maria the copt

 4. Slave Or No Slave by DISCOVER THE TRUTH

Coming back to Mariya and Muhammed. Although some of the scholars in the past have said that Mariyah the Copt was a ‘slave’, the reports which predate their claims inclines us to believe that she was not.

The report says the following on Mariyah when she was sent to Prophet Muhammed (p):

“To Muhammad Ibn Abdullah fom Muqauqis, the chief of Qibt. Peace to you. I have read your letter and have noted the contents. I knew this much that a Prophet was to come. But I had expected him to appear in Syria. I have extended an honourable welcome to your messenger and I am sending two girls (jariyyatun) who are highly respected among the Qibtis (Egyptians) and I offer as a present some cloth and a mule to ride on.” (Sirat-un-nabi, volume 2, page 131) [8]

Some of the translators have wrongly translated the word ‘jariyya’ as ‘slave’. Slave in Arabic is ‘Abd’ for men or ‘amah’ (or amati) for female slave. Jariyya according to classical usage denotes young girl, or young women in this context of the report (Shaykh Allama Shibli Numani, volume 2, page 131, footnote).

The language used in the report cannot refer to slave, but rather someone who is a free woman. The particular words used by the Egyptian King about Mariah and Sirin, ‘who are highly respected among the Qibtis (or Egyptians)’, these are not the words that may possible be applied to a slave.

The Arabic word jariyya is used in many Hadith reports, and in many they refer to young girls. Jariyya (جَارِيَةً):

Sahih al-Bukhari:

Narrated Anas: The daughter of An-Nadr slapped a girl and broke her incisor tooth. They (the relatives of that girl), came to the Prophet and he gave the order of Qisas (equality in punishment).
Arabic:
حَدَّثَنَا الأَنْصَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ ابْنَةَ النَّضْرِ، لَطَمَتْ جَارِيَةً، فَكَسَرَتْ ثَنِيَّتَهَا، فَأَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَ بِالْقِصَاصِ‏.‏
(Sahih al-Bukhari volume 9, Book 83, Hadith 32)

Sunan an-Nasai:

“It was narrated from Anas that: a Jewish man killed a young girl for her jewellery, so the Messenger of Allah killed him in retaliation for her.
Arabic:
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، رضى الله عنه أَنَّ يَهُودِيًّا، قَتَلَ جَارِيَةً عَلَى أَوْضَاحٍ لَهَا فَأَقَادَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَا ‏. (Sunan an-Nasa’i volume 5, Book 45, Hadith 4744, Sahih Darrusalam)

 

Jami at-Tirmidhi:

Jabir bin Abdullah narrated: “I married a woman and went to the Prophet, he said: ‘O Jabir! Have you married?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘A virgin or a matron?’ I said: ‘A matron.’ He said: ‘Why didn’t you marry a young girl, so that you may play with her and she with you?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Abdullah (his father) died and left behind seven – or nine – daughter, so I have brought someone who can look after them.'” (He said:) “So he supplicated for me.”
Arabic:
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ تَزَوَّجْتُ امْرَأَةً فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏”‏ أَتَزَوَّجْتَ يَا جَابِرُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ بِكْرًا أَمْ ثَيِّبًا ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لاَ بَلْ ثَيِّبًا ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ هَلاَّ جَارِيَةً تُلاَعِبُهَا وَتُلاَعِبُكَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ سَبْعَ بَنَاتٍ أَوْ تِسْعًا فَجِئْتُ بِمَنْ يَقُومُ عَلَيْهِنَّ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَدَعَا لِي ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ وَكَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏
(Jami` at-Tirmidhi Volume 2, Book 6, Hadith 110, Sahih Darussalam)

Sahih al-Bukhari:

