Asma bint Abu Bakr رضي الله عنها

Hadhrat Asma رضي الله عنها was the daughter of Hadhrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, the mother of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubayr رضي الله عنه and the half sister of Hadhrat Aaisha رضي الله عنها. She was one of the most eminent women amongst the Sahabah رضي الله عنه and was born 27 years before the Hijrah. She was one of the earliest Muslims and it is said that she was the eighteenth person to embrace Islam. After Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم and Hadhrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه reached Madinah, they sent Hadhrat Zayd رضي الله عنه and some other Sahabah to bring their families from Makkah. It was then that Hadhrat Asma رضي الله عنها came to Madinah. When she reached Quba, she gave birth to Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubayr رضي الله عنه, who happened to be the first baby born after the Hijrah.

Those early days were days of poverty and starvation, but also days when the Muslims displayed tremendous courage and perseverance.

In a narration of Bukhari, Hadhrat Asma رضي الله عنها described her life when she says, “When I married Zubayr رضي الله عنه, he had neither any money, property, servants nor anything else. All he owned was one camel for carrying water and one horse. I would fetch grass for the camel and crush date stones and feed it. I also fetched water from the well and mended the bucket when it tore. Together with this, I tended to the needs of the horse together with other domestic chores. What I found most difficult of all was tending to the horse. Since I was not good at making bread, I kneaded the flour and would then take it to my Ansaar neighbours. They were truly honest and sincere women and were kind enough to make it for me.

Upon arriving in Madinah, Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم made over to Zubayr رضي الله عنه a piece of land located two miles away from town. It was from here that I carried the date stones on my head. In fact, I was  doing just that one day when Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم happened to pass by on his camel with a group of the Ansaar. Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم stopped the camel and made it kneel down so that I could ride. However I felt too shy to travel with a group of men and also recalled the sensitivity of Zubayr رضي الله عنه, who would not have approved. Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم understood my hesitation and then left. When I reached home, I narrated the story to Zubayr رضي الله عنه and told him that I did not accept the offer of Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم because of my bashfulness and his sensitivity. He said “by Allah Ta'aala I am more sensative about you carrying the load on your head!” (however, because the Sahabah رضي الله عنه constantly remained engaged in Jihad and other services of Deen, domestic chores had to be done by their women). It was a while later that Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه gave us a servant that Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم had given to him. I was therefore relieved of tending to the horse and it seemed that I was set free.”

NOTE: it was customary amongst the Arabs to grind date stones, add water, and then feed it to animals as fodder.