Honour & Respect Granted by the Holy Prophet (sas)

Since the age of ignorance, women had the right to give shelter to the captive and the oppressed. Keeping that in mind, our beloved master, Prophet Muhammad (sas), guarded the status of Muslim women and their dignity, and gave them permission to harbour one or two men. Hazrat Umme Haani (ra) had a loving and respecting relationship with her in-laws. She gave asylum to two men, from her husband’s family, who had been ordered for execution. The Holy Prophet (sas) accepted her decision. Hazrat Umme Haani (ra) narrates this incident as follows:

When the Messenger (sas) of Allah set his mobile military camp on the upper side of Makkah, two men from Banu Makhzoom ran towards me. My brother Alira bin Abi Taalib entered right behind them and declared that he swore by God to kill them! I closed the front door and told him that I gave them my protection. Then I went to the Holy Prophet (sas), who said, ‘O Umme Haani, welcome! What brings you here?’ I told him about the incident of the two men and Ali entering my house. The Holy Prophet (sas) said, ‘Whosoever is under your asylum is protected by me; Ali (ra) will not kill them.’1

This episode made the companions of the Prophet (sas) recognize Hazrat Umme Haani’s (ra) honour and prestige because the Holy Prophet (sas) respected her and held her in high esteem. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) had a lot of affection for Hazrat Umme Haani (ra). He would console her, be aware of her circumstances and often showed her love and kindness by visiting her. Once he said to her, ‘Umme Haani (ra)! Take a goat; it is a blessed animal.’2

Hazrat Umme Haani (ra) was also blessed to have the youngest daughter of the Holy Prophet (sas), Hazrat Faatimah (ra), as her brother’s Ali’s (ra) wife. This gave Hazrat Ali (ra) the honour of becoming the son-in-law of the Holy Prophet (sas). Hazrat Umme Haani’s (ra) closeness to the Holy Prophet (sas) increased even more. She took special care about the comfort of the Holy Prophet (sas). Some references suggest that when her children were younger, she did not visit the Holy Prophet (sas) that often. Once, Hazrat Abbaas (ra) [her Uncle] mentioned to her that the Holy Prophet (sas) was inquiring about her. She said, ‘My children are young; I don’t want them to annoy or disturb him.’