Mariyah al Qibtiyyah

Mariyah al Qibtiyyah was the mother of Ibrahim, the son of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/310–311). She was sent from Egypt in the year 7 AH by al Muqawqis, the ruler of Alexandria, together with her sister Sirin, 1000 mithqals of gold, 20 soft garments, the mule al Duldul, the donkey Ufair, also said to be Yafur, and a eunuch called Mabur, who was an elderly man and the brother of Mariyah (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/310; Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/170–171).

All of this was sent with Hatib ibn Abi Baltaah رضي الله عنه, who presented Islam to Mariyah and Sirin, and they both accepted Islam, while Mabur remained upon his religion until he later accepted Islam in Madinah during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/310; Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/170–171).

Her Place with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

Mariyah was fair skinned and beautiful, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ admired her. He settled her in al Aliyah in the property later known as Mashrabat Umm Ibrahim, and he used to go to her there. He placed hijab upon her, and she was his surriyyah. Ibn Sad also mentions that when she first arrived she was placed in the house of Harithah ibn al Numan رضي الله عنه, and from there she was later moved to al Aliyah (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/171). Al Baladhuri added that her mother was Roman, and described Mariyah as fair skinned, curly haired, and beautiful (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/310).

Her Giving Birth to Ibrahim

Mariyah became pregnant by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and gave birth to Ibrahim in Dhu al Hijjah in the year 8 AH at al Aliyah (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/310; Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/171). Salma, the freedwoman of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, assisted at the birth, and Abu Rafi رضي الله عنه brought the glad tidings to the Prophet ﷺ, who gifted him a slave. The Ansar showed great care regarding Ibrahim and wished that Mariyah would be left free for the Prophet ﷺ because they knew how much affection he had for her. It is also reported that when she gave birth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Her child has set her free” (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/173; Sunan Ibn Majah, 2516).

What Is Mentioned About Her Among the Mothers of the Believers

Aishah رضي الله عنها said that she was not jealous of any woman as she was jealous of Mariyah, because she was beautiful, had curly hair, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ admired her. She said that when Mariyah was first placed near them, the Prophet ﷺ spent much of the day and night with her, and when Mariyah was later moved to al Aliyah, that became even harder upon them (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/310; Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/171). She also said that Allah gave him a child through Mariyah while they were deprived of that (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/171). The passage also mentions the report that the Prophet ﷺ forbade Mariyah to himself and swore not to approach her, and because of that verses from Surah al Tahrim were mentioned. The same passage notes that the report linking this event to Mariyah is treated there as shaadh (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/172).

The Report About the Coptic Man

Ibn Sad mentions the report of Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه that a Coptic man used to come to Mariyah bringing her water and firewood, and people spoke badly about that (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/172; al Mujam al Awsat, 4/89; Muslim, 2771; Ahmad, 13989; al Hakim, 6824). When this reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he sent Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/172–173). In 1 report, Ali found the man on a palm tree, and when the man uncovered himself it became clear that he was castrated (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/172). In another report, he dropped a water pot and climbed a palm tree, then uncovered himself, and it became clear that he was castrated (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/173). Ali then returned and informed the Prophet ﷺ (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/172–173). After that, Jibril came and said, “Peace be upon you, O Abu Ibrahim,” which reassured the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/172; al Mujam al Awsat, 4/89).

Her Sister Sirin and Her Household

Sirin, the sister of Mariyah, was given by the Prophet ﷺ to Hassan ibn Thabit رضي الله عنه, and she gave birth to Abd al Rahman (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/172–173). A report from Sirin mentions that she and her sister were present when Ibrahim was near death, and that after he died the Prophet ﷺ forbade wailing. The same report mentions that al Fadl ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه washed Ibrahim, that al Abbas رضي الله عنه stood by the grave, and that al Fadl and Usamah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنهما entered into the grave. It also mentions that the sun eclipsed on the day of Ibrahim’s death, and that the Prophet ﷺ said it does not eclipse for the death or life of anyone (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/173; Sahih al Bukhari, 1403).

Her Final Years and Death

After the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Mariyah observed a waiting period of 3 menstrual cycles (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/174). Abu Bakr al Siddiq رضي الله عنه spent on her until he died, then Umar ibn al Khattab رضي الله عنه supported her until she died in his caliphate (Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/174).

