Asma bint Abu Bakr [radiyallahu anha]

As her name suggests, she is the daughter of Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anh). Born in Makkah in 595, twenty-seven years before the Hijrah, she was ten years older than her half-sister, our mother Aisha (radiyallahu anha). She became a Muslim through her father, Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anh), and was the eighteenth person to embrace Islam. During the Hijrah, she rendered significant services, greatly aiding the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He married her to Zubair ibn al-Awwam, whom he referred to as “my disciple,” saying, “Every prophet has a disciple, and my disciple is Zubair.” She was a renowned companion, known for her decency, dedication to service, and astuteness. She was intelligent, resourceful, and skilled. She lived for more than 100 years. 

May Allah be pleased with her. 

Here are some excerpts from her life…

The One With Two Belts

Most of the Muslims in Makkah had emigrated. Everyone was awaiting the Hijrah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). One day, Asma (radiyallahu anha) saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) coming to their house in the heat of midday. She immediately ran to the door and informed her father:

“The Messenger of Allah is coming.”

Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anh) responded,

“May the lives of my parents be laid down for him; he wouldn’t come at this hour unless it was something important,” and went out to meet him. When the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) entered, he said to Abu Bakr:

“Can you clear the room?”

“O Messenger of Allah, I only have my two daughters with me,” said Abu Bakr; “they know how to keep secrets. There are no strangers here.”

Upon this, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) informed him that they would be migrating to Medina together and asked him to start preparations. Overwhelmed with the joy of being the Prophet’s companion on this journey, Abu Bakr began preparations with his daughters. They filled a leather bag with provisions and a water skin with water. However, they couldn’t find anything to tie the mouths of the bags. Asma (radiyallahu anha) immediately took off her belt, tore it into two pieces, and used them to tie the bags. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appreciated her sincere action and said:

“O Asma! May Allah grant you two belts in Jannah in exchange for this belt.”

Hence, Asma (radiyallahu anha) came to be known as Dhat al-Nitaqayn, meaning “the One With Two Belts.”

Foremost in Charity

Asma’s most prominent characteristic was her generosity. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) advised her:

“O Asma! Do not be tight-fisted (stingy), or Allah will withhold His favors from you.”

Throughout her life, she distributed what she had to those in need. She would advise her sons:

“Spend your wealth in the way of Allah. Give charity. Hoarding what you do not spend does not increase your wealth. Giving charity does not diminish it.”

Her son Abdullah would recount that he had never seen anyone as generous as his mother Asma and his aunt Aisha. He would say that while his aunt would accumulate and then distribute her wealth once it reached a certain amount, his mother would give away whatever she had as soon as she received it.

Mother of a Hero

After the Rashidun Caliphs passed away, the Umayyad family took control of the state. Asma’s son, Abdullah ibn al-Zubair, known for his command and strategic intelligence, gathered many supporters. After the tragic martyrdom of Hussain (radiyallahu anh) at Karbala, Abdullah ibn al-Zubair became the leader of the opposition against the Umayyads. He was recognized as the caliph in Makkah, Medina, and the eastern provinces of Hijaz, accepting the title Amir al-Mu’minin. Abdullah fought the Umayyads several times, but his increasingly weakened army was eventually besieged in Makkah by the notorious Hajjaj, a commander known for his cruelty. Hajjaj ordered a blockade and bombardment with catapults for months, even causing the covering of the Kaaba to catch fire at times.

After months of siege, when there was no food left in Makkah, Abdullah consulted his mother about the dire situation. He told her that his soldiers still supported him and that he preferred death over surrender. Asma (radiyallahu anha) gave him this famous advice:

“My son, the decision is yours. You know yourself and your soldiers best. If you believe you are on the right path and calling people to the truth, then endure with patience until your last breath, just as your soldiers who died under your banner did. But if you are fighting for worldly gains, then what a terrible servant and son you are. You have killed yourself and your soldiers for nothing.”

“If I do not surrender, they will kill me, mother.”

“By Allah, my son, it is better for you to die than for Hajjaj to make a sport of your head.”

“Mother, I am not afraid of death, but I am concerned about what they will do to my body after they kill me.”

“My son, a courageous person does not fear for his body after death. Does a sacrificial lamb feel pain when its skin is being flayed?”

Smiling at his mother’s words, Abdullah said:

“Mother, you are indeed a wonderful mother! Hearing this from you was the reason I came. Allah knows I have no fear or doubt. What I have done, I did for Allah’s pleasure and to uphold the truth. Now, I go to face what Allah has decreed for me. Know that your son has never wronged a single Muslim, nor committed a single sinful act, nor broken a single promise. Do not grieve for me; entrust your affairs to Allah.”

“My son, if you were to die on a false path, then I would grieve. Come, let me embrace you one last time and inhale your scent.”

After this farewell, Asma (radiyallahu anha) never lost her composure. She passed away shortly after her son’s martyrdom. 

May Allah be pleased with her.