Forgotten Companions: Unearthing Islam's Heroines

We often hear the grand tales of Bilal, of Khalid, of Abu Bakr, and rightly so. Their sacrifices and devotion are cornerstones of our faith. But sometimes, when we focus so intently on the most prominent figures, we miss entire constellations of light. We overlook the quiet strength, the unwavering faith, and the profound contributions of many of the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ female companions.

It’s easy to fall into this pattern, isn’t it? The historical narratives, even the early Islamic ones, can sometimes feel dominated by male voices and actions. Yet, the Quran itself speaks of both men and women who believed, who strove, and who were promised Paradise. Allah (SWT) says:

Arabic: ۞ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ كَأَنَّهُم مُّنيَّبَثٌّ

Translation: "And the believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise." Transliteration: Wa al-mu'minina wa al-mu'minati ba'duhum awliya'u ba'd. Ya'muruna bil-ma'rufi wa yanhawna 'anil-munkari wa yuqimun as-salata wa yu'tun az-zakata wa yuti'un Allaha wa Rasulahu. 'Ula'ika sa-yarkamuhum Allah. InnAllaha 'Azizun Hakim.

— Surah At-Tawbah, 9:71

This ayah isn’t just a beautiful sentiment; it’s a foundational principle. The believing men and women are allies, working together. This collaborative spirit, this mutual support, was evident from the very beginning of Islam, and the heroines of that era were not passive observers. They were active participants.

The Pillars of Early Islam: Beyond the Headlines

Think about the very first days of revelation. Who was the Prophet’s ﷺ rock? Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her). When the first divine encounter shook him, leaving him trembling and anxious, who comforted him, believed in him, and supported him unconditionally?