Al Waqidi said that she died in Muharram in the year 16 AH, and that Umar gathered the people for her funeral prayer, prayed over her, and that her grave was in al Baqi (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/311; Kitab al Tabaqat al Kubra, 8/174). Ibn Mandah said that she died 5 years after the Prophet ﷺ (Kitab al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/311).

Ibn Hajar’s Biography Of Her

Māriyah al Qibṭiyyah

The mother of the child of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Ibn Saʿd mentioned through the route of ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Abi Ṣaʿṣaʿah, who said: al Muqawqis, the ruler of Alexandria, sent to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the year 7 AH Māriyah and her sister Sīrīn, along with 1000 mithqāl of gold, 20 soft garments, his mule al Duldul, and his donkey ʿUfayr, and it is also said Yaʿfūr. Along with them he sent a eunuch called Maʾbūr, an elderly man who was the brother of Māriyah. He sent all of this with Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Baltaʿah.

Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Baltaʿah presented Islam to Māriyah and encouraged her towards it, so she accepted Islam. Her sister also accepted Islam. The eunuch remained upon his religion until later, when he accepted Islam in Madinah during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Māriyah was fair skinned and beautiful. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ settled her in al ʿĀliyah on land that later became known as the residence of Umm Ibrāhīm. He used to go to her there. He had relations with her as a slave woman under his ownership, and despite this he placed the veil upon her. She became pregnant by him and gave birth there in Dhū al Ḥijjah in the year 8 AH.

Through the route of ʿAmrah from ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها, she said: No woman ever caused me more jealousy than Māriyah. That was because she was beautiful with curly hair, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ admired her. When she first arrived, he placed her in a house belonging to Ḥārithah ibn al Nuʿmān, and she was our neighbour. He would spend most of the night and day with her until we became uneasy because of it. I felt distressed, so he moved her to al ʿĀliyah. He used to go to her there, and that was even more difficult for us.

In the chain there is also a report from al Wāqidī, who said: Māriyah was among those who dug the canal of al Ṣafā.

Al Balādhurī said: The mother of Māriyah was Roman, and Māriyah was fair skinned, curly haired, and beautiful.

Al Bazzār reported with a good chain from ʿAbd Allah ibn Buraydah from his father, who said: The ruler of the Copts gifted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ two slave girls and a mule. The Prophet ﷺ used to ride the mule in Madinah, and he took one of the slave girls for himself. Her mention has already appeared in the biography of her son Ibrāhīm, and also in the biography of the eunuch Maʾbūr, and in the biography of Ṣāliḥ.

Al Wāqidī said: Mūsā ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm narrated to me from his father that Abū Bakr used to spend on Māriyah until he died, then ʿUmar supported her until she passed away during his caliphate.

Al Wāqidī said: She died in Muḥarram in the year 16 AH. ʿUmar gathered the people so they could attend her funeral prayer, and he prayed over her in al Baqīʿ.

Ibn Mandah said: Māriyah died 5 years after the Prophet ﷺ.

Kitāb al-Iṣābah fī Tamyīz al-Ṣaḥābah by Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī 8/310–311

Ibn Sa’d Biography Of Her

Mariyah, the mother of Ibrahim, the son of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Yaʿqub ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Saʿsaʿah narrated to me from ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Abi Saʿsaʿah who said:

Al Muqawqis, the ruler of Alexandria, sent to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the year 7 AH Mariyah and her sister Sirin, together with 1000 mithqals of gold, 20 soft garments, his mule al Duldul, and his donkey ʿUfayr, which is also said to have been called Yaʿfur. With them was a eunuch called Mabur, an elderly man who was the brother of Mariyah. All of this was sent with Hatib ibn Abi Baltaʿah.

Hatib ibn Abi Baltaʿah presented Islam to Mariyah and encouraged her toward it, so she accepted Islam, and her sister also accepted Islam. The eunuch remained upon his religion until he later accepted Islam in Madinah during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ admired the mother of Ibrahim, and she was fair skinned and beautiful. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ settled her in al ʿAliyah in the property that is today known as Mashrabat Umm Ibrahim. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to go to her there, and he placed the veil upon her. He had relations with her by right of ownership.

When she became pregnant she gave birth there, and Salma, the freedwoman of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, assisted her in childbirth. Then Abu Rafiʿ, the husband of Salma, came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and gave him the glad tidings of Ibrahim. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gifted him a slave. This occurred in Dhu al Hijjah in the year 8 AH.

