■ Who Was Sayyidah Fatimah Bint Qais (ر)?
There is a beautiful story of a noble woman from our golden history — a story filled with strength, patience, wisdom, and deep faith.
Her name was Fatimah (ر), and she came from a pure and respected lineage. She was known as Fatimah bint Qais, daughter of Khalid Akbar, son of Wahb, who was the son of Tha’labah, son of Al-Ala, son of Maharib, son of Fahr. Her mother was a lady named Kinanah — noble and virtuous. Fatimah (ر) was not just known for her family background; she was known for her own light too.
In her early life, she was married to Abu Amr ibn Hafs ibn Mughira. Allah ﷻ had blessed her with the honor of accepting Islam in its earliest days, when faith was like a lamp flickering against storms of disbelief. Not only did she accept Islam, she also made the blessed migration (Hijrah) to Madinah, leaving behind everything for the love of Allah ﷻ and His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Now listen carefully, because her life had its share of deep tests too.
One day, during the 10th year after Hijrah, Sayyidina Ali (رضي الله عنه) was leading an army toward Yemen. Fatimah’s (ر) husband, Abu Amr, accompanied him on this journey. Before leaving, however, Abu Amr sent a final divorce message to Fatimah (ر) through a man named Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi’ah. Along with this painful message, he sent some barley and dates as a form of provision — not much, just 5 sa’a (an old Arab measurement).
Heartbroken but dignified, Fatimah (ر) requested a house to stay and more provision, because in those times, a woman had great need for protection after divorce. Yet Ayyash gave her a harsh reply:
❝Whatever was given, was given out of goodness. Nothing else is due to you.❞
Imagine her hurt! Feeling wronged, Fatimah (ر) picked up her belongings and went directly to the court of mercy — to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself.
The Prophet ﷺ asked her gently,
❝How many times has he divorced you?❞
She replied, ❝Three times.❞
Upon hearing this, the Prophet ﷺ gave her wise guidance. He said she was not entitled to any more provision from the ex-husband according to the divine law, and for her waiting period (‘iddah), she should stay at the house of Umm Sharik. However, because many visitors came to Umm Sharik’s house, the Prophet ﷺ suggested instead that she stay with her blind cousin, Ibn Maktoum — for her safety and comfort.
And so, she spent her ‘iddah in dignity.
But that was not the end. After her ‘iddah was complete, suitors began to knock at her door!
From the noble came Hazrat Amir Mu’awiyah, from the warriors came Abu Jahm, and from the beloved circle of the Prophet ﷺ came Usamah ibn Zayd (رضي الله عنه).
The Prophet ﷺ himself advised her to accept the proposal of Usamah (رضي الله عنه). Yet deep inside her pure heart, Fatimah (ر) had a shy hope — maybe the Prophet ﷺ himself would propose?
But the Prophet ﷺ kindly repeated:
❝Obey Allah & His Rasool; there is blessing in it.❞
She obeyed. She married Usamah (رضي الله عنه), and later declared with joy that no marriage could have made her prouder or happier than the one chosen and arranged by the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Years passed.
During the time of Sayyidina Umar (رضي الله عنه), Fatimah’s (ر) home became a hub of wisdom — the meetings of the Majlis Shoora (like the Muslim Parliament) were held in her house. Imagine that! Her home became a place where the decisions of an entire nation were discussed.
But life, as always, brings separation too. In 54 A.H., her beloved husband Usamah (رضي الله عنه) passed away. It was a blow so heavy that it left her heart forever altered. She chose not to remarry again, living the rest of her life with her brother, Dahak.
When Dahak was appointed governor of Iraq by Yazid, Fatimah (ر) moved with him to Kufa. There, she lived her remaining years, witnessing the changing tides of history, including the caliphate of Abdullah ibn Zubair (رضي الله عنه).
No one knows exactly when she passed away — but surely her soul soared high, for her life was one of beauty, sacrifice, and strength.
It is said that Fatimah (ر) was extremely beautiful — but her inner beauty outshone her physical charm.