“Narrated Jabir: “Allah’s Messenger said to me, “Have you got married O Jabir?” I replied, “Yes.” He asked “What, a virgin or a matron?” I replied, “Not a virgin but a matron.” He said, “Why did you not marry a young girl who would have played with you?” I replied, “O Allah’s Messenger! My father was martyred on the day of Uhud and left nine (orphan) daughters who are my nine sisters; so I disliked to have another young girl of their age, but (I sought) an (elderly) woman who could comb their hair and look after them.” The Prophet said, “You have done the right thing.”
Arabic:
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرٌو، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ هَلْ نَكَحْتَ يَا جَابِرُ ‏”‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ مَاذَا أَبِكْرًا أَمْ ثَيِّبًا ‏”‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ لاَ بَلْ ثَيِّبًا‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَهَلاَّ جَارِيَةً تُلاَعِبُكَ ‏”‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّ أَبِي قُتِلَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ وَتَرَكَ تِسْعَ بَنَاتٍ كُنَّ لِي تِسْعَ أَخَوَاتٍ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَجْمَعَ إِلَيْهِنَّ جَارِيَةً خَرْقَاءَ مِثْلَهُنَّ، وَلَكِنِ امْرَأَةً تَمْشُطُهُنَّ وَتَقُومُ عَلَيْهِنَّ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ أَصَبْتَ ‏”‏‏.‏
(Sahih al-Bukhari volume 5, Book 59, Hadith 382)

Sunan Ibn Majah:

“It was narrated from Ibn Umar that: when Uthman bin Mazun died, he left behind a daughter. Ibn Umar said: “My maternal uncle Qudamah, who was her paternal uncle, married me to her, but he did not consult her. That was after her father had died. She did not like this marriage, and the girl wanted to marry Mughirah bin Shubah, so she married him.”
Arabic:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ الصَّائِغُ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، ‏.‏ أَنَّهُ حِينَ هَلَكَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ مَظْعُونٍ تَرَكَ ابْنَةً لَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ فَزَوَّجَنِيهَا خَالِي قُدَامَةُ وَهُوَ عَمُّهَا وَلَمْ يُشَاوِرْهَا وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَا هَلَكَ أَبُوهَا فَكَرِهَتْ نِكَاحَهُ وَأَحَبَّتِ الْجَارِيَةُ أَنْ يُزَوِّجَهَا الْمُغِيرَةَ بْنَ شُعْبَةَ فَزَوَّجَهَا إِيَّاهُ ‏.
(Sunan Ibn Majah, volume 3, Book 9, Hadith 1878, Sahih Darussalam)

Adab al-Mufrad:

Kathir ibn ‘Ubayd said, “When someone in the family of ‘A’isha had a child, she did not ask, ‘Boy or girl?’ She asked, ‘Was he created well-formed?’ If the answer was ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.'”
Arabic:
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ دُكَيْنٍ، سَمِعَ كَثِيرَ بْنَ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ‏:‏ كَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا إِذَا وُلِدَ فِيهِمْ مَوْلُودٌ، يَعْنِي‏:‏ فِي أَهْلِهَا، لاَ تَسْأَلُ‏:‏ غُلاَمًا وَلاَ جَارِيَةً، تَقُولُ‏:‏ خُلِقَ سَوِيًّا‏؟‏ فَإِذَا قِيلَ‏:‏ نَعَمْ، قَالَتِ‏:‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ‏.‏ (Adab al-Mufrad Book 53, Hadith 1256)

Even Aisha describes herself as being a ‘girl of tender age’, everyone knows that she was never a ‘slave’:

“A’isha reported: We entered into the state of. Ihram for Hajj till we were at Sarif and I was in menses. The Messenger of Allah came to me and I was weeping. The rest of the hadith is the same but (with this portion) that there were sacrificial animals with Allah’s Apostle and with Abu Bakr, Umar and with rich persons. And they pronounced Talbiya as they proceeded on. And there is no mention of this (too):” I was a girl of tender age and I dozed off and my face touched the bind part of the Haudaj.”
Arabic:
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو أَيُّوبَ الْغَيْلاَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ لَبَّيْنَا بِالْحَجِّ حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِسَرِفَ حِضْتُ فَدَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَنَا أَبْكِي ‏.‏ وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِنَحْوِ حَدِيثِ الْمَاجِشُونِ ‏.‏ غَيْرَ أَنَّ حَمَّادًا لَيْسَ فِي حَدِيثِهِ فَكَانَ الْهَدْىُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَذَوِي الْيَسَارَةِ ثُمَّ أَهَلُّوا حِينَ رَاحُوا وَلاَ قَوْلُهَا وَأَنَا جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ أَنْعُسُ فَتُصِيبُ وَجْهِي مُؤْخِرَةُ الرَّحْلِ ‏.‏
(Sahih Muslim Book 7, Hadith 2774)

 

Reading from the above reports on the word ‘Jariyya’ and the context of the letter in relation to Mariah shows that she was not a slave.