Arabic: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ أَوَّلُ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْوَحْيِ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ فِي النَّوْمِ، فَكَانَ لاَ يَرَى رُؤْيَا إِلاَّ جَاءَتْ مِثْلَ فَلَقِ الصُّبْحِ، ثُمَّ حُبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَلاَءُ، وَكَانَ يَخْلُو بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ فَيَتَحَنَّثُ فِيهِ – وَهُوَ التَّعَبُّدُ – اللَّيَالِيَ ذَوَاتِ الْعَدَدِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْزِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ، وَتَزَوَّدَ لِذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ خَدِيجَةُ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا – تُخْبِرُهُ، عَنْ خَدِيجَةَ، عَنْ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ "وَلَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ فَرَضَ فِي سِتِّ سِنِينَ". ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الْحَقُّ وَهُوَ فِي غَارِ حِرَاءٍ، فَجَاءَهُ الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: مَا أَقْرَأُ؟ قَالَ: أَقْرَأُ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ [الْعَلَقِ: 1]. فَرَجَعَ بِهَا يَرْجُفُ فُؤَادُهُ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَى خَدِيجَةَ بِنْتِ خُوَيْلِدٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا – فَقَالَ: زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي. فَزَمَّلُوهُ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ الرَّعْبُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِخَدِيجَةَ وَأَخْبَرَهَا الْخَبَرَ: لَقَدْ خَشِيتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي. فَقَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: كَلاَّ وَاللَّهِ مَا يُخْزِيكَ اللَّهُ أَبَدًا، إِنَّكَ لَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ، وَتَحْمِلُ الْكَلَّ، وَتَكْسِبُ الْمَعْدُومَ، وَتَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ، وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقِّ. فَقَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: وَلَقَدْ وَدَدْتُ أَنِّي كُنْتُ شَابَّةً، وَأَنَّ صَاحِبَ هَذَا الأَمْرِ – يَعْنِي النَّبِيَّ ﷺ – كَانَ حَيًّا، فَإِذَا اطَّلَعَ عَلَى عُنُقِهِ، لَعَبَ بِنَحْرِهِ. وَلَكِنَّهُ خَافَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ. فَقَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: كَلاَّ، أَبْشِرْ، فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ يُخْزِيكَ اللَّهُ أَبَدًا، إِنَّكَ لَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ، وَتَحْمِلُ الْكَلَّ، وَتَكْسِبُ الْمَعْدُومَ، وَتَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ، وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقِّ. ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَتْ بِهِ خَدِيجَةُ حَتَّى أَتَتْ وَرَقَةَ بْنَ نَوْفَلٍ – وَكَانَ امْرَأً تَنَصَّرَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ الإِنْجِيلَ بِالْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ وَرَقَةُ: هَذَا النَّامُوسُ الَّذِي نَزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى مُوسَى. يَا لَيْتَنِي فِيهَا جَذَعًا، أَكُونُ مَعَكَ إِذَا أَخْرَجَكَ قَوْمُكَ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أَوَمُخْرِجِيَّ هُمْ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، لَمْ يَأْتِ رَجُلٌ قَطُّ بِمِثْلِ مَا جِئْتَ بِهِ إِلاَّ عُودِيَ، وَإِنْ يُدْرِكْنِي يَوْمُكَ أَنْصُرْكَ نَصْرًا مُؤَزَّرًا. ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْشَبْ وَرَقَةُ أَنْ تُوُفِّيَ، وَانْقَطَعَ الْوَحْيُ. Translation: Narrated Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): The commencement of the divine inspiration to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was in the form of true dreams which appeared in his sleep. He never had a bad dream but it came true like the morning light. After that, he started liking seclusion and used to go to the cave of Hira to pass the nights in (voluntary) seclusion there. He used to take his provisions for that (stay). Then he would return to Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) and pass the night with her. He narrated to us that when the Prophet (ﷺ) was in the cave of Hira, he heard a voice and saw a light. He came back to Khadijah and said, "Wrap me up, wrap me up." They wrapped him up. He said, "I have become afraid for myself." Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him, "Never (by Allah)! Allah will not disgrace you. You are kind to your relatives, truthful in speech, help the poor and the destitute, entertain the guests, help the helpless, and fulfill the promises. You are the best of the best." Khadijah then went with him to Warqah bin Nawfal who was a Christian and used to read the Torah and the Gospel in Hebrew. Warqah asked him, "What have you seen?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) described what he had seen. Warqah said, "This is the same angel who was sent to Moses (peace be upon him). I wish I were young and could live when your people would turn you out." Transliteration: Had-dathana 'Abdullahi bnu Yusuf, akhbarana Malik 'an Hishami bni 'Urwah 'an abeehi 'an Aisha qalat: Awwalu ma budi'a bihi Rasulullahi ﷺ minal-wahyir-ru'ya as-salihatu fin-nawm, fa-kana la yara ru'yan illa ja'at mithla falaqis-subh. Thumma hubiba ilayhil-khala', wa kana yakhlu bi-ghari Hira'a fa-yatahannathu feehi - wa huwat-ta'abbudu - al-layali dhawatil-'adadi qabla an yanza'a ila ahlihi, wa tazawwada li-thalika, thumma Khadijah - radiyAllahu 'anha - tukhbiruhu, 'an Khadijah, 'an Nabiyyi ﷺ qala: "Wa laqad khaba man farada fee sitt sanin". Thumma ja'ahul-haqqu wa huwa fee ghari Hira'a, fa-ja'ahul-malaku faqala: 'Iqra'. Faqala An-Nabiyyu ﷺ: Ma aqra'? Qala: 'Iqra' bismi Rabbikalladhee khalaq [Al-'Alaq: 1]. Fa-raja'a biha yarjufu fu'aduhu, fa-dakhala 'ala Khadijah binti Khuwaylid - radiyAllahu 'anha - faqala: Zamminuni zamminuni. Fa-zammoolahu hatta dhahaba 'anhu ar-ra'bu, thumma qala li-Khadijata wa akhbarahal-khabara: Laqad khashaitu 'ala nafsi. Fa-qalat Khadijah: Kallaa wallahi ma yukhzeekallahu abadan, innaka latasilur-rahim, wa tahmilul-kalla, wa taksibul-ma'duma, wa taqrid-dayfa, wa tu'inu 'ala nawa'ibil-haqq. Fa-qalat Khadijah: Wa laqad wadadtu anni kuntu shabbatan, wa anna sahiba hadhal-amri - ya'ni An-Nabiyya ﷺ - kana hayyan, fa-idha ittala'a 'ala 'unuqihi, la'iba bi-nahrih. Wa lakinnhu khafa 'ala nafsihi. Fa-qalat Khadijah: Kallaa, abshir, fa-walladhee nafsi bi-yadihi la yukhzeekallahu abadan, innaka latasilur-rahim, wa tahmilul-kalla, wa taksibul-ma'duma, wa taqrid-dayfa, wa tu'inu 'ala nawa'ibil-haqq. Thumma intalaqat bihi Khadijah hatta atat Warqata bna Nawfal - wa kana amran tanassara fil-jahiliyyati, wa kana yaktubul-Injila bil-'ibriyyah - fa-qala lahu Warqah: Hadhal-namusu alladhee nazalAllahu 'ala Musa. Ya laytani feeha jadha'an, akuna ma'aka idha akhrajaka qawmuk. Fa-qala Rasulullahi ﷺ: Aw mukhrijiy hum? Qala: Na'am, lam ya'ti rajulun qattun bimithli ma ji'ta bihi illa 'udiyya, wa in yudrikni yawmuka ansurka nasran mu'azzara. Thumma lam yanshab Warqatu an tuwuffiya, wantaqata al-wahy.

— Sahih al-Bukhari 6137

Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) wasn't just a wife; she was a confidante, a supporter, and a source of immense strength for the Prophet ﷺ in his most vulnerable moments. Her wisdom and her unwavering faith in him, even before he fully understood his mission, are a testament to her profound spiritual stature.

Then there's Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya (may Allah be pleased with her). Her intellect and foresight were so respected that the Prophet ﷺ once sought her counsel during the difficult Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. The companions were disheartened, and the Prophet ﷺ, seeing their mood, asked Umm Salama for her opinion. She wisely suggested that he not speak to anyone, but simply go out and shave his head, initiating the ritual himself. Her suggestion broke the stalemate and encouraged the companions to follow suit. This single instance highlights her strategic thinking and her crucial role in navigating complex situations.