The Ansar competed concerning Ibrahim, and they wished to free Mariyah for the Prophet ﷺ because they knew of his affection for her.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Musa ibn Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Harithah ibn al Nuʿman narrated to me from his father from ʿAmrah from ʿAʾishah رضي الله عنها who said:

“I was never jealous of any woman as I was jealous of Mariyah, because she was among the most beautiful of women and had curly hair. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ admired her.

When she first arrived he settled her in the house of Harithah ibn al Nuʿman, and she was our neighbour. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spent most of the day and night with her until we became accustomed to that. I became upset, so he moved her to al ʿAliyah.

He would go to her there, and that became even more difficult for us. Then Allah granted him a child from her while we were deprived of that.”

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Muslim narrated to us from al Zuhri (d. 124 AH) from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه who said:

“The mother of Ibrahim was the slave woman of the Prophet ﷺ in her residence.”

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH) narrated to us from Zayd ibn Aslam (d. 136 AH) that the Prophet ﷺ forbade the mother of Ibrahim to himself and said:

“She is forbidden for me,” and he said, “By Allah, I will not approach her.”

Then the verse was revealed:

Allah has already ordained for you the dissolution of your oaths (al Tahrim 2).

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH) said: “Declaring something forbidden has no effect with slave women. If a man says to his slave woman: you are forbidden to me, it means nothing. But if he says: by Allah I will not approach you, then expiation is required.”

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Abu Hatim narrated to me from Juwaybir from al Dahhak (d. 105 AH) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade his slave woman to himself, but Allah did not permit that for him. Allah returned her to him and he performed expiation for his oath.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Maʿmar (d. 153 AH) narrated to us from Qatadah (d. 117 AH) who said: “He declared her forbidden, and that was counted as an oath.”

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Sufyan al Thawri (d. 161 AH) narrated to us from Dawud ibn Abi Hind (d. 140 AH) from al Shaʿbi (d. 103 AH) from Masruq (d. 63 AH) who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took an oath of abstention from his slave woman and declared her forbidden, so Allah revealed concerning the oath: Allah has already ordained for you the dissolution of your oaths (al Tahrim 2).

And Allah revealed: O Prophet, why do you forbid what Allah has made lawful for you (al Tahrim 1).

The meaning of declaring something forbidden is nothing in relation to slave women.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Suwayd ibn ʿAbd al Aziz narrated to me from Ishaq ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi Farwah (d. 144 AH) from al Qasim ibn Muhammad (d. 106 AH) who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was alone with his slave woman Mariyah in the house of Hafsah. The Prophet ﷺ came out while she was sitting at its door. She said: “O Messenger of Allah, in my house and on my day?”

The Prophet ﷺ said: “She is forbidden for me, so keep this from me.”

She said: “I will not accept that unless you swear an oath to me.”

So he said: “By Allah, I will never touch her.”

Al Qasim considered his statement “forbidden” to have no legal effect. (Shaadh narration since it contradicts the more reliable report of Surah Tahrim being about the prophet forbidding himself from honey)

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah narrated to me from al Zuhri (d. 124 AH) who said: Mariyah, the mother of Ibrahim, and her sister Sirin were gifted by al Muqawqis to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ took the mother of Ibrahim for himself and gave Sirin to Hassan ibn Thabit رضي الله عنه.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar (Al Waqidi) said: Mariyah was from Hafn, from the district of Ansna.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Maʿmar (d. 153 AH) and Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah narrated to me from al Zuhri from Ibn Kaʿb from Malik (d. 179 AH) who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Treat the Copts well, for they have a covenant and kinship.” (Al Suyuti graded it sahih. Sources: al Jamiʿ al Saghir, 767. Reported by al Hakim, 4032, al Tabarani in al Kabir, 19/61, 111, and al Tahawi in Mushkil al Athar, 2364, with slight variation.)

He said: “Their kinship is that the mother of Ismaʿil ibn Ibrahim was from them, and the mother of Ibrahim the son of the Prophet ﷺ was from them.”

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah narrated to us from al Zuhri (d. 124 AH) from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه who said: The mother of Ibrahim was the slave woman of the Prophet ﷺ in her residence. A Coptic man used to come to her and bring water and firewood to her. The people spoke about that and said: “A foreign man enters upon a foreign woman.”

When that reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ he sent ʿAli ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه. ʿAli found the man on a palm tree. When he saw the sword he became frightened and threw off the garment he had upon him and uncovered himself, and it became clear that he was castrated.

