STRENGTH IN SILENCE

 FAJR REMINDER: STRENGTH IN SILENCE

By: Umm Affān

Rabī' Al-Awwal 2, 1448 (15-August-2026)

The gentle, soft-spoken, and quiet one—that was Ruqayyah (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anha), the second daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ), and the daughter of our great mother, Khadījah Bint Khuwaylid (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anha).

Before Islām, Ruqayyah was engaged to ‘Utbah, the son of Abū Lahab, the well-known disbelieving uncle of the Prophet (ﷺ). Abū Lahab became accursed by Allāh in Sūrah Al-Masadd after he opposed and cursed the Prophet (ﷺ), and Allāh (ﷻ) responded on behalf of His Messenger saying: “Perish the two hands of Abū Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet), and perish he!” [Sūrah Al-Masadd (111): 1]

Being related to the Prophet (ﷺ) was of no benefit to individuals such as Abū Lahab and Abū Ṭālib, his uncles, because they died upon disbelief. Indeed, Abū Lahab continues to be accursed. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymīn (Raḥimahullāh) mentioned that among the uncles of the Prophet (ﷺ) was Abū Lahab, who opposed and fought against him and died upon Kufr (disbelief). [Tafsīr Al-Qur'ān al-Karīm Juz‘ ‘Ama pg. 349]

When the Prophet (ﷺ) received revelation, Abū Lahab forced his son to divorce Ruqayyah. Thus, ‘Utbah parted from her without having consummated the marriage. She was publicly humiliated because of her father's message and the faith he had embraced. Thereafter, ‘Uthmān Ibn ‘Affān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhu) married her. 

‘Uthmān was among the first Muslims and one of the wealthiest men in Makkah. He chose her not merely because of her noble family, but also because of her beautiful character.

Ruqayyah had a son with ‘Uthmān named ‘Abdullāh. He lived until the age of six before he was pecked in the face by a rooster. His face became swollen, and he later passed away.

As the persecution of the Muslims in Makkah became increasingly unbearable, the Prophet (ﷺ) permitted some of his Companions to migrate to Abyssinia. Ruqayyah and ‘Uthmān were among those who made this migration. Ibn Sa’d said: She made Hijrah with him (i.e. with ‘Uthmān), to Abyssinia and the two migrations together. Allāh's Messenger ﷺ said: “Both of them were the first to make Hijrah towards Allāh after Lūṭ.” [Al-Isābah 12/258]

Ruqayyah left behind everything familiar and crossed the desert to a foreign land. She spent years in Abyssinia, far away from her beloved family, yet she did not complain. Then, when the time came to migrate to Madīnah, she made the journey once again. She was therefore among those who made two migrations (Hijratayn)—the first to Abyssinia and the second to Madīnah.

In Madīnah, Ruqayyah fell seriously ill. Her illness was slow and debilitating, leaving her weak, feverish, and bedridden for weeks. Meanwhile, the Battle of Badr was approaching, and the men were preparing to leave. The Prophet (ﷺ) came to see his daughter, and when he saw how weak she had become, he instructed ‘Uthmān to remain behind and care for her.

The Muslims departed for Badr while Ruqayyah remained behind, slowly losing her strength in Madīnah. Her father led the first major battle of Islām, while she fought her own battle on a sickbed. The Muslims were victorious at Badr, and the news eventually reached Madīnah. The people rejoiced at the victory, but Ruqayyah never heard the news. She passed away while the Muslims were still at Badr.

Sometimes, Jihād is not fought on a battlefield but on a sickbed. Sometimes, victory is not about living long enough to witness the outcome, but about meeting Allāh while remaining firm upon Islām.

I beseech Allāh (ﷻ) to be Especially Merciful to our great sister, Ruqayyah Bint Muḥammad (ﷺ). Aameen.