“Treat the Copts with utmost respect because we are bound to them in two ways, through blood and through a pledge. We are bound to them by blood because the mother of Hazrat Ishmael^as [Hazrat Hajirah^as] and the mother of my son Ibrahim^as [Mariya^ra] are both Coptic.”

(The Holy Prophet Muhammad^sa)

Awais Rabbani, Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Name: Mariya Qibtiyah

Father: Shamun

Sister: Shirin (married to Hazrat Hassan bin Sabit^ra)

Son: Ibrahim bin Muhammad^ra

Acceptance of Islam

After the treaty of Hudaybiyya, the Holy Prophet^sa wrote letters to kings and governors of different countries to convey the message of Islam. Hazrat Hatib^ra bin Abi Balta was the emissary appointed to take the letter to Maqauqas, a governor in Egypt.

Maqauqas treated the letter with reverence. It was a custom among the Egyptians that when they wanted to strengthen their ties, they would propose a marriage with the girls of noble lineage. In response to the letter, he sent two girls as a gift to the Holy Prophet^sa: Mariya and her sister, Shirin.

During their journey, Hazrat Hatib^ra explained to them the teachings of Islam, which inspired them greatly. Owing to their pious nature, both the sisters embraced Islam.

A noble child

The Holy Prophet^sa married Hazrat Mariya^ra, and her sister was married to the famous poet, Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit^ra. In 8 Hijri, Hazrat Mariya^ra was blessed with a son, Ibrahim. The Holy Prophet^sa was overjoyed at the news of this glad tiding. Unfortunately, the child’s health deteriorated. When the Prophet^sa was told of his failing health, he arrived to bid farewell to his son and as Hazrat Ibrahim^ra drew his last breath, the Holy Prophet^sa said:

“The eyes send their tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say anything except that which pleases our Lord. Indeed, O Ibrahim, we are saddened by your departure.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1303)

He consoled the bereaving mother in the following words:

“There is a wet-nurse appointed for him in Paradise.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3255)

At her son’s demise, Hazrat Mariya^ra was an embodiment of patience and fortitude. It so happened by chance that on the day he passed away, a solar eclipse occurred. People started relating the incident with the death of the Holy Prophet’s^sa son. The Prophet^sa of Islam was displeased at hearing this and immediately dismissed this superstition in the following words:

“The solar and lunar eclipses do not happen because of the death of a person or because someone is born. When you see them, pray and prostrate before Allah the Almighty.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1043)

The Holy Prophet^sa used to say about Hazrat Ibrahim^ra that if he had lived, he would have been a pious prophet.

A question answered briefly

The question has often been raised as to whether Hazrat Mariya^ra was a slave-girl or a wife. Whereas it has been mentioned above that it was an old tradition in Egypt that whenever kings or governors desired to strengthen their relationships with their revered guest they would present women of their own family or other noble women of nation to marry. The wedlock of Prophet Abraham^as and Hazrat Hajira^ra is another example of such case when the chief offered Hazrat Hajira’s^ra hand in marriage to Hazrat Abraham^as.

The case of Hazrat Mariya^ra is no different. However, the topic is briefly touched on by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^ra and it is best to reproduce the extract from his book, The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets.

He writes:

“The question as to whether Hazrat Mariya^ra was kept by the Holy Prophet^sa as a wife or a slave-girl is a matter of disagreement, the details of which we need not delve into here.

“In any case, there are two points which are definite. Firstly, that the Holy Prophet^sa instructed Hazrat Mariya^ra to observe Purdah from the very beginning, and with regard to this injunction, it is established that this was only observed by free women and wives. As such, there is a narration that after the Ghazwah of Khaibar, when the Holy Prophet^sa married Safiyyah, the daughter of a Jewish Chieftain, the Companions fell into a disagreement as to whether she was a wife of the Holy Prophet^sa or merely a slave-girl. However, when the Holy Prophet^sa advised her to observe Purdah, the Companions understood that she was a wife, not a slave-girl.

“The second point to note is that history proves that the Holy Prophet^sa never kept a slave for himself, rather he would release any slave that came into his possession, whether female or male. In this respect as well, it is unimaginable and unacceptable that the Holy Prophet^sa would have kept Hazrat Mariya^ra, the Copt as a slave-girl.” (The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets, Vol. 3, p. 210)

Demise

Hazrat Mariya^ra passed away in Muharram 16 AH during the Khilafat of Hazrat Umar^ra. She was buried in Jannatul Baqi. Concerning the treatment of Coptic nations, the Holy Prophet^sa is reported to have said in one of the traditions:

Hazrat Mariya Qibtiya