The Last Wives of the Prophet
Maymunah bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyyah is recognized as the final wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Their marriage took place in Mecca following his completion of the Umrah al-Qada.
About Maymunah bint al-Harith
Maymunah bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyyah, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), belonged to the Hawazin tribe. She was the sister of Lubabah, who was married to the Prophet’s uncle Abbas. Additionally, Maymunah had another sister, Zaynab bint Khuzayma, who passed away just months after her marriage to the Prophet. Before marrying the Prophet (peace be upon him), Maymunah was married twice—first to a man from the Thaqif tribe, who later divorced her, and then to a Quraishi man who died while they were together. The Prophet (peace be upon him) proposed to her in the seventh year of the Hijra and consummated the marriage in a place called Sarf, located north of Mecca. The Prophet did not stay in Mecca for the wedding due to the refusal of the Quraish tribe, who were wary of his extended presence there. Abbas acted as her guardian in the marriage ceremony, as Maymunah entrusted the decision of her wedding to her sister Lubabah, who in turn authorized her husband, Abbas. At the time of her marriage to the Prophet, Maymunah was twenty-seven years old.
Virtues of Maymunah bint al-Harith
Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) embraced Islam early in the Prophet’s mission, becoming the second woman to convert after Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). During the Prophet’s era, Maymunah actively participated in battles, providing medical assistance to the wounded and delivering food and water to the fighters. She sustained an injury during the Battle of Tabuk from an arrow that nearly cost her her life, had it not been for God’s protection. Historical accounts indicate that she was among the first to assemble a group for the purpose of aiding the injured in battle.
Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) lived in the Prophet’s household in a state of devotion and contentment. Her sister, Salma, who was married to the Prophet’s uncle Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him), lived with her after Hamza’s martyrdom. Maymunah was also known for her skills in narrating hadiths. She was diligent and reliable in her transmission, having narrated a total of seventy-six hadiths, with seven of them being agreed upon in the two Sahih collections, making a total of thirteen hadiths attributed to her. Her nieces and nephews also narrated hadiths from her.
The story of Maymunah is mentioned in the Quran, particularly when the hypocrites mocked her for offering herself to the Prophet (peace be upon him) after he received a proposal from Abbas regarding her wish to marry him. In response to their ridicule, Allah revealed the verse: (O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation and those whom your right hand possesses from what Allah has returned to you and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] exclusively for you, excluding the other believers. We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those their right hands possess, that there not be upon you any discomfort. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.)
Death of Maymunah bint al-Harith
Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) passed away in Sarf, the same area where her marriage to the Prophet took place. She died at the age of fifty-one in the year sixty-one after Hijra, with some reports stating that her death occurred in the year sixty-three. Abdullah ibn Abbas and several other companions performed her funeral prayer.
Maymunah was visiting Mecca at the time of her passing, but she had left the city prior to her death due to the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prediction that she would not die there. Her death occurred during the caliphate of Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), and her nephews, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Yazid ibn al-A’sam, and Abdullah ibn al-Had, were present at her burial. Abdullah ibn Abbas urged them to handle her bier with care, advising against shaking or jostling it.
The Status of the Mothers of the Believers
Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He) has elevated the status of the Prophet’s wives (peace be upon him) and designated them as the Mothers of the Believers. This title encompasses various aspects, including their prohibition to the men of the nation after the Prophet’s death, as well as the obligation of love, obedience, and allegiance towards them. They hold this maternal role not through inheritance or intimate relationships, but rather through the respect and affection they command. The Mothers of the Believers possess a significant rank in the Hereafter, paralleling their esteemed status in this world, as they are the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Paradise.