Life of Saarah Radhiallhu Anha

Category: 

Islamic History

According to Madhhab: 

Hanafi

Reference: 

1441-022

Question: 

Could
Mufti please give us more info on the life of Saarah (R.A), the wife of
Sayyindina Ebrahim (A.S). What does Saarah mean? And any other details
regarding her life. Would appreciate a detailed answer. 


Answer: 

Sarah Radhiallahu Anha the wife of Hazrat Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam

Sarah means princess in Hebrew.

She was the mother of Hazrat Ishaq Alaihis Salaam and the grandmother of Hazrat Yaqoob Alaihis Salaam.

She was the most beautiful woman of her time and era. 

She was sterile and was blessed with a child named Ishaq Alaihis Salaam at the age of 99.

She was a devoted true believer and a pious woman. 

She was subservient to her husband and loved him. 

She was blessed with a conversation with the angels. 

She was saved from the cruel and unjust king. 

Her discussion in the Quran:
وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِِلْبُشْرَى قَالُوا سَلَامًا قَالَ سَلَامٌ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَنْ جَاءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍ * فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَيْدِيَهُمْ لََ تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ نَكِرَهُمْ وَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةً قَالُوا لََ تَََفْ إِنََّّ أُرْسِلْنَا إِلََ قَوْمِ لُوطٍ * وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنََّهَا بِِِسْحَاقَ وَمِ نْ وَ رَاءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ * قَالَتْ يََ وَيْلَتََ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنََّ عَجُوزٌ وَهَذَا بَعْلِي شَيْخًا إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ * قَالُوا أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللََِّّ رَحَْْتُ اللََِّّ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ إِنَّهُ حَِْيدٌ مََِيدٌ * )الهود الآية ٦٩ - ٧٣ )

Indeed, Our messenger-angels came to Ibraheem Alaihis Salaam with good new (that he will father a son and have grandson afterwards) and greeted him with (the words of) Salam. He said, “Salam (peace be upon you too),” and did not hesitate to bring a roasted calf (to host them). (However, they did not partake of the meal because angels do not eat.) When he noticed that their hands were not reaching out towards it (to eat), he grew fearful of them (thinking that they have come to harm him). They said, “Do not fear. We (are angels who) have been sent to (destroy) the nation of Loot Alaihis Salaam. His wife (Sarah) standing by, laughed (with happiness) as we conveyed to her the good news (that she would be giving birth to a son by the name) of Ishaaq , and (she will have a grandson by the name of) Yaqoob Alaihis Salaam. She said (in astonishment), “Oh dear! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman ( of more then 80 years, some say: 99 years) and my husband here is an old man (of over 100 years, some say: 120 years)? This is indeed a strange event!” They (the angles) said, “Are you surprised (wondering) at the command (and powers) of Allah  (who can do anything? May Allah’s mercy and blessing be on you, O members of the household (of Ibraheem Alaihis Salaam). Verily He is worthy of all praise, the Exalted. 

In early age, Hazrat Ibraheem Alaihis Salaam lived in Iraq and married Hazrat Sarah Radhiallahu Anha who embraced Islam at the early age. She was a wealthy woman and possessed many lands and a lot of animals which she eventually gave to Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam to look after. When Hazrat Ibraheem Alaihis Salaam was blessed with prophethood, he begun calling and inviting his nation towards Deen; but they did not pay heed to him and refuted the message that he had brought. Thereafter, Hazrat Ibraheem Alaihis Salaam migrated from there to Palestine with his wife Sarah Radhiallahu Anha and nephew Hazrat Loot Alaihis Salaam and preached and invited people of that locality who were idol and star worshippers.

Incident with the evil and malevolent ruler:

Furthermore, Hazrat Ibraheem Alaihis Salaam migrated from Palestine to Egypt due to the drought that had affected Palestine. As he was migrating with his family, he was informed that the ruler of Egypt is a passionate womanizer and that bothered him and had him worried. Then, he instructed her that if anyone enquires about how you are related to me? I would say that you are my sister. So, you should not falsify or refute my statement since we are only two Muslims in this land and referred as brothers and sisters in the book of Allah Ta'aala. Nevertheless, as they entered Egypt, one of the courtiers of the Egypt ruler sighted Hazrat Sarah Radhiallahu Anha and rushed towards the ruler to inform him about her indescribable beauty. After the ruler received the news, he commanded that she should be brought immediately in the court. The courtiers came to Hazrat Ibraheem Alaihis Salaam and inform him that the respected king has instructed and ordered us to present this woman to his palace. Thus, Hazrat Sarah Radhiallahu Anha proceeded towards the palace while she was occupied in the remembrance of Allah Ta'aala , beseeching him to safeguard and protect her from the cruel and malevolent ruler. In addition, she was not overawed nor affected by the glamour and glitter of the palace, since she had connected herself with the Creator (Allah Ta'aala) and for this reason, every other luxury of this world seemed repulsive and insignificant. Nonetheless, when the ruler encountered her, he remained astonished by her beauty and overawed by her personality. All the sudden, it felt like there was a lightning force which ran through his entire body which he could not apprehend nor comprehend; however, it was a feeling of fear that penetrated his heart, body, and mind. However, Shaytaan overpowered him and whispered in his ears to stretch out his hand towards Hazrat Sarah Radhiallahu Anha. Therefore, despite all the divine force and power, he still intended to touch her. As he proceeded for the second time, a lightning force again ran inside him and caused his hand to incapacitate and become paralysed, his body to shiver, and he was panting heavily. Only his tongue was in motion and functioning. He was overawed and fearful for his life, so he begged and beseeched Hazrat Sarah Radhiallahu Anha to supplicate for him and free him from this agonising difficulty and promised her to leave her untouched. Consequently, Hazrat Sarah Radhiallahu Anha supplicated for him and he was cured as before. However, since he was overpowered by Shaytaan and for this very reason, he had the audacity to attempt the same evil again. At that point, he suffered the similar severe consequences as earlier and beseeched her again and this went on thrice. After he realised that he cannot ever harm or touch her, since she is not an ordinary person; rather, she is a Jinn (and in that era, people would attribute all supernatural and unusual events to Jinns and they used to fear them and respect them), he let her go and granted her Hazrat Hajirah Radhiallahu Anha for her service. She passed away at the age of 127. (Azwajul Ambiya Pg. 237-246, Jamalain Vol. 3 Pg 223) 

In a nutshell, she was an extraordinary pious woman, mother of many prophets, and connected herself with the Creator Allah Ta'aala and dissociated herself from the creation. 

AND ALLAH TA'AALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST
ANSWERED BY: MOHSIN KHAN 
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY: Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B. 
Islamic Date: ١٦ محرم ١٤٤١ 
English Date: 16 September 2019

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