#HeroinesOfIslam #genhameedgul
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00:00The First Muslim was not a man, but a woman.
00:18Well, of course, I mean the first after the Prophet himself, and this was Khadija bint
00:23Khuwailid, his wife at the time of 15 years.
00:26Khadija's wisdom in recognizing his prophetic calling, her devotion to and faith in the
00:31Prophet went unmatched.
00:33A man who she comforted, steadied, and wisely counseled at the beginnings of the none-too-clear
00:39path towards the fulfillment of Revelation.
00:42And in recognition and appreciation of his remarkable wife, the Prophet would assign
00:46her with the most honored of tributes, as the First Lady in Islam, in the here and the
00:52hereafter.
00:53In recounting the Seerah al-Nabwiyya, the biography of the Prophet, what is clearly
00:57apparent at the outset was how more women accepted the Islamic message and faith than
01:03did the males of the Meccan society, and with this fact was the reality that women played
01:08a more involved role in the beginnings of the faith.
01:11In receiving religious instruction and ultimately more time spent in companionship with the
01:16Prophet, and in consequence, a large contingent of women in early Islam became expert oral
01:21reciters of the Qur'an, as well as were accurately versed in the great number of Hadiths
01:27of the Prophet that would be relayed in their name.
01:30Another label that would be attributed to a woman in Islam would be as the first martyr,
01:35and she was Sumayya bint Khubat, who endured persecution and torture rather than succumb
01:40to the denial of her new faith.
01:43But what one should also recognize is that women in Islam, and especially during its
01:47first decades, took an active role across a wide spectrum of life, political, economic,
01:54social, and so on, and also quite significantly in the conquests that saw the expansion of
01:59the faith across the Arabian Peninsula and greater region.
02:07The warrior women of Islam were many.
02:10Many fought in skirmishes, battles, and full-fledged wars.
02:14Most of the time, it was unbeknownst to those on the battlefields whether this was indeed
02:18a woman at all, as they wore the same military attire as the men, sheathed behind their scarves,
02:25hiding their identities.
02:26So who we know of are not as many as the potential reality, but we will explore those that are
02:32clearly identified within the Islamic history books.
02:35Umm Hakim bint al-Harith ibn Hisham was a companion of the Prophet, and later on became
02:40the wife of Umar bin al-Khattab, the second Rashidun caliph.
02:44Umm Hakim, as part of the Quraysh tribe, was coincidentally a participant in the early
02:49Islamic wars for both sides of the conflict.
02:52Initially at the Battle of Uhud in 625, and prior to her submission to Islam, Umm Hakim
02:58led a group of Quraysh women into battle as drum beaters, a battle that saw a great setback
03:03and defeat for the Muslims.
03:05While in 634, during the Battle of Marj al-Saffar against the Byzantines in the Siege of Damascus
03:11Umm Hakim's heroism in this battle was reflected in the substantial damage both she and the
03:16Muslims inflicted upon their enemy, Umm Hakim by killing seven Byzantine soldiers, and by
03:22the Muslims, winning the battle and soon thereafter in conquering Damascus.
03:27Nusaybah bint Ka'b, better known as Umm Ammarah, was one of the earliest female converts
03:32to Islam and a companion of the Prophet.
03:35Her strong commitment to her new faith saw her become a leading educator of the religion
03:39amongst the women of Medina.
03:41As battles began to rage between the Muslims and the incumbent Meccan power, the Al-Quraysh
03:45tribe, Umm Ammarah would see her enthusiasm for defending the faith lead to her presence
03:50at the Battle of Uhud.
03:52Initially, Umm Ammarah's role was to provide water and comfort to the wounded.
03:56But as events turned against the Muslims, she found herself alongside the Prophet and
04:01a few of his companions, outnumbered and surrounded by the enemy.
04:05Umm Ammarah fought gallantly, was injured repeatedly, yet helped protect the Prophet
04:10from the attacks of the Quraysh.
