Sayyidah Safiyyah bint Huyay (R.A)
Sayyidah Safiyyah’s Name and lineage
Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab ibn Sa’yah.
Huyay ibn Akhtab was the chief of the Banu al Nadir. Her lineage links up with Lawi, the son of Allah’s Prophet Ya’qub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim `alayhim al-Salam, and then later on again from the Prophet of Allah Harun ‘alayh al Salam.
Prior to embracing Islam, Sayyidah Safiyyah radiya Llahu ‘anha was first married to Salam ibn Mishkam and after him to Kinanah ibn Abi al Haqiq, who was killed in the Battle of Khaybar. Sayyidah Safiyyah radiya Llahu ‘anha was taken as a captive and given to Dihyah al Qalbi radiya Llahu ‘anhu as his share from the spoils of war. He made an agreement of kitabah with her, which was paid by the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then freed her and married her, her freedom being her Mahr (dowry). She passed away in the fifty second year after hijrah.
Sayyidah Safiyyah’s Virtues and Status
She married a Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, she was the daughter of a Prophet, and her paternal uncle was a Prophet.
Imam al Tirmidhi narrates from Sayyidina Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu:
It reached Safiyyah that Hafsah said about her, “The daughter of a Jew,” so she began to weep.
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then entered upon her while she was crying, and asked her, “What makes you cry?”
She said, “Hafsah said to me that I am the daughter of a Jew.”
So the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Certainly you are the daughter of a Prophet, your uncle is a Prophet, and you are married to a Prophet; so what is she boasting to you about?”[Al Tirmidhi has reported that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to her, “Certainly your father is Harun, your uncle is Musa, and I am your Husband.” Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Hadith” 3892.]
Then the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Fear Allah, O Hafsah.”[Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3892]
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam praised her truthfulness when she said to the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in his final sickness:
Verily by the oath of Allah, O Prophet of Allah, I wish for myself to be in your place and for you to be in mine (i.e. in good health).[Musannaf ‘Abd al Razzaq, vol. 11 pg. 431, Hadith: 20922; Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 8 pg. 128.]
Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab ibn Sa’yah.
Huyay ibn Akhtab was the chief of the Banu al Nadir. Her lineage links up with Lawi, the son of Allah’s Prophet Ya’qub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim `alayhim al-Salam, and then later on again from the Prophet of Allah Harun ‘alayh al Salam.
Prior to embracing Islam, Sayyidah Safiyyah radiya Llahu ‘anha was first married to Salam ibn Mishkam and after him to Kinanah ibn Abi al Haqiq, who was killed in the Battle of Khaybar. Sayyidah Safiyyah radiya Llahu ‘anha was taken as a captive and given to Dihyah al Qalbi radiya Llahu ‘anhu as his share from the spoils of war. He made an agreement of kitabah with her, which was paid by the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then freed her and married her, her freedom being her Mahr (dowry). She passed away in the fifty second year after hijrah.
Sayyidah Safiyyah’s Virtues and Status
She married a Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, she was the daughter of a Prophet, and her paternal uncle was a Prophet.
Imam al Tirmidhi narrates from Sayyidina Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu:
It reached Safiyyah that Hafsah said about her, “The daughter of a Jew,” so she began to weep.
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then entered upon her while she was crying, and asked her, “What makes you cry?”
She said, “Hafsah said to me that I am the daughter of a Jew.”
So the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Certainly you are the daughter of a Prophet, your uncle is a Prophet, and you are married to a Prophet; so what is she boasting to you about?”[Al Tirmidhi has reported that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to her, “Certainly your father is Harun, your uncle is Musa, and I am your Husband.” Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Hadith” 3892.]
Then the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Fear Allah, O Hafsah.”[Jami’ al Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3892]
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam praised her truthfulness when she said to the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in his final sickness:
Verily by the oath of Allah, O Prophet of Allah, I wish for myself to be in your place and for you to be in mine (i.e. in good health).[Musannaf ‘Abd al Razzaq, vol. 11 pg. 431, Hadith: 20922; Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 8 pg. 128.]