Inspirational Women Throughout History – Barakah (ra)

Barakah (ra) is one of the first people to become Muslim but we hardly ever discuss her and how amazing she was and I have wanted to share a post about her for a while now. With everything going on in the world at the moment, I thought this would be a great time to share her story.

She was an Abyssinian woman who has been with the Prophet (pbuh) from when he was born to when he died. She was the midwife to his mother so she was there when he was born and she was the first person to hold him as a baby. She outlived the Prophet (pbuh) too so she was there when he passed away.

She is the person who raised him after his mother died when he was a young boy and she was so dedicated to raising him that she refused to get married and only agreed after he was married to Khadijah (ra) and they convinced her that she should live her own life and that they are still nearby.

The Prophet (pbuh) said about her that she is his mother after his mother. When he would see her, he would say that this is the entirety of what is left of my family. He would always introduce her as his mother and would visit her every single day.

She said about him that she never left him and he never left her. They had a beautiful mother son relationship and were very close and they would always laugh and joke with each other.

When he was fighting in any battle she would be there on the sidelines to make sure he was safe she would go around the battle field while keeping her eyes on the Prophet (pbuh) and make sure he wasn’t hurt. She was so fiercely protective over him that in the battle of Uhud when it looked like he would be killed she picked up a sword and ran to defend him, herself. At the end of the battles she would care for the wounded.

As an elderly woman she migrated from Makkah to Medina and during the travel she feared that she would die of thirst as she couldn’t find any water. On her journey she experienced a miracle. She said that when the sun set she saw a bucket coming down from the heavens and she drank from the bucket and then she dumped the rest of the water on herself to cool herself off. After this time she would fast on the hottest of days and do tawaf under the sun and she never became thirsty again for the rest of her life. So acts of worship like fasting became the easiest of acts of worship for her.

The Prophet (pbuh) gave her the glad tidings of Jannah several times during her life.

She was the woman who raised the Prophet (pbuh). In so many ways she was the person closest to him and she was an Abyssinian woman who had been a slave and was freed by the Prophet (pbuh).

Tying this to what is happening in the world; how can you call yourself Muslim and don’t care about Black lives. Because of a Black woman who raised and protected the Prophet (pbuh) we were given Islam.

You can read my previous posts in this series here:

Aisha bint Abu Bakr (ra)

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (ra)

Nusaybah bint Ka’ab (ra)

Fatima al Fihri

Inspirational Women Throughout History – Aisha bint Abu Bakr

Today I am going to talk a little about Aisha bint Abu Bakr (ra). She is one of my favourite women to read about as I find her so inspiring and someone to look up to.

She was an incredible woman, she was a wife of the Prophet (saw) and we know through many narrations that he loved her most from everyone. And when I read about her life and the woman she was I can see why!

She was the most renowned scholar and a teacher and she taught all the companions of the Prophet (saw) especially after his death. If anyone needed clarification on any matters or needed an answer for something they would go to her. She was known to be the most knowledgeable person. She especially excelled in hadith, fiqh, poetry and medicine. She was the type of person who, if she didn’t know or understand something she would go and learn about it until she became confident in that area.

She was a very sharp and feisty woman who stood up for her beliefs and was confident and assertive when it came to correcting people so that misinformation wouldn’t spread. She was also very eloquent in her speech, a great speaker and was even known to be a better speaker than the first four caliphs, Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra), Uthman (ra) and Ali (ra) and these four were known to be some of the best of people and leaders. She was outspoken and voiced her opinions on many matters in Islam, even if the other scholars disagreed she would give her opinion and her evidences for her opinion and always be confident in speaking up.

She spoke up about so many things from women’s rights, to education and so much more.

Her assertiveness and confidence to speak up is even more important to note because she lived in a time when that wasn’t the norm for women to be so outspoken. This slowly changed as Islam spread but she was alive right at the beginning when things were slowly changing. So for her to be so unafraid to speak up against even the men and those in power was something amazing. She did this throughout her life and because of her we have so much information about Islam and the Prophet (saw) and about life at the time.

She narrated 2210 hadith (sayings of the Prophet ) which included things on worship and family and especially women’s health, for example what women can and can’t do on their periods in terms of worship etc. She always shared intimate moments about her life with the Prophet (saw). Things we otherwise would never have known, from how he was in the home, how he spoke to her, how much he joked and made her laugh, how much he expressed his love to her and so attentive to the point that he knew by her changing one word in how she spoke to him that she was mad at him. We would never know any of these things without her.

She preserved so much of Islamic beliefs and worship and so much more because she was one of the best teachers and leaders in education. Without her so much would have been lost to time.

Books To Give You A Spiritual Boost in Ramadan

Growing up I didn’t have much access to attending classes for Islamic studies past learning to read the Quran as a kid so the main way I learnt about Islam was through reading and over the years I have read a lot of books that helped me to learn about Islam.