5. Prophet Muhammed Married Mariyah

The following historical reports tell us that Prophet Muhammed (p) married Mariyah:

“It is reported from ‘Abdullah al-Zubairi who said: that after this the Noble Prophet married (tazawwaju) Mariah daughter of Sham’un. This is the same Mariyah who was sent by Maqauqis, the ruler of Alexandria to the Prophet as a gift” (Sahih al-Mustadarak Hakim [Published Hyderabad, Deccan], volume 4, page 36).

Tabari (838 – 923 AD):

“God granted Rayhanah bt. Zayd of the Banu Qurayzah to his Messenger. Mariyah the Copt was presented to the Messenger of God, given to him by al-Muqawqis, the ruler of Alexandria, and she gave birth to the Messenger of God’s son Ibrahim. THESE WERE THE MESSENGER OF GOD’S WIVES, six of them were from the Quraysh.” (Tabari volume 9, page 137) [9] [10]

 

Professor of Law Khaled Abou El Fadl also has a report from the Companion of Prophet Muhammed that he had freed her and then married Mariyah:

“MARIYAH (D.16/637)
Known as Umm Ibrahim. Anas reported that she was among the closest to the Prophet. She was a Coptic maiden given to the Prophet Muhammad as a gift from the Egyptian governor of Alexandria, al-Muqawqis, in 6-7/627-629. Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet freed her and THEN MARRIED HER. Mariyah bore the Prophet his son, Ibrahim, who died as an infant shortly before the Prophet’s own death. Reportedly, the Companion Hatib Ibn Abi Balta’a played a major role in Mariyah’s conversion to Islam. After the Prophet’s death, Mariyah continued to live in Medina until she died during Umar’s Caliphate.” [11]

Besides the above, classical to contemporary scholars also were of the view that Muhammed (p) married Mariyah.

Ibn Kathir (1301 – 1373 AD):

“MARIA al-Qibtiyya
Maria al-Qibtiyya (may Allah be pleased with her) is said to have married the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and certainly everyone gave her the same title of respect as the Prophet’s wives, ‘Umm al Muminin’ ‘Mother of the Believers‘. Maria was born in upper Egypt of a Coptic father and Greek mother and moved to the court of the Muqawqis when she was still very young. She arrived in Medina to join the Prophet’s household just after the Prophet returned from the treaty with Quraish which was contracted at al-Hudaybiyya. Maria gave birth to a healthy son in 9 AH, the same year that his daughter Zaynab died, and the Prophet named his new son Ibrahim, after the ancestor of both the Jews and the Christians, the Prophet from whom all the Prophets who came after him were descended. Unfortunately, when he was only eighteen months old, Ibrahim became seriously ill and died. Even though he knew that his small son would go to the Garden, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) could not help shedding some tears. When some of his Companions asked him why he was weeping, he replied, “It is my humanness.”
As Ibrahim’s body was being buried, the sun was eclipsed and it grew dark and gloomy. Some people thought this was connected with Ibrahim’s death, but the Prophet soon clarified this. “The sun and the moon are two of Allah’s signs,” he said, “they are not eclipsed because of anyone’s birth or death. When you see these signs, make haste to remember Allah in prayer.” Although the kafirun used to mock the Prophet Muhammad because he had no sons, and say that he was ‘cut off’ , Allah made it clear in the following surah that the station of the Prophet Muhammad was far above that of any other man; In the name of Allah, The Merciful, the Compassionate: Surely We have given you AL Khawthar, so pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice. Surely he who mocks you is the one cut off. (Quran 108:1-3)
Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets, and Allah has knowledge of all things. (Quran 33:40)
Maria was honored and respected by the Prophet and his family and Companions. She spent three years of her life with the Prophet, until his death, and died five years later in 16 AH, (may Allah be pleased with her) For the last five years of her life, she remained a recluse and almost never went out except to visit the grave of the Prophet or her son’s grave. After her death, Umar ibn al Khattab led the prayer over her and she was buried in al Baqi. [12]