04:12She would end up with 13 wounds total, and within a year, Umm Ammarah was back in action
04:17with the Muslim army.
04:20Khawla bint al-Azwar was the sister of the famous Dharar ibn al-Azwar, a military leader
04:25and veteran within General Khalid ibn al-Walid's army.
04:29Khawla is considered one of the greatest female soldiers in history.
04:33Not much detail is known about her warrior life except that she was highly skilled in
04:37fighting with the spear, the sword, and martial arts, all ingrained in her during her youth
04:42by her brother Dharar.
04:44Khawla's involvement with the conquest started during the conquest of Syria with the Battle
04:49of Thaniyat al-Uqab in 634, where she was part of a successful mission to free her imprisoned
04:54brother Dharar from the Byzantines, followed by the Battle of Ajnadin in the same year,
05:00when Khawla was again in the midst of the bloody action.
05:04While fully dressed as an Arabian knight, she would relentlessly charge at the enemy.
05:09Many assumed that this warrior was indeed Khalid ibn al-Walid due to the ferocity of
05:14her fighting and her defense of many Muslims on the battlefield.
05:18One commander of the Rashidun army was quoted as saying,
05:21This warrior fights like Khalid ibn al-Walid, but I am sure he is not Khalid.
05:27No, not Khalid, but Khawla.
05:31Women's involvement didn't rest with the fighting roles on the battlefield.
05:35Battles also were won many a times through psychological warfare, and women in Islam
05:40played this role to the highest levels of aptitude, either through the skill of poetry
05:45and taunting, or by the misrepresentation of reality through the use of deception.
05:51In the six-day battle of Yarmouk between Muslims and the Byzantines in 636, Muslims
05:56were outnumbered by no less than five times, yet eventually won.
06:01And what was a major turning point on the second day of engagement was the leadership
06:04of Hind bint Utbah, when she recognized the disastrous retreat of the left flank of the
06:10Muslim army.
06:11And as it was gradually pushed towards the Muslims' camp, without delay, Hind mustered
06:16up all the women of the camp, armed themselves with dismantled tent poles, and charged at
06:21the retreating Muslim forces, screaming taunting songs at the men, putting into question their
06:27manhood.
06:28And in turn, the men, between a rock and a hard place, recommenced their fighting against
06:33the Byzantines, pushing them back to a standstill for the day, and thereby protecting the integrity
06:40of the Muslim force.
06:42Tamadar bint Amr, simply known as Al-Khansa, was an influential poet prior to Islam as
06:47well as beyond it.
06:49She was known for her great elegies and odes in memory of the fallen.
06:53Upon her adoption of Islam, Al-Khansa would use the power of her words to both encourage
06:58and inspire the Muslim armies as they were about to enter battle, that would produce
07:02dramatically heroic actions on the part of their men.
07:05And in parallel, during the fighting, Al-Khansa would carry on with schemes to taunt the men
07:10of the enemy, questioning their chivalry and military prowess.
07:14At the Battle of Al-Qadisiyah in 636, prior to combat, Al-Khansa would focus her poetic
07:20inspiration on her four sons who were part of the Muslim army, guiding them to fight
07:25the good fight.
07:27As the battle raged on, Al-Khansa worked extremely hard to keep the Muslim spirits up with her
07:31words of wit.
07:33The Muslims decisively defeated the Sasanians six days later.
07:37All of Al-Khansa's four sons would be martyred.
07:41In 642, during a substantial uprising from the town of Maysan close to the Tigris River,
07:47Al-Mughir ibn Shu'ba, the governor of Kufa, took out his army to meet the pagan revolt.
07:52Days later, upon the Muslim army departing their encampment in preparation for battle,
07:57Azda ibn Talharith ibn Qalda became aware that there was nothing between the Muslim
08:01camp and the enemy should the Muslims lose.