While I have been attending Islamic classes for about 10 years now I still love reading these books and learn so much and they have helped me get through some really difficult times. So I thought I would share these books and I hope you all benefit from them too!

Spiritual Boosting Books

Prayers of the Pious by Omar Suleiman
Allah Loves by Omar Suleiman
Patience and Gratitude by Ibn al-Qayyim
The Eternal Challenge: A Journey Through the Miraculous Quran by Abu Zakariya
Love and Happiness byYasmin Mogahed
Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed
Signs of the Day of Judgement by Ibn Kathir
Diseases of the Heart and their Cures by Ibn Taymiyyah
The Heart of the Quran by Asim Khan
Al-Ubudiyyah: Being a True Slave of Allah Ibn Taymiyyah
Weakness of Iman – It’s Signs of Weakness, Causes and Cures by Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid
Revive Your Heart by Nouman Ali Khan
Morals and Manners in Islam: A Guide to Islamic Adab by Marwan Ibrahim al-Kaysi
The Abandoned Prayers by Adanan Aali Uroor
Light Upon Light by Nur Fadhilah Wahid
The Relief From Distress by Ibn Taymiyyah
Dua: The Weapon of the Believer by Yasir Qadhi
Lesson from Surah Kahf by Yasir Qadhi
Muhammad: How He Can Make You Extraordinary by Hesham al-Awadi
Children Around the Prophet by Hesham al-Awadi

History Books

Lost Islamic History by Firas Al-Khateeb
Muhammad The Last Prophet by Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi
Misquoting Muhammad by Jonathan A.C. Brown
Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary
Stories of the Prophets by Ibn Kathir
Muslim Girls Rise by Saira Mir
Ibn Battuta: The Journey of a Medieval Muslim by Eduardo Albert
Child Companions Around the Prophet by Sameh Strauch
Sala ad-din and the crusades by Qaiser M. Talib
The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf
When the Moon Split by Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri

Books About Women

The Forgotten Queens of Islam by Fatima Mernissi
Al-Muhaddithaat: Women Scholars in Islam by Akram Nadwi
Beyond the Veil by Fatima Mernissi
Women in Islam: Challenging Narratives by Ismail Adam Patel
Islam: The Empowering of Women by Aisha Bewley
Muslim Women: A Biographical Dictionary by Aisha Bewley
It’s Noy About the Burqa edited by Mariam Khan
Women in the Quran by Asma Lamrabet
The Veil and the Male Elite by Fatima Mernissi
Golden Stories of Sayyida Khadijah by Abdul Malik Mujahid
A History of Islam in 21 Women by Hossein Kamaly
Believing Women in Islam by Asma Barlas
Gendered Morality by Zahra Ayubi

Other

Secrets to a Successful Marriage by Afshan Khan
Green Deen: What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Planet by Abdul-Matin
The Unchallengeable Miracles of the Quran by Yusuf Al-hajj Ahmad
Slavery and Islam by Jonathan A.C. Brown
Hadith: The Foundations of Islam by Jonathan A.C. Brown
Islamic Medicine: Key to a Better Life by Yusuf Al-Hajj Ahmad
Worship During Menses by Muhammad al-Jibaly
The Quest for Love and Mercy by Muhammad al-Jibaly
Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet by Ibn Qayyim
The Productive Muslim by Mohammad Faris
Scents and Flavors by Charles Perry

I hope you’re able to find something you want to read and I am always happy to answer any questions or give you other book recommendations if you’re looking for something specific!

This isn’t all the books I own but ones I definitely recommend!

March 2020 Wrap Up

Wow this month has been…a month. With everything going on in the world, it’s been a lot to deal with. I’ve been staying at home but my husband is a health care worker so he is still going to work.

But as I am at home and not having to work as many hours I had more time to read and relax. I also signed up to the 30 days free on scribd which I am absolutely loving and have gone through so many audiobooks since I started using it!

Aside from reading I have also announced my Welcome to Daevabad box which is available to buy on my etsy page! It will have 11 items and I have done several supplier and artist reveals on my Instagram page. If you love the Daevabad trilogy then do check it out!

So back to the books I read this month!

1 Once Upon an Eid edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed – This book is pure joy! It was such a wonderful book to read and had me sobbing and crying happy tears. Go preorder this book!

Rating: 5/5

2 More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed Masood – I was so beyond disappointed by this book. Youc an read my review here

Rating: 1/5

3 The Wolf of Oren Yaro by K.S. Villoso – I enjoyed this book I especially loved the world and how flawed and complex the main character was

Rating: 3/5

4 There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon – This book was absolutely adorable! I loved the body positivity in it too

Rating: 5/5

5 Split by Muhammad Khan – This short story was a world book day book and it was really great to see a character that had been mentioned but not one we got to see much of

Rating: 4/5

6 More to the Story by Hena Khan – This was such a wonderful retelling of Little Women I absolutely adored it!

Rating: 5/5

7 Misogynation by Laura Bates – This was a really interesting read and made me so mad at times. Highly recommend listening to it

Rating: 5/5

8 We Should all be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche – A reread which I enjoyed just as much the second time

Rating: 5/5

9 The Austen Girls by Lucy Worsley – This was a lovely book where we get to see Jane Austen through the eyes of her niece.