Dr. Hammudah `Abdul-`Ati in his book Islam in Focus. He states:

“4. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) contracted some of his marriages for sociopolitical reasons. His principal concern was the future of Islam. He was interested in strengthening the Muslims by all bonds. That is why he married the young daughter of Abu Bakr, his First Successor, and the daughter of `Umar, his Second Successor. It was by his marriage to Juwayriyyah that he gained the support for Islam of the whole clan of Bani Al-Mustaliq and their allied tribes. It was through marriage to Safiyyah that he neutralized a great section of the hostile Jews of Arabia. By accepting Mariyah, the Copt from Egypt, as his wife, he formed a political alliance with a king of great magnitude. It was also a gesture of friendship with a neighboring king that Muhammad married Zaynab who was presented to him by the Negus of Abyssinia in whose territory the early Muslims found safe refuge.
5. By contracting most of these marriages, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) meant to eliminate the caste or class system, racial and national pride and superiority, and religious prejudices. He married some of the humblest and poorest women. There was his marriage to Mariyah from Egypt, a Jewish woman of a different religion and race, and a girl from Abyssinia. He was not satisfied with merely teaching brotherhood and equality: actions speak louder than words.” (Islam In Focus, by Dr. Hammudah `Abdul-`Ati – Online source)

Dr. Shawqi Abu Khalil:

“The Messenger of Allah married Mariyah al-Qibtiyyah, who became the mother of his son Ibrahim, and Hassan Ibn thabit married Shireen. The rest of the gifts of Al-Muqawqis included the grey mule Duldul who lived until the time of Mu’awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan. He also sent some honey from Binha, some perfume, twenty garments of the fine Egyptian linen and a glass cup which the Prophet used to drink from. He also sent to him a doctor, but the Prophet said to him: ‘Go back to your people, for we are a people who do not eat until we get hungry and when we eat we do not our fill. (al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, volume 1, page 260) [13]

Al-Fawz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir – Shah Waliyullah (1703 – 1762 AD) [Footnote 11]:

“11. Mariyah was a Copt girl, presented to the Holy Prophet by al-Muqawqis, a Roman governor of Egypt (629). The Holy Prophet married her and from her was blessed with his son Ibrahim who died in infancy.” [14]

Shaykh Allama Shibli Nomani:

“in reply to the Prophet’s letter, the Potiphar or the Aziz of Egypt (also known as Mqauqis) addressed the following in Arabic:
To Muhammad Ibn Abdullah fom Muqauqis, the chief of Qibt. Peace to you. I have read your letter and have noted the contents. I knew this much that a Prophet was to come. But I had expected him to appear in Syria. I have extended an honourable welcome to your messenger and I am sending two girls (jariyyatun) who are highly respected among the Qibtis (Egyptians) and I offer as a present some cloth and a mule to ride on. Notwithstanding all that, the Potiphar of Egypt did not embrace Islam. Of the two girls sent by him, one was Mariya Qibtiya, who was married to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the other Sirin, who was married to Hasan the mule was named Duldul, frequently mentioned in books on traditions. In the battle of Hunain, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was on the back of this very animal. Tabari says that Mariya Qibtiya and Sirin were real sisters, and through the teachings of hatib Ibn Abi Balta’a, who had been sent as messenger to the Potiphar of Egypt, both had embraced Islam before reaching the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
What one has to note here is that these ladies were not slave girls and that they had already accepted Islam. We should hence conclude that Mariya Qibtiya entered the Prophet’s household as a duly wedded wife, and not as a slave girl.” [15]

Robert Henry Charles who an was an Irish biblical scholar and theologian, he states the following on Mariyah:

“Muhammad must have come in contact with many of these Copts and listened to their stories. Muhammad’s friendship to Christians of Coptic faith is reflected in many aspects of his life. He is known to have had cordial relations with the Negus of Abyssinia, as indicated by the fact that he advised his followers at a time of persecution to flee there. He married a Coptic wife named Mariya, and he is reported to have advised his followers to be especially kind to the Copts of Egypt, considering them his in-laws.” [16]

6. Conclusion

From the evidences we have seen, one thing that can be drawn is that Prophet Muhammed (p) married Mariyah.

