Hafsah Bint ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with her, was born five years before the Messenger of Allah  (may Allah exalt his mention) became a Prophet. She was six years older than her brother 'Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him. She was a beautiful and pious woman.


Her first marriage was to Khunays Ibn Huthaafah Ibn Qays as-Sahami, may Allah be pleased with him, who was from Quraysh. He took part in the two emigrations (to Abyssinia and Al-Madeenah). He fought in the battles of Badr and Uhud. In the latter battle he was fatally wounded and died shortly thereafter in Al-Madeenah. Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, was 18 years old at that time. 

‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, approached Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, the dearest person to the Prophet  and offered her hand in marriage to him.


‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, thought that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, would not refuse to marry a young, pious woman who was the daughter of the man by whom Allah supported Islam. Having sympathetically listened to him, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, did not respond.


‘Umar went back with a broken heart and almost did not believe what had happened. He then went to 'Uthmaan Ibn 'Affaan, may Allah be pleased with him, whose wife, Ruqayyah, may Allah be pleased with her, the daughter of the Prophet  had recently died.

‘, may Allah be pleased with him, offered him his daughter in marriage, but 'Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, apologized by saying: "I think I would not like to marry at the present time."





‘Umar's gloom increased by 'Uthmaan's refusal. He became upset and angry with his two companions, mentioning it to the Prophet  complaining about Abu Bakr and ‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with them.





Thereupon the Prophet  smiled and said: "Hafsah will get a husband who is better than 'Uthmaan and 'Uthmaan will get a wife better than Hafsah." [Al-Bukhari]

The idea was to suggest to him that this bad smell came from his mouth because of his taking that particular honey.


The Prophet  has always disliked strong smells especially on his breath. He then forbade honey unto himself for which Allah revealed (what means): "O Prophet, why do you prohibit (yourself from) what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Allah has already ordained for you (Muslims) the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your Protector, and He is The Knowing, The Wise." [Quran 66: 1-2]

 

We learn from the book of Imaam Al-Bukhari  that Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, was a bit short-tempered and sometimes would even answer the Prophet  (may Allah exalt his mention) back. One day, her father, ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, who had come to know this, went to her and asked: "I have heard that you talk to the Noble Prophet  as if you were on an equal footing with him. Is it true?" Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, replied: "Of course! I do".


’Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "My daughter, I warn you of Allah's punishment. Do not compete with ‘Aa'ishah, who is proud of her beauty due to the Prophet’s  love for her."


Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, would never hesitate in asking the Noble Prophet  questions on any topic or problem. Once the Prophet  said: “The companions of Badr and Hudaibiyyah will not enter Hell.”


Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, quickly said: "O Prophet ! Allah Says that everyone of you will pass over Hell."


The Prophet  answered her: “Yes! But Allah also says in Soorah Maryam (what means): "Then We will save those who feared Allah and leave the wrongdoers within it, on their knees.” [Quran 19:72]

The Prophet  divorced Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, once when she sided against him and disclosed his secret (mentioned before, in the story regarding ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, and the Prophet ’s oath not to drink honey). But Jibreel came to him, and told him to take her back and said: “Take Hafsah back because she is keeping fasts and is observing prayer in the last parts of the night, and she is going to be your wife in Paradise.”

Allah Says (what means): “And (remember) when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed (another) of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said: ‘Who told you this?’ He said: ‘I was informed by the All-Knowing, the Acquainted.’ If you two (wives) repent to Allah, (it is best), for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him – then indeed Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are (his) assistants.” [Quran 66: 3-4]

Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: “For the whole year I had the desire to ask ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding the explanation of a verse (in Soorah At-Tahreem), but I could not ask him because I respected him very much. When he went to perform Hajj, I too went along with him. On our return while we were still on the way home ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, went aside to answer the call of nature by the 


Arak trees. I waited until he had finished then I proceeded with him and asked him: ‘O Chief of the Believers, who were the two wives of the Prophet  who aided one another against him?’ He said: ‘They were Hafsah and ‘Aa'ishah.'  Then I said to him: 'By Allah. I wanted to ask you about this a year ago, but I could not do so owing to my respect for you.' 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'Do not refrain from asking me. If you think that I have knowledge (about a certain matter), ask me; and if I know (something about it), I will tell you.'


Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, realized the gravity of what she had done to her noble husband when she disclosed his secret. However, after the Prophet  forgave her, she lived in tranquility and repose again.


Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, seemed to be very attached and close to her father, who used to consult her in matters relating to women. Once he noticed a woman reciting poetry about her husband who was away on Jihaad. 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was disturbed, and asked Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, how long a woman may remain without her husband. She said six months, upon which 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, issued a decree to all of his commanders to relieve every warrior after every six months.

When the Prophet  died and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, succeeded him, it was Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, who was chosen to keep the first copy of the Noble Quran.


She continued worshipping Allah devoutly, fasting, praying, and keeping the copy of the Muslims’ constitution, the immortal miracle and the source of legislation and belief: the Quran.


When the second compilation of the Quran was made during the caliphate of 'Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, she was asked to bring that copy, which she did, after putting the condition that when the work was completed, her copy would be returned to her.

After the standard copy was made, 'Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, had decided that all the different versions of the Quran should be destroyed, but he was unable to do it with Hafsah's copy because of the condition she had attached. It was only after her death that the copy was discovered and destroyed.

Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, occupies a high position as far as scholarship and piety are concerned. She reported 60 Ahaadeeth from the Prophet . Out of these, four are agreed upon, six are in the book of Imaam Muslim  and the remaining are in the other books of traditions.

When her father, the Caliph of the Muslims, felt he was about to die after being stabbed by Abu Lu'lu'ah the Zoroastrian in the month of Thul-Hijjah 23 AH, Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, was the guardian of what he left of inheritance.


Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, took custody of all his important documents including his copy of the Glorious Quran, which was compiled during the time of Abu Bakr's Caliphate.


Before her death, she made a will to ‘Abdullaah bin 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that her property at Gahba should be donated in charity. Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, had no children from the Prophet .

Hafsah, may Allah be pleased her, lived with the Prophet  in Al-Madeenah for eight years, and lived on for another thirty-four years after his death; witnessing with joy the victories and expansion of Islam under her father's guidance, and with sorrow the troubles that beset the Muslim community after the murder of 'Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him. She passed away during the reign of Mu'aawiyyah bin Abu Sufyaan, may Allah be pleased with him, in 47 AH at the age of sixty-three.