Asma bint Umays

Asma bint Umais ( _ar. أسماء بنت عميس) from the Banu Hashim tribe was a Sahaba (a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad). Her grave can be found in Baab Sagheer cemetery, Damascus, Syria.

Family

Her father was Umays ibn Ma'ad and her mother is Hind bint Awf. Her half sister was Maymuna bint al-Harith, one of Muhammad's wives. Her full sister Salma bint Umays married Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib.

First marriage

Her first husband was Ja'far ibn Abu Talib, also of the Banu Hashim. She had children with Ja'far. In 8 AH Ja'far was killed in Battle of Mu'tah which was fought against Byzantium along with Zayd ibn Harithah (Muhammad's adopted son), and Mutah is in the south of Jordan and Ja'far's tomb is there.

She was in the Migration to Abbysian with her husband and a group of Muslims several years before Hijra.It is also known that Ja'far returned to Medina after the Muslims conquered Khaybar in 5 AH.Ja'far ibn Abu Talib died in the Battle of Mut'ah.

econd husband

After Ja'fars death she married Abu Bakr (after the hijra). She was present at the house of Ali at the time when Fatima bint Muhammad has died.

Asma, when married to Abu Bakr, was expecting their child but did not want to miss Muhammad's last pilgrimage even though her delivery was near and so she decided to accompany her husband. On one of the stops along the pilgrimage route, Asma gave birth to their son who they named Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr planned to send Asma and their child back to Medina, but when Muhammad learned of his intent he told him to let her continue by making the major ablution, and then rededicating herself in offering the pilgrimage. [http://www.islamic-paths.org/Home/English/Muhammad/Book/Millennium_Biography/Chapter_132.htm]

Third husband

When Abu Bakr died, Asma married Ali ibn Abu Talib. Both Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr and Umm Kulthum bint Abu Bakr went to Ali's household after she remarried. It is said that since Aisha had the authority, Umm Kulthum bint Abu Bakr married Umar. In that case, she became one of many "Umm Kulthum" Umar ibn al-Khattab married.

Legacy

She was regarded as a scholar of Islam.fact|date=April 2007

Historical Controversy

The following historians state that she was present at Fatima's wedding ceremony in 1AH:
*The author of Kashf Al-Ghummah
*Hadhrami in Rashfat al-Sadi, p.10
*Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in al-Manaqib
*Al-Haithami in Majma' Az-Zawaed
*Nisaee in Khasaes pg 31
*Muhib Ad-Din Tabari in Dhakhaer al-Uqbi.

They depend on the narrations of: Abu Abbas Khawarazmi from Al-Hussain Ibn Ali (A), Sayid Jalal al-Din Abu al-Hamid Ibn Fakhr al-Musawi, and Dulabi from Imam Baqir and his father (A)

This is a historical problem that has not yet been solved despite the various attempts made by Sheikh Majlisi in Bihar v.10.

It is also narrated that she was present during the marriage of Aisha.

One theory states that Asma Bint Umais had actually immigrated with her husband to Habashah, but repeatedly returned to Mecca and Medina. The distance between Jedda and Habashah is limited to that of the width of the Red Sea, which in not so difficult for a journey. One narration makes a mentions of Ja'far supporting this stance. [http://al-islam.org/gracious/29.htm]

External links

* [http://www.crescentlife.com/thisthat/feminist%20muslims/women_and_politics.htm Crescentlife.com - Women and Politics]