The Story of Asmā' bint Abī Bakrin and Az-Zubayr: A Model of Wifely Duties, Sacrifice, Humility and Patience

Asmā' bint Abī Bakrin (may Allaah be please with them both) narrated: Az-Zubayr married me while he had on the earth no wealth, no servant, and nothing at all except his horse. She said: So I used to feed his horse, take care of its provisions, tend to it, crush date-stones for his water-drawing camel and feed it, draw water, mend its water-skin, and knead dough. I was not good at baking bread, and neighbors of mine from the Anṣār used to bake for me, and they were women of truthfulness. She said: And I used to carry date-stones from the land of az-Zubayr which the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ had allotted to him, upon my head, and it was at a distance of two-thirds of a farsakh. She said: One day I came while the date-stones were upon my head, and I met the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ while a group of his Companions were with him. He called me, then said: “Ikh, ikh,” so that he might seat me behind him. She said: I felt shy, and I knew your jealousy. He said: “By Allaah, your carrying the date-stones upon your head is harder than your riding with him.” She said: Then Abū Bakrin later sent to me a servant, and she relieved me of tending the horse, so it was as though he had set me free. Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2182 (34). _ Translated by Ummu Hayaa's Majlis t.me/ummuhayaa whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9bGOY4inorAzrDRP2W عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ: تَزَوَّجَنِي الزُّبَيْرُ، وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنْ مَالٍ، وَلَا مَمْلُوكٍ، وَلَا شَيْءٍ غَيْرَ فَرَسِهِ. قَالَتْ: فَكُنْتُ أَعْلِفُ فَرَسَهُ، وَأَكْفِيهِ مَئُونَتَهُ، وَأَسُوسُهُ، وَأَدُقُّ النَّوَى لِنَاضِحِهِ، وَأَعْلِفُهُ، وَأَسْتَقِي الْمَاءَ، وَأَخْرُزُ غَرْبَهُ، وَأَعْجِنُ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ أُحْسِنُ أَخْبِزُ، وَكَانَ يَخْبِزُ لِي جَارَاتٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، وَكُنَّ نِسْوَةَ صِدْقٍ. قَالَتْ: وَكُنْتُ أَنْقُلُ النَّوَى مِنْ أَرْضِ الزُّبَيْرِ الَّتِي أَقْطَعَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى رَأْسِي، وَهِيَ عَلَى ثُلُثَيْ فَرْسَخٍ. قَالَتْ: فَجِئْتُ يَوْمًا وَالنَّوَى عَلَى رَأْسِي، فَلَقِيتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَعَهُ نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَدَعَانِي، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «إِخْ إِخْ»، لِيَحْمِلَنِي خَلْفَهُ. قَالَتْ: فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ، وَعَرَفْتُ غَيْرَتَكَ، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَحَمْلُكِ النَّوَى عَلَى رَأْسِكِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ رُكُوبِكِ مَعَهُ. قَالَتْ: حَتَّى أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِخَادِمٍ، فَكَفَتْنِي سِيَاسَةَ الْفَرَسِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا أَعْتَقَتْنِي.