Nisa al-Nabi
- Author died
- 1439 AH
- Editions
- Dar wa-Maktabat al-Hilal
Nisa al-Nabi (The Prophet's Wives) is a biographical work by al-Sayyid al-Jumayli (d. 1439 AH / 2018 CE) focusing on the lives of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Mariyah al-Qibtiyyah.
Composition and Purpose
Al-Jumayli completed the work in al-Ma'adi, Cairo, in Rabi' al-Akhar 1414 AH (October 1993 CE), dedicating it to his young daughter Du'a'. In the preface, he frames the study around the elevated status and rights granted to women by Islam in contrast to pre-Islamic Arabia, where practices like female infanticide (wa'd al-banat) were prevalent. He highlights the Mothers of the Believers and early female companions as exemplary models who steadfastly supported the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and aided the Muslim community, including providing water and tending to the wounded during battles.
Method and Sources
The author points out that compiling comprehensive biographical accounts of the Prophet's wives poses significant challenges due to the scarcity and dispersion of dedicated historical sources. To address this, he relies on classical biographical and historical authorities, documenting source references in the footnotes for readers seeking further detail. Among the primary works referenced throughout the entries are Tarikh al-Tabari by al-Tabari, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa'd, Sifat al-Safwah by Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Isabah by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Tarikh al-Khamis, and Ansab al-Ashraf by al-Baladhuri.
Structure and Contents
Following the dedication and introduction, the book is organized into twelve individual biographical chapters, followed by a list of primary references:
- Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
- Sawdah bint Zam'ah
- A'ishah bint Abi Bakr
- Hafsah bint 'Umar
- Zaynab bint Khuzaymah
- Hind bint Abi Umayyah (Umm Salamah)
- Zaynab bint Jahsh
- Juwayriyah bint al-Harith al-Khuza'iyyah
- Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab
- Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan (Umm Habibah)
- Maymunah bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyyah
- Mariyah al-Qibtiyyah
Each chapter outlines the subject's lineage, early background, marriage to the Prophet ﷺ, major life events, and virtues. The book concludes with a bibliography of principal sources.
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