Rating: 3/5

10 Outspoken by Veronica Reuckert – This book challenged me and taught me a lot.

Rating: 3.5/5

11 A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir – Wow! I loved the sequel even more the second time reading it and I cannot wait to dive into Reaper next month!

Rating: 5/5

12 Dear Ijewale by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche – Another reread which I did enjoy reading again

Rating: 4/5

13 Period Power by Nadya Okomato – I loved this book so much! Especially that it was inclusive of people of colour and was not condescending (like I have seen in other period books) towards other people’s faith or beliefs

Rating: 5/5

14 Yes, I’m Hot in This by Huda Fahmy – I needed a good laugh and this book delivered!

Rating 5/5

15 The Fever King by Victoria Lee – I enjoyed this book but I did feel it dragged a lot in the middle

Rating: 3/5

16 Pride by Ibi Zoboi – I was totally hooked on this book right from the beginning! I loved it so much!

Rating: 5/5

17 The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell – A reread so I can read the sequel and I loved it even more!

Rating: 4.5/5

18 The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty – This book was PHENOMENAL. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. I cannot put into words how much I loved this book and this whole trilogy!

Rating: 5/5

I also started Finale by Stephanie Garber by ended up DNFing about 100 pages in because I realised I didn’t care what happened. I really loved Caraval but I didn’t enjoy Legendary much or Finale enough to finish it.

So that’s everything I read this month!

I also shared reviews for these books:

That Can Be Arranged by Huda Fahmy
Thorn by Intisar Khanani
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn

I also wrote these blog posts this month:

What Made Me A Reader for World Book Day
I shared my journey with feminism and What Feminism Means To Me
I shared a reflection on a theme that is throughout the Quran. Talking about how remembering Jannah (paradise) helps me through difficult times. You can read it here

I started a new blog series about Inspirational Muslim Women throughout History. Here are the posts I shared this month

1 Nusaybah bin Ka’ab – A warrior and activist
2 Khadijah bint Khuwaylid – A businesswoman and first person to become Muslim

So that’s everything for this month! What was your favourite read? Share any blog posts you loved reading or writing so I can check them out!

Inspirational Women Throughout History – Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid (ra)

This post is about the woman that I love most, who has been my role model for most of my life, Khadijah (ra). Out of all the women I want to share with you, her post will be the most difficult for me to write because once I start talking about her, I just can’t stop. I have spent so long learning about her life that I have SO MUCH I want to say about her.

She was an extraordinary woman in so many ways, a successful businesswoman, a wife, a mother, a leader, the first Muslim, a woman promised paradise. Who was given the honour of receiving salaam from Allah himself through Jibreel. If there was only one person throughout history that I could meet, it would be her.

She was a unique woman especially in pre-Islamic Arabia. Not only was she a successful businesswoman. She owned the most successful and wealthiest business in all of Quraysh. If you put her caravans next to the caravans of every other caravan of Quraysh, hers would be more. She became known as the Princess of Quraysh.

But being so wealthy and having such a high position in society didn’t make her arrogant or proud, she was known for being humble and generous with her wealth. She had a green silk pavilion over the roof of her home which was a sign for the poor and needy that they could go to her to get help.

She had been married and widowed twice by the age of 25 and then didn’t marry for 15years. When she did decide to marry, she proposed to him, who would eventually become the Prophet (saw). She told him that she fell for him because of his noble character and truthful tongue. And of course, their marriage is a love story for the ages.

Even after she married the Prophet (saw), he continued to work for her and they had a wonderful marriage. They were a very prominent couple in society, he was known as Amin (the truthful one) and she was known as Taherah (the pure one) and they were very involved in society. They adopted orphaned kids alongside raising their own. She continued to prosper in her business.

After revelation came to the Prophet (saw) their circumstances changed as they were shunned from society along with everyone else who became Muslim and when the tribes boycotted the Muslims and people began dying from thirst and starvation she used up all her wealth to buy as much food as she could to distribute to those suffering and eventually died as a result of the boycott. She was in her 60s by then and when she passed away that year became known as the year of sorrow because of how much it affected the Prophet (saw).

She was a woman who was smart and resourceful, she was a kind and generous person who helped those in need and she made a huge impact in society and history because it was through her support and faith in the Prophet (saw) that helped him to spread the message about Islam. She was instrumental in the beginning and despite her never having lived long enough after revelation to fast Ramadan or pray the 5 daily prayers she has the highest status in Islam and the Prophet (saw) said that four women perfected their faith and she was among those four.

You can also read my first post about Nusaybah here