08:04Azda wanted to avoid a fate of slavery and servitude, summoned all the women of the camp
08:09and led them to join the Muslim army, not in actual battle, but by fabricating great
08:14numbers of army banners mimicking the presence of reinforcements.
08:18As the army of women marched towards the battle scene, with their numerous banners in hand
08:22and the resultant immense clouds of dust, such a scene gave an impression of a large
08:27Muslim boost of strength.
08:29The army was in total disbelief and became totally demoralized.
08:34The uprising was quelled.
08:38As history progressed from the early age of Islam, women and their role in written history
08:43appears to diminish.
08:45Of course, the females of the Ahl al-Bayt, the Prophet's progeny, were resilient in
08:49their presence in the history books and in the memory of believers.
08:53They were far too important and integral to the religion to be diminished, whereas the
08:58rest of women, those who projected female strength and ability in the support of Islam
09:03as it grew century after century, saw a gradual decline in their recognition, recollection
09:08and in the preservation of their stories.
09:10To the extent that some of the women mentioned previously, today are not considered real
09:15or factual, but are considered within the realm of myth and legend.
09:20Many claims by many subsequent Muslim scholars and historians injected doubt into their existence.
09:26Why?
09:27Well, it was clear during the era of the Rashidun Caliphates that Islam, as the new religion,
09:32fed in line with the existing faiths and societal traditions of the time, with its
09:37full assimilation of the way of patriarchy.
09:41Islam appears to be a more egalitarian religion when it comes to women back in the day of
09:44the Prophet.
09:46Not in the absolute sense that what each could do was equal to that of the other gender,
09:51but in how women at the time of need operated as would any man, in the open, in battle,
09:56and in danger.
09:58Islam as a community definitely practiced modesty in that day and age, but was also
10:02a community that valued every member, male or female, and what they could offer.
10:08Women had a role in every aspect of life.
10:11Yet subsequent to the life of the Prophet, this acceptance and openness regressed in
10:15a downward trend, undulating between more or less conservatism, and of course mounting
10:21male-centric dominance, till it followed the same model as its preceding Abrahamic faith,
10:27Christianity, and how male leadership on both nation and religion fronts carved out a new
10:32understanding of how women should operate as members of society.
10:36We look to the Prophet, his sayings and actions, to understand how best to be Muslim.
10:42Maybe we should look again and reassess his comprehensive lifetime, and in his beliefs
10:46and wisdoms when dealing with women, not based on a few instances here and there, in how
10:52he trusted and respected their abilities across the board.
10:56And maybe then we can do away with the many unfavorable attitudes of antiquity towards
11:00women we have carried forth to this very day.
11:26Born in 555 AD, Khadija bint Khuwaylid was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad peace
11:36be upon him, the first woman believer of Islam, also known as the Mother of Believers.
11:44She was one of the most prosperous business women in Mecca.
11:48She proposed to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him when she was 40 years old, and
11:54he was 25 years old.
11:56She was the first person to accept Islam and support the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon
12:01him and his mission.
12:03She was there for the Prophet peace be upon him when the revelation came to him for the
12:08first time.
12:09She always stood by him peace be upon him, despite people going against his message of
12:15Islam in the beginning.
12:18The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, the best of its women is Khadija bint Khuwaylid,
12:25and the best of its women is Maryam bint Imran, Virgin Mary.
12:30She was a great source of comfort and support for the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
12:35during the difficult years of his prophethood.
12:39She died in the 10th year of the Islamic calendar, and the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
12:44grieved deeply for her loss.
12:482.
12:49Aisha bint Abu Bakr, The Great Scholar
12:54Aisha bint Abu Bakr was the youngest wife of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him,
13:00and a great scholar of Islam.
13:03She was known for her intelligence, wit, and quick thinking.
13:08She was an expert in Quranic interpretation, Islamic law, and history.
13:14Aisha bint Abu Bakr was also a great advisor to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him,
13:21and played a significant role in Islamic politics after his death.
