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Safiyah: Difference between revisions
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{{Quote|2='''The Marriage of the Prophet(P) to Safiyyah(R)'''<br> | {{Quote|2='''The Marriage of the Prophet(P) to Safiyyah(R)'''<br> | ||
Safiyyah was the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the undisputed leader of the Banu al-Nadir as well as a Jewish rabbi. Hence, she was of noble regal and rabbinical heritage. She became a captive of the Muslims when they seized al-Qamus, the fortress of Khaybar. When a Companion of the Prophet(P) heard of Safiyyah’s captivity, he approached the Prophet(P) with a suggestion that since she was a lady of Banu al-Nadir, only the Prophet(P) was fit enough to marry her. The Prophet(P) agreed to this suggestion and hence granted her freedom and married her.}} | Safiyyah was the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the undisputed leader of the Banu al-Nadir as well as a Jewish rabbi. Hence, she was of noble regal and rabbinical heritage. She became a captive of the Muslims when they seized al-Qamus, the fortress of Khaybar. When a Companion of the Prophet(P) heard of Safiyyah’s captivity, he approached the Prophet(P) with a suggestion that since she was a lady of Banu al-Nadir, only the Prophet(P) was fit enough to marry her. The Prophet(P) agreed to this suggestion and hence granted her freedom and married her.|Muhammad Husayn Haykal, The Life of Muhammad (North American Trust Publications, 1976), p. 373}} | ||
The author above makes no mention of the role played by Safiyyah's beauty in the story. | The author above makes no mention of the role played by Safiyyah's beauty in the story. | ||
{{Quote|2=This significant act of marrying Safiyyah(R) was indeed a great honour for her, for this not only preserved her dignity, it also prevented her from becoming a slave. Haykal notes that: | {{Quote|2=This significant act of marrying Safiyyah(R) was indeed a great honour for her, for this not only preserved her dignity, it also prevented her from becoming a slave. Haykal notes that: | ||
:The Prophet granted her freedom and then married her, following the examples of great conquerors who married the daughters and wives of the kings whom they had conquered, partly in order to alleviate their tragedy and partly to preserve their dignity.<sup>1</sup>}} | :The Prophet granted her freedom and then married her, following the examples of great conquerors who married the daughters and wives of the kings whom they had conquered, partly in order to alleviate their tragedy and partly to preserve their dignity.<sup>1</sup>|John L. Esposito, Islam: The Straight Path, pp. 19-20 | ||
Conquerors in pre-modern times generally married the daughters and wives of the kings whom they had conquered to give themselves legitimacy as the new rulers (in addition, of course, to slaking their lust with women who could not refuse their offers of marriage). The feelings and dignity of the girls and women were the least of a conqueror's concern. In medieval England, for example, the Norman conquerors occasionally used intermarriage to claim land. | }} | ||
Conquerors in pre-modern times generally married the daughters and wives of the kings whom they had conquered to give themselves legitimacy as the new rulers (in addition, of course, to slaking their lust with women who could not refuse their offers of marriage). The feelings and dignity of the girls and women were the least of a conqueror's concern. In medieval England, for example, the Norman conquerors occasionally used intermarriage to claim land. The marriage to Safiyyah(R) has a political significance as well, as it helps to reduce hostilities and cement alliances. John L. Esposito notes that | |||
{{Quote|2= | {{Quote|2=As was customary for Arab chiefs, many were political marriages to cement alliances. Others were marriages to the widows of his companions who had fallen in combat and were in need of protection.<sup>2</sup>|}} | ||
Esposito posits peacemaking as a goal of the marriage, yet the tribe that Saffiyyah hailed from was and continued to be at war with the Muslims and was eventually expelled from Arabia according to traditional sources. | Esposito posits peacemaking as a goal of the marriage, yet the tribe that Saffiyyah hailed from was and continued to be at war with the Muslims and was eventually expelled from Arabia according to traditional sources. | ||
{{Quote|2=Indeed, when Bilal ibn Rabah(R), a Companion of the Prophet, brought Safiyyah along with another Jewess before him(P) by passing through the Jews that were slain in the battle, Muhammad(P) personally chided Bilal and said “Have you no compassion, Bilal, when you brought two women past their dead husbands?”<sup>3</sup>}} | {{Quote|2=Indeed, when Bilal ibn Rabah(R), a Companion of the Prophet, brought Safiyyah along with another Jewess before him(P) by passing through the Jews that were slain in the battle, Muhammad(P) personally chided Bilal and said “Have you no compassion, Bilal, when you brought two women past their dead husbands?”<sup>3</sup>|3. A. Guillaume (trans.), The Life of Muhammad: A translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah (Oxford University Press, 1978), p. 515 | ||
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In the above passage, one might surmise that Kinana was killed in battle, when actually he was murdered after the battle while he was a prisoner of war. | In the above passage, one might surmise that Kinana was killed in battle, when actually he was murdered after the battle while he was a prisoner of war. | ||
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{{Quote|2=Sources:<br> | {{Quote|2=Sources:<br> | ||
4. An account of how Safiyyah’s loyalty was affirmed by the Prophet(P) himself is recorded in Muhammad Husayn Haykal, op. cit., p. 374, of which an online document can be found.<br> | 4. An account of how Safiyyah’s loyalty was affirmed by the Prophet(P) himself is recorded in Muhammad Husayn Haykal, op. cit., p. 374, of which an online document can be found.<br> | ||
5. Martin Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based On The Earliest Sources (George Allen & Unwin, 1983), p. 269}} | 5. Martin Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based On The Earliest Sources (George Allen & Unwin, 1983), p. 269|}} | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||