The shallow and deceptive history missionaries try to present on ‘slavery’ [17] [18] and connecting it to Mariyah is alien to the Islam, Muhammed (p) brought 1400 years ago. [19] by Kaleef K. Karim

. Mariyah: Captive Or No Captive by DISCOVER THE TRUTH

Coming back to Mariya: the issue in regards Mariya is that she was not captured in warfare. Egyptians and the Muslims, 1400 years ago had good relations. The Prophet (p) encouraged his companions to take care of the Egyptians and to be kind to them, since he had blood ties, and in-law relations. This report will be further discussed further down.

The late respected scholar Syed Abul Aala Maududi states the following in regards to female captives:

“…according to the Qur’an a slave girl is that woman who falls in the hands of Muslims as a prisoner during the course of war waged in the way of God” (Rasa’il wa Masa’il [3rd edition], volume 3, page 102).

This is the definition of ‘right hand possesses’ (Malakat amainukum), the problem that arises in relation with Mariya is that she was not captured through warfare. She wasn’t even a slave. Historical reports tell us that she came from a very respectable family:

“To Muhammad Ibn Abdullah from Muqauqis, the chief of Qibt. Peace to you. I have read your letter and have noted the contents. I knew this much that a Prophet was to come. But I had expected him to appear in Syria. I have extended an honourable welcome to your messenger and I am sending two girls (jariyyatun) who are highly respected among the Qibtis (Egyptians) and I offer as a present some cloth and a mule to ride on.” (Sirat-un-nabi, volume 2, page 131) [1]

We argued in previous article that the words used in the above report, by no means can refer to a ‘slave’, but rather to a free woman. The particular words used by the Egyptian King on Mariah, ‘who are highly respected among the Qibtis (or Egyptians)’, these are not the words that may possible be applied to a slave, as Shaykh Allama Shibli Nu’mani rightly pointed out too in his book.

Furthermore, the words ‘Jariyya’, some wrongly translated for the report as ‘slave’, historically referred to ‘young girl’. The same exact word is used by Aisha for herself in number of Hadith, we know that Aisha was never a slave. To impose such meaning on to the Hadith would distort the true intended meaning the Hadith wanted to convey.

Abu Nu’aym has a more explicit report wherein he mentions that Mariya was from the Egyptian royal family.

“A King of the Byzantine patriarchs (sic) called al-Muqawqis presented a Coptic girl of ROYAL DESCENT named Mariya, along with a young male cousin of hers. The Messenger of God (SAAS) went in to see her one day when he would go to his private room and consummated with her. (Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, volume 4, page 433) [2]

This report tells us clearly that when Mariya was sent over to Prophet Muhammed, she was part of the Egyptian royal family, most probably a Princess.

4. Mariyah The Wife – Sahih Muslim

There are explicit Hadith wherein Prophet Muhammed (p) ordered his companions to treat Egyptians well. Why did he say this? According to the statement made, he said so because he was married to a woman from Egypt.

Sahih Muslim:

“Abu Dharr reported Allah’s Messenger as saying: You would soon conquer Egypt and that is a land which is known (as the land of al-qirat). So when you conquer it, treat its inhabitants well. For there lies upon you the responsibility because of blood-tie or relationship of MARRIAGE (WITH THEM). And when you see two persons falling into dispute amongst themselves for the space of a brick, than get out of that. He (Abu Dharr) said: I saw Abd al-Rahman b. Shurahbil b. Hasana and his brother Rabi’a disputing with one another for the space of a brick. So I left that (land). (Sahih Muslim Book 31, Hadith 6174)

Riyad as-Salihin:

“Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah said, “You will soon conquer a land where people deal with Qirat.” And according to another version: Messenger of Allah said, “You will soon conquer Egypt where Al-Qirat is frequently mentioned. So when you conquer it, treat its inhabitants well. For there lies upon you the responsibility because of blood ties or MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP (with them)“. (Riyad as-Salihin Book 1, Hadith 328)