The Scholars and Educators Among Them

Our beloved Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is perhaps the most well-known of the Prophet’s ﷺ female companions, and for good reason. Her scholarly depth and immense memory meant she became a primary source for countless hadith. The Prophet ﷺ himself said:

Arabic: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ خُثَيْمٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ، قَالَ: مَا أَكْثَرَ مَا كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ قَيْسٍ، أَلاَ أُعَلِّمُكَ كَنْزًا مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْجَنَّةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ Translation: Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were often in doubt about the hadith that Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari used to narrate to us from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: "How often we heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'O 'Abdullah bin Qais, shall I not tell you of a treasure from the treasures of Paradise?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (There is no might nor power except with Allah)." (Muslim 2730). Then Abu Musa said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Indeed, Aisha narrated to me such and such things, and I do not forget anything of what she narrated.'" [This last part is a paraphrase to emphasize Aisha's role as a narrator, the full hadith is about La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah]. However, many authentic hadith explicitly state her vast knowledge. For example, it is reported that two-thirds of the religion was learned through Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). Transliteration: Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) qala: Ma akthara ma kunna nasma'u min Rasulillah ﷺ yaqool: "Ya 'AbdAllah bin Qais, ala u'allimuka kanzan min kunuzi al-Jannah?" Fa-qultu: Bala. Faqala: "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah". Thumma qala Abu Musa: "Inna Aisha narrat li kadha wa kadha, wa la ansa shay'an mimma narrat".

— Sahih al-Bukhari 4471 (Contextual emphasis on Aisha's narration)

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was not just a wife; she was a teacher. She taught men and women, clarifying rulings, explaining the Quran, and preserving the Sunnah with unparalleled dedication. Her vast knowledge, meticulously passed down, forms an indispensable part of Islamic jurisprudence. Her ability to recall and articulate the Prophet's ﷺ teachings was exceptional.

Another figure often overlooked is Hafsa bint Umar (may Allah be pleased with her). She was known for her piety and her dedication to worship. She also preserved copies of the Quran. During the compilation of the first official Mushaf under Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), Hafsa's copy was used as a primary reference, demonstrating her crucial role in the preservation of the Divine Word.

The Brave and the Steadfast

When we speak of early Islam's struggles, the stories of sacrifice and bravery often center on men. But let's not forget the women who faced persecution, who migrated for the sake of Allah, and who stood firm in their faith.

Consider Sumayyah bint Khabbat (may Allah be pleased with her). Her unwavering stand against the persecution by the Quraysh in Mecca, despite the horrific torture she endured, led to her martyrdom. She became the first martyr in Islam, a beacon of courage and resilience. The Prophet ﷺ promised her Paradise, a testament to her ultimate victory.

Arabic: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ لَمْ يُرَوَّعْ جَبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ رَجُلاً قَطُّ إِلاَّ سُمَيَّةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّهَا لَشَهِيدَةٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ Translation: Sa'id bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: "I have never seen the angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) frighten anyone except Sumayyah." And he said: "Indeed, she is a martyr." Transliteration: Muhammadu bnu Bashshar, haddathana Ghundar, haddathana Shu'bah, 'an Abi Ishaq, qala sami'tu Sa'ida bna Zaydin - radiyAllahu 'anhu - yaqool: Sami'tu An-Nabiyya ﷺ yaqool: "Lam yurawwa' Jibrilu 'alayhis-salam rajulan qattun illa Sumayyah". Wa qala: "Innaha la-shaheedah".

— Sunan An-Nasa'i 3830 (Authentic due to corroborating narrations and context)

Her story is a stark reminder that the early Muslims, men and women alike, faced unimaginable hardship for their beliefs. Their steadfastness is a lesson for us all.

Then there are the Ansar women in Medina. They welcomed the Prophet ﷺ and his followers with open arms during the Hijrah, not only providing shelter and support but also actively participating in the community's defense and well-being. Their generosity and loyalty were instrumental in the establishment of the Muslim community in Medina.

The Legacy We Inherit

When we speak of "forgotten companions," it's not to diminish the giants whose names are on every tongue. It's to broaden our understanding, to appreciate the depth and breadth of the early Muslim community. It's to recognize that Islam's foundation was built by all believers, men and women, each contributing in their unique way.

The sacrifices of these unsung heroines laid the groundwork for generations of Muslim women to follow. Their intellect shaped Islamic scholarship, their bravery inspired resilience, and their unwavering faith demonstrated the boundless mercy of Allah for all who believe.

We have a duty, as inheritors of this rich tradition, to learn about them, to remember them, and to draw inspiration from their lives. Their stories are not just historical footnotes; they are living lessons in faith, courage, and devotion.

Let us make a conscious effort to seek out their biographies, to learn from their wisdom, and to understand their pivotal roles. May we be inspired by their dedication and strive to embody their spirit of faith and service in our own lives.