Hazrat Asma Bint Abu Bakr Saddique | سیرت حضرت اسماء بنت ابوبکر رضی اللہ عنہ

Hazrat Asma' bint Abu Bakr As-Siddiq

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"You will be bestowed two waist collars in exchange of one."

She was related to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) it by his marriage to her sister 'A'ishah, her father, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, was the close Companion and trusted friend of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Her grandmother was Umm Al-Khayr Salma bint Sakhr her father's sisters were such eminent women Companions as Fardah, Qaribah and Umm 'Amer. Her paternal grandfather was Abu Quhafah. Her husband, Zubayr bin 'Awam was a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Her son, 'Abdullah bin Zubayr, was another eminent Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Her life is worthy of study, coming as she did from a background where each and every member of the family was a trusted confidant and Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Asma' was born twenty-seven years before the migration of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Al-Madinah. Her mother's name was Qatilah bint 'Uza and her father, Abu Bakr, married her before the advent of Islam; Asma' was born when he was only twenty-one years old. Asma' and 'Abdullah were born of this marriage. For a long time her mother did not accept Islam; finally after the conquest of Makkah she pledged allegiance to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Asma' entered the fold of Islam because of the influence and teachings of her father.

Piety, farsightedness, intelligence, courage and integrity and generosity - all the qualities praised by Islam could be found in this one person. When her father and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took refuge in the cave of Thawr after leaving Makkah to migrate to Al-Madinah, it was she who went far in to the wilderness to deliver fresh food to them. As soon as they left on their journey, Abu Jahl came to the house of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq looking for them, breathing fire and fury. He asked her where her father was. She answered that she did not know. He gave proof of his barbaric nature by slapping her hard; but so as not to betray her secret she faced him with steadfastness, courage and tolerance.

Asma' came to be known by the title Dthat An-Nitaqayn. There is an interesting little episode about how she got this name. In Arabic the belt, or girdle worn by women around the waist is called a Nitaq. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr As-Siddiq prepared to set off for Al-Madinah, Asma' packed the eatables into a leather bag, but there was no rope with which she could tie up the mouth of the bag. So she divided her girdle into two and used one part to tie up the leather bag. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) blessed her and said that in place of this one girdle that she sacrificed, she would get two in Paradise. So, he implied that she would go to Paradise. In this manner the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the news of a glorious Hereafter to his faithful Companions.

After her father and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left, Asma' was left with her blind and aged grandfather, Abu Quhafah. When he realized that his son had migrated he was sad. Then he was worried whether he had left any cash for expenses. She narrated that they had about four or five thousand Dinars in the house and her father had taken it all for the expenses of the journey. But she comforted the old man saying there was plenty in the house, and nothing was lacking. In order to convince him she collected some pebbles that were of the size of Dinars; these she put in a pot and spread a cloth over them. Then she guided his old hands over the cloth; Abu Quhafah was very pleased that his son had not neglected them. Asma' had done this for the old man's peace of mind; but in truth Abu Bakr As-Siddiq with a strong faith in Allah, had taken his all to spend in the way of Allah and His Messenger.