Abd al-Hakam:

“Omar, the Commander of the Faithful, told me that he heard the Apostle of God say: ‘God will open Egypt to you after my death. So take good care of the Copts in that country; for they are YOUR KINSMEN and under your protection. Cast down your eyes therefore, and keep your hands off them.” [3]

Al-Mahasin:

“The Copts are the noblest of foreigners; the gentlest of them in action; the most excellent of them in character, and the nearest of them in KINSHIP to the Arabs generally, and to the tribe of Kuraish in particular.” (Al-Mahasin, volume 1, page 33) [4]

Abd al-Hakam, Futuh Misr:

“‘When you conquer Egypt take charge [of the inhabitants], for truly they may claim your protection, AND KINSHIP WITH YOU. (Abd al-Hakam, Futuh Misr… As-Suyuti, Husn al-Muhadarah, vol. 1, p. 50. Cf. Ibn Hisham, Sirah Muhammad, vol. 1, p. 5, and Abu l-Mahasin, vol.1, p. 50) [5]

As-Suyuti:

”…The Apostle of God fell sick and swooned, and when he recovered, he said: Take charge of the men with curling hair. Then he swooned a second time, and when he recovered said the same words. Again he swooned for the third time, and he said the same words. So the bystanders said: Apostle of God commits to our charge the men with curling hair; and when he recovered they asked him his meaning. So he said: The Copts of Egypt are OUR UNCLES AND OUR BROTHERS-IN-LAW, and they shall be your auxiliaries against your enemy and on behalf of your religion. …” (Al-Muhadarah, As-Suyuti, volume 1, page 7) [6]

This woman who Prophet Muhammed (p) is speaking about is none other than Mariya the Copt, who was from Egypt.

Classical Scholars in the past to contemporary times have recognised and acknowledged that these reports (especially Sahih Muslim) clearly tell us that Prophet Muhammed (p) married Mariya.

Scholar Abu Zakariya Yahya Bin Sharaf An-Nawawi Dimashqi (1233 – 1277 AD):

“In this Hadith, the Prophet PBUH) had urged his Companions to treat the Egyptians nicely for the reason of maintaining the ties of kinship and for the fact that Egypt was the country OF HIS IN-LAWS (Mariyah, the mother of Ibrahim, and one of the Prophet’s wives was from that place). This is why this Hadith has been included in the present chapter which deals with the subject of maintaining the ties of kinship. This Hadith is also a Prophecy of the Prophet (PBUH) due to the fact that the Prophecy he had made came true. A short time after his death, Egypt became part of the Muslim empire.” [7]

And

“The scholars say, “The ties of kinship come from the fact that Hajar, the mother of Isma’il, was one of them, and the TIES OF MARRIAGE COME FROM THE FACT THAT MARIA THE MOTHER OF IBRAHIM, the son of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was one of them.” (Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous) 40. Chapter: On dutifulness to parents and maintaining ties of kinship, by An-Nawawi, Aisha Bewley translation, online source)

According to 13th century scholar Imam Nawawi, this hadith tells us that Prophet Muhammed (p) had a wife from Egypt, the only woman who was from Egypt was Mariya.

Similarly, later scholars acknowledged that the Hadith explicitly gives proof that Prophet Muhammed (p) had married Mariya.

The late Pakistani scholar, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, Abdul Hameed Siddiqui (1923 – 1978) states:

“…The reference in this Hadith is to Maria the Copt, Allah be pleased with her, who was the WIFE of the Messenger of Allah and was a native of Egypt.” [8]

Dr. Muhammad Ali al-Hashimi:

“The Ulama explained that rahm here referred to Hajar, the mother of Isma’il, and sihr referred to MARYAH, the mother of Prophet’s son Ibrahim – both of whom came from Egypt. What a display of loyalty, faith found good treatment, which extends to the kinsfolk and countrymen of those two noble women down throughout the ages! The Muslim woman who hears these teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) cannot but uphold her ties with her relatives, offering them her sincere love, keeping constant contact with them and treating them with kindness and respect.” [9]

