The correct answer is Hazrat Hafsa (R.A). The marriage between Hazrat Hafsa bint Umar (RA) and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took place around 3 AH (After Hijrah), corresponding to 625 AD. This union was not only a profound personal partnership... Read More
The correct answer is Hazrat Hafsa (R.A). The marriage between Hazrat Hafsa bint Umar (RA) and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took place around 3 AH (After Hijrah), corresponding to 625 AD. This union was not only a profound personal partnership but also a significant diplomatic and social alignment within the early Muslim community in Madina, cementing ties between the Prophet and one of his closest and most influential companions, Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA).
Hazrat Hafsa (RA) was born to Hazrat Umar (RA) and Zainab bint Madhun before the commencement of Islam. She grew up during the tumultuous era of early Makkah, where her family faced severe persecution from the ruling Quraysh tribe due to their acceptance of the Islamic faith. Demonstrating the same resilience as her father, she participated in the historic migration (Hijrah) from Makkah to Madina to escape religious oppression.
Prior to her marriage to the Prophet (PBUH), Hazrat Hafsa was married to Khunais ibn Hudhafah, a companion who had fought in the vital battles of Badr and Uhud. Khunais sustained severe injuries during the Battle of Uhud and eventually passed away in Madina, leaving Hazrat Hafsa a widow at a young age.
Following the passing of Khunais, Hazrat Umar (RA) sought to ensure the well-being of his widowed daughter. According to historical accounts in classical biographical literature, Hazrat Umar approached some of the senior companions to propose marriage, but circumstances did not align. Eventually, the matter came to the attention of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who proposed to Hazrat Hafsa himself.
This marriage served to strengthen the familial and political bonds between the Prophet and Hazrat Umar. In pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabian society, marital alliances among tribal leaders and prominent companions were a primary mechanism for solidifying unity, trust, and mutual support within the leadership core of the emerging commonwealth.
As one of the Umm-ul-Momineen (Mothers of the Believers), Hazrat Hafsa (RA) occupied a position of immense respect and responsibility. She was known for her piety, devotion to prayer, and sharp intellect. Unlike many women of her time, she was literate, a skill she utilized to study and record religious teachings.
Her most monumental contribution to Islamic history lies in the preservation of the Quran. Following the Battle of Yamama, where many memorizers (Huffaz) of the Quran achieved martyrdom, concerns arose regarding the preservation of the sacred text. After the primary compilation was completed under the first Caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA), the master manuscript was entrusted to Hazrat Hafsa for safekeeping. This authentic manuscript, often referred to as the Mushaf of Hafsa, served as the foundational standard utilized by Hazrat Uthman (RA) during the official standardization and mass reproduction of the Quran across the expanding Islamic empire.
Hazrat Hafsa (RA) lived a long life dedicated to scholarship and worship, passing away in Madina around 45 AH during the caliphate of Muawiyah I. Her life remains a cornerstone of early Islamic history, reflecting the intersection of family politics, personal resilience, and the institutional preservation of the faith.
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