Hafsa bint Umar
Umm al-Mu'minin
Hafsa was the daughter of the second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab. In Shia tradition, she is often critiqued alongside Aisha for causing distress to the Prophet.
- Born
- Born circa 605 CE in Mecca
- Died
- Died circa 665 CE (45 AH) in Medina
- Cause of death
- Natural causes
Background and Marriage
Hafsa was the daughter of Umar ibn al-Khattab. She became a widow after her first husband was martyred at the Battle of Badr. Following this, her father offered her hand in marriage to Abu Bakr and Uthman, who both declined. Eventually, the Prophet (PBUH) married her, again serving as a means to solidify social and political alliances among the early Muslim leadership.
Incidents in the Household
In Shia historical and Quranic exegesis, Hafsa is often grouped with Aisha as part of a faction that caused emotional distress to the Prophet. This is explicitly referenced in the early verses of Surah At-Tahrim (Chapter 66), where the Quran reprimands two of the Prophet's wives for disclosing a secret and conspiring against him.
Later Life
Like Aisha, her political legacy is viewed through the lens of her father's role in the events following the Prophet's passing at Saqifah. While she is acknowledged historically as a Mother of the Believers, Shia scholars emphasize that true righteousness requires complete submission to the Prophet's will and respect for his Ahl al-Bayt.