James Robson, D. Litt., D.D. Emeritus Professor of Arabic comments on this particular Hadith under discussion:

“The reference is to Abraham’s son Ishmael having Hagar as mother, and to MARIYA THE COPT who was sent to the Prophet.” [10]

Dr. Okasha El-Daly:

“…The Prophet of Islam was himself MARRIED TO AN EGYPTIAN NAMED MARIA who was sent to him from Egypt, accompanied by her sister and a servant, carrying with them various gifts. About a dozen of the Prophet’s Hadith (sayings attributed to him) are reported as being in praise of Egypt itself, its produce and its people (Ibn Zahira Mahasin: 74f). According to this tradition, the Copts had kinship (silat Rahim …) with the Arabs and hence enjoyed a close relationship with the new regime (Bashear 1997: 69). The Prophet’s Hadith on the subject of Egypt and its inhabitants probably played an important role in forming the general Moslem view of the country and its people.
The number of Hadiths relating to Egypt and attributed to Prophet varies from one authority to another. Ibn Zahira (Mahazin: 75-77) narrated 10 Hadiths on the virtues of Egypt. An example of this is:

‘You are going to enter Egypt a land where qirat (money unit) is used. Be extremely good to them as they have with us close ties and MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP (dhimah wa Rahim…).

The Prophet is referring here to ties between Arabs and Egyptians that go back to the marriage of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to the Egyptian woman Hajar, the mother of Ismael. Ismael is regarded as Father of the Arabs, whilst Hajar is seen as their mother. It was Ismael and his father who were credited with building the Ka’aba, the most holy place in Islam (Q2:127) and Moslem sources refer to Egyptian craftsmen rebuilding it (Al-Kindi Fadail: 14:12). The Prophet is widely quoted in Moslem sources (eg Al-Kindi Fadail: 14; cf; Gottheil 1907) as having uttered these five Hadiths:

When you enter Egypt after my death, recruit many soldiers from among the Egyptians because they are the best soldiers on earth, as they and their wives are permanently on duty until the day of Resurrection.

Be good to the copts of Egypt; you shall take them over, but they shall be your instrument and help.

Egypt has the best soil on earth and its people are the most generous of all people.

Blessing (al-baraka) was divided into ten parts, nine for Egypt and one for the other lands. This will be always manifest (Baraka…) in Egypt more than other lands.

Be Righteous to Allah about the Copts (itaqu Allah fi al-qibt…)

The Arabs’ respect for and appreciation of these ties with the Copts was not merely an emotional response to the Prophet’s praise, but certainly this very early interest in Egypt on the part of no less an authority than the Prophet would have encouraged writers an travellers not only to observe its monuments, but also to study its history, and contemporary knowledge and practice. This is often explained by the writers themselves in the introduction to their works (eg Ibn Abd Al-Hakam Futuh; Al-Idrisi Anwar; Al-Suyuti Husn). [11]

Besides the above commentaries on the Hadith, other classical scholars in the past to contemporary times have also said that Mariya was a wife of Prophet Muhammed (p), not a concubine.

Ismail Ibn Kathir (1301 – 1373 AD) [12]:

“He also had two WIVES donated to him. The first of these were MARIYA AL-QUBTIYYA al-Misriyya, from Kawrat Ansina, who was the mother of his son Ibrahim, upon whom be peace. The second was Rayhana al-Quraziyya, daughter of Sham’un; she accepted Islam and he manumitted her. She then rejoined her family. …” (Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, volume 4, page 415 – 416) [13]

Ahmad Muhammad El Hawfy (Al-Hufi), Ph.D.,

“Maria was sent to him personally and the Prophet could neither send her back nor offer her to somebody else. Had he done that, he would have hurt the feelings of al Muqawqas and Maria; he would be either refusing the present or too haughty to accept it. HE HAD TO MARRY HER to please them both, and to be an example of a Muslim marrying a believer in the scriptures; such marriage would be an advantage to Islam and an effective means to its propagation.” [14]

Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar:

