Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib "Aunt of the Prophet"
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim al-Qurashiyyah al-Hashimiyyah was a noblewoman known for her poetry and refined character even before embracing Islam. She was the one of aunts of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Born in Mecca 53 years before the Hijra, she was married twice, first to Al-Harith ibn Harb ibn Umayyah during the pre-Islamic era, and later to Al-Awwam ibn Khuwaylid, the father of the famous companion Al-Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam. Her second husband passed away in one of the pre-Islamic wars.
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib Life
Safiyyah married twice in the pre-Islamic period and had several children: Sayfi ibn Al-Harith, Al-Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam, Al-Sa’ib ibn Al-Awwam, Umm Habib bint Al-Awwam, and Abd al-Ka’bah ibn Al-Awwam.
Historical sources unanimously agree that she embraced Islam. It is said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) personally invited her to Islam, calling her by name after the revelation of the verse in Surah Ash-Shu’ara:
"And warn your closest relatives" (26:214).
She responded immediately, declared her faith, pledged allegiance to the Prophet, and migrated to Medina among the early emigrants, accompanied by her brother Hamza and her son Al-Zubayr.
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib Role in Battles
Safiyyah witnessed all the battles alongside the Prophet (peace be upon him). Despite her old age, she left a lasting impact by supporting the Muslim army, providing water to the warriors, treating the wounded, and repairing weapons. She actively participated in the Battle of Uhud, where she courageously wielded a spear to rally the Muslims after their initial retreat.
She also played a significant role in the Battle of the Trench, where she became the first Muslim woman to kill an enemy combatant. When a Jewish infiltrator sneaked into a fortress where women and children were sheltered, she eliminated him to protect them. The Prophet later granted her 40 wasqs (a measure of goods) from the spoils of the Khaybar battle.
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib Traits
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib was a model of bravery, she was a warrior, an eloquent poet, a wise preacher, and a knowledgeable woman of strong faith and patience.
As a mother, she excelled in raising her children. After they were orphaned at a young age, she took on the responsibility of their upbringing, training her son Al-Zubayr in horseback riding and combat while instilling in him courage and noble values.
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib Influence
Growing up in the household of Quraysh’s noble leader, Abd al-Muttalib, who was also a poet, Safiyyah inherited his eloquence and poetic talent. His verses were known for their strength, clarity, and rhythmic beauty, influenced by his maternal relatives in Yathrib.
Safiyyah herself composed poetry, especially in mourning for her father, her brother, and later the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Among her well-known elegies after the Prophet’s passing are these verses:
"O Messenger of Allah, you were our hope,
And you were kind and never harsh.
Our Prophet was compassionate to us,
Today, let all who grieve weep for you.
By my life, I do not weep for the Prophet’s death,
But for the trials that will come after you.
My heart aches for losing Muhammad,
For his love remains, a wound that never heals".
She also narrated hadiths from the Prophet, which were later transmitted by her son Al-Zubayr, Hamid ibn Hilal, Ja'far ibn Al-Zubayr, and Rabi'.
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib Death
Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib passed away during the caliphate of Umar ibn Al-Khattab in the year 640 CE at the age of 73. She was buried in Al-Baqi‘, the cemetery of Medina.
