The Place For Progress
The Place For Progress
When the Battle of Badr drew near, Ummu Waraqah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) approached Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and beseeched him in the following words, “O Nabi of Allah! Allow me to leave with you (for Badr) so that I may nurse the sick and attend to the injured. Perhaps Allah Ta‘ala will bless me with martyrdom.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Remain in your home, for Allah Ta‘ala will bless you with martyrdom.”
It was on account of this prophecy of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that Ummu Waraqah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) would thereafter be referred to as “Shaheedah” (the martyr).
During the khilaafah of ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Ummu Waraqah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) owned two slaves, a male and a female, to whom she had granted freedom which they were allowed to enjoy after her demise. The two slaves were impatient and wanted to enjoy their pending freedom immediately. Hence instead of waiting for her to pass away, they murdered her one night by suffocating her with her shawl. They thereafter fled.
When ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) received news of her martyrdom the following morning, he called the people of Madeenah Munawwarah and announced, “Whoever has information regarding these two slaves or has seen them, should bring them forward.” When the slaves were captured and made present, ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) instructed that they be crucified and they thus became the first people to be crucified in Madeenah Munawwarah. (Sunan Abi Dawood #591 and Musnad Ahmad #27282)
Lessons:
1. Although attending to the injured and sick at the Battle of Badr was an important, virtuous action, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) did not allow Ummu Waraqah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) to accompany him to Badr and instead instructed her to remain within the confines of her home.
2. It is not necessary for a woman to leave her home in order for her to progress in deen. Allah Ta‘ala is the One who grants all progress and He can thus grant the women in the home the same virtue that He grants to the men who are out of the home.
3. The woman who only leaves her home out of necessity is fulfilling the command of Allah Ta‘ala and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). It is thus this woman who makes the greatest progress in deen.