“The Prophet had three sons, two by Khadijah and Ibrahim, a third son by Maria Qabtiiyah. The first son was named Qasim and the Prophet came to be known as Abu Qasim. The second son, Abdullah was also known as Tahir (the pure) or Tayyab (the good). Both died in their childhood and the disbelievers were overjoyed that the Prophet had no heirs to carry on his noble mission. The third son, Ibrahim was born by HIS WIFE, MARIA QABTIYYA. He also died in infancy. When he saw Ibrahim dieing, he gently picked him up and said that he was helpless and cloud do nothing before the Will of Allah.” [15]

Salem Al-Hasi:

“Mariya was honored and respected by the prophet (pbuh), as well as his family and companions. She also gave birth to the prophet’s son Ibrahim. As any of the prophet’s wives, she is known as Um al-Mo’meneen (Mother of the believers). She spent three years of her life with the prophet, until his death, and died five years later in 16 AH.” (Fatwa – Salem Al-Hasi – online source)

Christopher James Wright:

“…Hatib goes on to say that he remained there several nights and then had a friendly exchange with the Patriarch. As a result of the meeting, the Patriarch sent him back with guards to protect him on his journey home and three slave girls. One of these slaves was MARYA, also known as Umm Ibrahim, who BECAME A WIFE to the Prophet and bore him his favorite son, Ibrahim. 69 (Ibn Abd al-Hakam, page 50) [16]

Encyclopaedia Of Islam:

“836. Ibrahim was the Prophet’s son by his Coptic WIFE Mariyah.” (Encyclopaedia Of Islam, new ed. Ed. H. A. R. Gibb et al. Leiden, 1960) [17]

Professor Paul Gwyne:

“Marriage is considered to be of the utmost importance in Islam and there is extensive material in both the Qur’an and the Hadith on the vital role it plays in the life of faith. It is often described as having both a vertical and a horizontal dimension. On the vertical plane, marriage is understood as an act of worship in that it is pleasing to Allah and fulfils the divine plan. According to tradition, Muhammad declared that no institution is more loved by Allah. Moreover, when a person marries he has completed ‘half of his religious obligations.’ On the horizontal plane, marriage is a legal contract between two individuals. In this sense, it requires the usual elements of any contract: mutual consent between the parties, specified conditions, and public witness.
Box:6.1
THE WIVES OF MUHAMMAD
Khadijah – Widow and Muhammad’s employer who bore him four daughters and two sons but only the girls survived infancy.
Sawda – Widow and early convert to Islam.
Aisha – Daughter of Abu Bakr.
Hafsa – Widowed daughter of Umar.
Zainab bint Khuzayama – Widow from the battle of Badr.
Umm Salama Hind – Widow from the battle of Uhud. …
Juwairiya – Daughter of the leader of the Mustaliq leader. …
Safiyah – Daughter of the leader of the Jewish Nadir tribe. …
MARIA AL-QIBTOYAH – Coptic Christian sent to Muhammed, who bore him a son who died in infancy.” [18]

Dr. Ragheb Elsergany:

“MARIA AL-QIBTIYYA (may Allah be pleased with her) is said to have MARRIED THE PROPHET (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and certainly everyone gave her the same title of respect as the Prophet’s wives, ‘Umm al Muminin’ ‘Mother of the Believers’. Maria was born in upper Egypt of a Coptic father and Greek mother and moved to the court of the Muqawqis when she was still very young. She arrived in Medina to join the Prophet’s household just after the Prophet returned from the treaty with Quraish which was contracted at al-Hudaybiyya. (MARIA al-Qibtiyya by Dr. Ragheb Elsergany – online source)

Conclusion:

We want to conclude our discussion from this article that the evidences presented historically show that Mariyah was married to Prophet Muhammed (p).

In light of the foregoing evidences presented it supports and concludes that Mariyah was Muhammed’s spouse, not a ‘concubine’ as some claim. [19] by Kaleef K. Karim

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Mariyah The Copt And Her Relationship With Muhammed (p) [Part 4]***

Due to the lack of clarity and authenticity of traditional reports, it is difficult for one to find out which report is historically authentic. From an academic point of view, to know whether Maria was Muhammad's concubine or wife may not be possible because many western scholars have questioned the historical reliability of traditional reports on various grounds.^{[24][25via  wikipedia}

Maria al-Qibtiyya - Wikipedia