ʿAli returned to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him. The Prophet ﷺ said: “O Messenger of Allah, if you command one of us to do something and he then sees something different from what he expected, should he return to you?”

He said: “Yes.”

So he informed him of what he saw of the Coptic man.

Then Mariyah gave birth to Ibrahim, and Jibril عليه السلام came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “Peace be upon you, O Abu Ibrahim.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was reassured by that. (Al Tabarani said: This hadith was narrated from al Zuhri only by Yazid ibn Abi Habib and ʿUqayl ibn Khalid, and Ibn Lahiʿah alone narrated it from both of them. Sources: al Muʿjam al Awsat, 4/89. It was also reported by Muslim, 2771, Ahmad, 13989, and al Hakim, 6824, all with similar wording.)

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: ʿAbd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ʿUmar narrated to me from his father from ʿAli رضي الله عنه similar to that, except that he said:

ʿAli went out and encountered him carrying a water pot on his head bringing fresh water. When he saw ʿAli he drew his sword and advanced toward him. When the Coptic man saw him he dropped the water pot and climbed a palm tree and uncovered himself, and it became clear that he was castrated. ʿAli sheathed his sword and returned to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “You have done correctly. The one who witnesses sees what the absent one does not see.”

Maʿn ibn ʿIsa narrated to us: Saʿid ibn Kulayb, the judge of Aden, narrated to us from Husayn ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUbayd Allah ibn ʿAbbas from ʿIkrimah from Ibn ʿAbbas رضي الله عنهما.

And ʿAbd Allah ibn Maslamah ibn Qaʿnab, Abu Bakr ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi Uways, and Muhammad ibn ʿUmar narrated: Abu Bakr ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi Sabrah narrated to us from Husayn ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUbayd Allah ibn ʿAbbas from ʿIkrimah from Ibn ʿAbbas رضي الله عنهما who said: When the mother of Ibrahim gave birth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Her child has set her free.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 2516 – Graded Da’if)

Ismaʿil ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi Uways narrated to us: My father narrated to me from Husayn ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUbayd Allah from ʿIkrimah from Ibn ʿAbbas رضي الله عنهما from the Prophet ﷺ who said:

“Any slave woman who gives birth from her master becomes free upon his death unless he frees her before his death.”

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Usamah ibn Zayd narrated to us from al Mundhir ibn ʿUbayd from ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Hassan ibn Thabit from his mother, who was the sister of Mariyah and whose name was Sirin.

The Prophet ﷺ gave her to Hassan ibn Thabit رضي الله عنه and she gave birth to ʿAbd al Rahman.

She said: “I saw the Prophet ﷺ when Ibrahim was near death while I and my sister were present, and he did not prevent us. When he died he forbade wailing.”

Al Fadl ibn ʿAbbas washed him while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting. Then I saw him at the edge of the grave with al ʿAbbas beside him. Al Fadl and Usamah ibn Zayd descended into the grave.

On that day the sun eclipsed, and the people said: “The sun eclipsed because of the death of Ibrahim.” (Sahih Al Bukhari 1403)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The sun does not eclipse for the death or life of anyone.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a gap in the bricks of the grave and ordered that it be filled. It was said to the Prophet ﷺ: “Will that benefit him?”

He said: “It neither harms nor benefits, but it comforts the eye of the living. When a servant performs an action Allah loves that he perfects it.”

Yahya ibn ʿUbayd al Dimashqi narrated to us: Saʿid ibn ʿAbd al Aziz (d. 167 AH) narrated from ʿAtaʾ (d. 114 AH) who said: The mother of the Prophet’s child, Mariyah, was ordered to observe a waiting period of 3 menstrual cycles.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar narrated from al Walid ibn Muslim (d. 195 AH) from Saʿid ibn ʿAbd al Aziz from ʿAtaʾ who said:

When the Prophet ﷺ died, Mariyah observed a waiting period of 3 menstrual cycles.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Musa ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim narrated to me from his father who said:

Abu Bakr al Siddiq رضي الله عنه used to spend on Mariyah until he died. Then ʿUmar ibn al Khattab رضي الله عنه supported her until she died during his caliphate.

Muhammad ibn ʿUmar said: Mariyah, the mother of Ibrahim, the son of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, died in Muharram in the year 16 AH. ʿUmar ibn al Khattab رضي الله عنه gathered the people to attend her funeral and he prayed over her, and her grave is in al Baqiʿ.

Kitāb al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā by Ibn Saʿd 8/170–174