In the famous book of biographies, Asd al-Ghabah, it is written:
❝She was an intelligent & accomplished lady.❞
Her wisdom shines in a touching incident:
Once, the daughter of Sayyidina Sa’eed ibn Zayd (رضي الله عنه) was divorced. Fatimah (ر), as a caring aunt, sent for her to come and stay. Marwan, the governor at that time, questioned how Fatimah (ر) could call her before the ‘iddah period ended.
Fatimah (ر) calmly and wisely replied by narrating her own story of divorce — how the Prophet ﷺ had guided her — and she even recited the verses from the Qur’an (Surah At-Talaq, verses 1-2), explaining the law beautifully.
یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّبِیُّ اِذَا طَلَّقۡتُمُ النِّسَآءَ فَطَلِّقُوۡہُنَّ لِعِدَّتِہِنَّ وَ اَحۡصُوا الۡعِدَّۃَ ۚ وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ رَبَّکُمۡ ۚ لَا تُخۡرِجُوۡہُنَّ مِنۡۢ بُیُوۡتِہِنَّ وَ لَا یَخۡرُجۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ یَّاۡتِیۡنَ بِفَاحِشَۃٍ مُّبَیِّنَۃٍ ؕ وَ تِلۡکَ حُدُوۡدُ اللّٰہِ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَعَدَّ حُدُوۡدَ اللّٰہِ فَقَدۡ ظَلَمَ نَفۡسَہٗ ؕ لَا تَدۡرِیۡ لَعَلَّ اللّٰہَ یُحۡدِثُ بَعۡدَ ذٰلِکَ اَمۡرًا ﴿۱﴾
O Prophet! (Say to the Muslims:) ‘When you seek to divorce your women, divorce them during their period of purity and count their prescribed period. And keep fearing Allah, Who is your Lord. And do not drive them out of their homes, nor should they leave unless they commit open indecency. And these are Allah’s (fixed) limits. And whoever transgresses Allah’s limits has surely wronged his own soul. (O man,) you do not know that Allah may perhaps develop a new situation (to turn you back to her after divorce).
فَاِذَا بَلَغۡنَ اَجَلَہُنَّ فَاَمۡسِکُوۡہُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوۡفٍ اَوۡ فَارِقُوۡہُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوۡفٍ وَّ اَشۡہِدُوۡا ذَوَیۡ عَدۡلٍ مِّنۡکُمۡ وَ اَقِیۡمُوا الشَّہَادَۃَ لِلّٰہِ ؕ ذٰلِکُمۡ یُوۡعَظُ بِہٖ مَنۡ کَانَ یُؤۡمِنُ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ ۬ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَّقِ اللّٰہَ یَجۡعَلۡ لَّہٗ مَخۡرَجًا ۙ﴿۲﴾
Then when they reach closer to (the end of) their appointed term, retain them with kindness or separate from them with kindness. And take two just persons from amongst you as witnesses and establish testimony for the sake of Allah. This is advice for him alone who believes in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever fears Allah, He makes a way out for him (from pain and grief of this world and the Hereafter),
(الطَّلاَق – Al-Ṭalāq [65 : 1.2])
Marwan, upon hearing her explanation, admitted:
❝This is a woman’s words, but true words!❞
He immediately ordered that the divorced woman return and complete her ‘iddah properly.
Fatimah (ر) narrated many blessed Hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ through great scholars like Qasim ibn Muhammad, Abu Salamah, Sa’eed ibn Musayyib, and others.
Even simple moments reflect her noble character:
The famous scholar Imam Sha’bi, one of her pupils, once visited her. How did she welcome him?
Not with extravagance, but with simple, heartfelt hospitality — dates and sattoo (a nourishing barley drink). Simple, pure, and full of barakah (blessings).
Such was the life of Sayyidah Fatimah bint Qais (ر): A woman of strength without arrogance, beauty without vanity, and intelligence guided by the light of revelation.
Her story tell us even today:
No matter how difficult the path, obey Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ — and you will find hidden blessings you never imagined.
الراجی رحمۃَ ربّہِ العلٰی
و الفقیر الٰی حضرۃ النّبی المصطفیٰ ﷺ
محمد فرحان جمیل
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلَىٰ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 