when Ubaidah fell a martyr in the battle of Badr, she was married to the Holy Prophet, a month before the battle of Uhud but she died after two months.
Hadrat Umm-e-Habibah
She was the daughter of Abu Sufyan and was first married to Ubaidullah bin Jahsh and he had some issues. Both of them, having embraced Islam, had migrated to Abyssinia, but Ubaidullah concerted into a Christian on reaching there. Umm-e-Habibah , however, persisted on her faith in Islam. Since Ubaidullah had deserted her due to difference creed the Holy Prophet sent a message to Negus, the king of Abyssinia, asking him to convey the proposal for marriage to Umm-e-Habibah on behalf of the Prophet. So Negus conveyed the proposal, himself become guarantor fo the marriage and paid 400 (four Hundred ) Dinars from his pocket as Mehr to Umm-e-Habibah. She died at the age of 73 in the 44th year of Hijrah.
Hadrat Umm-e-Salmah
Her actual name was Hindah. She was first married to Abu salmah and had issue by him. Abu salmah died eight mints after the battle of Uhud, in which he had received fatal wounds. The Prophet married he in Jammadith Thani, 4 A .H. and according to some versions in 3 A .H. It is said that Umm-e-Salmah died afrer all other respected wives of the Prophet.
Hadrat Zainab bint Jahsh
She was the daughter of the Prophet's aunt. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) desired to give Zainab in marriage to Prophet's adopted son Zaid bin Harithah, a freed slave. After divorce Zaid bin Harithah The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) himdelf married Zainab in 4 A .H and according to some versions in 3 A .H. or in 5 A .H.
Hadrat Safiyah binte Yahya
She belonged to the posterity of Prophet Haroon (peace be upon him). It was her unique privilege that she was the daughter of a prophet and the wife of a prophet. Formerly she was married to Kinanah ibne Ahil-Haqiq, who was murdered. And later on she married to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).
Hadrat Juwairiyah binte Harith
She was the daughter of Harith, Head of Khazaiyah buni-ul-Mustaliq ( a tribe). She was brought as a war prisoner, become the wife of the Prophet, and as a result of the marriage the whole tribe was set free, and her father embraced Islam.
Hadrat Maimoonah binte Harith Hilaliyah
At first she was the wife of Masud bin Umar. When he divorced her , she was married to Abu Arham, and after his death she become the wife of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). She was the last of the Prophet's wives. After her some other ladies offered themselves to be his wives.