13:26She was a strong defender of women's rights, and was known for courage in speaking up for
13:32what she believed was right.
13:35Many narrations of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him are narrated by Aisha due to her
13:41proximity to the Messenger and her great understanding of the Quran and Islam.
13:46The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was once asked, O Allah's Messenger, who amongst
13:52all the people is the dearest to you?
13:55He replied, Aisha.
13:57The companion then asked, Out of the men?
14:00He replied, Her father.
14:033.
14:05Maryam bint Imran, the mother of Prophet Isa
14:10Maryam bint Imran is one of the most respected characters in Islam.
14:15She is known as the mother of Isa peace be upon him, and the only woman mentioned by
14:21name in the Quran.
14:23The Quran tells the story of her miraculous birth, her devotion to God, and her unwavering
14:30faith.
14:31Maryam bint Imran is a symbol of purity, devotion, and faith for all Muslims.
14:39The Quran actually sheds light on the story of Maryam prior to her birth, whereby we learn
14:46of her mother's supplication for a righteous child.
14:51But when she delivered her, she said, My Lord, I have delivered a female, and Allah was most
14:57knowing of what she delivered, and the male is not like the female.
15:03And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You, and for her descendants from
15:10Shaytan, the expelled from the mercy of Allah.
15:17Or Khawla bint Al-Azwar Khawla was the daughter of one of the chiefs
15:24of the Bani Asad tribe, and a companion of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
15:30Her family was among the first converts to Islam.
15:33Khawla's father, Al-Azwar, trained her in all arts of swordsmanship, and she became
15:41a perfect knight.
15:43It's no wonder that Khawla was described as one of the greatest female warriors in history,
15:50and was once compared to Khalid bin Waleed by opponents on the battlefield.
15:56Khawla became a legend during her life, and remains a legend till this day.
16:01She set an example to men and women alike, that one should fight for what they believe
16:06in.
16:075.
16:08Asiyah, the Pharaoh's wife, the defier of tyranny
16:15Asiyah was the wife of the Pharaoh who ruled Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses peace
16:21be upon him.
16:22She was a believer in God, and refused to worship the false gods of her husband.
16:29She provided refuge for Prophet Moses peace be upon him when he fled Egypt, and she adopted
16:35him.
16:36When the Pharaoh discovered their plan, he tortured and killed Asiyah, but she remained
16:41steadfast in her faith until the end.
16:45Asiyah is a symbol of courage, resistance, and defiance against tyranny.
16:51In the Quran, Allah refers to her as an example for the believers.
16:57Allah also makes mention of her supplication for a palace in paradise near Allah, and Allah
17:02presents an example of those who believed, the wife of Pharaoh.
17:07And she said, My Lord, build for me near you a house in paradise, and save me from
17:15Pharaoh and his deeds, and save me from the wrongdoing people.
17:216.
17:23Fatima bint Muhammad, the lady of light
17:28Fatima bint Muhammad is the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and his
17:33beloved wife Khadija bint Khuwailid.
17:36She is the mother of the great-grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him,
17:41Hassan and Hussain.
17:43Fatima bint Muhammad is known for her piety, humility, and generosity.
17:49She was a great supporter of her father and played a significant role in Islamic politics
17:55after his death.
17:57Fatima bint Muhammad is considered the lady of light because of her remarkable qualities
18:03and her close relationship with the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
18:08Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him used to stand up when she'd come into the room and
18:13kiss her forehead.
18:14He said, Fatima is a part of me, and he who makes her angry makes me angry.
18:23The six women mentioned above are among the greatest women in Islam.
18:27They played a significant role in shaping the Islamic society and had a tremendous impact
18:35on Islamic history.
18:37They were great believers in Allah, devoted to their families, and brave defenders of
18:43their faith.
18:44They inspire and motivate Muslim women around the world to strive for excellence and follow
18:51in their footsteps.
18:53May Allah elevate the ranks of these great women and guide us to follow in their noble
18:59footsteps.
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